Modern Day Acts 16 Household Salvation

Most of us are familiar with the account of Paul and Silas and their experience with the Philippian jailer in Acts 16. In response to the jailer’s question, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”, they replied, “believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.”

Almost all evangelicals would agree that their reply did not mean that if the jailer believed that not only he, but his household as well, would be saved. Rather that the promise of “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved…” was a promise extending not just to him, but to extended all those in his household who would also believe.

I had the glorious blessing of seeing a modern day fulfillment of this promise during the Every Believer a Witness Evangelism Training Revival at First Baptist Church, Millington, TN in February, 2012. Though Every Believer a Witness is focused on training Sunday morning attendees to actively share their faith with their families and friends, often there are people who come to training and realize they are lost, and they repent and receive the Lord Jesus as their Savior.

On Sunday evening of the revival Josh and Terri Allison both believed in the Lord Jesus. Then on Monday evening their teenage children, Brighton (17) and Devin (13), both accepted the Lord Jesus. The following night Terri’s mother, Dyane Griffith, came to faith in the Lord Jesus. They are all going to be baptized this Sunday, Feb 19.

After the Wednesday evening service Terri’s brother-in-law told me that they had been praying for several years that Josh and Terri would come to Christ. As you might imagine, there was great rejoicing!

I am sharing all this so that God will praised. I am also sharing it to encourage those of us who have lost family members. It is easy to get disheartened when we witness to them, pray for them for many years, but see no response. Don’t stop praying for them. Continue to live a godly life in front of them. Be encouraged! Household salvation still happens!