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"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" This was the question the jailer at Philippi asked the Apostle Paul and Silas. He was poised to kill himself as he saw no value in going on with life. Paul and Silas had been jailed and charged with creating a disturbance. They had been beaten (illegally) and tossed in prison with their feet bound in stocks. This situation was enough to make most men angry and bitter at God. It was so unfair - they were busy about the Lord's work; how could this happen. As they sat in prison they demonstrated their true character. Through the night they prayed and sang to God's praise as the other prisoners listened. At midnight God saw to their deliverance. While they were singing God caused a great earthquake to shake the foundation of the prison. The force of the quake caused the prison doors to open. At the same time, God caused the stocks and chains to fall open. It was this picture that the Philippian jailer awoke to. Seeing the doors opened he immediately concluded the prisoners had escaped. Being the chief jailer carried a lot of responsibility. If prisoners escaped his care he would be forced to pay with his life. At this point the jailer drew his own sword to kill himself. He was stopped, however, by the simple words, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here!" He then "called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas." God had kept all the inmates in their place to accomplish His purpose. As the jailer surveyed the situation he realized he wanted that peace and assurance that these men had and asked that penetrating question, "What must I do to be saved?" Their response echoes through all eternity as the gospel - the "Good News" for man. They said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Salvation is that easy; it's that easy because Jesus Christ has already paid the hard price. You see, if we ask Jesus Christ to forgive us of a our sins, He promises to do so! When Paul and Silas told the jailer to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" they were instructing him to put his trust in Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ means faith in His perfect ability to save you from your sins - something you and I are totally incapable of doing for ourselves. We are all sinners by nature and fail God's standard of perfection. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." At first glance this seems like a hopeless paradox - a Holy God cannot fellowship with a sinful man. But God is "not willing that any should
perish, but that all should come to repentance." Jesus Christ has paid the price; He has demonstrated His love for us. "But God commendeth His love
toward us in that while we were yet sinners, When we come to a point, like the jailer did, that we recognize our need for God and we ask Him and trust Him to forgive us of our sin, we are instantly saved! We become His child. Romans 10 says, "That if thou shalt confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe
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