There is one exception to the need of having the apostles lay their hands on new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. Cornelius and his household were the first among the Gentiles to receive the gospel message and be saved. For this to be accepted, there had to be a great proof of divine approval that spurred the Jews to action. They needed a tremendous outpouring as a testimony to Gentile induction. Jews had gone with Peter from Joppa to this Gentile household. Peter had already been prepared that God was no respecter of persons. The vision convinced and prepared his heart to preach to a Gentile. Even then, this had to be very difficult to go against his tradition. Was he going to follow the same example for them as he had done for the Jews in Acts 2? Was he going to require them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins? What would he have done, if they had come to ask, “What must we do?” If he had followed the same pattern as Acts 2, would it have appeared to his fellow Jews that he was acting on his own authority? We do not know the answers to these questions because while Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on that Gentile household (Acts 10:44). He had delivered the necessary words whereby Cornelius and his household could be saved (Acts 10:34-43, cf. 11:14). When recounting these events to his Jewish brethren in chapter eleven, Peter says, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning” (Acts 11:15). One of the differences in this only case of people receiving the Holy Spirit before their baptism is the fact that God had to confirm the inclusion of Gentiles into their fellowship. This was not to be left up to Peter to confirm this truth by his own testimony. Years later, Peter shows that he does not always follow through with this truth (cf. Galatians 2:11-14). Accepting something intellectually does not mean that we will follow through emotionally and socially. Peter had six fellow Jews in his company. Fortunately, God did not leave it in the hands of Peter or the concession of any Jew. It seems likely, from what follows in chapter eleven, that Peter needed unmistakable evidence before proceeding too far out on this limb. Not only was God giving the necessary convincing proofs for Peter but the testimony that six Jewish brethren accompanying Peter would also support Peter’s actions. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those who were listening to Peter’s message (10:44) gave the confirmation that God had put his stamp of approval on it. The next statement that follows seems to show the intent of the Holy Spirit falling on them. It reads, “All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For, they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God.” (10:45-46).
The Holy Spirit was at work. First, He was working to reveal the truth to an apostle of Christ through a vision. Then, He empowered Cornelius and his household with the gift of tongues to confirm the inclusion of Gentiles to Peter and his Jewish brethren. Peter concludes, “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he”(10:47)? When Peter is offering his defense for going unto a Jew, he explains:
And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way” water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ Therefore if God gave to them the same gift… (Acts 11:15-17).
“Notice that Peter relates the promise of Jesus that they (the apostles) would be baptized with the Holy Spirit (cf. John 14-16). When he speaks of God giving the Gentiles the same gift he gave to us at the beginning, he compares the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost to this outpouring on the Gentiles. This was the confirmation needed to accept the Gentiles into the family. Later, when Peter speaks at the council in Jerusalem, he says,
“Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:7-9).