How Can I Be Saved? (LD 23; Acts 16:30-31)
Christ’s blessing is not based on personal righteousness, faith’s worthiness, or even outward covenant membership. Only receive Christ’s blessings through faith and the Spirit. The catechism clarifies that faith is the instrument by which we receive Christ’s blessings, secured by his righteousness, not our own. We only receive this by faith. This assurance means believers are not just citizens of God’s kingdom but heirs, enjoying a deep, familial relationship with God, moving from a courtroom setting to the warmth of the family room, as we borrow John Murray’s analogy.
Acts 16 illustrates this truth through the story of the Philippian jailer. Seeing Paul and Silas’s unwavering faith amid suffering and their care for his well-being despite their pain, the jailer asks what he must do to be saved. His question reflects human nature—assuming salvation depends on personal effort. Paul responds that salvation comes through believing in the Lord Jesus, acknowledging him as the true King who has conquered sin and death. This faith is not about personal merit but trusting Christ alone.
The sermon also highlights the broader implications of faith. The contrast between the enslaved servant girl and the jailer shows that true freedom is found in Christ, not in worldly control or spiritual bondage. Paul’s deliverance of the girl from demonic oppression demonstrates Christ’s authority, yet it results in persecution—mirroring the world's rejection of true salvation. Despite suffering, Paul and Silas rejoice, illustrating that faith in Christ brings unshakable joy. The jailer’s conversion and the baptism of his household affirm that God works through families in the context of the covenant, as seen in the Old and New Testaments. The call is for us to see that as we believe in Christ, we are saved, receiving the distinct redemptive blessings in Christ.