The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1959-12-12

presenceof various creatures
in the sheet meant that all
of them should be considered
alike as good for food. Peter
realized this and when he was
invited to help himself indis-
criminately, he refused on the
ground of violating principles
of religious purity. "But the
voice answered me again from
heaven, What God hath cleans
ed, that call not thou COM
mon" The answer which
Peter got is a chide or reproof
for his reputation of the gift
of God and for rejecting upon
the nature of the work of
God, for it is not within the
authority of man to say wheth-
er that which God gives is I'M
holy, unclean, unfit, or dis
graceful, except as God so de-
crees. "And this was done
three times: and all were
drawn up again into heaven"
The number three was
very significant among the
Jewish people, especially in re-
lationship to spiritual things.
THE MINISTRY TO COR
N ELIOUS' HOUSEHOLD:
and, behold, Immediately
there were three men already
come unto the house where
was, sent from Caesarea unto
me" 1t is significant also,
that of all the Christian dis
ciples, presumably available,
Peter was chosen to be recon-
mended to Cornelius as the
man who would tell him what
he ought to do. "And the spirit
babe me go with them, moth
ing doubling, Moreover these
six brethren accompanied me,
and we entered into the mans
house" And the spirit
directed Peter and he was not
alone when he went into the
home of Cornelius, but six
men from Joppa went with
him and the three servants
of the centurion and they all
together went into the home.
And he showed 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 sur
name is Peter" - Here Peter
points out that Cornelius had
verified the fact that he was
told specifically to send for
Peter. In this the apostle had
no choice in the matter, wheth-
er he was being sent to a Gen.
tile or to a Jew. He was OBJ
ligated to go where the Lord
sent him, for the Lord had a
special reason for doing so.
''Who shall tell thee
words, whereby thou and all
they house shall be saved
There was no doubt about it
that Peter had message
which had been the means of
thousands being saved and
which now was able to save
others, whether they be Jews
or Gentiles.
GODS SALVATION TO
THE GENTILES:
"And as l began to speak.
the Holy Ghost fell on them.
as on us at the beginning" -
There was, however, this diff
ference: Whereas in former
times the converts were Jews,
these in the home of Cornell
Jus were Gentiles.
This was something unique
and strange even to Peter, for
ne had not seen Gentiles act
Ing under the influence of the
Holy Spirit before. "Then re-
membered | the word of the
LoIu, now tnat he said, John
indeed baptized with water:
but We shall be baptized with
the Holy Ghost
The Jewish Christians had
not realized as yet that the
gift of the Holy Spirit is for
both Jews and Gentiles: ma
tuarlly they were amazed
when the people of Gentle
blood also received the Holy
Spirit. Even Peter himself
was just beginning to awaken
to the full meaning of the gift
OF the Holy Spirit. "Foras-
much then as God gave them
the like gift as he did unto
us, who believed on the Lord