GENTILES RECEIVED INTO THE CHURCH.
By John Orr Corliss
SOON after Peter's experience with Cornelius at Cæsarea, he returned to Jerusalem. But news of his work at Cæsarea had preceded him, and so those at Jerusalem who still adhered to the old Jewish rites were ready, at his coming, to contend with him, which they did, charging him with associating and eating with persons uncircumcised. Acts 11:1-3. This made a defense necessary, and therefore Peter related his whole experience, dwelling especially on the vision given to him at Joppa. In a clear and decisive way he described the sheet held by its four corners, which he saw descend from heaven. He told of its contents,—"four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air;" he repeated the words of heavenly command to him, "Arise, Peter; slay and eat;" he pronounced again his protest of that occasion, "Not so, Lord; for nothing common or unclean hath at any time entered into my mouth." Then came the solemn statement of God's voice, commanding three times in succession, "What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common." Had the apostle rested his defense at this point, it might have been thought he was laboring under the influence of a disordered brain. But there were yet coincident facts to relate which would suffice to show that the apostle's view of the matter was not a mere vagary. He said that immediately upon the vision being withdrawn, three men from Cæsarea were found in the house, waiting to speak with him. Then came another demonstration, aside from the vision itself, wherein an audible voice was heard. The Spirit spoke to Peter, telling him to go with these men without any doubting whatever. More than this, Peter said that he did not venture on the journey alone, but (pointing to some who stood with him) "these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house." What further evidence was needed to convince Peter's critics that God had led him to preach to, and eat with, the Gentiles? By his testimony he had shown how strongly he had resisted the thought, and how, even after the Spirit Himself had corroborated the vision, and added His command in harmony with it, he had refused to go without taking along six others as witnesses of his sincerity, and his faithfulness to the common cause of the church of Christ. But there was yet more corroborative evidence to be added. Upon entering Cornelius' house, that officer revealed how an angel had visited him, and commanded to send men to Joppa to bring thence one Simon, surnamed Peter, who would tell him what to do to be saved. This was the strongest evidence yet. A Gentile stranger, having had no connection whatever with Jesus or Christian assemblies, had been miraculously informed, not only of the town where some one could be found to lay before him the way of life, but the very street of that town, and the man's name owning the house in that street in which help would be found, as well as the name of the man whom God would have come to his help. Yes, and more than this. Six men stood by Peter, ready to testify that they too had witnessed and heard the things related by the apostle. What a singular chain of evidence was here woven to convince the Judaizing brethren that the Gospel call was to every nation, in harmony with the original promise to Abraham their father: "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Gen. 22:18. Looking, as they ever had done, to the natural seed of Abraham as the sole inheritors of the promises, it required the strongest evidence possible to convince them that the Gentiles would ever come within the range of salvation, even by the Gospel. But Peter had still another testimony, more convincing than all that had preceded, even tho these seemed uncontrovertible. He said: "As I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that He said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost." Acts 11:15, 16. What more could be said? Only one thing, to be sure, and that Peter did say: "Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?" Peter had been as prejudiced as the most unyielding, but when, step by step, he had been led in the clearest manner to see God in all his late experience, his will was completely subdued, and he gladly accepted the call to go to the Gentiles with the good news. But he was not the only one whose prejudice was caused to yield. When his recital was closed, especially that part wherein it was revealed that God gave the Gentiles His Spirit as freely as He had the believing Jews, all present were satisfied, and glorified God, saying, "Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." This was the breaking down of the middle wall between Jews and Gentiles. From this time, those who knew of Peter's experience gladly accorded the Gentiles a part and place in the work of God, and all believers from among them were accounted good members of the church of Jesus Christ.