From Trying to Bribe God to True Salvation; the Cornelius Experience (Bible Study)

While studying Acts chapter 10 the other day, I discovered that many people are behaving like Cornelius. He was not a bad person, he loved God, but he wasn’t a believer. He did everything Christians do, but he was not saved.

There are non-Christians that can pray all through the night. They are yet to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, but they pray in His name. They fast, sow seeds, go to mountain, and do everything an average Christian does, but refuses to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In fact, there are a lot of them that go to church every Sunday.

Using Money to Buy Prayer and Blessing

On several occasions people have followed me after preaching and asked me to pray for them. But whenever I mention salvation and dedication to God, they feel uncomfortable. They want God to bless them, but they are not ready to accept Jesus into their hearts.

In fact, I have met many wealthy people who are not interested in salvation but wants to give me money so that I will be praying for them. I rebuked one sharply few years ago. Why do people believe that ministers of God are beggars? “How dare you turn me into a prayer contactor,” I said. And he ran away shamefully.

I have received calls from young men and women from different parts of the world who wants me to be praying for them while they keep peddling drugs, running their prostitution “business” and stealing from people. Many of them have ministers who are interceding for them in Nigeria because of the weight of their seed.

People have seen that joining cult is no longer profitable, so they give money to ministers to be praying for them. They use money to buy prayer. They attend different prayer programs for fortification not for edification or dedication. Today they are in Wednesday adoration program, on Friday they are in brother Judas vigil. They want God to bless them, but they are not ready to receive salvation from Jesus Christ. And guess what? That is the Cornelius syndrome.

How can a minister of God collect money from an occult grandmaster for prayer? How can a minister of God know that someone is a drug peddler or fraudster and instead of preaching Christ to him, he will collect money for special mountain prayer?

Below is the story of Cornelius:

“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” Acts 10:1-3 (NKJV).

Cornelius was an influential man. The Italian regiment was recruited in Italy to serve as bodyguard to the procurator of Judea. He was like the commander of Presidential Guards Brigade if it were in Nigeria. He was a top military officer.

He was devout man (had deep religious commitment).

He feared God with his household.

He gave alms generously to people and probably high priests.

He prayed to God always.

And to cap it all, he had an angelic visitation.

That was an incredible spiritual credentials!

To those around, Cornelius was worthy of emulation because he had good reputation. In fact, his love for God influenced his family and the soldiers under him. So, we can say that Cornelius was a good man. But before God, he wasn’t.

The mistake we make is thinking that morality equals salvation. If I ask why you think you will make heaven, you will say, “I don’t steal,” “I don’t lie,” “I don’t manipulate figures,” I don’t, I don’t, I don’t! But you must understand that what makes you a Christian is not how good you are but whether you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Morality is not equal to salvation! Morality is good, but after salvation!

Brother John said, “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.

Unless you surrender fully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and confess that He is your Lord and Savior and understand what you confessed and be taught the right doctrine of salvation, no matter how good you are, you are not a Christian.

John also said;

“He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36.

So, God said to Cornelius that morality is cool, but there is something he needed to know.

“Cornelius, until you’re saved, you’re not safe. Until you receive Jesus into your heart, your religious exercises will amount to nothing. Cornelius, you are a good person, but being good won’t guarantee eternity in heaven. Therefore, invite Peter to tell you what to do.”

While the people Cornelius sent to invite Peter was coming, God spoke to Peter about them in a trance. Even when he woke up, the Holy Spirit confirmed what he saw in the trance. The following day, Peter went with them to see Cornelius and everybody in his house.

Peter got to Cornelius house, preached Christ to him and his family. Peter preached Christ not morality. He preached Christ not how good you must be before you can be saved. He preached Christ and everyone in that house believed and they were saved and got baptized by the Holy Spirit.

Maybe you’re like Cornelius. You like God but you don’t want to be committed to Him. You pray to God, but you don’t know Him. You attend prayer meetings and vigils, you buy anointing oil, candles, anointing water, anointed handkerchief and all manner of mantles, but you are not saved. It is time to be real with God. It is time to get saved.

Or maybe you know very well that you are an evil man or woman, and you are trying to use money to buy forgiveness from God. You train priests, pastors and lay ministers. You build churches and donate generously to different churches. I must commend you, but that will not take you to heaven. You need to be real with God. You need salvation right now.

Or maybe you are a minister of God and people pay you to pray for them. You are running a prayer and fasting selling ministry. You know that someone is a drug peddler and a fraudster, and you bless them because they will give you money. You bless pants for prostitutes and guns for armed robbers. You sell blessed handkerchief and all manner of mantles just to make money and build mansion. You need Jesus Christ too. You need to be real to yourself.

Jesus said; “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37.

One thing is sure, God loves you. That was why He sent His only Son to die for our sins.

Paul said, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8.

If you want to recieve Jesus into your heart, say this short prayer and believe it from your heart. Lord Jesus, I belive that you died to rescue me from damnation. Come into my heart and save me. I declare today that You are my Lord and personal Saviour. I am saved. I am born again. Thank you Jesus. Amen.

If prayed that prayer, kindly send an email to me via [email protected]

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