Church of Christ Studies

The Conversion Of A Military Officer 

I must congratulate myself to-night for having the privilege of addressing such a fine audience as this assembled. One of the most encouraging things to me I have ever experienced is the close attention and the very earnest and intelligent hearing that you are giving while I try to present to you that which I believe to be the book of God.

 

I think that you will grant my earnestness, sincerity, and honesty, however much you may chance to differ with me regarding the subject-matter presented; for I assure you I have no motive in coming to your city but to preach the Bible as best I am able to read and learn the will of the Lord therefrom.

 

I want to say to you now, as in the beginning, that the gospel of the Son of God is universal in its application, including all races, classes, and conditions of humanity.

 

The gospel of the Lord is intended to reach down to the lowest depths of degradation and despair and provide salvation unto the soul that is thus steeped in sin and bowed down under the evils of the earth. It is also intended for the very best man that the country affords, as viewed from a moral point of consideration.

 

Last night's study was the conversion of a prominent official in the country known as Ethiopia. I am glad to call your attention to-night to another very prominent man, known throughout the country in which he lived and against whom very few things could have been filed as a criticism or objection. I want to repeat to you the story in brief, not in detail, as found in the tenth chapter of the book of Acts, that you may get a general idea of the case under consideration.

 

The record says there was a man in Caesarea called "Cornelius," a centurion of the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision, evidently about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of the Lord coming in to him, and saying: "Cornelius ;" and when he looked upon him, he was afraid, and said: "What is it, Lord?" The response was made in these words: "Thy prayers and shine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: he lodgeth with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do."

 

Now, after having received such intelligence, Cornelius called unto him two of the servants and a devout soldier that waited on him continually and repeated what the angel had announced. He then sent them down to the seacoast, a distance of thirty miles, to inquire for Peter. While they were coming, Peter had gone upon the housetop to pray; and there, while praying, he fell into a trance, and this is what he saw: The heavens opened and a certain vessel descending unto him like a great sheet, knit at the four corners and let down to the earth, wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and fowls of the air. Accompanying the vision, there was a voice unto Peter, saying: "Arise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter said: "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." The voice answered: "What God bath cleansed, that call not thou common."

 

Now, this was done three times. The vessel was received up again into heaven. And while Peter was thinking what that meant, behold, three men were down at the gate hallooing: "Hello! Is this where Simon, the tanner, lives?" While this discussion was going on, the Holy Spirit said unto Peter: "Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them."

 

On the morrow they started back toward Caesarea, and during the time Cornelius was busy getting ready for the meeting. He had gone out and gathered his friends and family, so that when Peter came he found that many had come together. HE said to Cornelius at the very start: 'fir am treading on dangerous ground, for I know that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company or come into one of another nation; but God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore, I am come unto thee as soon as thou hast sent for me." Then Cornelius repeated the story. "Thou hast well done that thou hast come. Now, we are all present here before God to hear whatsoever things are commanded thee of God." Now, Peter began and preached unto them the story of the cross. As he began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word, and they began to speak with other tongues and magnify God. Then said Peter: "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days."

 

This is practically the tenth chapter of the book of Acts. I have gone into detail to get that matter before you in its concrete form that you might appreciate all things the better that I may say regarding it.

 

In the study of this man's conversion I do not know better how to proceed than after a sort of an inquiry raised on last evening. First of all, I want to find out who this man is of whom the record is thus given; next, what was done for him, and what was said to him, and what he said, and what he did, thus tracing the line from the very first announcement unto the very last, when we find him standing as a child of God, his sins forgiven. Now, if we can do that successfully to-night, I think perhaps we may be able to appreciate the plan of salvation as never before.

 

Unto a great many people that fail to handle aright, it occurs to me, the word of God, the conversion of Cornelius adds confusion and perplexity unto an otherwise simple story; but I think we ought to concede at once that in the conversions of the Bible there cannot be inconsistency or discrepancy regarding any two thereof. Now, be it remembered that circumstances connected with different men's conversions have differed on various occasions; but the items of obedience to the gospel of the cross must once and forevermore remain the same. If, therefore, we can eliminate all the circumstances and show the difference between them and the acts of obedience, it will greatly clarify the whole matter.

