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Category:Bible verses
{{Infobox Contents |
topic_name = Acts 10 |
subtopics = [[Cornelius]], [[Apostle Peter]] |
opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} |
}}
== Commentary ==
Acts 10 recounts the story of the conversion of the Gentile (non-Jew) [[Cornelius]], with the [[apostle Peter]] as a witness. It is avery significant story because it paved the way for non-Jews to enter the church.
===The story of Cornelius===
===The implications of Acts 10 for the church===
Acts 10 was a turning point for the early church. Through the events Peter learnt that it is God who determines what is clean and unclean ([[Acts 10:15]]), and that God considers non-Jews clean ([[Acts 10:28]]). In particular, because Gentiles received the [[Holy Spirit]] in the same visible way that the early believers did in [[Acts 2]] at [[Pentecost]], this showed that the Gentiles were welcomed into the church by God ([[Acts 11:17]]) on an equal footing with Jews ([[Galatians 3:28]]).
This discovery by the early church removed the subconscious barrier for Gentiles to become followers of [[Jesus]] and it helped form the understanding that salvation was through justification by faith alone, and not through obedience to the Law - that is, circumcision and obedience to the Mosiac Law was not required for Gentile believers. By opening the doors of the church to non-Jews, it opened the way for [[Apostle Paul|Paul]]'s missionary journeys throughout Asia (modern-day Turkey) and Greece to the Gentiles and ultimately resulted in non-Jews becoming the dominant force within the church.
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[[Category:Commentary]]
[[Category:Bible verses]]