Salvation Is Freely Offered, Personally Received

There are two cautions with the Philippian Jailer here which we must stop ourselves from placing as qualifications.

One is, for those of us who believe in limited atonement, we may think that this means that the death of Christ is somehow limited. That is a mistake, and it is much more helpful to refer to the effect, efficaciousness, of the death of Christ as definite. It is for specific people; it is not universal in that sense. But, on the other hand, the offer goes out to all. It is not limited. The offer is not limited in any way. So, we must be careful there.

And, the other caution we have is that we are afraid, perhaps, if you are of a Baptist persuasion, when we read this verse, that this is somehow teaching that when head of a household is saved, that his household is also automatically saved. But that is not what Paul and Silas are teaching here…

They are merely reminding and assuring the Philippian jailer that those in his household may also come freely to receive salvation, which is why they ‘spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house’ —it wasn’t automatic.