I have a question for our Calvinist brothers and sisters about regeneration. If my understanding of the Doctrines of Grace is incorrect then please feel free to correct me.
Because of the total inability of man to come to God in any way man must first be regenerated and then can be granted the gifts of faith and repentance. In lieu of this, would that mean that the Ethiopian Eunuch and the Roman Cornelius were regenerated before they ever met Philip or Peter and heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ? The Ethiopian had and read the Scriptures and sought to worship God traveling to Jerusalem to do so and Cornelius was a devout man that feared God, he gave alms and prayed, and even had a vision from God. Both if these accounts can be found in Acts 8 and 10 respectively.
I would say that both of these men were sincere in what they were doing not putting on a show for men as the Pharisees did. So my question is were they regenerated before they met Philip and Peter which gave them the ability to want to do these things such as read the Scriptures and pray and then they were granted faith and repentance upon hearing the Gospel? If that is the case when were they regenerated? If that is not the case when were they regenerated and how did they seek God in an unregenerate state?
The primary issue I would suggest study of would be when men began to be born again in the first place. Regeneration is the promise of God in the Old Testament and received when the Comforter was sent, and the New Covenant established. It is when Christ came that men then began to be reconciled to God in eternal union (indwelling, as opposed to the filling of the Old Testament (filling still takes place among those indwelt)).
Cornelius is the easier of the two to clarify, because we have a detailed account plus Peter's own testimony as to what took place. I will try to make this as brief as I can, and just hit the highlights (though I would suggest a thorough study of the entire event).
To lay the background (of course from my perspective, you can judge for yourself), I would suggest that relationship with God has always been possible for men, and knowledge of God is given in three primary ways:
1. The internal witness of God;
2. The testimony of Creation;
3. Direct revelation (God speaking to men directly, God speaking to men through men, God speaking to men through the Written Word, and God speaking directly to the hearts of men).
When we consider Cornelius, we don't take a caricature approach and consider all Jews were good guys, and all Romans were bad guys, because Cornelius was a man regarded by God and men. God speaks to him and tells Him to go get Peter (Acts 10:1-5). Now I am going to jump ahead to Chapter 11 because Peter's description of events is critical to understanding Chapter Ten:
Acts 11:13-14
King James Version (KJV)
13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
The bottom line is that Peter states his purpose was to go and speak to Cornelius...words.
And those words by which Cornelius was saved was the Gospel of Christ, which is the only means by which one can be born again. Here is the Gospel of Christ as preached by Peter:
Acts 10:34-40
King James Version (KJV)
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;
This is what happened:
Acts 10:44-45
King James Version (KJV)
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.
Now here is where everybody divides: what does it mean "the Holy Ghost fell on them?" Luckily Peter tells us, and I will pick up from the previous quote (though again recommend going back and reading the fuller context):
Acts 11:14-18
King James Version (KJV)
14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
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.
Peter defines for us what is meant by the Holy Ghost falling on Cornelius and his family...they are baptized with the Holy Ghost, which if you remember was not something that had happened to the disciples of Christ during His earthly ministry (Acts 1:4-5). What is taking place is the fulfillment of God's promise in the Old Testament to put His Spirit within men (which did not occur in the Old Testament, including during Christ's Ministry among men). This is Christ baptizing men with the Holy Ghost, as prophesied by John. It is the fulfillment of Christ's teaching in John 14 that He would send the Comforter, Who would then be "In" the disciples, and this forever, rather than simply with them (the filling).
Secondly we understand that this is the moment Cornelius is saved, because that is Peter's very reason for going to speak with him/them, that he might speak the words by which they would be saved, that is, the Gospel of Christ.
We go on...
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?
18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
John's baptism was a physical baptism, Christ's is spiritual, eternal. It is the immersion of men into God in Reconciliation through belief in the Gospel.
So the bottom line is that we see Cornelius move from the Old Testament relationship with God (primarily physical) to the New Covenant eternal indwelling of God. He is born again through the process of indwelling and made a new creature. It is the moment he receives the Life Christ came to give.
God bless.
