Did Paul Know For Certain...?

Complain to the man who asked how to be saved and "Believed on the Lord Jesus Christ" and was saved.

 

Hrm.. I suggest you read my post in the closed thread "can we judge salvation."

http://www.baptistboard.com/showthread.php?t=45357&page=5

It isn't brilliant, but I think it shows that this view is not based on a few isolated verses. Also, it has quite the historical pedigree! I was reading Johnathan Edwards : a life by George Marsden, and it turns out that this is the unanimous view of the Puritans, and of course, Whitefield himself. It was almost assumed that regeneration would radically change the life and break the bonds of sin. Of course, they also understood that repentance in itself entailed a forsaking of sin and fleeing to Christ, something that the majority of Baptists do not believe today.

Anyhow, instead of the diatribe, please address my post. If I was proof-texting, I'll gladly accept rebuke.

 

Q, you seem to forget verse 32 which says, "Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house." In other words, they didn't just stop with the blanket statement in v. 31. They went on to explain what it means to believe and be saved. In fact, one reason why they had to explain further to this fellow, is that his question in V. 30 is not asking about spiritual life - he is asking how he can be saved physically. He had just witnessed a physical miracle and he was foremost concerned about how he could be saved from any physical harm. So Paul and Silas turn the conversation to focus on the spiritual with their introduction in v. 31, and they provide him the whole counsel on the matter in v. 32, and after that, the jailer and his household are saved and then promptly baptized. This goes along with what Dr. Bob said above about not isolating one verse out context.

 

Thanks, Andy. It seems Alex was making rash conclusions, based on doctrinal ignorance because of this simple passage of scripture that he took out of context. I wouldn't want to call him a simpleton, but....Wait a second! Where have I heard this before?

Ouch! How embarrassing to be exposed for practicing the same things you condemn!

peace to youraying:

 

The Philippian jailor asked in verse 30 'What must I do to be saved?' not because he wanted to escape harm.

He was going to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped... not that they were harmed.

Paul and Silas told him to do himself no harm, 'for we are all here'... none had escaped! It was not that he wanted to escape harm, for no harm was going to come to him since no prisoners had escaped that had been left to his charge.

NO, he was speaking of Salvation when he asked that question. He wanted this same experience that Paul and Silas had that enabled them to rejoice in sufferings and caused them to not run from the enemy when they clearly could have done so.

It was not physical salvation the jailor was seeking.

 

I can go either way on this. I know the traditional understanding is to automatically assume that the jailor was speaking in spiritual terms in v. 30, but I don't think that we can know that for sure. I think he could have been talking in a physical sense. Either way, it does not affect the point I made about v. 32 - that Paul and Silas went on to explain further to the jailor (and his household) the whole counsel of God on the matter of salvation.

 

I agree that they did go on to explain the way of Salvation to the jailor and his family.

It was not just to believe. If that were the case, as pointed out earlier, the devil himself believed. He would be saved too.

 

Killed by your own sword. LOL :laugh:

 

I will read the post thoroughly and respond in full when I have time to properly devote my full attention. Thanks for the challenge.

 

How so, Q? Whether the jailor was asking how to be saved in a spiritual sense or physical sense makes no difference here - that is a side issue. But the point I was making (and that you fail to address) is that v. 31 is not the whole story. You conveniently ignore the import of v. 32, and also the rest of Scripture.

 

I contend the jailor was asking about spiritual Salvation and not physical. Paul had already told him all were there. Not one person had escaped. There was no need to fear physical harm whatsoever. If the Magistrates came he had not lost his charges.

It was not physical salvation he wanted.