Acts 10 - Being God's Agents

Acts 10 - Being God's agents
It strikes me that one point about the Centurion's conversion is that people were directly involved. Now that I rethink it perhaps I am laboring the point too hard. I don't want to make it some kind of rule. But somehow it is important that people be involved in conversion of others. We are God's agents.

In modern times usually an evangelist requires that a new Christian declare out loud in the presence of others his acceptance of his sinfulness, his request for forgiveness, his repentance, and his acceptance of Jesus as his savior. Perhaps he does it by repeating a memorized prayer or formula. The Catholic church understands itself to be an essential part of this salvation and sanctification. Anglicans show their acceptance of salvation through the rite of confirmation. Nowadays many have accepted the Anabaptist belief that one must be baptized as a consenting adult. Infant baptism is not effectual and a new convert must be rebaptized.

But when I read Acts 10 over again I was struck this time how Cornelius sees a clear vision (vs. 4-5) of God or an angel. But the angel, instead of instructing him to believe in Jesus, simply tells him to send for a close by evangelist (Peter). Why couldn't the angel tell him directly? Surely he could have. I wonder why not.

We hear that many Moslems and Jews are receiving visions of Jesus. Are they being converted on the spot? Or are they only sealed in their conversion by their reporting this vision to a believer and confessing that they accept the salvation that was offered to them in the vision? I'm sure God knows, I don't. But I suspect that the vast majority do find a Christian to tell the good news to, that they are now a believer in Christ. If they can safely join a church they do. Unfortunately some may have to keep their belief a secret for fear of reprisal.

Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus seems direct. He does not have to confess and declare his faith to anyone. He is instructed by Jesus to wait in Damascus for a man whom he will send. So there is an agent of God involved. Ananias does come to him to heal him of blindness. God does not do it directly. God loves and seems to require us to help one another. After this Saul came before the leaders in Jerusalem seemingly to confirm his conversion. The elders received him in fellowship. Saul may not have confessed like a modern new convert might but he did follow a custom and submit himself to the church through its leaders.

Practically speaking I don't think a vision by itself would be sufficient to save someone. If the person who receives such a clear vision does not share it with someone it will soon be forgotten, snatched away by the enemy of the saints. It would be like most dreams I have. I rarely remember a dream more than a few minutes after I wake up. Dreams, my dreams at least, are soon forgotten if I don't quickly share them or write them down. I think a vision, no matter how vivid, is much the same. If it is not shared and accepted the devil will quickly come and raise doubts in our mind. Satan will distract us. Satan will work to distort it. He will raise questions in our head as to what we really saw. We will become confused as to what really happened. Without the fellowship with and confirmation of another believer the excitement of it will soon be gone.

Cornelius hears the gospel from a man, an agent of God, and in the process God confirms his salvation by gifting the whole assembly with the Holy Spirit. This manifestation is not just for Cornelius, it is for the evangelists as well. They learn how wide is God's mercy. They are incredulous and remain so for quite a while actually. But God uses this as a learning process. In helping one another we learn and are ourselves blessed. God knows what he is doing when he insists that we be agents in bringing God's salvation to others. It is a good and joyful thing! It confirms and strengthens our faith as well as that of the new believer. In God' economy it works for our greatest good.