____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ February 2, 1992 ____________________________________________________ The Philippian Jailer by Tom Edwards In Acts 16:25-36, we can read the account of the Philippian jailer who heard and responded to the preaching of the gospel which resulted in the salvation of his soul from past sins. Some of our denominational friends have cited this example to assert that salvation is on the basis of ``faith only,'' but let us take a closer look at this Bible record. First of all, the Philippian jailer had realized some things that perhaps many of his contemporaries had not: He knew that there was a difference between being lost and being saved. Jesus also spoke of these two conditions in Matthew 7:13,14, where, sadly, He shows that the majority of the world is on a course that is leading to eternal banishment from the love and goodness of God. Secondly, the Philippian jailer not only realized of these two existing conditions, but he also knew what side he was on: He was one of the lost in need of salvation. There are many today who do not even view themselves as being transgressors of God's word. We must remember, however, that even a good, moral man can be lost (Acts 10:1-3; 11:14); and ''...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God'' (Rom. 3:23). Man must wake up to his sinful condition before he can see a need to respond to the gospel, for Jesus says, ``I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance'' (Luke 5:32). Of course, there are thousands of people today who are very much aware of their lost condition and their need for the Savior, but yet are not willing to respond to His gracious invitation. There are various reasons for this: The rich, young ruler walked away from the Lord grieved because he was not able to part with his covetousness (Matt. 19:16-22). Many do not come to the Lord because they love the darkness (sin) more than the light (truth and righteousness) and, therefore, they place their own sinful pursuits above God (John 3:18-21). And there are also those who feel that they have plenty of time and can ignore God until later on in their lives when they think they will be more ready. Thirdly, the jailer wanted to know what HE needed to do in order to be saved. He realized that he had a part to play in his conversion. He did not ask what it was that Abraham had to do, what Moses had to do, what Lazarus had to do, or what the thief on the cross had to do, but he was concerned with what was required of HIM. He earnestly asked Paul and Silas, ``What must I do?'' He was, therefore, concerned about his soul. We must also be concerned for our own souls before we can care for the souls of others (Matt. 7:3-5). Peter told the people on the Day of Pentecost to ``save yourselves from this untoward generation'' (Acts 2:40). Salvation involves an individual responsibility. As Paul states to the Philippians, ``work out your salvation with fear and trembling'' (2:12). Some say that salvation is entirely up to God, but if that be true than the Lord would be showing partiality. The reason why the majority of the world is not saved is certainly not because this is what God desires, for He desires for all people to come to the knowledge of the truth, repent, and become one of His (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). Fourthly, the jailer wanted to know what he must DO. There was something that needed to be done. The Bible doesn't teach that salvation is on the basis of a mere mental assent toward the deity of Christ; there are certain conditions that must be carried out. James urged the brethren to ''...prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves'' (James 1:22). And the Lord states in Matthew 7:21, ``Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.'' The jailer was told to believe in Jesus and he would be saved. Some say this proves salvation is by ``faith only,'' but if that be so then what about James' denial of this in James 2:24? Here he states, ''...a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone.'' Many even of the rulers had believed in Christ, but their faith was useless because in actions they denied the Lord (John 12:42,43). The only faith in the Bible that is a ``saving faith'' is the one which is coupled with obedience to God's plan of salvation. Also, if the jailer were saved merely by ``faith only,'' then there would be no need for him to repent. Actually, the passage does not specifically mention the command that the jailer needed to repent in order to be saved. Does this mean, though, that repentance was not necessary? Of course not. We know that it is because of what the Bible has to say about it in other passages. For instance, in Luke 13:5, Jesus states, ``unless you repent, you shall all likewise perish.'' God commands it (Acts 17:30,31). Furthermore, the jailer was not told to love God in the context. Does this mean that loving God is non-essential? According to Matthew 10:37, unless our love for God is greater than our love for even our own father, mother, son, or daughter, we are not worthy of Him. Though repentance and love for God are not seen specified in Acts 16 as conditions that the Philippian jailer would have to meet if he wanted to be saved, virtually all of our denominational friends would agree that these things would be necessary. Why, though, would they include these, but then deny the necessity of baptism, which IS SHOWN as being something the jailer had performed before he rejoiced? When we look into the other passages that speak about this type of baptism, we learn that it is for the ``remission of sins" (Acts 2:38), so that we can be saved (Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21), and through it we have been put into Christ (Gal. 3:26,27), and made to rise from it in ``newness of life'' (Rom. 6:3,4). These verses clearly show us WHY the Philippian jailer was baptized. Interestingly, nowhere in the Bible do we read of anyone who began believing in God and wanting to become a Christian, taking the time to eat or sleep before he or she was baptized. And in the case of the Philippian jailer, it was around the midnight hour when he was immersed in water for the remission of his sins. Why so late, if baptism is irrelevant toward becoming a child of God? Is it not because Jesus declares, ``He who believes and is baptized shall be saved'' (Mark 16:16). Apparently, these individuals had understood what God wanted them to do in order to have their sins remitted. They needed to believe, repent, acknowledge their faith in the Lord, and be baptized for the forgiveness of their transgressions. The happy conclusion is that the Philippian jailer did what God told him to do and, as a result, he became what God wanted him to be--a saint who had been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Have you become a Christian according to God's plan of salvation? ___________________________________________ "And now why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name" (Acts 22:16). ___________________________________________ NEGLECT Do you ever think of the power of neglect? Neglect your flowers and weeds will choke them. Neglect your children and you will reap juvenile delinquents. Neglect to teach spiritual truth to the church and there is an apostasy. Neglect to cultivate your spiritual appetite and soon you love only the things of the world. Neglect your salvation and you are lost. -- Anonymous ___________________________________________ He knows the burden of each heart, He sees each falling tear; He can the truest peace impart In place of doubt and fear. He watches o'er me constantly, He knows my feeble frame; His keeping power, His faithful love Are evermore the same. -- author unknown ___________________________________________ It is equally easy for God to supply our greatest as well as our smallest wants, to carry our heaviest as well as our lightest burden--just as the ocean bears the battleship as easily as it does the fisherman's vessel. -- Selected ___________________________________________ There is an arm that never tires When human strength gives way; There is a love that never fails When earthly loves decay. That arm upholds the worlds on high; That love is throned beyond the sky. ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________