"But Peter took him (Cornelius) up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man."
"And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together."
"And he (Peter) said unto them, Ye KNOW HOW THAT IT IS AN UNLAWFUL THING for a man THAT IS A JEW to KEEP COMPANY, or come unto ONE OF ANOTHER NATION, but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean." ACTS 10:26-28.
Got that? Peter STILL believed it was unlawful to go to Gentiles until God showed him...WHEN, when did God show Peter that he should not call any man common or unclean? In Matt. Mark Luke John or Acts 1-3? No. It was in the vision God gave Peter in Acts 10:9. If he doesn't know until then that it is okay to go to Gentiles, how in the name of all that is sane would a person believe that Peter and the 11 preached the gospel of the grace of God in Matt. Mark Luke John or Acts 1-3?
BTW: you'll note that Peter is given this vision in Acts 10. Paul is saved in Acts 9. Important?
**I told you that the first part of Acts had to be understood before we could go on to Cornelius.**
Is chapter 5 still close enough to ‘the first part of Acts’? Peter is still preaching to the Jews there:
“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand”..(his ‘right hand’, not his left hand or both hands?? But, that’s another subject)..”to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give REPENTANCE to Israel, and FORGIVENESS OF SINS. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him”. Acts 5:30-32
It looks to me that Peter is still preaching the Acts 2 message in chapter 5. Matter of fact, he was only preaching what Jesus Christ (in Luke 24:46-49) had commanded him to:
“Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that REPENTANCE and REMISSION of SINS should be preached in his name among ALL NATIONS, BEGINNING at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
You see, when Jesus Christ began to preach, it was with this: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt. 4:17), and also: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel”. (Mark 1:15), He was not announcing that it had begun, but that it was immenent. He still kept the Law up until the cross, even telling the leper he had healed, to go and show himself to the priest, and offer the things commanded by Moses.
**Here is an example of this: “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou AT THIS TIME RESTORE AGAIN the KINGDOM TO ISRAEL?” (Acts 1:6).**
At that point, the apostles still hadn’t received the power and wisdom of the Holy Ghost, that the Lord said would then happen to them. See John 14:16-26; 15:26; 16:7-15.
**BTW: you’ll note that Peter is given this vision in Acts 10. Paul is saved in Acts 9. Important?**
Are you questioning the Lord’s choice in not sending Paul to Cornelius? Peter was indeed slow to grasp the Lord’s inclusion of the Gentiles. But, put yourself in his position: You also would’ve wanted to be absolutely sure you were called to do such a thing. The end result is that he DID obey the Lord’s command. Peter was given the ‘keys’, and was the man to be present when the three main groups of people, the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Gentiles, received the Holy Ghost.
Now Paul’s conversion, which is further described in chapter 22:16, and in his testamony to king Agrippa in chapter 26:18,19,20:
Ananias said to Saul/Paul, in 22:16; “And now why tarriest thou? arise”..(why did he have to arise? because Ananias wasn’t going to carry him to the water.)..”and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord”. (sounds like Ananias knew Acts 2:38).
26:18,19,20 (beginning in the middle of the Lord’s command to Paul). “..To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do WORKS meet for repentance”.
After his first missionary journey into Asia Minor, Paul was staunchly against the Jewish Christians that still had trouble letting go of the Law, but, on his next mission DID circumcise Timothy to help reduce the complaint of the unbelieving Jews.
**Dispensationalists believe that the dispensation of the grace of God began with Paul and not before. Eph. 3:2,3,5,6,9.**
Some dispensationalists may believe that, but they are wrong. Just go read Acts 19: 1-7. And even though Paul was sent to Gentiles, he didn’t entirely pass up preaching to the Jews. For conversion, the apostles all taught the same thing. In a nutshell, it’s Acts 2:38,39.
**Times and seasons. Dispensations. That God the Father has in His own power. That are given according to His purposes and will.**
Indeed. But God hasn’t ‘shifted gears’ since Acts 2.