@JD731
1 Peter 1:1 YLT Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to
the choice sojourners of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
IYO are the, "choice sojourners," chosen out of, the House of Judah the House of Israel or both and or also from the heathen?
Consider, God did choose to send Peter to Cornelius?
The reason God sent Peter to Cornelius instead of someone else is because Jesus had given the "keys" of the kingdom of heaven to him specifically. Keys are the instrument that unlocks doors and Peter used the keys given him to unlock doors.
Matthew16:13 ¶ When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20
Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Notice that Peter has been given the keys to the kingdom of heaven and not the keys to the kingdom of God. This is an important distinction and anyone reading the KJV should ask the text why V 20 in in the paragraph. It may or may not be in your Bible, but it is in mine.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Ac 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth
, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
He was not crucified as the Christ but as a man.
How would the men of Israel at that time come through the door. Do we know? Are we told? Peter knows.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles,
Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Fast Forward Ten Years.....
Ac 10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
Dear reader, if you teach Cornelius had already walked through the door into the kingdom of heaven, stop reading here because the rest will make no sense to you.
2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side:
he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
Compare what the same Peter told the men of Israel in Acts 2 and what he tells Cornelius here.
34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 36
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all) 37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from
Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the
devil; for God was with him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: 40 Him God raised up the third
day, and shewed him openly; 41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he commanded us to
preach unto the people (
of Israel), and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth (
by their testimony and not by actually seeing him) in him shall receive remission of sins.
44 ¶ While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed
were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because
that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should
not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
Note on "were astonished" above.
These Jews and Peter recognized the salvation of these gentiles as the baptism with the Spirit on them like it was the Jews in Acts 2.
See Peter's words later in Jerusalem.
Acts 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them,
as on us at the beginning. 16 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. 17 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?
This is not the beginning, it is an addition.
Much later, after the first missionary campaign, this incident is explained as the opening of the door of faith to gentiles so they may enter into the kingdom of heaven;
Acts 14:23 And when they (Paul & Barnabas) had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. 24 And after they
had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia: 26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been
recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled. 27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together,
they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he
had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. 28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.
1 ¶ And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas
had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
Biblical Commentary on the bolded above;
6 ¶ And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a
good while ago
God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the
Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
This is an "us and them" verse.
.Re 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before the
e an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
I will stop there but I encourage the reading of all the context and be aware of time frames and when the scriptures pivots, pivot with them. The Bible is a dispensational book and the internals proves it.
Oh, one thing. When Cornelius began the salvation of the gentiles through the open door, those of Israel began to receive the Holy Ghost by faith only and not by preparatory baptism in water beforehand. Here is proof from the apostles;
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But we (Jews) believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved,
even as they.(gentiles)
May the Lord be pleased with this treatment of his word!