Finding Courage to Choose

KEY VERSE: The jailer “brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” —Acts 16:30,31

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:19-34

AT PHILIPPI PAUL cast out an evil spirit from a young girl who was employed by masters who were using her divinations as a source of revenue. Naturally, when her powers were taken away, their business was destroyed. So they caught Paul and Silas and took them to the magistrates, charging them with disruptive conduct.—vss. 19-21

The customary mob was stirred up against them, and to satisfy the popular demand of the citizens, they were beaten and thrown into prison. The magistrates commanded the jailer to keep them “safely,” which he did, thrusting them into the inner prison placing their feet in the stocks.”—vss. 22-24

How did Paul react to this unjust treatment? Did he complain or question whether the Lord had wanted him to serve in Macedonia? No, because he realized that the Lord had placed his seal of approval upon the Macedonian ministry, for had not Lydia and her household accepted the Gospel, and an ecclesia had been established in her home. This blessed fruitage of their labor in Philippi was worth all the suffering that might now be heaped upon them.

Instead of bemoaning their dreadful plight, at midnight they had a prayer and praise service! And one of the things for which they undoubtedly praised the Heavenly Father for was the opportunity he had given them of not only believing on Christ, but also to suffer for his sake.—Phil. 1:29,30

“Suddenly there was a great earthquake” which broke open all the doors. (vss. 25,26) The prison-keeper woke up, and thinking that all the prisoners had escaped, tried to kill himself with his sword. (vs. 27) “Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.” (vs. 28) The jailer was so impressed that he fell down at the feet of Paul and Silas, saying, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”—vs. 30

Paul’s answer to this question was brief and to the point: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (vs. 31) This does not imply that the jailer’s household would be saved through his belief. No, the same conditions applied to them as applied to the jailer. They, too, must believe. Nor was this simple statement of fact all that Paul said to the jailer and his household. Verse 32 informs us that Paul spoke the Word of the Lord both to the jailer and to his household. The Word of the Lord concerning man’s sinful state, his condemnation to death, and his redemption through the blood of Christ can be clearly set forth in a short time.

This blessed theme of salvation through Jesus can be amplified and its details set forth in harmonious array at great lengths. But all the beautiful details of the divine plan do not need to be understood in order for one to believe on Christ and, through him, receive justification to life.

Full belief includes surrender to the Lord and obedience to his will. This is revealed in the account of the jailer and his household by the fact that they were all baptized, or immersed in water, as a symbol of their dedication to the Lord.

It was a brief but trying experience for Paul and Silas. Actually, they were in the prison only for one night. But while much physical suffering was involved, as well as humiliation, the results were glorious; for out of that experience came the conversion of the jailer and his household. The cost of every true conversion throughout the age has been high. That is one reason every saint of God is as a precious jewel to him; and we also should esteem each very highly.

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