 

Who was Cornelius? The record says there was a man of Caesarea called "Cornelius." Now, be it remembered that this story is in the land of Palestine, fortyseven miles northwest from Jerusalem. Cesarea was the political capital of that part of the country, to which various officers were dispatched from headquarters at Rome. Cornelius was a military man. The record tells us he was a "centurion," corresponding in our modern military machinery to a captain. Therefore he was called a "centurion of the Italian band." In addition to that, there was a rather strange feature mentioned. The record says that he was a devout man, and I think that it is not amiss to say that this is not generally true of the military officers throughout our land or any other land. To say the least of it, it is not generally true of captains, colonels, or officials of the army and navy that they are known far and wide as devout men—sincere, worshiping, prayerful men. But here is one that was a devout man—one that feared God; and not only himself, but he was not indifferent to the rearing and training and impressions of his family, even including his soldiers and servants, because the record says he was a devout man—one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and who prayed to God always. And, in addition to that, this man saw an angel of God coming unto him about the ninth hour (that is, about three o'clock in the afternoon), and said unto him, "Thy prayers and shine alms are come up for a memorial before God"—in memory of a promise made nineteen hundred years before unto Abraham, when he said, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed ;" hence, as a memorial of the world-wide promise that is now for the first time about to find its fulfillment: "Thy prayers and shine alms are come up for a memorial before God."

 

Now, I doubt not but that some of this audience are wondering: "Why did a man like that need anything further?" As a matter of fact, the story thus far repeated, the character of Cornelius thus outlined, would put to shame many of us that go about under the appellation of a member of the church or a professed follower of the Lord. The Bible says also that he was a just man—one of good report among all the people. Now, you ask: "Does that man need to be converted?" Indeed so. I want to make this declaration: that because a man is good, upright, honest, just, prayerful, does not argue that he is a child of God; and I wish all of you people that are really relying upon your uprightness of character, upon your sobriety of life, upon the fact of your devotion to the members of your family and your relationship to your fellows—mark it, you are no better nor can you present a finer record than did Cornelius. Stand up by the side of him and let your portrait be made, and I will obligate myself to show that Cornelius will stand above any of the citizenship of this or any other city in the borders of our beloved State.

 

He was a good man, a moral man, a just man, a prayerful man, a devout man, a philanthropic man—one that looked after not only himself, but the rest of his household, including the servants and the soldiers; and yet he needed to be converted unto God.

 

No man has ever yet been saved on account of his intrinsic worth or inherent value; and if any one is ever saved, it will be by virtue of the fact that he has been washed in that fountain filled with the precious blood of Christ. On account of my goodness I cannot merit nor buy nor place Heaven under obligation to save my soul at last. Above and beyond all of my deeds and my doings, I must render obedience to the will of God. It is by Christ that the world must be saved; and hence Cornelius, notwithstanding the superior type of man that he was, stood in need of salvation. Therefore the angel said: "Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do."

 

Now, may I raise this inquiry? Why did not the angel announce the terms of salvation and save a journey of sixty miles, round trip? Why didn't the angel, while in direct contact with Cornelius, tell him words whereby he could be saved, and not postpone the same for seventy and two hours ? Well, there is a reason for that, of course. I learned in the case of the eunuch that there was the interference of an angel; but instead of the angel having gone to the man to be converted to tell him the plan of salvation, in that case the angel went to the preacher. But tonight the angel comes to the man to be converted; but you note there is a specific purpose for so doing.

 

The angel said: "Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." Angel, why not you tell ? Mark it! When Jesus Christ gave the commission, he had delivered the gospel, God's power to save, into the hands of earthen vessels; and from that hour until this neither an angel nor the Spirit nor Jesus Christ himself direct has ever dared to tell men and women what to do, but always they have directed the inquirer and the man to be converted to some man on earth unto whom the gospel of the Son of God had been committed. Therefore, the purpose of the angel and the purpose of miracle No. 1 was to inform this man to be converted where the preacher was from whom the information could be had. So he bade Cornelius good-by, and possibly went to tell some other honest man where he could find out what he had to do to be saved.

 

