Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
The Lord in His mercy has given us what was our "tomorrow" yesterday. Let's return to eavesdrop on the conversation between the Philippian jailer and our "beloved brother Paul" (cf. Acts 16:22-34).
The jailer has heard Paul's preaching which stirred the anger of the city fathers who threw Paul and Silas into prison. The jailer could have heard Paul's message and been convicted of truth but stubbornly hardened his heart; he did exercise some vigor in "fastening their feet in the stocks" (it took an earthquake that night to deliver him from his prejudice).
The apostles had sung midnight hymns, the psalms of David, in duet (maybe in rich baritone and tenor). The hard heart was melted; then came the earthquake, and the question, "What must I do to be saved?" It's Paul answer that troubles many: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." Was that simplistic and maybe unbalanced? Shouldn't the man be told to keep all the commandments and do good works?
Yes, he should do them; but it's not that he HAS to do all these things on pain of God's rejection; HE WILL DO THEM through a heart appreciation of who "the Lord Jesus Christ" is! He has heard Paul declare that what "avails" is "faith working through love [agape]" (Gal. 5:6). Such faith works! It's a verb, not a noun.
One of the psalms that the apostles sang in duet may have been #22--it probes the depths of Christ's love in giving Himself for us eternally; the jailer was overcome with ... what can we call it? faith: a heart appreciation of the "width and length and depth and height [of] … the love of Christ which passes knowledge" (Eph. 3:18, 19). It's not being motivated by terror toiling to do everything just right; it's faith "constraining" one to join Christ on His cross in self "crucified with Him" (Gal. 2:20).
Then there's no end to the good works the jailer will be motivated to do--forever.
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: May 10, 2006.
Copyright © 2010 by Robert J. Wieland.
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