Peter's Vision of the Sheet on the Rooftopby KandD
10:16Acts 10:16
This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
This was done three times before the vessel was taken back up into heaven, closing the housetop showing of all the beasts and creeping things and birds with the command to kill and eat. God gave the showing three times and then withdrew it as careful work to fix the lesson in Peter's mind and break through prejudice against Gentiles deeply rooted by Jewish training. Its meaning is about people and not about food, that what God has cleansed must not be called common and no person is to be called common or unclean. Through Christ Gentiles cleansed by His blood are not to be excluded but share equally with Jews in salvation as fellow heirs, yet the vision did not remove the prohibition on what God had declared unclean for eating. God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness, and by this He reproved Peter's confining his labor to Jews and prepared him to go without question to Cornelius with the gospel.
Setting and Sequence
The verse closes a vision given to Peter while he was praying on the housetop at Joppa, very weary and hungry from journeying. It came immediately after the angel finished interviewing Cornelius, when the angel went to Peter. Heaven opened and a vessel like a great sheet knit at the four corners was let down to earth. It contained all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air.
A voice commanded, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. Peter refused because he had never eaten anything common or unclean. The answer came, What God has cleansed call not common, and those who hold it phrase it that what God cleansed must not be called unclean. This presentation and command was done three times before the vessel was received up again into heaven.
It was a lesson given in symbols that left Peter doubting in himself and wondering what it should mean. While he thought on it the men sent from Cornelius stood before the gate seeking him. The Spirit told him three men sought him and directed him to arise and go with them, doubting nothing, to Cornelius, with angels directing at every step.
What Vision Means
The threefold showing followed by the taking of the vessel back into heaven was careful work to fix the lesson in Peter's mind and to overcome prejudice against Gentiles firmly fixed by Jewish training and deeply rooted ideas about common and unclean. The repetition was needed because even Peter still needed conversion from belittling those who had no opportunity to hear the truth. It prepared him to go without question to Cornelius just as the men sent to him arrived.
The repeated showing is an example of instruction given through visions, showing what should be spoken and repeating the showing again and again. The same representation was repeated three times to echo that pattern of repeated instruction.
Its meaning concerns people, not food: what God has cleansed must not be called common, and no person is to be called common or unclean. The creatures in the sheet represented the people God was bringing within reach of the gospel, and the lesson left Peter wondering until its meaning became plain when he went with the men and brought the gospel to Cornelius. The acceptance of believing Gentiles, confirmed when the Holy Spirit came upon them just as upon Jewish believers, showed that Christ's blood could cleanse them and they were not to be regarded as common or inferior.
Through Christ and by His death, Gentiles cleansed through His blood are not to be treated as unclean or excluded from the promises and privileges of God's people, but share equally with Jews in the blessings of salvation as fellow heirs with Israel. The vision reproved Peter's prejudice, since his labors had been confined to Jews and he had looked on Gentiles as unclean, and led him to comprehend the worldwide extent of God's plan in which the middle wall of partition that Christ's death was to break down no longer excludes Gentiles from the blessings of the gospel. It opened the way for the gospel to go to the Gentiles without forcing upon them the rites of the ceremonial law or the rite of circumcision, and Peter no longer observed the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision. The vision did not remove the prohibition on eating animals God had declared unclean and did not authorize eating what He had called unclean, for its meaning concerned the status of the Gentiles.
The verse teaches that God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness, so that in heaven there is no respect of persons and Jew and Gentile are alike precious in His sight.
Gospel Opened to Gentiles
The threefold showing closed with the vessel taken back to heaven as careful work to divest Peter of prejudice deeply rooted by Jewish training against Gentiles. His labors had been confined to Jews while he looked on Gentiles as unclean and excluded from God's promises, and the vision gave him both reproof and instruction on that point. It taught him not to call any person common or unclean, led him to perceive that God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness, and prepared him to go without question to Cornelius to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. In this way the way was opened for Gentiles to become fellow heirs and members of God's household.
Though the death of Christ was to break down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, that division still stood in the minds of the apostles, who were withholding the privileges of the gospel from Gentiles. Many Gentiles had listened with interest and Greek Jews had received the apostles' labors and believed, yet Peter had not yet preached the gospel to Gentiles. The threefold vision challenged that belief that Gentiles were excluded from the blessings of the gospel and led Peter to comprehend the worldwide extent of God's plan. Through Christ and by His death Gentiles are made partakers of the blessings and privileges of the gospel equally with Jews as fellow heirs with Israel, with Jew and Gentile alike precious in His sight.
