You And Your Household

I love the account from the middle to the end of Acts 16, for a few reasons. There's a particular part of it that has more meaning to me these days than it has in the past. I'll share that in a minute, but first, here's the gist of the account.

Paul and Silas are in Phillipi. A slave girl with a spirit of divination (future telling) ends up following them around crying out about them. Paul finally gets fed up with her and casts out the demon. This is bad news for the slave girl's masters, because they were using her to make money. This ends up causing a ruckus; Paul and Silas get attacked, beaten, and thrown in jail. An earthquake busts up the jail so prisoners can escape, but Paul and Silas don't run away. They hang around and are used to convert the surprised jailer, telling him "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

Awesome story.

One thing I think is interesting is that Paul doesn't cast the demon out of the girl right away. That has some implications of its own I think, but that's now what has more meaning to me these days. Rather, its the last line, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

First, let's clear something up, because this trips some people up. You're not saved because of who you know, unless its Jesus Christ. Your mom's faith doesn't save you. Your dad's faith doesn't save you. Your brother or sister's faith doesn't save you. Each person's own relationship, or lack of it, with God through Christ is what saves them or condemns them.

That said, I look at that verse in the context of my own life and can only respond with praise and thanksgiving that I was saved at a time when my children were/are young enough to have a meaningful impact on their spiritual life and worldview.

What did my home look like before God saved me? There was no Bible reading or teaching that I am aware of. There was no church attendance despite the longing in my wife's heart, due to my own sinful stubbornness. There were no acts of serving the Lord by serving others. There was no mealtime or bedtime prayer. There was no desire to separate from the public school system and its exclusion of God and promotion of evolutionary nonsense. The list could go on, but I think you get the point!

After God saved me and transformed my heart and mind, various things in our home changed over time to be more focused on what the Lord would have us do. Now, don't get me wrong here -- this is not my doing for which I claim any credit. I am simply pointing out that Jamie and I needed to be of common mind and common focus when it comes to raising our children to know, love, and serve the Lord. That couldn't possilby happen when I was in bondage to sin and thinking I loved it.

In the context of the Phillipian jailer, I'm not sure exactly what Paul meant by his statement, but I can certainly see in my own life how the things of God begin to take over once the parents in the home are both committed to Christ and to raising godly children. So, for any similar type of situation, I can certainly understand how one could legitimately say to one or both parents "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household."

It is my prayer for any lost family and friends out there tonight, especially parents of young children, that they investigate the claims of Christianity, come to know the truth, and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ while they can still be a great influence on the lives of their kids!

Grace and Peace