Sovereign Grace Doctrines
Concerning 'THE GOSPEL' - JESUS CHRIST
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The conversion of a jailer in Philippi is part of the account of the ministry of Paul the apostle in Macedonia recorded in Acts 16:6-40. This account is very instructive in how a sinner is saved.
I. GOD EVANGELIZES THE SINNER (vv.6-25). To evangelize someone is to instruct him in the gospel. God instructs sinners through His preachers. There was no preacher in Philippi. God therefore sent one (Romans 10:13-15). He sent Paul the apostle and his companions Silas and Luke (vv.9f). The preaching of these evangelists resulted in Paul and Silas being incarcerated in the jail, and the introduction of the gospel to their jailer.
Possible factors contributing to the latter included his hearing them preach in some part of the city, his knowledge of the civil charges against them for preaching (vv.16-22), his conversation with them en route to the prison (vv.23f), and his hearing them pray and sing before he fell asleep that night (v.25).
II. GOD AWAKENS THE SINNER (v.26-27a): "Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep ..."
He was awakened not only from physical sleep, but also from spiritual death. Those who awakened spiritually are told, "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). God performs this awakening (John 1:13) through the agency of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8) accompanying the preaching of the Word of God. The sinner is completely passive in this awakening. God awakens the sinner; the sinner does not awaken himself.
III. GOD CONVINCES THE SINNER (vv.27b-30). This earthquake was an "act of God" employed to convince the jailer that he was a death-deserving sinner in need of salvation. And he was now convinced by the previous testimony of his imprisoned preachers that they were the only ones who could show to him the way of salvation. He therefore "fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'"
IV. GOD DIRECTS THE SINNER TO BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST FOR SALVATION (v.31): "So [Paul and Silas] said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved ...."
1. Salvation is found in a person: "... the Lord Jesus Christ." i. This person is Jesus, thusly named "for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). ii. This Jesus is Christ, "the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16), the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of the then- coming Messiah (Luke 24:25-27). iii. And this Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11; cp. Isaiah 45:23): Jehovah-Jesus Christ!
2. Salvation is obtained through faith alone in this person: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." i. Saving faith involves first the intellectual element: acknowledging that what the Bible says of the Lord Jesus Christ is true. ii. Saving faith involves afterward the emotional element: feeling sorrow over sins committed, and feeling joy in learning that salvation may be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. iii. Saving faith involves finally the volitional element: willfully trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and thereby appropriating that salvation which is found in Him. This Philippian jailer was saved accordingly. He exercised the intellectual element when he was by God convinced that what Paul and Silas had preached concerning the Lord Jesus Christ is true. He exercised the emotional element when he implored, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" He exercised the volitional element when "he believed in God with all his heart" (v.34).
Have you followed his example? We exhort you to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved."
REDEEMER BAPTIST CHURCH
Your servant for Jesus' sake.
Address all questions to pastor
Daniel E. Parks (2 Corinthians 4:5) e-mail RedeemerBC@aol.com
Pastor, Redeemer Baptist Church
2801 Cleveland Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40206 / 502.899-9205
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