The conversion of Cornelius was to be the first one of importance among the Gentiles. It marked the coming of an entirely new phase of work in which the door many Jewish converts had closed against the Gentiles was thrown open. The message of salvation was no longer restricted to the Jews but was being given to the world, and the conversion of Cornelius and his household was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, from which home a widespread work of grace was carried on in a heathen city. Gentiles who accepted the gospel were to be received as equal with Jewish disciples without being required to be circumcised or forced to observe the rites of the ceremonial law, and Peter was admonished no longer to observe the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision. The vision's interpretation as Peter accepted it was that God used him to begin the gospel work among the Gentiles without imposing the ceremonial law on Gentile converts.
Peter undertook the duty laid on him by divine command with reluctance at every step, afterward defending it not on general principles but as an exception done because of divine revelation, and the result was a great surprise to him. He used the vision to defend going to the house of a Gentile and eating there, showing the command to go to Caesarea and preach to Cornelius was in direct fulfillment of the plan of God. On hearing the account of the vision and its outcome the brethren were silenced, prejudice and exclusiveness were destroyed, they glorified God that to the Gentiles also He had granted repentance unto life, and the way was opened for the work to be carried on among the Gentiles without controversy. Although Cornelius was accepted of God in devout piety with prayers and alms remembered and acceptable as far as knowledge goes, neither prayer nor almsgiving could take the place of Christ, and all can only be complete in Him. He who believed the Word promising a Messiah had now to receive its fulfillment, and Peter pointed him to Jesus as the sinner's only hope.
How God Works
This threefold showing and taking up belongs to the history of Peter's conversion, to be read and reread, for more than one man is converted in the transaction. Peter himself was put in the way to receive truth about God's purpose to take away the barriers between Jew and Gentile and open the way for Gentiles to become fellow heirs and members of God's household. He was appointed to become the human instrument in the hands of heavenly agencies so that heaven and earth are united in the work, with Jews and Gentiles by faith joined to Jesus Christ in whom all fullness dwells.
Visions are not given for a new rule of faith but for the comfort of His people and to correct those who err from Bible truth, as promised for the last days. So this vision came as God was about to send Peter to preach to the Gentiles, to correct his error about them, and was repeated three times before the vessel was taken back up to heaven. The whole event shows earth is more closely connected with heaven than is suspected, and heaven is much nearer to the Christian engaged in soul-saving than many suppose. Heavenly intelligences are constantly communicating with inhabitants of earth, in ministration resulting in the conversion of Cornelius and his company.
God employs angels to communicate with human beings, giving instruction by immortal messengers who act as guides and powerful helpers of His chosen messengers on earth. He directed both sides of the meeting, telling Cornelius that his prayers and alms were remembered before God and telling him to send men to Peter at the house of Simon the tanner by the seaside. At the same time He met Peter on the housetop to educate and train him, showing him the sheet let down by the four corners containing all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air, and telling him three men were seeking him, until through mutual inquiry understanding came and Peter went with the men to Cornelius. God knew each person by name and every action of life, where they live and the spirit they possess, as He knew Cornelius as He knew Abraham. Ministering angels still pass through the churches noting faithfulness in individual duty, working through angel and human agent to give greater light to one who has received and improved all the light already given.
An angel could have told Cornelius the gospel message directly, but that is not God's way. He chose human messengers to explain the truth, knowing just where Peter was and telling Cornelius all about it beforehand, that he lodged with Simon the tanner, with everything worked out for their meeting. He purposed a personal connection between Peter and Cornelius in gospel missionary work, so the light He had given Peter would be given by Peter to Cornelius and all his family, because His church must connect together.
Mission Call Today
The instruction of Acts 10 must be read and prayed over until understanding is opened and then obeyed by arousing to mission work in the home field, for neglect of home missions leaves workers wanting in the day of God. The threefold showing of the sheet and its reception back into heaven fixes the lesson that what God has cleansed must not be called common, meaning no man is to be called common or unclean, and that God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness. Therefore barriers and prejudice must be put away and the gospel given as freely to Jews as to Gentiles, with simplicity and Bible goodness and no erected barriers. The verse belongs to the experience in which the Lord wrought for one who feared His name, teaching how God works on human minds to break the power of oppression and tyranny and to dispel ignorance and superstition.
