Saturday, April 10, 2010

The Essential Thing

Acts 16:30 Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

30 καὶ προαγαγὼν αὐτοὺς ἔξω ἔφη· κύριοι, τί με δεῖ ποιεῖν ἵνα σωθῶ; 31  οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· πίστευσον ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ σωθήσῃ σὺ καὶ ὁ οἶκός σου.

This is the jailer addressing Paul and Silas.  There had just been an earthquake and they could have gone free.  The jailer was ready to kill himself as was the custom.  Paul stopped him and the jailer was just blown away by all that he had seen and heard.  Here he asks the pivotal question.  The answer is quite simple -- πίστευσον ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ σωθήσῃ.  This is an imperative to believe.  The result is σωθήσῃ, which is a future passive.  You will have salvation done to you.

The jailer's belief was not of the one moved to tears at the revival.  He did not simply walk an aisle or fill out a card.  His life was shaken down to the very core.  He was broken to the point of death.  That was what it took to bring him to saving faith.

I would maintain that is what it takes for all of us.  We do not necessarily need to experience an earthquake and be brought to the point of physical death.  However, we do need to be brought to the end of ourselves.  Jesus is not an add-on to an otherwise great life.  Jesus is everything.

Where are you?  Are you living a nominal life for Jesus?  Is He just a part of your life or is He your life?  If He is not your whole life then I would submit that you don't really understand what it means to follow Him.  This is not to say that everything about your life changes in an instant.  Sanctification is a process.  However, if your heart is not focused on bringing Him glory then I would say that you still don't really understand what it means to "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved."

No comments: