What Must I Do to be Saved?

Consider the story of the Philippian jailer, which is found in Acts 16:25-31. To set the context, Paul and his entourage were staying in Philippi "for some days" (Acts 16:12). "On the Sabbath day" (v. 13a) they went down "to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made" (v. 13b). There they "spoke to the women who met there" (v. 13c). One of the women, Lydia, heard Paul, repented and believed on Jesus, and "she and her household were baptized" (v. 15a). A wealthy businesswoman, she "persuaded" them to stay at her home while in Philippi (v. 15b).

A "slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination" (v. 16a) met them and began following them wherever they went, crying out, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation" (v. 17). She did this continually "for many days" (v. 18a). It was greatly annoying, so Paul "turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.' And he came out that very hour" (v. 18b). Now, she had "brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling" (v. 16b). So, "when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities" (v. 19).

They told the magistrates that "they teach customs which are not lawful for us" (v. 21). So the magistrates "commanded them to be beaten with rods" (v. 22b) and "threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely" (v. 23b). The jailer "put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks" (v. 24). That is where we pick up the story.

It came about that "at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them" (v. 25). Then the Lord took over: "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" (v. 26). What a miracle! Paul and Silas were set free.

All the commotion and noise awakened the jailer. Seeing "the prison doors open" (v. 27a), he assumed that everyone had fled, and the prisoners had all escaped. So he "drew his sword and was about to kill himself" (v. 27b), when things took a strange turn. "Paul called with a loud voice, saying, 'Do yourself no harm, for we are all here'" (v. 28). No one had left! The jailer "called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas" (v. 29).

The jailer brought Paul and Silas out of the prison and asked a profound question: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (v. 30). Paul and Silas answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (v. 31).

God is seeking repentance. He wants everyone to repent, turn away from their sin, and believe on Jesus, receiving Him as their Lord and Savior. 2 Peter 3:8-9 says, "But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." God is allowing time for everyone who will, to repent and come to Jesus.

John 1:12 says, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." Romans 10:9-10 clarifies further, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." It is time for all to repent, believe on Jesus, and be saved. Amen.