The Converted Jailor

By

Shelby G. Floyd

On the second evangelistic journey Paul and Silas were shamefully treated in Philippi. They were severely flogged and committed to the jailor who was commanded to keep them safely. This he did by putting them in the inner cell and fastening their feet in the stocks.

Paul and Silas were heroic in their faith. They were praying and singing unto God, when about midnight there was a great earthquake that shook the prison and released the prisoners. The jailor rather than be humiliated by the Roman government was about to take his life, when Paul cried out, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” After falling down trembling, he brought Paul and Silas out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved” (Acts 16:30)?

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31). The jailor was a Gentile and had no or very little knowledge about Jesus. So how could he believe? It was necessary that the word of God be presented to him about Christ and his plan to save man. This they did (Acts 16:32). This teaching involved repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We know this is the case because the jailor washed their stripes on their backs and took them somewhere. Where did he take them? He took them to a place where there was water sufficient to baptize—and immersed them into Christ for the forgiveness of sins. The Bible says, “Then immediately he and his family were baptized (Acts 16:33).

The jailor and everyone today are saved by faith, but not faith alone. After the jailor believed, he repented of his sins, evidenced by acts of kindness toward Paul and Silas. Then he took Paul and Silas and he and his family were baptized to be saved. All of these actions are how he was saved by faith and was summed up by this eyewitness statement of the author: “The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household” (Acts 16:34). Conversions recorded in Acts of Apostles confirm that no one ever was joyful of their salvation until after they were baptized predicated on their faith, repentance, and confession!

Have you rejoiced because you were baptized into Christ where all spiritual blessings are to be found? Have you been baptized in order to be saved (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21)? Copyright © 2010 Shelby Floyd, All Rights Reserved