Religion Does Not Save

Religion Does Not Save

2013-09-08

Acts10:1-8

10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of ^wwhat was known as the Italian Cohort, ² a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. ³ About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” ⁴ And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. ⁵ And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” ⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, ⁸ and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

2^nd of 2 key individuals in watershed event: Gospel to Gentiles as Gentiles.

·      God revealed to Peter that the Gospel transcends centuries of the Jewish prejudice thinking that they were greater than the Gentiles.  

·      Cornelius: God showed Gospel is the same for all men, Jew or Gentile. Acts 10:1-2

Cornelius was a religious, praying, devoted, generous, respected, and sincere man, but nevertheless he was spiritually separated from God.

·      if they were already saved, they wouldn't need Peter to come share Gospel. Acts 11:13-14

Cornelius illustrated: fearing God & doing good does not necessarily equal being Christian.

·      3 classes of Gentiles; pagan, proselytes to Judaism, and God-fearers.

·      Cornelius knows there’s a God…general revelation.  Rom 1:18-20

o   human reason can ascertain God exists by cause/effect in creation.  

§  The Holy Spirit enabled Cornelius to believe Israel’s God was the true God.  

·      Fears Israel’s God because he realizes he’s morally accountable to Him.

o   so he tries obeying Jewish law (10 commands) to gain favor with God.

·      He also believed salvation thru Jews & knew about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection.

o   It was common knowledge to Christians & the lost. Gal 3:16, Acts 10:36-44

·      But religious sincerity, earnestly believing in God, doing good as best you can & knowing about Jesus does not solve the problem of sin debt.

God-fearing, ethical, good people, must repent & believe to be saved.

·      What must we believe? That Jesus the Christ is God incarnate, lived a perfect and  sinless life of servant-hood, died on cross, was resurrected, ascended, and now sits at right hand of Father.

o   James Denney, “Do not preach mainly about...”

·      There is no salvation in any other way or any other person. Eph 2:8-9

o   GRACE alone thru faith alone in Christ alone.

·      Peter gave simple gospel message, they believed it, and were filled with the Holy Spirit (kind of a 2^nd Pentecost) & received access to God as adopted children.

o   Gospel presentation...feel distant from God

Cornelius and the Gentiles were saved by believing the same gospel preached to Jews, but today many leave out a crucial part of original Gospel…. repentance.  Acts 11:18

·      "Repentance" is hatred of sin; turning from sin & determination to forsake it.

o   True Repentance: If there was no hell, the repentant person still runs from sin & their desire is to live like Jesus.

§  Not like a child who hates the consequences of sin or regrets the fault before being punished.

·      Like a child it’s possible to confess sins & not truly repent.  Judas

o   Today there are those who preach that it is possible to keep your old precious sins & get new stuff on top of that such as forgiveness, health, no problems,100% return on any money given, and people say sign me up).

§  Jesus loves as we are AND loves us by not letting us remain in sin.

o   That’s why repentance is a continual, life-long act enabled by God’s grace. It is toward God & others.

Turning from sin & walking in obedience validates our faith as real & displays sincere repentance. Jn 14:15, Mt 21:28, Jam 2:14, 17 & 2 Cor 13:5

·      Our faith, repentance, & obedience will always be imperfect in this life, but as Cornelius learned, our basis for God’s favor is not sincere religious efforts or even human goodness, these fall short of perfection; rather it is upon the blood of Christ.