One man must not measure another by a human standard or pass judgment on him for not taking part in visible religious service, lest a brother be discouraged and his soul imperiled. God is watching over and keeping by His power some who today live unselfish, honest, principled lives but are not actively engaged in His work, whose voices are not heard in religious meetings. In time they will take up the work He calls them to and become faithful, reliable workers, and their good example will be recognized by God in the great day when rewards are given to the faithful and crowns of glory are placed upon them. God's servants are to place themselves in readiness to make personal efforts for the many in the world like Cornelius who serve God with sincere, earnest purpose and walk in all the light they have received though they have not received the whole truth. In this dark world of sin God has many precious jewels to whom He will guide His servants, and in the churches also there are souls much nearer the kingdom than is supposed, while angels cooperate with servants to bring such seekers walking in received light to full light.
In every age God sends His messengers to set in operation a train of circumstances that brings honest hearts seeking light into connection with those of His people who can best reach their individual needs. He uses different training and special knowledge in certain lines for different classes of inquirers, even children with special knowledge in certain lines for one class and those trained in a different way for another. The conversion of Cornelius and his household was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, and from that home a widespread work of grace was carried on in a heathen city. The lesson calls for earnest, devoted, determined efforts for such associations as the W.C.T.U., for the Lord designs work to be done for them so light will shine forth to honest souls like Cornelius who are seeking the light and they may be gathered out.
Believers are to come into closest connection with God and one another, because His church must connect together so the light given to one is imparted to another and to whole families. They are to unify, love one another, deal justly, honestly, truly, gently and righteously, put away hatred and faultfinding, and give God room to work among them instead of tearing at one another and staying weak. God's regard for every human being teaches each to treat his fellow man as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth. His compassion for people who seek and pray for light encourages special efforts to reach them, He seeks people in every social rank including those with influence and responsibility and can make them workers who bring others to the gospel, and He directs servants to those in need of divine help and guidance.
As God worked for Cornelius, so He works for devout men in every age who are not fully informed regarding present truth yet fear God and follow principles of righteousness in every sphere. Such men bear a clear, pure, undefiled testimony and shine as bright lights even in high responsibility among worldly men, including in investigation of true science and the laws that rule the world. He gives them knowledge through visitation of angels and places them in connection with men of superior knowledge of His Word that they may obtain advanced light, preparing the way for them to take the place of those given Bible truth who disappointed the Saviour. He knows each person by name, where they live, the spirit they possess, and every action of life, and works through angel and human agent to give greater light to one who has received and improved all light already given, while ministering angels pass through the churches noting faithfulness in individual duty.
The same leading will happen in the last days, when many will prize the wisdom of God above earthly advantage and obey His Word as supreme. They will be led to great light and knowledge of the truth, will seek to get that light before acquaintances anxious for truth, and thus become conscientious lightbearers who constrain others by the love of God and urge them to see the beauty of truth and give their abilities to advance God's work. Though they face a hard battle and fearful odds in sharp contrast with those who sacrificed His cause and falsified His Word, if they heed the message for this time and cling to Infinite Wisdom, God will give strength to conquer falsehood, testify by purity and nobility to unadulterated principles, and press on in the narrow way until Christ guides them to everlasting life, for He acknowledges those who truly serve Him and not hypocrites. Lifelong profession does not itself make true men sanctified and ennobled through the truth, as Cornelius was, for Cornelius was a man taught by God of the kind called for when men are losing spiritual discernment, among those outside formal Judaism seeking truth and praying for light who when Christ was revealed received Him gladly.
God sent a special message from heaven to Cornelius and instructed His angel to tell Peter to visit him and give him light, which greatly encourages work for souls and holding convocations for prayer asking the Lord to open the way for truth to enter strongholds where Satan has set up his throne. No vision is needed to make more sure the substantial truth that effectual fervent prayer avails much. Honest people seeking light can be gathered even from among those opposed to the message, so work should be done to reach them.
