Cornelius:
"There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared Elohim with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to Elohim always." (Acts 10:1-2)

Cornelius served in the Roman Army. In particular, he served in the Italian band, or regiment stationed in Caesarea. As a centurion, he had charge over a hundred soldiers, making him the equivalent of a captain in today's army. This man in the Roman army was also a worshiper of Yahweh. In fact, he is described as a devout man. His own followers describe him as, "a just man, one who fears Yahweh and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews" (Acts 10:22). Cornelius was a good man who was good to people, giving gifts of charity, or alms, when opportunities arose.
 
We are told that his entire household feared Yahweh. When the opportunity arose to hear a message from Him, Cornelius pulled in his friends and relatives to join him in hearing the message (Acts 10:24). Cornelius was a man who continually prayed. When he received a command from the Almighty, he promptly obeyed. He sent them to Joppa to seek Peter and bring him to Joppa (Acts 10:5-8). He had to wait several days for his men to reach Peter and when they returned with Peter he told him, “Now therefore, we are all present before Yahweh, to hear all the things commanded you by Him" (Acts 10:32-33). Here is a man who was receptive to the word of Yahweh even before he heard the message.

Think of the devotion required of a man who lived and worked among idolatrous people. Paul gives a very clear account in Romans 1:29-31 of what the Gentile society was like. Peter, too, described the difficulty Christians had living among the Gentiles (I Peter 4:3-4).

Cornelius was still a Gentile, he had not converted to Judaism. The Christians in Jerusalem objected to Peter's visit to an uncircumcised Gentile (Acts 11:1-3). Consider the strength of Cornelius's faith. He maintained a strong faith in Elohim without any support from his fellow Gentiles or from the Jews.

There are a lot of good people in this world today. Yet they do not think they need to be cleansed by the blood of Messiah. In their opinion Elohim would not destroy a good person. Their hope of a heavenly reward is based upon their own goodness. They believe that by being good, they have earned a place in heaven. They do not realize "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of Yahweh" (Romans 3:23). Salvation does not come strictly by our own efforts. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of Elohim, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-10). It takes the blood of Messiah to save man.

"Wasn't he a devout man?" Yes, but the Bible speaks of others who were devout but were not saved. For example, in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia, Paul met and talked with devout, god-fearing converts of the Jewish religion (Acts 13:43). Yet, many of this same group rejected the message brought by Paul a week later (Acts 13:44-45). Among the Gentiles of the city were devout women, but they too were instigated into persecuting Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:50).  
"But wasn't Cornelius god-fearing?" Yes he was, and so was his household. But it was obviously not enough in the eyes of Elohim. God-fearing does not mean he was without sin. "If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us" (I John 1:10).

We can also claim that Cornelius was an evangelist before his conversion. He brought his friends and relatives to hear Peter preach. But even this was not enough to save him. Cornelius did charity work. He continually prayed to Yahweh. He was a righteous man in the sight of others (Acts 10:22). But, he was not saved.
Salvation is for all men.  Salvation is not just for the corrupt and despised people, but it is also for the good and admired people. It must be available to all because no one is good enough (Romans 3:23).
Yahweh had works for Cornelius to do, just as He has works for each of us. "For we are His workmanship, created in Yahshua Messiah for good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand that we should walk in them"  (Ephesians 2:10). These works will not fetch salvation, but salvation will not be given if the works are not done. Cornelius would not have been saved if he did not obey the commands of Yahweh.

It does not matter if we or others think that we are righteous. If we judge ourselves then our righteousness is not of Elohim. Like Paul, we should desire a righteousness that is not based upon our selves; “but that which is through faith in Messiah, the righteousness which is from Elohim by faith" (Philippians 3:9). This was the mistake made by the Jews. They established their own system of righteousness, but their system was not Yahweh's. "For they….have not submitted to the righteousness of Elohim" (Romans 10:3). When a person loves Yahweh with his whole being, he will yield himself to all of His commands. As Messiah stated, "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).

Cornelius did not trust in his righteousness. Yahweh gave him orders, and he hurried to obey. What about you? Are you so confident in your salvation that you will not consider all that He has asked of you to do?