How are people saved? I know, through faith in Christ. But how does that happen? Do people independently decide to become followers of Jesus? God plays a dynamic role.
Peter’s sermon to Cornelius’s household gives us an example. Peter was speaking the message and the Holy Spirit fell on the hearers. They heard these Gentiles speaking in other languages and praising God. Convinced that they had received the Holy Spirit, Peter offered them water baptism. Then he stayed with them and I am sure continued to teach them.
Luke’s story reminds us that God is the initiator in salvation. Recall the story: he spoke to Peter and Cornelius independently and orchestrated a meeting. As Peter explained the good news, the Spirit came upon the men and they became Christians. Water baptism was an outer symbol of the Spirit’s baptism of the new believers.
Paul would later write, “Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” The Holy Spirit works through the gospel as it is spoken out loud to others.
In a beautiful old hymn, we find these words from Daniel Webster Whittle:
I know not how the Spirit moves,
Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
Creating faith in Him.
This is how we became Christians. The Spirit moved in our lives convincing us of sin, revealing Jesus, and creating faith in him. What is our part? Someone said, “The only thing I contribute to my salvation is the sin from which I need to be forgiven.” True, we surrender our wills to God. But only God can save. The good news is that God wants to save. Everyone who calls on his name will be saved.
