The Case of Cornelius and God’s Regenerative Work in the Unsaved

By Mark W. Christy, PhD

In a vision, an angel of the Lord appeared to Cornelius (who was unsaved at the time) and called unto him. Although shocked, Cornelius responded, “’What is it, Lord?’ And he said to him, ‘Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God’” (Acts 10:4; cf. 10:22, 33-44).[i] From this text, it seems quite clear that God is able and willing to receive prayers of those still unsaved. After all, Cornelius’ prayers and alms were accepted by God.

Given this timeline, two options can be offered to discuss how this affects the doctrine of regeneration (see endnote for definition).[ii] First, it may be that a lost person can pray and seek God in such a way that God receives their prayers despite their unregenerate state. Second, it could be that God’s regenerative work (his act of giving a new heart and rendering a person born-again) may not be confined to a specific point of time.

The first view is defended in Is Calvinism Biblical? by Robert Wilkin.[iii] In his book, Wilkin argues that this verse and its context offer conclusive proof that a lost person can “produce righteous deeds” and God is “obligated to ‘accept’ them” (32-33). To defend his bold claim, he suggests that this is possible due to people’s bearing of God’s image and the work of the Holy Spirit “in the lives of the unregenerate” (33).

Wilkin goes so far as to suggest that lost people, who bear God’s image, still possess “His communicable attributes” which “include love, justice, kindness, and mercy” (32-33). Some of these characteristics, however, appear on Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control.” Apparently, Wilkin has failed to understand that these communicable attributes were so affected by sin that Paul (inspired by the Spirit) felt it necessary to deliver a scathing review of humanity: “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one” (Rom 3:10-12).

Given the utter sinfulness of humanity and its affect on their condition, one must continue to ponder how indeed an unsaved person like Cornelius who had yet to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ through repentance and faith could nevertheless pray and perform works of righteousness that were acceptable to God. During this point in history, a transition was occurring between the Old Testament era and the New Testament era. Like the faithful and righteous believers in the Old Testament and even Christ’s own disciples who were waiting for the Pentecost after having seen the resurrected Lord, Cornelius was still in need of the fullness of God’s revelation in Christ which was only now becoming available.

Just as the righteous believers of the Old Testament and even the pre-regenerate disciples during Christ’s earthly ministry were able to pray and perform works of righteousness, so also it seems that Cornelius had demonstrated this ability according to Acts 10:4. Furthermore, it would seem that God’s grace abounding in his life to such an extent that others took notice despite his having yet not received Christ. According to Acts 10:22, “Cornelius, a centurion, [was] a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews.” From this and the example of OT believers and the disciples of Christ before His death, it should seem abundantly clear that God’s regenerative work in the heart of a person can proceed their point of salvation (i.e., their acceptance of the gospel).

[i]All Scripture is taken from NASB1995.

[ii]The doctrine of regeneration is often referred to as the new birth or being born again. More specifically, it is God’s enabling of person who is dead in their sins (and therefore unsaved) to respond to the gospel so as to receive salvation. It is sometimes referring to as saving grace, empowering (unto faith and repentance) grace, and the Father’s drawing. This regenerative work, according to the doctrine of regeneration, occurs in the inner person and affects their will and desires.

[iii]Robert Wilkin, Is Calvinism Biblical?: Let the Scriptures Decide (Denton, TX: Grace Evangelical Society, 2017).