Cornelius was a very interesting person. The Bible actually says he was so convincingly devout that his family followed in his steps. He also gave generously (much) to charitable needs, he feared God and he prayed constantly. He was trusted and had influence with many people.

The least you could say about Cornelius is he was sincere. It was in response to his sincerity that God spoke to him in a vision and on the basis of that fact alone we conclude that sincerity is important.

• The quality of every relationship is measured by the sincerity of those involved.
• Sincere people are honest and trustworthy. The opposite is duplicity, i.e., operating with ulterior motives and hidden agendas.
• Sincere people never say one thing while intentionally meaning another. When they disagree with others they are honest about it without being disagreeable.
• Sincere people are forthright. They say exactly what they mean and mean exactly what they say.
• Sincere people look for truth, they don’t try to reshape it.
• A sincere person can never knowingly be compromised.
• Insincere people are complacent about error and glib toward truth. They aren’t so easily led by God.
• God responds to sincerity.

But being sincere does not automatically make you Christian and Cornelius’ experience proves it. You can read his story in Acts 10.

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Cornelius is just one example among many of someone who was very sincere long before becoming Christian. Nicodemus, Lydia and Apollos are a few more. These are people whose sincerity wasn’t contaminated by self-serving opinions. A stubborn person who is sincerely wrong may never find the truth or accept it when found. These examples were neither self-serving nor stubborn. [Read more…] about Sincerity Is Not Salvation