Cornelius, First Gentile – Common Church Soldier – AlephTau Set – Bible TCG

Rocky Santangela
Jul 6
4 min read

Updated: Aug 12

Cornelius, First Gentile – Base Art – Common Church Soldier – AlephTau Set – Bible TCG

Faith Extends To All

Cornelius, First Gentile is a 3-cost Soldier boasting 3 Strength, 1 Hope, and the powerful Anointing keyword, meaning it ignores the first point of damage dealt to it each turn. As a soldier, it can immediately pressure opposing units or absorb early aggression while presenting a solid board presence.

The Gospel Opens to the Nations

The moment was heaven-ordained. The vision to Peter of the great sheet filled with every kind of animal was not about food alone, it was about God opening the door of grace to the nations. What had once been separated by the law was now made one in Christ. The wall between Jew and Gentile crumbled, not by human effort, but by the power of the cross. The blood of Jesus spoke a better word, declaring cleansed, accepted, beloved over all who believe.

Cornelius, a Roman centurion, stood as the first Gentile to receive the outpouring of the Spirit after the resurrection. His prayers and alms were remembered before God, but it was not his deeds that saved him, it was faith in the risen Christ. Peter, led by the Spirit, entered his house without hesitation, crossing the lines that tradition had drawn. The words of the prophets were being fulfilled: "I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth" - Isaiah 49:6.

This card's verse is Acts 10:45:

"And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost."

When Peter preached Jesus, His death for sins, His resurrection on the third day, His role as the ordained Judge of the living and the dead, the Spirit fell upon all who heard and believed. The same gift given at Pentecost was poured out upon Gentiles, and the astonishment of the Jewish believers turned to joy. Grace had triumphed. The kingdom was expanding, not by sword or law, but by the Spirit and truth of the gospel.

Cornelius, First Gentile – Full Art – Common Church Soldier – AlephTau Set – Bible TCG

Grace Beyond Boundaries

The vision of clean and unclean animals was a prophetic declaration: what God has cleansed cannot be called common. The cross had ended the separation, the ordinances, the dietary codes, the rituals, everything that kept Jew and Gentile apart in worship. In Christ, the nations would eat at the same table, drink of the same Spirit, and share the same inheritance. This was the mystery hidden from ages and generations: "That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel" - Ephesians 3:6.

From that day, the gospel would run like fire across borders, cultures, and languages. No longer would salvation be contained in one nation or through one system of law, it was now freely given to all who believe. The harvest was ripe, and the Spirit was the guarantee of God’s promise. The call was clear: proclaim Christ without partiality, knowing that His grace is limitless, powerful, and eternal.

Believer, we stand in the same river of grace that first flowed into Cornelius’s house. We are cleansed by the same blood, filled with the same Spirit, and joined to the same body. We are heirs of an unshakable kingdom, free from the yoke of the law, living in the fullness of God’s acceptance and Christ’s finished work. Every barrier has fallen, every dividing wall is gone. We are the people of grace, and our God has made us clean forever.

Strategic Use In Gameplay

This card shines in midrange and control-oriented soldier decks, where sturdy, resilient bodies anchor your game plan. Cornelius not only survives the initial blow but also facilitates favorable trades, helping you stabilize or gain tempo.

Synergies and Plays:

Anointing Survivability: Start trades without fear of dying to minor damage, ideal for attrition strategies or pushing face against aggressive boards.
Soldier Synergy: Works seamlessly with cards that buff or care about soldier presence, especially those that reward beings on the storyline.
Good Trades: With solid base stats, it can efficiently challenge or block similarly sized threats, trading value and board control in your favor.