Believe

“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."” (Acts 16:30-31 ESV). The context of our verses find Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns to God with the prisoners listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, causing the prison doors to open and everyone's bonds to unfasten. The jailer awakens and sees the doors open and is about to kill himself, supposing the prisoners had escaped. Paul cries out for him to stop because he and all of the prisoners were still there. The jailer calls for lights and rushes in, trembling with fear he falls down before Paul and Silas. He brings Paul and Silas out and asked them what he must do to be saved?

Have you experience a time in your life when you realized you needed to be saved as this jailer did? Were you told to simply believe in the Lord Jesus and you would be saved? Did you respond as the jailer did and then share your decision with your family and then to follow up with baptism? If not, now is the time.

The important action word is “believe” and is action to be taken by the one in need of salvation. Verses like these suggest that the time of being born again is determined by the one coming to faith in Jesus Christ, not necessarily by God. These verses are used by Armenians to support their position of salvation being free will. It is a view of salvation as seen from earth.

Prayer

Father, thank you that if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raises us from the dead then we will be saved. “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:10 ESV). Thank you for the sacrifice that was made for our salvation. I pray that, with fear and trembling, we will continue with you in working out our salvation.