"Sirs, What Must I Do To Be Saved?"

Steven J. Wallace

"But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, 'Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.' Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'"
(Acts 16:28-30).

The above question was asked by a keeper of a prison in the city of Philippi nearly 2000 years ago. It has been a question that has departed from the mouths of not a few souls since. But many of the answers given today often contradict one another, are not true to the text, result in much debate, and often lead to confusion. We challenge all who claim to be "of Christ" to get back to the text and preach the gospel message as the apostles did. Peter exhorted in 1 Peter 4:10, 11:

"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."

OUR TITLE'S QUESTION OUTLINE:

• "Sirs" shows respect and means "masters." The Jailer had a shift in his view of these men from prisoners to lords.
• "What" shows that it is a question.
• "Must" shows that it is a question pertaining to an imperative, a necessity.  He did not ask, "What may I do?"
• "I" shows that it was a question of personal responsibility. The Jailer understood that the gospel was directed AT him individually as a person.
• "Do" is a present tense verb that underscores a duty to be accomplished in real-time. God requires something to be done. Jesus taught, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matt. 7:21).
• "To Be" shows that it was a question whereby something was to be attained and completed.
• "Saved" shows that he was lost. Like the prison warden, we must recognize that we are lost before we can ever be saved. Then, we must do the sweet will of God to be saved. What is that will?

The answer that follows is, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household" (Acts 16:31).  However, what is this belief and when does it occur? Is it simply a mental acknowledgment? Unfortunately, most denominational preachers end at verse 31, but the Bible account of this conversion doesn't.  It continues to define exactly what "believing on the Lord Jesus" is and when it is fulfilled.

Below is the "rest of the story" that is often ignored and altogether unmentioned in many pulpits today:

"Then 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 stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.  Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household" (Acts 16:32-34, emp. mine, SJW).

First, they spoke the word of the Lord to him.  It would be impossible for him to believe correctly without being taught. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17).

Second, after hearing the word of the Lord, he expressed genuine repentance by washing their stripes (Acts 16:23, 24). The magistrates were given to the passion of the mob rather than to justice. Paul and Silas were treated roughly, being beaten and leaving bloody wounds that were not tended to until now.

Third, after hearing the word, he and his family were immediately baptized. Although it was after midnight (16:25), the step of baptism was not to be put off or delayed. Why? Because that is where faith is exercised and where faith meets the grace of God! It was only after they repented and were baptized that the Bible says they believed.  After he was baptized, "he rejoiced having believed in God with all his household." (Acts 16:34). When did he believe? God tells us when. After he was baptized. His action defines what believing on the Lord Jesus Christ means.  He was commanded to believe, and he repented and was immersed. Thus the "word of the Lord" that this jailer heard included the necessity of baptism. Why was he baptized?  Because Jesus directed, "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk. 16:16).

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