Acts 16:30-33
In Ac 16:30-33 we find a familiar passage:
“Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.”
A passage in which Paul is confronted by the Philippian jailor who asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” This is a most important question. Salvation from sin is our greatest need - Ro 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The answer must be according to the Word of God. The answer given is often limited to what is mentioned in Ac 16:31 “And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."’ Using this text as an answer is without consideration of all that is said in the context; without noting what is taught elsewhere in the Scriptures. If one asks “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”, how should we reply? Shall we limit our response to the words of verse 31?
Let’s, consider first of all what is not mentioned; the need to repent of sin. Nothing is said about the need to repent. Yet Jesus wanted repentance to be preached in His name - Lk 24:46-47 “and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” And so the apostles often preached the need to repent of sins. As did Peter in his first two sermons - Ac 2:37-38 “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”; 3:19 “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,”. As did Paul in his sermon in Athens - Ac 17:30-31 “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."’ -- Shall we conclude that repentance is not necessary because it is not mentioned in the conversion of the Philippian jailor?
In our text, nothing is said about the need to confess. Yet Jesus taught of the necessity of confessing Him before others - Mt 10:32-33 “So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Note, although the word “confess” is not in this text, it is implied.) And so the apostles often mentioned the importance of confessing Christ. Confessing with the mouth the Lord Jesus leads to salvation - Ro 10:9-10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God leads to abiding in God - 1 Jn 4:15 “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” -- Shall we conclude that confession is not necessary because it is not mentioned in the conversion of the Philippian jailor? We would be mishandling the Scriptures to suggest that simply because repentance and confession are not mentioned in Ac 16:31 that they are not necessary to salvation.
But now let’s consider what is mentioned, such as believing in the Lord. We are told of the need to believe on the Lord - Ac 16:31 “And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."’ This is consistent with what Jesus Himself taught. Believing in the Son is key to having eternal life - Jn 3:36 “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Unless we believe in Him, we will die in our sins - Jn 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins."’ And so the apostles often proclaimed the importance of faith in Jesus. That one might have life in His name - Jn 20:30-31 “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” That believing with the heart leads to righteousness - Ro 10:9-10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” -- Without question faith is imperative to salvation, because of what the Bible says about it.
Also mention in the text is that they were baptized. We notice that the jailor and his family were baptized immediately - Ac 16:33 “And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.” This is similar to what we read elsewhere in several cases of conversion. 3000 were baptized on the day of Pentecost - Ac 2:41 “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized as soon as he saw water - Ac 8:35-38 “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.” Paul was encouraged not to delay - Ac 22:16 “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'”
Why were they baptized immediately, even when it was after midnight? Peter said it was for the remission of sins - Ac 2:38 “And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Paul was told it was to wash away sins - Ac 22:16 “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'” Paul later wrote that it was a cutting away of the body of sins - Co 2:11-13 “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.” Peter later wrote that it saves us through the resurrection of Christ - 1 Pe 3:21 “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”. -- When one sees what is revealed about baptism in the New Testament, we can understand why it was received as soon as possible by those who heard the gospel.
Why does Paul only mention faith in answer to the question in verse 31...? Because the answer takes into consideration one’s spiritual state or condition. For the jailor, he first needed to be told to believe in Jesus. For the 3000 on Pentecost, they already believed by the time they asked their question, so faith is not even mentioned (but implied nonetheless!). What answer should we give to those who ask “What must I do to be saved?”.... Our answer depends upon what the state the person is in:
1) If they have yet to believe in Jesus, then the need to believe in Him - Ac 16:30
2) If they believe in Jesus, then the need to repent, confess, and be baptized for the remission of their sins - Ac 2:38; 22:16; Ro 10:9-10; Ga 3:26-27
Our answer should entail all that is found in the Word of the Lord:
1) Paul proceeded to speak the word of the Lord to the jailor and his family - Ac 16:32
2) Such evidently included the need to be baptized immediately - Ac 16:33
A proper answer to “What must I do to be saved?” will take into consideration both the spiritual state of the inquirer and all that that the Word of God reveals on the subject. Have you responded to what the Bible teaches regarding salvation in Christ...? If not and you want to please write me at jimnewy@gmail.com or call me at 806-256-3820 leaving a message on the answering machine.
