Acts 16:27And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.
A lot of times we have questions but only the right questions get the right answers. For instance many people seek the knowledge of salvation from acts 2:38. But what question is this the answer to?
acts 2:37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
The people asked the question "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
This is not a direct question regarding salvation. This is a more religious question. What works should we do in response? A question very similar.
38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost
Repent, be baptized, recieve the Holy Spirit. These are all good. But the topic is not concerned with salvation nor does it tell us what salvation is.
But this jailer is concerned specifically with the topic. "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
Perhaps seeing such ugliness in this world and living with the under world has deadened this mans heart to the promises of this life. Perhaps the testimony of Paul not coveting freedom in the midst of oppression.
Nevertheless the keep of condemnation found himself wanting the keys to life.
So what was the answer?
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."
The act was to believe. This was an act though it was not a work. what is the difference?
If you work for McDonald's you can believe and know McDonald's. you may know everything that is required. You may have confidence in your manager. You may argue that McDonald's is better than any other restaurant.... But that does not mean you are doing your job!
So to believe may involve knowledge confidence and trust. It is an act because you go from not believing to be believing. Still it is not a work.
Now some notice that this is promised that it is promised to his household. so they say that it means we can baptize infants. But the command is to believe. In the Old Testament Abraham was to be circumcised then he circumcised infants. But belief is what is demanded, then the the whole family is to believe. Infants don't believe since they don't know or have something to believe in. Therefore there must not have been any infants in his family. verse 32 teaches that they disciple d the entire household. vrs.34 finally testify that the whole house believed.
Since the promise applies to the whole family of gentiles; the promise also applies to you as well!
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved!
In Christ Matt
Friday, April 13, 2012
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