4. “The precondition of our pardon and life is not that we never sin or that by any price we purchase them of God or acquire them by works valued by God or by any payment for His grace. Rather, it is only that we believe Him and willingly receive the mercy He freely gives us, according to the nature of that gift: that is, we accept of Christ–for Christ–to justify, sanctify, rule, and save us.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
The conversion of the Philippian jailer is an amazing testament to the power of God and His gospel. The nailer asked one of the most important questions in all of Scripture, “what must I do to be saved?” The jailer was not saved by bringing Paul and Silas out of the jail, nor was he saved by anything he had done previous to this. Paul and Silas answered his question this way, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” After this answer, they gave him the gospel and it was the gospel that saved him. Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” It was the belief in the gospel that saved him and that belief, according to Ephesians 2:8-9 is a gift from God. Today, I would love for all who read this to thank God for their salvation and the mercy that they received. For those in Christ have been pardoned and given eternal life in the Son.
Theological Digressions 