Title: The One Who God Accepts
... And Peter opened his mouth and said, "Truly, I have realized that God does not show any kindness, but that among all nations, the one who fears God and works righteousness is acceptable to God."
Today's text introduces the faith of a Roman soldier and officer, and shows that God's plan of salvation extends not only to the Jews, but also to the salvation of all mankind in the world.
Please read verse 34 again.
“Peter opened his mouth and said, ‘I have realized that God is not a respectful person, but that among all nations the man who fears God and works righteousness is acceptable to God.
Who is the person God accepts? What kind of person is God going to pick up and use? The answer to this question is clearly stated. It is said that the people God accepts are 'those who fear God and practice righteousness among all nations'. In the English Bible, the word here is translated righteousness, which is the Greek word dikaiosune (δικαιοσυνη). is a word that can be interpreted in Korean to mean justice, fairness, and honesty. It means that God uses certain people and uses those who fear Him and live honestly.
I think that one of the urgent tasks that we need to recover in all fields in our country right now is education. If we restore this in each field of society, I believe that Christians who want their will to be done on earth as it is in heaven will feel less responsible.
1. Cornelius was a representative of those whom God accepted.
Many people are looking for a job in the new year. Everyone in the world puts forward their academic background and career. And you pay attention to your appearance. You really can't help but care about your appearance. I have seen a report at a women's college that actually conducted an experiment in which our country still places more importance on appearance when hiring women than on merit. Among the same graduates, when looking at the ratio of students with pretty and slender figures and those who were not, statistics were published that showed that they had many talents but lacked looks. They say that it is ability-oriented and sincerity-oriented, but it is said that a good first impression is required to accept it. This is how a person accepts or takes on another.
But God said that he does not look at outward appearances when he gets drunk. It is said that God looks at the heart of the heart rather than the outward appearance and accepts those who fear him. In today's text, nationality is not a problem in the sight of God. In fact, when you go out into the international community, you don't know how much prejudice your nationality has. You can see that the attitude towards them varies depending on which country you are from.
And it is said that God sees how much righteousness he is doing rather than what he has accomplished for himself. This was the reason God chose Cornelius.
Cornelius was a Gentile. He was a Roman army officer. From the point of view of the Jews, Gentiles were not considered to be the object of God's choice in every way. They thought that only those who were descendants of Abraham, descendants of Isaac and Jacob were the chosen people. But God did not. In order to break their stereotypes, God first revealed this meaning to Peter and showed it, thereby contributing to the expansion of the gospel.
2. What did Cornelius see and how did God accept him?
① I saw his godly life of faith. Cornelius was a man who had a hard time living a godly life. A Roman military officer was a man of his time. It means that he was a person who could enjoy everything as a human being.
It is not usually possible for such a person to fear the Lord God, whom the Jews serve, not even his own country. Perhaps it was something that could damage his greater career and honor. At that time, Rome was the conquering country of the world. It was not usually possible for a military officer of such a powerful country to fear God while serving in the governorship of Caesarea Philippi, a colonial territory.
Even today, there are many people who cannot worship God properly because of their social status. Worship is the sum total of all things of a believer. Problems begin to arise when worship is neglected. Fearing God should come first, and if worship is pushed to the background because of the desire for achievement for one's own success, how will God view such a person? Isn't it a natural thing to think about? But Cornelius was a man in the eyes of God in this respect.
② He said that he helped many poor people. This is also a life that is not suitable for being a soldier. A soldier should take the lead in fighting bravely, and it is more appropriate for his position to rule, conquer, and reign than to be compassionate and sympathetic. But Cornelius went beyond this common sense. He helped many Jewish poor under his command and helped build the synagogue. So he was also known by his name to the Jews. In fact, I don't know if this has caught God's eyes.
This is because mature people have an attitude of service rather than rule. He who is proud and does not know how to be humble cannot take on greater work.
In particular, God is a God who resists the proud. However, that humility is not for everyone. To be humble, you must first have something. Often times, people who do not have enough material things are more arrogant.