This was done three times before the vessel was taken back up into heaven, closing the housetop showing of all the beasts and creeping things and birds with the command to kill and eat. God gave the showing three times and then withdrew it as careful work to fix the lesson in Peter's mind and break through prejudice against Gentiles deeply rooted by Jewish training. Its meaning is about people and not about food, that what God has cleansed must not be called common and no person is to be called common or unclean. Through Christ Gentiles cleansed by His blood are not to be excluded but share equally with Jews in salvation as fellow heirs, yet the vision did not remove the prohibition on what God had declared unclean for eating. God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness, and by this He reproved Peter's confining his labor to Jews and prepared him to go without question to Cornelius with the gospel.
Setting and Sequence
The verse closes a vision given to Peter while he was praying on the housetop at Joppa, very weary and hungry from journeying. It came immediately after the angel finished interviewing Cornelius, when the angel went to Peter. Heaven opened and a vessel like a great sheet knit at the four corners was let down to earth. It contained all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air.
A voice commanded, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. Peter refused because he had never eaten anything common or unclean. The answer came, What God has cleansed call not common, and those who hold it phrase it that what God cleansed must not be called unclean. This presentation and command was done three times before the vessel was received up again into heaven.
It was a lesson given in symbols that left Peter doubting in himself and wondering what it should mean. While he thought on it the men sent from Cornelius stood before the gate seeking him. The Spirit told him three men sought him and directed him to arise and go with them, doubting nothing, to Cornelius, with angels directing at every step.
What Vision Means
The threefold showing followed by the taking of the vessel back into heaven was careful work to fix the lesson in Peter's mind and to overcome prejudice against Gentiles firmly fixed by Jewish training and deeply rooted ideas about common and unclean. The repetition was needed because even Peter still needed conversion from belittling those who had no opportunity to hear the truth. It prepared him to go without question to Cornelius just as the men sent to him arrived.
The repeated showing is an example of instruction given through visions, showing what should be spoken and repeating the showing again and again. The same representation was repeated three times to echo that pattern of repeated instruction.
Its meaning concerns people, not food: what God has cleansed must not be called common, and no person is to be called common or unclean. The creatures in the sheet represented the people God was bringing within reach of the gospel, and the lesson left Peter wondering until its meaning became plain when he went with the men and brought the gospel to Cornelius. The acceptance of believing Gentiles, confirmed when the Holy Spirit came upon them just as upon Jewish believers, showed that Christ's blood could cleanse them and they were not to be regarded as common or inferior.
Through Christ and by His death, Gentiles cleansed through His blood are not to be treated as unclean or excluded from the promises and privileges of God's people, but share equally with Jews in the blessings of salvation as fellow heirs with Israel. The vision reproved Peter's prejudice, since his labors had been confined to Jews and he had looked on Gentiles as unclean, and led him to comprehend the worldwide extent of God's plan in which the middle wall of partition that Christ's death was to break down no longer excludes Gentiles from the blessings of the gospel. It opened the way for the gospel to go to the Gentiles without forcing upon them the rites of the ceremonial law or the rite of circumcision, and Peter no longer observed the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision. The vision did not remove the prohibition on eating animals God had declared unclean and did not authorize eating what He had called unclean, for its meaning concerned the status of the Gentiles.
The verse teaches that God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness, so that in heaven there is no respect of persons and Jew and Gentile are alike precious in His sight.
Gospel Opened to Gentiles
The threefold showing closed with the vessel taken back to heaven as careful work to divest Peter of prejudice deeply rooted by Jewish training against Gentiles. His labors had been confined to Jews while he looked on Gentiles as unclean and excluded from God's promises, and the vision gave him both reproof and instruction on that point. It taught him not to call any person common or unclean, led him to perceive that God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness, and prepared him to go without question to Cornelius to bring the gospel to the Gentiles. In this way the way was opened for Gentiles to become fellow heirs and members of God's household.
Though the death of Christ was to break down the middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile, that division still stood in the minds of the apostles, who were withholding the privileges of the gospel from Gentiles. Many Gentiles had listened with interest and Greek Jews had received the apostles' labors and believed, yet Peter had not yet preached the gospel to Gentiles. The threefold vision challenged that belief that Gentiles were excluded from the blessings of the gospel and led Peter to comprehend the worldwide extent of God's plan. Through Christ and by His death Gentiles are made partakers of the blessings and privileges of the gospel equally with Jews as fellow heirs with Israel, with Jew and Gentile alike precious in His sight.
