Conversions in The Book of Acts - VIa

Conversions In The Book Of Acts
Two Households At Philippi (16:6-34) Part One

With the conversion of Cornelius, we were introduced to an event that was not uncommon in the
early church. A situation where an entire family, or household, was converted. We have three similar cases recorded in Acts. The conversion of Lydia and her household - Ac 16:15. The conversion of the Philippian jailer and his household - Ac 16:33-34. And he conversion of Crispus and his household - Ac 18:8. Such households likely consisted of both family and servants. Cornelius sent two of his household servants to Peter - Ac 10:7. He had gathered his family as well as friends to hear Peter - Ac 10:24,33. Some wonder whether such families included infants as well, and if so, were they were baptized too.

As the gospel spread to Europe, the first two examples of conversion involved "Two Households At Philippi". With the conversion of Lydia - Ac 16:11-15. With the conversion of the Philippian Jailer - Ac 16:25-40. As we continue our study in the book of Acts, we shall examine both of these examples in this study, to glean whatever we can about conversion, including the issue of "infant baptism". Let’s first consider the conversion of Lydia and her household.

This conversion was precipitated by "The Macedonian Call." Paul and his traveling companions had been making their way through modern day Turkey, with the Spirit limiting their options - Ac 16:6-8 "Paul and his friends went through Phrygia and Galatia, but the Holy Spirit would not let them preach in Asia. After they arrived in Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not let them. So they went on through Mysia until they came to Troas." Paul has a vision of a man of Macedonian pleading, "Come over to Macedonia and help us" - Ac 16:9 "During the night, Paul had a vision of someone from Macedonia who was standing there and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us!"’ Taking the vision as a sign that the Lord wanted them to go there, they travel to Philippi (a chief city of Macedonia) - Ac 16:10-12 "
After Paul had seen the vision, we began looking for a way to go to Macedonia. We were sure that God had called us to preach the good news there. We sailed straight from Troas to Samothrace, and the next day we arrived in Neapolis. From there we went to Philippi, which is a Roman colony in the first district of Macedonia. We spent several days in Philippi."

Paul and his companions go down to the riverside on the Sabbath - Ac 16:13 "Then on the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to a place by the river, where we thought there would be a Jewish meeting place for prayer. We sat down and talked with the women who came." It was Paul’s custom to find a synagogue and on the Sabbath to reason with Jews about Christ - Ac 17:1-3 "After Paul and his friends had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they went on to Thessalonica. A Jewish meeting place was in that city. So as usual, Paul went there to worship, and on three Sabbaths he spoke to the people. He used the Scriptures to show them that the Messiah had to suffer, but that he would rise from death. Paul also told them that Jesus is the Messiah he was preaching about." Evidently there were not that many Jews in Philippi, and no synagogue. But at least there were some Jewish women who met at the river to pray. Paul speaks to them, and Lydia heeded his word - Ac 16:14 "One of them was Lydia, who was from the city of Thyatira and sold expensive purple cloth. She was a worshiper of the Lord God, and he made her willing to accept what Paul was saying." She was evidently a successful business woman, yet one who worshipped God. Her name is Greek, perhaps a convert to Judaism, from Thyatira, she was seller of purple dye. The Lord "opened her heart" to heed the things spoken by Paul. In what way the Lord opened her heart is not specifically stated. But she had "heard" what Paul was speaking (see Ac 16:13c, 14a), and we know that "faith comes by hearing the word of God" - Ro 10:17. Through the gospel, then, one’s heart can be opened to be receptive. She was receptive enough "to heed the things spoken by Paul", i.e., to do or obey whatever Paul had said. We can infer from what follows that it included baptism. Lydia and her household are baptized - Ac 16:15 "Then after she and her family were baptized, she kept on begging us, "If you think I really do have faith in the Lord, come stay in my home." Finally, we accepted her invitation."

From some observations, once again we see things gleaned from earlier examples of conversion. Very religious people are being receptive to the gospel -see for example - Ac 2,3,8,9,10. Baptism occurs immediately, after hearing just one lesson - Ac 2,8,10. In begging Paul and his companions to stay with her, she asks "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord...". What evidence was there to determine whether she was faithful? At the very least, there was her willingness to be baptized! Did her "household" include infants? Proponents of infant baptism often appeal to the example of a "household" being baptized as evidence of infant baptism in the early church. They say it is plausible to assume infants were present, but is that the case here?

Lydia was a businesswoman, with no mention of a husband. She was from Thyatira, possibly in Philippi only on business. We can just as easily assume that her household was made up of servants, or at the least, children old enough to travel. The burden of proof rests upon those seeking to support infant baptism, and the evidence in this case simply isn’t there.

We will look at and make some observations from the conversion of the Philippian jailer and his household in our next lesson.