The Jailor Believed

Faith only groups rely on the Phillipean Jailor as an example of being saved thru belief only,

Act 16:31  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

On the surface this seems plausible, but in Greek it is very bad exegesis. You see in Greek belief has an object to believe in as specified. It could be Jesus as a person, Jesus as a sacrifice, Jesus as a prophet. In this verse it is 3 different words.

Lord – sovereignty

Jesus – individual person

Christ – office as Christ

The office of Christ depicted he was God’s covenental messenger (messiah). So the verse is actually insisting you accept his message. The word believe when listed with a preaching office implies receiving the message

Look at the next part of the verse,  “Act 16:32  And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. ”

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ v.31 is listed different from the word of the Lord v.32.

You see the believe statement is general leading up to the specific message from Christ.

By following his word you are believing in his messenger office.

The specific word included Baptism.

Act 16:33  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

This can be said of many of the believe statements used by John also. Believe included the messanger office.

Joh 1:12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

See the object here is Christ’s title, which included his messenger position.

In John 2 some believed on his name but were closet believers and Jesus refused to accept them.

Joh 2:23  Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

Joh 2:24  But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

Thus the earlier statement in John 1 about believing on his name, that gave them the right to come, but did not guarantee they would if afraid of their peers.

Thus Jesus spoke with Nicodemus about coming out openly and being born again.

Joh 3:21  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

doeth truth

deeds

in God

Jesus clearly disagrees with faith only.

But the word Believe On clearly refers to accepting the Message from Christ.

Joh 5:22  For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

Joh 5:23  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Joh 5:24  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.

Faith only doesn’t honor the son. It relegates his judgments to an un-answerable whisper.

Joh 8:23  And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

Joh 8:24  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Joh 8:25  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

Joh 8:26  I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.

Belief in John's usage is tied to his office and work as God’s messenger.