THE answer of Paul and Silas, in Acts 16, to the jailor at Philippi in reply to his troubled question, "What must I do to be saved?" is of immense import. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ," said they, "and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)).
Now when the sinner's faith is directed to another, the Lord Jesus Christ, it is clearly implied that there is nothing whatever in himself to rest upon or to look to. Solemn truth! man—the sinner—is ruined. Such is the testimony of Scripture. Were man capable of helping himself in the matter of salvation in any way, the call to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ would have no meaning.
The jailor believed himself lost, and trembling from head to foot, fell down at the apostles' feet, asking a question which showed beyond doubt that he felt somewhat of the reality of being an undone one.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," is God’s answer to the sinner's troubled cry, "What shall I do to be saved?" Now let us look at this a moment. The sinner can do nothing. God calls upon him to repent, that is, to judge himself in the light of His presence, which discloses the sinner's guilt. This is the very opposite of doing anything. There being repentance towards God, the next thing is faith towards the Lord Jesus. And oh, how blessed! God asks him to believe on His Son—and why? First, because he is ruined in himself, and, secondly, because that Peerless One, who is God over all, became a man, and in infinite love died for lost ones, went down into the tomb, triumphed over death, and was raised by the glory of the Father and set on the throne above. All then has been done by Jesus—"done as God would have it done.”
Art thou, reader, anxious about thy soul, earnestly desiring salvation? Well, here it is —"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." T. T. E.