Quick Note – Acts 10:43 – The Gospel in Few Words

Acts 10:43 – To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

Cornelius was a centurion of the Italian cohort, a Gentile, but also a devout follower of God.  However, he had never heard the Gospel.  So when praying one day, God sent a vision to Cornelius to call for Peter, who would share the Gospel with him.  After being told by God not to show distinction between Jew and Gentile, Peter went with some soldiers to visit Cornelius.  When he arrived, he met with Cornelius and his household, which was filled with friends and family.  It was then that Peter began to preach about Jesus Christ to them. 

At the end of his sermon, Peter summarized the Gospel with the words in our passage today, “To him [Jesus] all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”  Many words can be used to share the Gospel.  Countless verses can be stacked one after another to make the point.  But I think this summary in Acts 10:43 is a simple but clear way to deliver the message. 

Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the One to whom all the prophets and all the passages in the Bible, pointed to.  He was the one that was being declared as the source of salvation.  What did He save us from?  Our sins.  Because of our sins, we had a broken relationship with God.  Because of our sins, we were judged to die.  However, by coming to this earth and dying for us, Jesus Christ opened up a way for us to find forgiveness for our sins.  He opened up a way so that we could be saved.  And what is that way?  To believe in His name.  Salvation comes through His name.  Forgiveness of sins comes through His name.  That is the Gospel.  Simple and clear.  Jesus Christ was the Promised One; He died for our sins; and by believing in Him as Lord and Savior, forgiveness and salvation is found. 

The Gospel does not need to be described in so many words.  It is a simple fact that Jesus Christ saves.  After hearing these words, Cornelius and his whole household believed.  They then instantly received the Holy Spirit and became some of the first Gentile converts to Christianity.  A simple sermon, a simple phrase that is all it took for God to work in their hearts.  So if you are afraid of sharing the Gospel, then remember this one verse, Acts 10:43, because in it, all the Gospel is packed.  And if you have yet to become a Christian, then don’t delay, the Gospel is shared with you today, believe in Him, so that you might be saved.