Being Justified Freely By His Grace Through the Redemption That Is In Christ Jesus -- Part 1599

At midnight, Paul and Silas are praying and singing praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly, there was a great earthquake, so that the foundation of the prison was shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awakening 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.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here." Then he called for a light and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said, "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 they spake unto him the Word of the Lord and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes: and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants [sergeants], saying, "Let those men go." And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, "The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace." But Paul said unto them, "They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast into prison, and now do they thrust us out privily? Nay, verily, but let them come themselves and fetch us out. And the serjeants [sergeants] told these words unto the magistrates; and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. And they came and besought them, and brought [them] out, and desired [them] to depart out of the city. And they went out of the prison, and entered into [the house] of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them and departed." (Acts 16:25-40)

There are several points worth noting here. First, Paul and Silas were in jail. There was no real justification for them being in jail, as noted in the scriptures preceding this example -- other than Paul and Silas preached the gospel in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ! Nevertheless, the two were in jail and that is the circumstance described above. Note that neither questioned why they were in jail but rather, continued to pray and sing praises unto God while imprisoned. So much so that the prisoners heard them.

In other words, Paul and Silas (in what most would consider dire circumstances) were witnessing and edifying the other prisoners through prayer and praises to the Lord, and that was good. Why? Because the Lord had a purpose that went beyond the prisoners. Indeed, the Lord saw the prison guard's heart. It was the prison guard who we see sleeping on his watch. It was the prison guard who was prepared to kill himself at the turn of events wherein he thought the prisoners had escaped. It was the prison guard whom the Lord was calling into His service that night. (This is not to suggest that there were not prisoners who responded to the gospel that night but just that the account in Acts 16 focuses primarily on the prison guard).

So, when the earth shook, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately all the doors opened, and every one's bands loosed, the prisoners should have fled. After all, that would have been the logical thing to do. But the prisoners did not flee. Neither did Paul or Silas, because the Lord had a higher purpose for them in the midst of the prison. That was to reach the prison guard with His good news gospel message.

That is, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thy house. (Acts 16:30)

Thus, when Paul and Silas spoke unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house, he took them the same hour of the night and washed [their] stripes and were baptized, he and all his straightway. In other words, the prison guard and all his family gladly received the Word.

"And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house." (Acts 16:34)

Just like Lydia (a seller of purple whose heart the Lord opened) and her household who also gladly received the Word of the Lord, and were baptized. (Acts 16:14-15) This is important because when they went out of the prison, they entered into the house of this very same Lydia, and when they saw the brethren therein, they comforted them before departing.

Therefore, one of the lessons worth noting here is that everything happens for a reason, even when we ourselves do not understand or comprehend the totality of the why. But that is not all. There is another message equally of merit. That is, Paul and Silas did not change the gospel message because of their circumstance in jail. These did not stop praying and praising God because the future (at least from a human mindset) did not look promising. Instead, Paul and Silas continued to trust the Lord, knowing that even in this, the Lord would receive all the glory, and His Kingdom expanded.

Also, therein, is another lesson whereby the foolish confound the wise, because in believing in Jesus these were led in their day to day by the Holy Ghost. These did not flee the prison as the world would fully expect, having been set free, but remained in the prison. The leading of the Holy Ghost -- to do what is right and true -- giving the directive, one that extends beyond believers Paul and Silas.

Let me elaborate. When the prison doors were open, ALL the prisoners' bands were loosed. ALL the prisoners could have fled. ALL the prisoners had an opportunity to be set free. The Lord extended His goodness and mercy to ALL the prisoners in this circumstance -- as the Lord often explains -- the rain falls on both the good and the evil. He is not a respecter of persons, as fully evidenced here. He is the Giver of Life, and life more abundantly. His free gift of salvation, offered willingly to one and all. He became the perfect sacrifice on the cross for His beloved -- those who believe in Jesus by faith, and are water baptized in His Name -- the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:36-47)

And His promise to you and I?

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit ... for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)

The prisoners did not leave the jail because they had a glimpse of Paul and Silas' joy that comes with the revelation that there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.

Sadly, however, the true gospel message (that is the good news gospel of Jesus Christ that leads to newness of life) is currently being changed according to the modern day religious whims of men. There are those in the midst of us today who claim to be believers and yet openly reject the good news gospel "as it is written." These are rejecting water baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus, quickly dismissing the message presented by Peter (standing with the eleven) on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2:36-47) These reject the Word of the Lord -- even when Paul and Silas "spake unto [the prison guard] the Word of the Lord." (Acts 16:32) These reject the counsel of God against themselves. (Luke 7:29-30)

In so doing, the ultimate rejection of Jesus who is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) The Lord Himself coming forth as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13; Isaiah 9:6)

Still, the presentation these make sounds enticing. Their fine sounding words are presented as truth, and yet only half scriptures are used as a basis for their argument. For example, these quote a portion of Romans 6:23 -- "For the wages of sin is death" without ever acknowledging that the remainder of this scripture -- the very promise from the Lord is this --  " ... the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

These focus on the word "wages" without ever taking into context the remainder of Romans 6 (wherein, ironically, water baptism is also mentioned in verses 6:3-4) that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. These don't acknowledge that if "we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [Him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Romans 6:3-6)

Rather, these emphasize and attempt to explain away the goodness and grace of our Lord Jesus from a negative perspective, as if somehow, their words w/could supersede the Word of the Lord. Nevertheless what saith the Lord?

"For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God .... being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, [I say] at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus." (Romans 3:23-26)

You see, only those with vain intentions and no understanding that there is an eternity beyond this earthly life would attempt to delude the Word of the Lord into half truths, focusing solely on a negative, without ever alluding to the numerous promises that the Lord Jesus freely gives to those who believe in Him -- within the very same passage of scripture. Indeed, there used to be a song we would sing - "Standing on the promises of Christ my King" -- but I digress.

My point is this. We as believers in Jesus the Christ need to become fully literate in the Word of the Lord so that we are not deceived. As believers, we need to understand and recognize that these types of presentations (that are even a little off the mark -- a slight variance from the apostolic doctrine that we are to remain steadfast in) -- is indeed, deception -- a lie that leads people away from the truth and liberty wherewith is Christ.

But Jesus has set us free and this gospel message remains true in spite of those who deny the kindness and love of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ. (Titus 3:4-7; I Timothy 3:16) So, to that end, and in that context, I encourage each and every one of you to become learned in the things of the heavenly.

"Study the scriptures to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. But shun profane [and] vain babblings; for they will increase unto more ungodliness, and their word will eat as doth a canker of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some.

Nevertheless, the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal. The Lord knows them that are His. And, let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (II Timothy 2:15-19)

As believers we need to understand that in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and therefore, some to honour, and some to dishonour.

Therefore, being justified by faith, and sanctified by the Word, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

Thus, the remainder of the story, straight from the Word of the Lord!

"For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with Him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dies no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once; but in that he lives, he lives unto God. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin; but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of righteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. for ins shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, h/His servants are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye WERE the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh; for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:1-23)

Stand in the offering plate.