The Realization - Acts 10:34-48

Listening to Cornelius tell his story and seeing that he was devoted to God as well, Peter is putting the pieces of his vision together. He observes, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter or persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” The IM comments, “The scriptures teach that ‘God is no respecter of persons,’ meaning that every person from Adam to the last person on earth will receive an opportunity to accept the gospel. The principles of salvation are the same for all of God’s children.” This means that the requirements for salvation are the same for everyone, faith, repentance, baptism, and confirmation. Black, white, bond, free, male and female, they are all the same, this is why genealogy is so important.

But one caveat here is just because the requirements are the same doesn’t mean that everyone has the same opportunities at the same time. I’m extremely fortunate to have the gospel in my life but statistically probably 99% of people throughout human history have not had the opportunity to learn about the gospel in their life time. This, of course, is tragic, but we have to know deep down that those who were deprived of the gospel during mortality will be compensated for the unfairness of this fallen world. That might sound trite and insufficient, but I’ve had to take that principle of faith, that when all is said and done, we will all feel ok, we will all feel satisfied, and we will all feel like this trip into mortality, however horrific, was worth it.
The IM quotes Elder Bruce R. McConkie as explaining, “not only is the gospel to go, on a priority bases and harmonious to a divine timetable, to one nation after another, but the whole history of God’s dealings with men on earth indicates that such has been the case in the past; it has been restricted and limited where many people are concerned. For instance, in the day between Moses and Christ, the gospel went to the house of Israel, almost exclusively. By the time of Jesus, the legal administrators and prophetic associates that he had were so fully indoctrinated with the concept of having the gospel go only to the house of Israel that they were totally unable to envision the true significance of his proclamation that after the resurrection they should then go to all the world.”
Cornelius and many other people are gathered around Peter to hear what he has to say and Peter begins to boldly testify that of “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.” Aren’t we all “oppressed of the devil”? Aren’t we all bound by sin to one extent or another? Jesus physically healed those who needed it, but he healed us all spiritually, freeing us from Satan’s clutch and giving us all the chance to have the eternity that we choose.
Interestingly, Peter states “we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem.” This is another instance of the importance of “eye witness” apostles after Jesus’ mortal ministry. Peter continues to testify that he was a personal eye witness to “him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 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.” The word “witness” is used again by Peter, “to him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” I feel like the message here is, “this is not a new Messiah, this is the same guy that you’ve been studying about in the scriptures, he was just not recognized by his own people because they weren’t paying attention.” These gentiles fell in love with the Jewish God, and this Jesus is him.
While Peter was speaking “the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” This is an interesting development because the Jewish believers had just gotten the Holy Ghost themselves recently and were still new to it, but then to have these gentiles, who until 2 days ago were unclean and unworthy, receive the same spiritual gift that they had just received was probably a very powerful moment for them. In fact, “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. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.” The IM teaches, “Acts 10:44-48 records that the Holy Ghost fell on Cornelius and others before they were baptized. The Bible Dictinoary explains that ‘the Holy Ghost is manifested to men on the earth both as the power of the Holy Ghost and as the gift of the Holy Ghost. The power can come upon one before baptism and is the convincing witness that the gospel is true. By the power of the Holy Ghost a person receives a testimony of Jesus Christ and all His work and the work of His servants upon the earth. The gift can come only after proper and authorized baptism and is conferred by the laying on of hands, as in Acts 8:12-25 and Moro. 2. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the right to have, whenever one is worthy, the companionship of the Holy Ghost.’”
When we talk about the difference between priesthood power and priesthood authority, I wonder if those definitions would work in the same context here with the Holy Ghost. The gift of the Holy Ghost comes as a constant presence to those who have followed proper procedure and meet certain requirements. Likewise, priesthood authority is the constant ability to use priesthood power at will by those who have followed proper procedure and meet certain requirements. The power of the Holy Ghost and the power of the priesthood, can come to any person at the discretion of the Spirit. I really like that description. As a woman, I am not authorized to call on the power of the priesthood at will, but I am promised love, guidance, and protection if I’m righteous, and those ends are accomplished through priesthood power, but done so not when I say but when the Spirit directs.
The difference between priesthood authority and the gift of the Holy Ghost, however, is that as members of the Church striving for perfection, we are at liberty to call on the Holy Ghost for guidance, comfort, teaching, etc whenever we feel so inclined. Those gifts of the Spirit can benefit others but a lot of it is for our own personal spiritual growth and understanding. The authority of the priesthood differs though because those authorized bearers don’t call on priesthood power for their own benefit. Priesthood power blesses, teaches, confirms, soothes, and comforts, but all those things are done by one person to another. We can’t bless ourselves, we can’t teach ourselves, we can’t confirm testimony to ourselves, we can’t soothe or comfort ourselves in any way other than our human abilities. So for all those that feel deprived by not having priesthood authority, I wonder what exactly they hope to gain by holding the priesthood. We already have the ability to serve others, which is basically what priesthood authority comes down to.
Peter now understands the meaning of his vision, he now knows what God wants him to do. Clearly, God has accepted these gentiles into His gospel, so Peter asks, maybe himself as much as anyone else, “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy ghost as well as we?” This seems like a question asked in reflection and that’s helping Peter work through the last little bits of putting the meaning of the vision together. He realizes that God intends for gentiles to be admitted to the Church and be received in full fellowship, so “he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.” And then stayed with them for several more days.