view article"What must I do to be saved?"
[The conversion of the Philippian Jailer]
By Paul J. Ditoro
The question addresses a "life or death" issue; and we are speaking of spiritual life and spiritual death. It seems that most people spend more time, energy and money preserving their physical life, which will one day come to an end, and will neglect the needs of their eternal soul.
The question in the title of this article is asked in different ways in the New Testament (Acts 2:37; 8:36; 9:6), and the ultimate answer is the same in each case.
Paul and Silas were in a prison in the city of Philippi because they had cast an evil spirit out of a woman whose masters had gained from her uttering of spells under the pretense of foretelling. The jailer, a heathen, was ordered to keep them safely, so he placed them in the inner prison. While they were in jail, Paul and Silas prayed and sang songs of praise to God; the prisoners heard them. At midnight an earthquake loosed the bonds of all the prisoners, and the jailer, thinking all had escaped, prepared to kill himself; but Paul assured him that all were still in the prison. The jailer then asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30).
Many have read the immediate answer to this question thinking that they were in the same condition as was this lost jailer. The jailer was a heathen, a citizen of this Roman colony. Just look at the answer that was given by Paul and Silas in the next verse. And they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31). Many people will immediately rush to this verse as the final answer to anyone who asks the same question. However a study of the context reveals the truth of the matter.
Did this heathen jailer know who the Lord Jesus Christ was? How could he believe on someone he did not know? How would the jailer have responded had Paul and Silas said, "Believe on Sam Smith and you will be saved?" No doubt, the jailer would have answered, "who is Sam Smith?" And so, because the jailer did not know anything about Jesus Christ, the next verse teaches that, ". . .they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house." If he would have known about Jesus they would not have had to tell him about Jesus. The next verse tells us that the jailer and all that were his were baptized that same hour of the night.
What anyone must "do to be saved" is the same thing the jailer and those of his household did.
1. They heard the word of the Lord, the gospel message (Romans 10:17; Acts 18:8)
2. They believed the gospel message (Mark 16:16; John 8:24; Acts 8:12; 18:8)
3. They repented of sin (Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38)
4. They confessed Christ with their mouth (Matthew 10:32; Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9, 10)
5. They were baptized in order to have their sins washed away by the blood of Jesus (Mark 16:15, 16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Peter 3:21)
SALVATION IS IN CHRIST ( 2 Timothy 2:10). Is that where you are?
TO BE SAVED THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT ONE MUST:
1. Hear the Word of God (Romans 10:17). (But this hearing does not place us IN CHRIST)
2. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 8:24). (But this believing does not place us IN CHRIST).
3. Repent of sin (Luke 13:3). (But this repenting does not place us IN CHRIST).
4. Confess with our mouths that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9, 10). (But this confession does not place us IN CHRIST).
5. Be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16) (This baptism places one “into Christ” where His blood washes away all sins and where salvation exists -Romans 6:3, 4; Galatians 3:27). It is in this baptism that we take part in the death of Christ wherein He shed His blood, His burial and His resurrection and this is how we are “BORN AGAIN” by the water and by the Spirit (John 3:3-5). Then after becoming a Christian, the word of God instructs us, “...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10b).
In every case where baptism and salvation (or equivalent expression is used) in the same verse, baptism always precedes salvation. Notice:
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Acts 2:38 Then 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.
Acts 8:38, 39 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord
Romans 6:3-5 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
The jailer's salvation came, not at the point of belief, but after his sins were washed away when he called upon the name of the Lord by being baptized for the remission of his sins.
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