Authority and knowledge are all the same. On the contrary, those who are tight-lipped are humble and turn their eyes to serving, but those who are not, become proud. Those who have it right are humble. In fact, it is true in the life of faith.
Only those who have had many experiences of spiritual grace serve with humility.
③ Not only that, he always prayed to God.
From the words, "Your prayers and alms have come up before God and are remembered...", you can see how much he prayed. There are two types of prayer. One is a request (pray for asking) type, and the other is a prayer for deep fellowship with God. Cornelius is considered to be one of the latter. Because he saw a vision while praying.
I saw an angel of God, heard the angel's voice, and as I heard it, I experienced it in reality. "Send someone to Joppa and ask for Simon named Peter. I live in the house of Simon who is buried, and his house is on the seashore." And just as he had heard, he sent men to Joppa to bring Peter. He believed according to the Word and obeyed the Word. God acknowledged this. We often hear the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and die. There are also many cases where it is not taken seriously. We must listen to the mystical voice of God during our prayer life. When you hear it, you have to make the decision to do it again.
From this point of view, Cornelius was a person God had chosen to use. Such a person is not often seen today. These people may be hidden from people's eyes. What we need to realize through Cornelius is his godly life of faith.
There are many people these days who live a religious life. However, there are many cases where we do not live reverently in that life. Living a godly life is no different. Like the Pharisees, hypocrisy is not such piety. The Pharisees were people who only imitated the appearance of godliness in order to show their righteousness in front of people. So I got a rebuke from the Lord that they were like whitewashed tombs. Religion is not reverence to try to look good in front of people. James 1:27 says, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
If you fear God rightly, you cannot help but humble yourself first. And next time, you will have no choice but to value one life more than the world. That is why they hate that one life being abused, despised, and trampling on human rights, and are dedicated to justice and justice.
In this respect, Cornelius serves as an example for us. Perhaps all of our religious lives are for the sake of self-fulfillment. From this attitude, we too should strive to reach godliness.
3. Through Cornelius, God expanded the cause of salvation.
God always lifts people up to accomplish His cause. God used Cornelius and Peter. Had it not been for the meeting between Cornelius and Peter, the gospel might not have spread all over the world. The meeting between these two was arranged by God. One was a Gentile, and the other was a man caught up in strict legal traditions. It must be seen that there was little chance that they would ever meet among themselves.
God intervened with them. All showed a visionary revelation. Cornelius had him ask for Peter in Joppa, and he gave Peter a voice telling him to devour and eat the four-legged beasts, creeping things, and flying things that were in the cloth. Then Peter said, "Lord, it can't be. I have never eaten anything unclean and unclean." He said to Peter, who refused to do so, "Do not call what I have cleansed you unclean." After showing these things three times, the cloth went up to heaven and disappeared. While Peter was contemplating what the vision he had seen meant, the servants sent by Cornelius came in with a voice from outside saying, "Are you there?"
After hearing all the stories from them, Peter followed them in the depths of mysticism and in the face of the obvious facts. In this way, in the end, the wall between Gentiles and Jews was torn down.
Even today, God is trying to accomplish this great cause through people. In our society these days, many people are very interested in politics, saying that we need to open a new politics for a new era. A civic group is saying that this time, they will disclose the list of unqualified politicians so that we can properly elect members of the National Assembly. What kind of person would be acceptable to God?
God is still trying to use people like Cornelius today. We should all become believers who live by following Cornelius' faith. Because God is looking for such people. Cornelius feared God together with his family. Usually, God is the one who pays attention.
It should not be decorated. It is said that he was devout and feared God with all his household. Because he took the lead in living a godly life, his family followed him and feared God. And he said that he saved a lot of people. It means that you usually do volunteer work to help others.
And he said he always prayed to God. Prayer is effective when action is supported. I pray hard, but why is it not working? Perhaps it is because they do not see the fear of God in their lives.
I hope that all of us will become believers acceptable to God so that we can expand the ministry of the gospel like Cornelius did.