Saved From Death--Twice (Sun. June 9)

 The Word of the Day is “saved.” In our reading of Acts 16:16-34, we find the story of the Philippian jailor who was saved from physical death and spiritual condemnation. After being beaten and thrown into prison, Paul and Silas spent the night praying and singing hymns. In the middle of the night, a great earthquake shook the prison, and all the prisoners were loosed from their bonds. The jailer, thinking that the prisoners had escaped, was about to kill himself. However, Paul stopped him. In his gratitude, he asked, “What must I do to be saved?”.

The Plea for Salvation

The jailer’s question was a plea for salvation similar to the appeal of the crowd at Pentecost (Acts 2:37). The jailor had heard no sermon nor witnessed any miracles. Yet he had overheard the songs of Paul and Silas and knew enough of the Gospel to ask, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul preached that belief in the Lord Jesus Christ leads to salvation. The jailor and his household were baptized, and the apostles preached the Word of God that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ leads to salvation.

Saved Twice

In our study, we see that the jailor is saved twice. First, Paul dissuades him from suffering a physical death by suicide. And then Paul convinces him to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be delivered from spiritual death.

Spiritual Death: the Bondage to Sin

So then there are two deaths. There is physical death. And there is spiritual death, which is spiritual paralysis. Those in the state of spiritual death are “dead in trespasses and the ‘uncircumcision’ of their hearts’” (OSB Colossians 2:13). Their sins hold them fast to the ways of the devil, and their souls remain forever outside the circle of God’s favor. They are alien to God and strangers to His grace. They may have physical life, but their destiny is only God’s judgment and exclusion from the joy and blessedness of the Kingdom.

Spiritually Alive

But those who are buried with Christ in baptism are raised with Him. He makes them “alive together with Him” (Colossians 2:13). They were once dead in their sins. Now, they are dead to their trespasses, dead to the requirements of the Mosaic Law that were held against them  Colossians 2:13-14 ).

Spiritual Life Is Eternal Life

The Lord said. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (KJV John 5:24). Thus, those who have faith in Christ are already “transferred from the sphere of spiritual death into the realm of eternal life. As those alive in Christ, they are not subject to God’s condemnation but abide in Him and live in His grace. In conclusion, let us thank God for our release from spiritual death by baptism, in which we were raised with Christ through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12). And let us consider ourselves “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (OSB Romans 6:11).