from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel

... No person is saved by merit, and no person is excluded from the reach of God’s grace through Christ

Romans 10:12 NIV (devotion translation)

In Acts 10, God opened Peter’s eyes to understand something far greater than a change in dietary laws or religious customs. He was teaching Peter that the gospel of Jesus Christ was for all people. Cornelius was a Gentile, a Roman officer, and by human standards he was a respectable and moral man. He prayed, gave generously, and feared God. Yet even with all these qualities, he still needed Jesus.

This chapter reminds us that goodness cannot remove sin. Human effort cannot reconcile us to a holy God. Salvation is not given because a person is religious, sincere, or morally upright. It is given through faith in Jesus Christ alone. The cross of Christ stands as the only sufficient answer for the guilt of mankind.

At the same time, Peter needed to learn that no person is beyond the reach of God’s grace. The Lord was breaking down barriers that had long divided people. Through Christ, God calls men and women from every nation, tribe, and background into one family of faith. The gospel humbles us all equally because every person comes to God the same way, through repentance and faith in Jesus.

The beauty of this passage is that God pursued both Cornelius and Peter. One needed salvation, and the other needed understanding. The Lord faithfully worked in both hearts to accomplish His purpose. He still does the same today. God draws sinners to Himself, and He continues shaping believers so they reflect His heart more clearly.

Lord, thank You that salvation is found in Jesus alone. Help me to walk humbly before You and to remember that Your grace is offered to all who call upon Your name. Amen.

• Acts 10:34-35 - Peter realizes that God shows no partiality but welcomes people from every nation who respond to Him.
• Acts 10:43 - The prophets testify that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name.
• John 14:6 - Jesus declares that He alone is the way to the Father.
• Ephesians 2:13-18 - Christ breaks down the barrier between Jew and Gentile, creating one people through the cross.
• Galatians 3:28 - All who are in Christ share equal standing before God regardless of background or ethnicity.
• Titus 3:5 - Salvation comes by God's mercy, not by works of righteousness.
• 1 Timothy 2:3-6 - God desires all people to be saved, and Christ is the one mediator between God and mankind.
• Revelation 7:9-10 - A great multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language worships before God's throne.

Peter and Cornelius

• Acts 10:1-8 - Cornelius, a God-fearing Gentile, receives a vision directing him to send for Peter.
• Acts 10:9-23 - God gives Peter a vision, preparing him to understand that the gospel is for all people.
• Acts 10:24-48 - Peter preaches Christ to Cornelius and his household, and the Holy Spirit falls upon the Gentile believers.