But be it remembered, further, that Peter, the preacher of the occasion, likewise needs to have his vision cleared; for as yet it had never been announced that the middle wall of partition had been broken down. As yet the Jews did not understand that the gospel was world-wide and intended for the Gentiles. They had been so prejudiced and so biased that they had refrained from preaching the gospel unto one of a foreign nation; and so, in order to fit Peter for the occasion, while these men are coming down to Joppa, a trip of thirty miles, God appears unto Peter on the housetop in a vision. There was a great sheet let down from heaven, in which were all manner of four-footed beasts and fowls of the air and creeping things, and there was a voice that said: "Arise, Peter; kill and eat." But Peter answered: "Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean." While he thus thought on what the vision signified, these men were standing at the gate, asking if Simon Peter was there. Then it was that the Spirit unveiled the matter, and said: "Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them." Hence, miracle No. 2. The vision was for none other purpose than to convince him that he ought to go and preach the gospel unto the Gentiles. It was to convince the apostle Peter that no longer should he be bound by racial ties and limited by former practice; but, as a matter of fact, the gospel was to go unto all the world and be preached to every creature. He had never had such an understanding before in his career. But as a matter of precaution, while Peter thus started with these messengers, he took six Jewish brethren with him to be witnesses in case something unusual or out of the ordinary should happen, for as yet a little skepticism dwelt in the mind of Peter as to the course that he should pursue. Thus they went on their way back to the house of Cornelius; and the record says that as they went thus to the house, Cornelius came out and was ready to fall down and to worship Peter; but Peter said unto him: "O. no, Cornelius; don't do that! Stand up, for I also am a man." And as he went in, he found that many were come together. Now, to understand the matter still further, he said: "Gentlemen, you know that it is unlawful for a man that is a Jew, like unto me, to come unto one of another nation, or even keep company therewith; and but for the fact that God bath shown me on the housetop that I must call no man common or unclean, I would not be here." Cornelius said: "Peter, thou hast well said. Now, therefore, are we all present before God to hear whatsoever things are commanded thee of God." With that kind of an introduction, Peter opened his mouth and began the proclamation of the gospel of Christ. He said: "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) that word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."

 

Go back to the very first and come down the line of prophetic declaration, and unto Jesus Christ they all testified that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive the remission of sins.

 

But there is another thing going on at the same time. As Peter thus began and spoke, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit fell on them as it did on the Jews at the very beginning. Now, mark you, Cornelius is to be saved by hearing the words that Peter spoke unto him. But let it be understood that he received the Holy Spirit before the words were proclaimed; wherefore a great many people jump at the conclusion that before a man can be saved he must be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Many honest, upright, and quite intelligent people believe a statement like unto that. Hence, it is worthy of consideration as to just why the Holy Spirit came on this occasion. Let me ask the same class of people: If you expect to have a Holy Ghost baptism preparatory to your soul's salvation, why not go a step further and expect an angel to come and to announce a message unto you as it did to him? One of them is no more important or significant than the other. One of them is no more miraculous than the other is, nor is the salvation of the soul of Cornelius any more important than that of any other man. Now, why was the Holy Ghost thus given? I think that it is well worth our while to ask some specific questions with reference to a matter of that sort. Was it in order that Cornelius might be begotten preparatory to the new birth, without which, said the Savior, no man can enter the kingdom of heaven? Well, if that is it, God knows I want it and all of us ought to yearn for it; but I do not find that the Bible declares anywhere that men are begotten by the Holy Spirit directly, but it does declare in 1 Cor. 4: 15: "For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." Hence, it is not by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

 

But some one says: "Brother Hardeman, he had to have the Holy Ghost baptism in order to give him faith, because without faith no man can be saved." Now, if that be the way of it, I have no disposition on earth to be antagonistic thereto; but I remember that Peter talked about this very point in Acts 16: 7: "Men and brethren, . . . God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe."

 

Now, Peter said that, instead of the baptism of the Holy Ghost being to produce faith, faith came by hearing words spoken by his mouth. Others suggest, perhaps, that they must have the Holy Spirit in order that their sins might be remitted—that they might be washed and made whiter than snow. But that is not true, for the simple reason that Peter said on the day of Pentecost, `'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins," and the gift of the Holy Ghost would follow. Was it in order that Cornelius might be saved? O. no! For James (1: 21) said: "Lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

 

My friends, take the matter home. For what purpose was the Holy Spirit sent? If you shall answer that it was for any such thing as those mentioned above, I obligate myself to turn to the word of God and put my finger upon the very book, chapter, and verse that shows that thing is done in some other way.

 

Now, the fact is this: The reception of the Holy Spirit in its miraculous form does not prove that the possessor thereof is a child of God. Other people than Christians have had the Spirit in its miraculous manifestations. I remember that Balaam's ass spoke by the Spirit of God, but that does not prove that he was God's child or a leader of the church. I remember that old Caiaphas, speaking by the Spirit of the Lord, prophesied that one should die for the sins of the people. Certainly no church would claim him as a member.

 

But there is a specific reason why the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the house of Cornelius why he was able to speak in tongues and magnify God.

 

You learn, my friends, the use of things by seeing what is done with them and what purpose may be served. Suppose I had never seen an automobile. I get in by the side of the chauffeur, and I am wondering what a couple of levers are there for. I see them, but I understand not the purpose. If I will just be quiet for a few minutes and begin to see what he does with them, I will arrive at a pretty fair conclusion as to their purpose and intent. I see him pull one back, and the car begins to move out; and then he shifts forward to the right, and a little further, and then back again; and without ever asking a single question, but jut seeing what is done therewith, I catch on to the purpose of the same. When he stops the car, I see him take hold of the other lever and pull it back. Then the thing is locked. You don't have to tell me the last was a check or a brake.

