Household salvation?

[T. E. Smith]

Acts 16:25-34 says:

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

The part I put in bold is the thing I am most interested in. Some Christians emphasize individual salvation, that only the individual who believes can be saved. But here it appears that if the one man, the jailer (head of the household) believes, then his household will be saved. It is never stated that his household believed, only that "he had believed in God", and his family did not rejoice in their own belief but rather in his.

Perhaps I am extrapolating too much here. What do you all think about this? Is "household salvation" a biblical concept? How should we understand this passage?

 

[T. E. Smith]

Never said they were.

So that verse I quoted does not mean children are completely holy. Never said they were.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

So that verse I quoted does not mean children are completely holy. Never said they were.

ok they we agree. But you see there’s no verse guaranteeing the offsprings’ salvation based on the faith of the parents.

 

[T. E. Smith]

ok they we agree. But you see there’s no verse guaranteeing the offsprings’ salvation based on the faith of the parents.

Unless the verse saying children are holy does show that. 1) believers are holy and are saved. (Saints means holy ones) 2) children of believers are holy. 3) thus, children of believers are saved.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Unless the verse saying children are holy does show that. 1) believers are holy and are saved. (Saints means holy ones) 2) children of believers are holy. 3) thus, children of believers are saved.

No, that is not in the Bible. Holiness as applied to people refers to behavior in any case. It is not like a last name you got from your Dad. When the prodigal son left home, he was referred to as “lost” through his own choices.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Definitely, so here is a relevant verse: "Appoint elders in every town as I directed you—if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers..." (Titus 1:5-6).

What translation is that? My bible says the children are “faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.” Doesn’t address what goes on in their minds. The adjective is also reliable.

 

[T. E. Smith]

What translation is that? My bible says the children are “faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.” Doesn’t address what goes on in their minds. The adjective is also reliable.

Pistis. That's the Greek word. Used to refer to the faith of believers in many times in the Bible.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Pistis. That's the Greek word. Used to refer to the faith of believers in many times in the Bible.

Pistis. That's the Greek word. Used to refer to the faith of believers in many times in the Bible.

Appears in Acts 13:34 and means faithful or reliable, a adjective. It is also an adjective in the verse mentioned, not a noun. Does not refer to the faith (a noun) of believers.

 

[T. E. Smith]

Appears in Acts 13:34 and means faithful or reliable, a adjective. It is also an adjective in the verse mentioned, not a noun. Does not refer to the faith (a noun) of believers.

Vast majority of cases, it refers to faith. Many understand the "his children are pistis" to mean believers.

 

[Dorothy Mae]

Vast majority of cases, it refers to faith. Many understand the "his children are pistis" to mean believers.

It is used twice and both times as an adjective. Once refers to the “faithful” blessings of David. No reference to believers AT ALL.

 

[T. E. Smith]

It is used twice and both times as an adjective. Once refers to the “faithful” blessings of David. No reference to believers AT ALL.

I don't know what you mean. It appears numerous times, and almost every time in the pastoral epistles it refers to believers.

 

[Vinny37]

Definitely, so here is a relevant verse: "Appoint elders in every town as I directed you—if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers..." (Titus 1:5-6).

[...the father could command everyone in his house to believe...]. Similarly I could command my child to jump off a cliff, but she's more like to turn and say, "Go take a jump." Belief is a flexible kind of thing. C S Lewis noted various levels from casual to emphatic. Personally, I don't even believe that evangelistic belief (in its sense of welcome: Jhn.1:12) saves anyone from ultimate hell (Level 4), though I highly recommend such belief/welcome of messiah (Level 3).