CORNELIUS

Did you hear the story about the two men hiking through the forest? One of the men was nervous, worried about the possibility of encountering a bear. He asked his buddy, “Could we outrun a bear?” The other responded, “I don’t have to outrun the bear. I only need to outrun you.”

That’s a silly story, but from it we can make an important application.

We’re not going to be invited into Heaven because we are better that our neighbor. God doesn’t grade His creatures to determine who committed more sins, and who committed a fewer number of sins. Likewise, God doesn’t sit in judgment to determine who committed worse sins and who committed the less offensive sorts of sin.

“Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23, NLT).

The Bible tells the story of a man named Cornelius. “He was a devout man and feared God along with his whole household. He did many charitable deeds for the Jewish people and always prayed to God” (Acts 10:2). While other Roman centurions were tyrannical, cruel, and oppressive, Cornelius was kind, caring, and generous. He was “an upright and God-fearing man, who has a good reputation with the whole Jewish nation” (Acts 10:22).

Cornelius had just one problem. He was lost, destined to eternal separation from God, and desperately in need of a Savior. Cornelius needed Jesus!

Dr. Luke believed that Cornelius’s conversion experience was important, so important that he recorded it three times (Acts 10:1-48; 11:1-18; 15:7-9). Why? Because Cornelius was the first Gentile to put his faith in Jesus.

The Jews were the first. Later, Samaritans were born-again into the family of God. Finally, Gentiles, beginning with Cornelius, came to saving faith.

He wasn’t saved because he could outrun his buddy. He was saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone.

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).