FELLOWSHIP WITH UNBAPTIZED BELIEVERS
(Common Cause or Common Need?)

INTRODUCTION-- What common ground do we have with those who have not been immersed in the name of Christ for the remission of sins?

1. There is a strong trend among liberal brethren toward embracing pious and reverent and sincere believers in the Denominations as brethren in Christ.
   
2. Many of these believers in the divinity of Christ have agendas that match our own....
   
   1. Against abortion.
      
   2. Against drunkenness and other vices kin to it.
      
   3. Against sexual immorality.
      
   4. Against frivolous divorce.
      
3. They have these agendas in there spiritual life, because they trust the Bible to be the Word of God, as it truly is. Paul commended this attitude in 1 Thessalonians 2:13 "And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, even the word of God, ye accepted it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe."
   
4. What should be our attitude toward such people? Acceptance? Fellowship?

LESSON-- Let us consider one of the Bible's "pious unimmersed" and his need.

1. Cornelius, a Roman Army Officer, had become such. Acts 10:1-2, 22a
   
   1. How did he become one who reverently feared the God of the Jews?
      
      1. He was stationed in Judea at Caesarea, on the coast.
         
      2. He did not stand aloof from the Jews, apparently, but an alms-giver.
         
      3. He had resisted, however, becoming a proselyte. (Against Roman law?)
         
      4. Perhaps he recognized that Gentiles had the right to worship God, as much as the Jews.
         
         1. He may have learned from the Old Testament about other Gentile worshippers of God; Jethro, Balaam, Naaman, Widow of Zarephath.
            
         2. Whatever the reason, he was the first Gentile convert to Christ.
            
   2. How did he learn to "pray to God always?" He may have read what Solomon said at the dedication of his Temple. 2 Chronicles 6:32-33 "Moreover concerning the foreigner, that is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come from a far country for thy great name's sake, and thy mighty hand, and thine outstretched arm; when they shall come and pray toward this house: 33 then hear thou from heaven, even from thy dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calleth to thee for; that all the peoples of the earth may know thy name, and fear thee, as doth thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name."
      
   3. How did he learn to give alms? From the Law. Deuteronomy 15:11 "For the poor will never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt surely open thy hand unto thy brother, to thy needy, and to thy poor, in thy land."
      
   4. Our pious denominational neighbors learn the same lessons, but their education is incomplete, just like that of Cornelius.
      
2. God looked down on Cornelius in love, and gave him an opportunity. Acts 10:3 6, 22b, 30-32
   
   1. I believe from this example, that God, by His providence, gives opportunities to those whose obedience to the gospel is incomplete.
      
      1. The opportunity may not be by the appearance of an angel, but only by the invitation of a friend to hear a message, or to study the Word.
         
      2. To respond, the pious unimmersed believer must have a receptive heart.
         
   2. The question is, "How do they respond to the opportunity?"
      
3. Cornelius' response was proper. Acts 10:7-8, 33
   
4. The only barrier was in the mind of Peter.
   
   1. Steeped in the principles of the Law of Moses, he was not willing to preach to the Gentiles.
      
      1. Yet, Christ had taken away the "middle wall of partition." Ephesians 2:11 18
         
      2. Peter did not heed his own previous message on Pentecost. Acts 2:38-39
         
   2. He had to be prepared by a vision for the task of preaching to Gentiles. Acts 10:9-16
      
      1. He had time to think about the vision. Vs. 17-19
         
      2. He told Cornelius the conclusion he reached. Vs. 20-29 (His last ques-tion was unnecessary, in view of what he said in the beginning of his sermon. Vs. 34-35
         
5. The interrupted sermon. Acts 10:36-43
   
   1. This is the essence of the Good News (Gospel). 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
      
   2. We must remember that Cornelius was already a believer in God.
      
   3. The interruption had a divine purpose. Acts 10:44-46a, 11:15-18

APPLICATION--

1. Peter did not compromise the truth, when he saw how pious and eager his audience was.
   
   1. He knew the purpose of his visit. Acts 11:14
      
   2. They were still required to be baptized in water in the name of Jesus. Acts 10: 46b-48
      
2. Neither should we think that common sentiment and/or common cause is enough for full fellowship.
   
   1. The "unbaptized believer" has embraced the cause of evangelism (or, "witnessing"), if he is truly committed to his faith, but his efforts to save others will not accomplish his intent, since he himself is not saved.
      
   2. He should not resent your effort to teach him more perfectly the way of the Lord, as did Aquila and Priscilla with a pious Apollos. Acts 18:24-28