“When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life” (vs18).
We can religiously think we're right, and be dead wrong, so we bow to the scriptures (vs1-3). They said, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them”, but Peter's experience had changed his mind. He went from being against the nations to being for them by the miraculous vision of God. He said, “And I heard a voice saying to me, Rise, Peter; kill and eat. But I said, Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth. But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God has cleansed you must not call common” (vs7-9). He learned that God's cleansed the Gentiles, telling us to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
Secondly, we are saved by “words”(vs13-14). We read, “And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved”. We're never saved by ignorance, but the gospel comes giving us life and knowledge. Cornelius and his group were Old Testament converts who would hear the New Testament finished work of Christ. Later, Paul encountered saved men who'd only heard of John's baptism (Acts 19). But now, to bring us to Christ, God uses WORDS, whereby He reveals Himself in scripture.
Thirdly, we cannot shut doors God's opened or in any way change His purpose (vs17). Peter said, “If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” When He speaks, whatever He says, no matter how contrary to us and tradition, we LET GO of what we've believed, and receive the truth of God's love in Christ. We are not making our own rules, following what we think is best, but we're submitted to the Most High, trusting Him. We are not rebels, changing the scriptures and using them deceitfully. We're honestly changed by what we read, as truth confronts us.
Finally, repentance is God's gift unto eternal life (vs18). We read, “When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life”. It isn't something we do ourselves.
God got them the word of the gospel by a vision. He taught Cornelius' household that He was FOR them through Jesus Christ, that His blood is for the nations, and that whosoever calls upon Him, no matter his origin, background, or crimes, shall be saved (Acts 10:43).
This repentance is turning from sin to Christ, and by Christ to good works, a change in behavior. 2 Corinthians 7:11 says, “For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter”. Repentance is admitting that I'm wrong, it's trusting Christ to pardon and empower, and then it's going about doing good in the Holy Spirit, rather human strength. Many try repenting in unbelief, self-strength, and pride. God changes us by mercy, pardon, ignorance revealed, and COMMANDS that lead us to Jesus Christ.
Where are you now? Are you someone who's repented? Have you been granted eternal life, turned from sins, received the Lord, and become EMPOWERED as promised? If so, God granted you eternal life by repentance.
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