The conversion of Cornelius was to be the first one of importance among the Gentiles. It marked the coming of an entirely new phase of work in which the door many Jewish converts had closed against the Gentiles was thrown open. The message of salvation was no longer restricted to the Jews but was being given to the world, and the conversion of Cornelius and his household was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, from which home a widespread work of grace was carried on in a heathen city. Gentiles who accepted the gospel were to be received as equal with Jewish disciples without being required to be circumcised or forced to observe the rites of the ceremonial law, and Peter was admonished no longer to observe the ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision. The vision's interpretation as Peter accepted it was that God used him to begin the gospel work among the Gentiles without imposing the ceremonial law on Gentile converts.
Peter undertook the duty laid on him by divine command with reluctance at every step, afterward defending it not on general principles but as an exception done because of divine revelation, and the result was a great surprise to him. He used the vision to defend going to the house of a Gentile and eating there, showing the command to go to Caesarea and preach to Cornelius was in direct fulfillment of the plan of God. On hearing the account of the vision and its outcome the brethren were silenced, prejudice and exclusiveness were destroyed, they glorified God that to the Gentiles also He had granted repentance unto life, and the way was opened for the work to be carried on among the Gentiles without controversy. Although Cornelius was accepted of God in devout piety with prayers and alms remembered and acceptable as far as knowledge goes, neither prayer nor almsgiving could take the place of Christ, and all can only be complete in Him. He who believed the Word promising a Messiah had now to receive its fulfillment, and Peter pointed him to Jesus as the sinner's only hope.
How God Works
This threefold showing and taking up belongs to the history of Peter's conversion, to be read and reread, for more than one man is converted in the transaction. Peter himself was put in the way to receive truth about God's purpose to take away the barriers between Jew and Gentile and open the way for Gentiles to become fellow heirs and members of God's household. He was appointed to become the human instrument in the hands of heavenly agencies so that heaven and earth are united in the work, with Jews and Gentiles by faith joined to Jesus Christ in whom all fullness dwells.
Visions are not given for a new rule of faith but for the comfort of His people and to correct those who err from Bible truth, as promised for the last days. So this vision came as God was about to send Peter to preach to the Gentiles, to correct his error about them, and was repeated three times before the vessel was taken back up to heaven. The whole event shows earth is more closely connected with heaven than is suspected, and heaven is much nearer to the Christian engaged in soul-saving than many suppose. Heavenly intelligences are constantly communicating with inhabitants of earth, in ministration resulting in the conversion of Cornelius and his company.
God employs angels to communicate with human beings, giving instruction by immortal messengers who act as guides and powerful helpers of His chosen messengers on earth. He directed both sides of the meeting, telling Cornelius that his prayers and alms were remembered before God and telling him to send men to Peter at the house of Simon the tanner by the seaside. At the same time He met Peter on the housetop to educate and train him, showing him the sheet let down by the four corners containing all manner of four-footed beasts of the earth and wild beasts and creeping things and fowls of the air, and telling him three men were seeking him, until through mutual inquiry understanding came and Peter went with the men to Cornelius. God knew each person by name and every action of life, where they live and the spirit they possess, as He knew Cornelius as He knew Abraham. Ministering angels still pass through the churches noting faithfulness in individual duty, working through angel and human agent to give greater light to one who has received and improved all the light already given.
An angel could have told Cornelius the gospel message directly, but that is not God's way. He chose human messengers to explain the truth, knowing just where Peter was and telling Cornelius all about it beforehand, that he lodged with Simon the tanner, with everything worked out for their meeting. He purposed a personal connection between Peter and Cornelius in gospel missionary work, so the light He had given Peter would be given by Peter to Cornelius and all his family, because His church must connect together.
Mission Call Today
The instruction of Acts 10 must be read and prayed over until understanding is opened and then obeyed by arousing to mission work in the home field, for neglect of home missions leaves workers wanting in the day of God. The threefold showing of the sheet and its reception back into heaven fixes the lesson that what God has cleansed must not be called common, meaning no man is to be called common or unclean, and that God is no respecter of persons but accepts in every nation those who fear Him and work righteousness. Therefore barriers and prejudice must be put away and the gospel given as freely to Jews as to Gentiles, with simplicity and Bible goodness and no erected barriers. The verse belongs to the experience in which the Lord wrought for one who feared His name, teaching how God works on human minds to break the power of oppression and tyranny and to dispel ignorance and superstition.
