Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" 2Ti 2:7.

Monday, May 4, 2020

'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'

Act 16:27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep,
and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword,
and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

WHY DID HE WANT TO KILL HIMSELF?
Has that anything to do with his question,
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

And they said, 
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

And how will his believing on the Lord Jesus Christ
save BOTH him and his house? Who is his house?

Initially posted here:
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/1713400430321

A certain man asked, 'Tell me, what must a person do to be saved?'

I responded: Save from what, Dennis? And save to what?
What did you do to save yourself when you were in your native state of condemnation and death?
Were you able to do anything before God applies eternal salvation to you? Or all your doing are evidence of eternal salvation already applied to you by God's free and sovereign grace?
Just inquiring to understand your excellent question.
=======

Sing
Dennis replied: Sing, I was repeating the question that the Phillipian Jailer asked: 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
To which the Apostles answer: "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved...'
Sing, do you agree that to be saved a person must 'Believe in the Lord Jesus?'
=======
I am not able to comment because, after my post, the comment has been disabled!
So, all are welcome here to leave their comment on the subject. If I feel that any comment is unrelated to the subject, it shall be sent to the furnace.

Dallas Eaton II
Thank you Thank you Thank you Brother Sing! I too find I am unable to comment upon this dear brother's questions. I find this odd. If I did not wish comments upon my questions, then I would not ask them and thereby save myself and others the anguish of stumbling through my poor reasoning and rhetorical skills! Thus, a saving in time, but alas, not eternity!

Charles Page
The jailer was regenerate when he ask that question. To be regenerate a person does not/cannot believe on the Lord Jesus. The jailer was born banished to hell from Adam's sin and needed regeneration. That had already taken place prior to his asking Paul, "what must I do?"

Adam Wells
Bro Sing, I would be interested to see your reply to your question, "Save from what?"

Sing F Lau
So what does the jailer want to be saved from?
What was his chief concern when he asked that question?
'Banished to hell' but still guarding the prisoners?
Maybe you need to choose more appropriate words.
If one is 'banished to hell' he is ALREADY THERE!

Dallas Eaton II
Ah, now I understand this language Brother Sing! It rings true to my ear.

Joe Chin
Absolutely nothing!
We are saved from the foundation of the world in eternity past, saved legally when Jesus paid the price on the cross.
But we have our part to do to be saved from doctrinal error!

Adam Wells
Let's be thankful the apostle responded with a Spirit led answer!

Charles Page
@Sing, "banished to hell" is a phrase used by Harrison Chase on the PB board yesterday (I am now banned) My view of Total Depravity is that from Adam's Sin we are not just deserving to be banished to hell we are already from 6000 BC banished to hell; sentenced to hell and as elect in need of regeneration. We are cursed and God is the source of our curse. God has banished us to hell. His wrath is upon us. We are all unjust sinners and not just the heathen, gentiles, non-elect.

Sing F Lau
Matthew, what must you do to be born again?
Is 'ye must be born again' a statement declaring fact or a command to be obeyed?
Why did Jesus say, "Marvel not that I say unto THEE (singular), YE (plural) must be born again." Is Jesus telling Nicodemus that he must be born again? Or is Jesus declaring a statement of truth to Nicodemus?
[Matthew Ong has deleted his comments - as usual]

Sing F Lau
Wells @ Let's be thankful the apostle responded with a Spirit-led answer!
======
Amen and amen. But the Spirit-led answer still need to be understood!
The question: 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved'?
What did the jailer want to be saved from?
The Spirit-led answer: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.'

In context, how does 'believe on the Lord Jesus Christ' save the jailor and his house'?
What salvation is Paul promising the jailer (together with his house) conditioned on HIS believing on Jesus Christ?
And just who is his house - his wives and sons and daughters? Or his subordinate jailers? Who brought in the lights? His wife or daughter or son? Who?

Charles Page
ans: all that were baptized that day!

Charles Page
there was understanding with the questions asked to the apostles in the NT. There was a quickening of the inner man that knew it was not a question about being born again. They knew and the apostles knew.

Today there still has to be a quickening of the inner man but language has changed and messages altered and no one is instructed. The Spirit still leads with answers but no one interprets. The common man has the quickening but no one knows what it is! Strange!

Charles Page
There is a famine of "hearing" the Word of the Lord. Centuries of dry parched "burned-over" land.

Adam Wells
I believe the question asked by the jailer was just as much Spirit-led as the answer. I am interested to see though what you have to say concerning the part of the answer".. .and your household."

Sing F Lau
Yes, both the question and the reply are both Spirit-led.
Give your thoughts. How did you last preach this passage?
I am only inquiring... to ascertain what best explain the passage.
Do the families of the jailers live with him with the prison compound? Did the Romans do that?

Charles Page
infants? I believe so. In all probability, there was family housing within the compound and so extended families, servants other jailers.

Willy Keat
Believe and accept Jesus and you will be saved.

Sing F Lau
Welcome, Willy.
'You will be saved' from what?
What does your believing and accepting Jesus save you from?
Who is able to believe and accept Jesus Christ?
What did the jailer want to be saved from?

Michael Lim
Pastor Lau, believing and accepting Jesus saves you in understanding the truth and correctly converted in mind and heart. it also gives an assurance to the person that he is God's elect as well. believing and accepting Jesus is a result(effect) and never a cause of salvation (in being God's elect!)
In eternity, God has already saved His elect. In regeneration, God already saved us. We never do anything at all to write our names in the book of life. hope i answer this correctly.

Charles Page
 Michael, even more, basic to the assurance of the believer is not JUST that he believes but he has a CHOICE to believe. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is LIBERTY! Even those who choose not to believe have their eternal life. Now, how loving is our God? Gracious!

Joe Chin
Agreed with Michael Lim, believing is a result and not the cause of salvation to eternity.
Willy: nowhere in the bible teaches accept Jesus in your heart and be saved.
Bible teaches God is the one doing the saving unto His elects rather than anyone making own effort to be saved by God. There is absolutely nothing on our part to please God.
To sum this up; Salvation is by God's grace alone. We should rather trust God to save us than trust in our own declaration or verbal acceptance of Jesus Christ.

Charles Page
any comment to my comment last Wed...

zilch
Posted by at