Then Peter opened his mouth and said:  In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.  (35) But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. (36) The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ – He is Lord of all – (37) that word you know, which  proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism, which John preached:  (38) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, the physician and companion to the Apostle Paul. This book serves as a history of the early church – Luke was a careful researcher and intimate of many who were first hand sources of the life and works of Jesus Christ.

The first Christians were Jewish men and their  belief was that the Gentiles had to go through and keep Jewish rituals to become Jewish Christians like the apostles. But God has been breaking down Peter’s Jewish bias.  In Acts we are told of Peter being called in a dream to the house of Cornelius to minister to that Gentile household.  This was a radical change in Gods salvation history – salvation had been of the Jews and through the Jews and now Gentiles are not required to become Jews to be saved. Salvation was not based on nationality nor was it based on good works – and it is initiated by God, not by man. Salvation is by faith in Christ Jesus – And our verses today tell  of Cornelius who needed to hear about Jesus and put his trust in Christ to be saved

Early in chapter 10 of Acts we are introduced to Cornelius and we are told he was not only a good and devout man, he was a centurion of the Italian regiment. This tells us that he was a commander of soldiers; he was a commander in the elite, Italian regiment.  Cornelius was told in a vision to send for Peter, who would tell him what to do To be saved. The important thing here is, despite the good works and godly living of Cornelius, he was not yet saved.  He needed to hear of the resurrection of Christ.  Peter had not even finished preaching the gospel and we are told that the Spirit entered Cornelius and his household and the gifts of the Spirit were poured out on the Gentiles

So our verses today concern a Gentile –  an Italian Roman soldier who is saved by God through Christ Jesus.   Now, everyone who believes in Christ receives God’s salvation.