 

Now, let us follow with the same attention, after the same fashion, and find out just what was the use of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the occasion that is referred to.

 

After the conversion of Cornelius was over, which happened like all other men's (for when Peter preached the gospel unto him, the record says he commanded him to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus) after that, when Peter, together with the Jews, had gone back to Jerusalem, he was called in question regarding his visit among the Gentiles.

 

When, therefore, Peter arose before his brethren assembled at Jerusalem, the record says, in the first part of Acts 11, that he commenced at the beginning and explained the matter unto them by order. Then what? He said unto them: "Brethren, when I saw that God gave unto them the like gift as he did unto us in the beginning, and unto us who believed on the Lord, what was I, that I could withstand God?" Then the Jews held their peace and glorified Jehovah, saying: "Truly, then, bath God granted unto the Gentiles repentance unto life." Why did the Jews concede that? Because of the fact that they saw a like demonstration made unto the Gentiles as was made unto them some eight or ten years before. What evidence did they have that they were an acceptable people to the Lord ? They had heard them speak in tongues and magnify God.

 

And what are tongues for? What has that to do in substantiation of the fact ? In 1 Cor. 14: 22 Paul said: "Wherefore tongues are for a sign." A sign unto whom? Not unto the believer, but unto the unbeliever. Hence, where any man has ever in all the Bible spoken in tongues, it was not for the benefit of those already believers, but it was for the benefit of the unbeliever. Thus it was at Pentecost; thus it was at the house of Cornelius.

 

On the first occasion the Bible says that when the apostles were filled with the Holy Ghost they began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. The unbelievers constituted that thronging mass that gathered on that memorable occasion. But at the house of Cornelius, who are the unbelievers? The six Jewish brethren that accompanied Peter on that eventful trip. What is the evidence to remove that prejudice and that bias? Just, Lord, grant unto them the same things that you did unto us, and then we will have no more to say. And from that hour unto this, no Jew that accepts the gospel of Christ ever has doubted that the Gentiles likewise are privileged to the enjoyment of the provisions of the gospel plan of salvation.

 

Now, then, eliminate miracle No. 1, the angel to Corny lies, the purpose of which was to get him and the preacher in direct contact. Eliminate miracle No. 2, the vision of Peter on the housetop, the purpose of which was to convince him that he ought to arise and go unto a foreign nation. Eliminate the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the purpose of which was to convince the Jewish world that the Gentiles were acceptable, and Cornelius' conversion stands out exactly like that of every other man that has been converted, from the reign of the authority of Christ until this good hour.

 

What happened? Cornelius heard the gospel; Cornelius believed the gospel; Cornelius repented of his sins; Cornelius was baptized. Hence, he fulfilled the items stipulated in that world-wide commission, the great rule and the law of pardon announced unto sinful man.

 

I think there are many people all through this country that are good, upright, honest, moral, of good report, just, fair, and square, and yet deceived on the ground that God will save them because of their goodness.

 

I, therefore, repeat the proposition made at the start. No man has ever yet been or ever will be saved on account of his goodness. That is not the terms of salvation. But the items of acceptability demand that good men do God's will. There are people, doubtless, in this splendid audience to-night that all they need to do is to recognize the fact that they must do God's will in order to become citizens of the kingdom of God, that they must be baptized, as the Lord Jesus Christ has commanded the taught of all nations. After we have obeyed his commandments, God Almighty will wipe out every sin and initiate us into the grandeurs and glories of his family upon the earth and at last into the paradise of heaven beyond.

 

And now, my friends, in conclusion of this talk to-night, if there be those in this good company that are willing to follow in the footsteps of Cornelius, do the things commanded by God, do the things that he did—that is, hear, believe, and obey the gospel—it will make of you a child of God, a member of heaven's family, while on earth you dwell.

 

Let me insist upon this fact: that if you wait for the coming of an angel, eternity will find you still unprepared. Angels no longer come, for we have God's will completed and his word revealed.

 

If you wait tonight for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you will die absolutely disappointed, for there have never been but two cases in the world's history—one of them at Pentecost and the other at the household of Cornelius. They had their specific purpose, which has been fulfilled and passed away; and we are saved to-night upon obedience to God's will, and not by the appearing of an angel, not by the baptism of the Holy Spirit, not by wonderful, miraculous performances, but by humble, loving, trusting, penitent obedience unto the authority of God Almighty and of his Son, Jesus Christ.

 

And now, while we sing a song, I am glad once more to bid you come and give these brethren your hand, give God your heart, and give the world your better services, and start out toward "the city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

​

​