Acts 10:5

"And now send men to Joppa, and fetch one Simon, who is surnamed Peter" Joppa was located about thirty-two miles along the coast to the south. The purpose of this is so that Peter can preach to them (Acts 11:13). "The doctrine of the direct operation of the Holy Spirit on the alien sinner's heart to save him is surely suspect in the light of what was done in Cornelius' case. In his case, instead of direct operation, we see human agency involved. Someone must bring the Word so the sinner has something to believe" (Reese p. 382) (Romans 10:17; Romans 1:16). This example of conversion seriously undermines the popular theory that people are born in sin, hell-bound, and opposed to all that is good, and that the direct-operation of the Holy Spirit upon the heart of the sinner is necessary to make the sinner receptive to God's truth or even able to believe it. In contrast, Cornelius is very receptive to the truth--long before the Holy Spirit ever comes upon him (Acts 10:22). McGarvey makes an excellent point when he observes: "At first glance it might appear strange that. man whose character is thus described should need conversion. There are many men in the present day, in whose favor not so much can be said, who flatter themselves that their prospects for final salvation are good. They are honest in their dealings, good husbands and fathers, generous to their neighbors, and benevolent to the poor; what have they to fear at the hands of. just and merciful God? But Cornelius was all this, and beyond yet it was necessary for even him to hear words whereby he might be saved. They forget that while they are discharging in. creditable manner their obligations to their fellow men, they are neglecting the much higher obligation to render service to God" (p. 198). We should be impressed that the conversions recently mentioned, such as the eunuch and Saul of Tarsus, both involved godly men, and religious men, yet like Cornelius, their morality alone couldn't save them. The above examples prove that one is not saved by sincerity alone. To the contrary, Jesus Christ is the ultimate test of one's sincerity. When the gospel message is presented to good moral men, the truly sincere will obey Christ (Luke 8:15)