"Naam onnalle Nammal Onnalle
Namukkudayonum ee Manninudayonum Daivamalle"
This Malayalam folk song says that all are one in the sight of God. God came to this world not to save some selected peoples, but to save all people without any color, race, cast, culture etc. Luke gospel and Acts of the Apostles mainly focused on the mission to the gentiles. In chapter 10:1f and 11:18 we can see that Luke has narrated the story of the conversion of Cornelius with considerable details. The passage explains about Holy Spirit comes upon the gentiles and they are filled with Holy Spirit. Caesarea was dominated by gentile population. It was the head quarters of a unit of roman army with 100 soldiers headed by a roman officer holding the title of centurion, whose name was Cornelius. The meeting of apostle peter and Cornelius in Cornelius home was gods plan.
This event can be interpreted as the repetition of the Pentecost day on which the apostles and other disciples were empowered with the power of Holy Spirit. But these recipients were not those believers, who considered themselves as chosen people but those who were always considered outside the frame of Gods plan of salvation.
This is the only incident recorded in NT that Holy Spirit fell on non baptized peoples. This incident reveals baptism is not only for Jewish Christians but also for the uncircumcised gentiles. On the Pentecost day Jews filled with Holy Spirit likewise here gentiles received the gospel and at the same time they baptized with the Holy Spirit.
‘The wind blows were it wills, so also is the spirit’. As in the case of Cornelius those who open there hearts to Gods word will be filled with Gods spirit. Here the gift of Holy Spirit is connected to the hearing of Gods word. In v 47 “can anyone withhold the water for baptizing this people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have” here peter raises this question to himself as well as to those believers who were with him. The answer was quite clear. They were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Then peter and his companions were staying some more days with them is the further proof of breaking the social barriers. This demonstrates a new Jewish gentile solidarity which Christ envisioned.
Here Cornelius is a welcome example of Gods willingness to use extraordinary means to reach those who desire to know Him or Her. God does not play favorites and God does not hide from those who want to find Him or Her. The coming of Holy Spirit even to the gentiles shows that they are also part of gods plan and all are equal in front of God. There fore the mission of god is for all.
This event teaches us that the gospel is beyond the practice of purity and impurity. God select and give vision for everyone by breaking the human made social boundaries. This can be visible in the life of Jesus Christ also. Christ is a true revolutionary who destroys all types of isolation, who protests against the evil orders and who restores the isolated one in to the social life.
How can the present days Christians avoid the mistake which peter made before he met Cornelius, by seeing one part of Gods creation as holy and another part as unholy. God united all through the gift of Holy Spirit. But today we are making separate churches in the name of cast and color. And still alienation and isolation exist among us. Here what bold theological vision we have? “Conversion is not just turning to God from sin. Turning from narrow God concepts to God who is the lord of all humans is a real spiritual conversion”.
May the god almighty help us to become the true ministers of God who can treat everyone as equals. Amen
