IT IS STILL
TRUE
"Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved." -- Acts 16:31
The Philippian jailor was a crusty old
Roman soldier, spending his last years of military service as a warden in a
small prison at Philippi. What he knew of Christ and the gospel of his grace
prior to the eventful night described in Acts 16, we do not know. But it would
be stretching imagination to think that he knew much!
He
was a pagan by birth, by custom, and by training. He was a Roman soldier. Not
only are these things so but all who know the Scriptures know that no
unregenerate man knows anything spiritual. To talk of men knowing the gospel
before they are saved is to speak foolishness, contrary to the Word of God (1
Cor. 2:14). Yet, when this man cried, "What must I do to be saved?"
Paul and Silas answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved." And what they declared to him is still true today. I
declare to you, right now, and to all who hear my voice, what Paul and Silas
declared to that crusty old jailer at Philippi. -- "Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Oh, may God give you grace to
believe on his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Did
the jailor know the doctrine of total depravity? I doubt it. But HE WAS
CONVINCED OF HIS OWN SIN, DEPRAVITY, AND HELPLESSNESS. Did he understand
all the particulars of limited atonement and effectual redemption? It is not
likely. But HE DID TRUST CHRIST'S PRECIOUS BLOOD AS HIS ONLY,
ALL-SUFFICIENT, EFFECTUAL ATONEMENT FOR SIN. Did this old sinner comprehend
the blessed doctrine of imputed righteousness? I would be surprised if he did.
But HE DID TRUST CHRIST ALONE AS HIS ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS BEFORE GOD. Did
the Philippian jailor understand all the great and glorious doctrines of grace revealed
in the gospel? No. But HE DID FULLY BELIEVE THAT SALVATION IS BY GRACE
ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE, IN CHRIST ALONE.
I
am not, in the slightest degree, suggesting or implying that doctrine is not
important, that it does not matter what a person believes, or that men and
women are saved believing on the false Christ of Arminian, free-will, works
religion. Any who know me know better than that. But I am saying this: -- SINNERS
DO NOT COME TO CHRIST THROUGH DOCTRINE. WE COME TO KNOW AND LOVE TRUE DOCTRINE
THROUGH CHRIST.
Sinners
do not have to become theologians before they can be saved. We simply preach
Christ in all his saving fulness to sinners in all their desperate need,
assuring all who hear us that the apostolic message is still true. -- "BELIEVE
ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED." Simple as this
command is, it is the hardest thing on this earth for a sinner to do. Indeed,
no man can or will obey the gospel until God gives him faith by his almighty
grace. May he be pleased to grant you life and faith in Christ by his
omnipotent grace, for Christ’s sake.
Amen