One man must not measure another by a human standard or pass judgment on him for not taking part in visible religious service, lest a brother be discouraged and his soul imperiled. God is watching over and keeping by His power some who today live unselfish, honest, principled lives but are not actively engaged in His work, whose voices are not heard in religious meetings. In time they will take up the work He calls them to and become faithful, reliable workers, and their good example will be recognized by God in the great day when rewards are given to the faithful and crowns of glory are placed upon them. God's servants are to place themselves in readiness to make personal efforts for the many in the world like Cornelius who serve God with sincere, earnest purpose and walk in all the light they have received though they have not received the whole truth. In this dark world of sin God has many precious jewels to whom He will guide His servants, and in the churches also there are souls much nearer the kingdom than is supposed, while angels cooperate with servants to bring such seekers walking in received light to full light.
In every age God sends His messengers to set in operation a train of circumstances that brings honest hearts seeking light into connection with those of His people who can best reach their individual needs. He uses different training and special knowledge in certain lines for different classes of inquirers, even children with special knowledge in certain lines for one class and those trained in a different way for another. The conversion of Cornelius and his household was only the firstfruits of a harvest to be gathered from the world, and from that home a widespread work of grace was carried on in a heathen city. The lesson calls for earnest, devoted, determined efforts for such associations as the W.C.T.U., for the Lord designs work to be done for them so light will shine forth to honest souls like Cornelius who are seeking the light and they may be gathered out.
Believers are to come into closest connection with God and one another, because His church must connect together so the light given to one is imparted to another and to whole families. They are to unify, love one another, deal justly, honestly, truly, gently and righteously, put away hatred and faultfinding, and give God room to work among them instead of tearing at one another and staying weak. God's regard for every human being teaches each to treat his fellow man as one of the Lord's instrumentalities for accomplishing His work in the earth. His compassion for people who seek and pray for light encourages special efforts to reach them, He seeks people in every social rank including those with influence and responsibility and can make them workers who bring others to the gospel, and He directs servants to those in need of divine help and guidance.
As God worked for Cornelius, so He works for devout men in every age who are not fully informed regarding present truth yet fear God and follow principles of righteousness in every sphere. Such men bear a clear, pure, undefiled testimony and shine as bright lights even in high responsibility among worldly men, including in investigation of true science and the laws that rule the world. He gives them knowledge through visitation of angels and places them in connection with men of superior knowledge of His Word that they may obtain advanced light, preparing the way for them to take the place of those given Bible truth who disappointed the Saviour. He knows each person by name, where they live, the spirit they possess, and every action of life, and works through angel and human agent to give greater light to one who has received and improved all light already given, while ministering angels pass through the churches noting faithfulness in individual duty.
The same leading will happen in the last days, when many will prize the wisdom of God above earthly advantage and obey His Word as supreme. They will be led to great light and knowledge of the truth, will seek to get that light before acquaintances anxious for truth, and thus become conscientious lightbearers who constrain others by the love of God and urge them to see the beauty of truth and give their abilities to advance God's work. Though they face a hard battle and fearful odds in sharp contrast with those who sacrificed His cause and falsified His Word, if they heed the message for this time and cling to Infinite Wisdom, God will give strength to conquer falsehood, testify by purity and nobility to unadulterated principles, and press on in the narrow way until Christ guides them to everlasting life, for He acknowledges those who truly serve Him and not hypocrites. Lifelong profession does not itself make true men sanctified and ennobled through the truth, as Cornelius was, for Cornelius was a man taught by God of the kind called for when men are losing spiritual discernment, among those outside formal Judaism seeking truth and praying for light who when Christ was revealed received Him gladly.
God sent a special message from heaven to Cornelius and instructed His angel to tell Peter to visit him and give him light, which greatly encourages work for souls and holding convocations for prayer asking the Lord to open the way for truth to enter strongholds where Satan has set up his throne. No vision is needed to make more sure the substantial truth that effectual fervent prayer avails much. Honest people seeking light can be gathered even from among those opposed to the message, so work should be done to reach them.