Scripture reading: Acts 16:19-34
“…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31)
“AND THY HOUSE.” The jailer had only asked for salvation for himself, but Paul offered him also for his whole household. Upon what authority was this offer made and was it biblical? It was upon the authority of Exodus 28. Of all the apostles of the Lamb, Paul was more versed in the typology of the Law and its meaning in Christ than any other. In verse 33, he baptized the whole family. This was no exception—this was the rule.
The jailer was the priest of his family, just as it was in the whole Jewish society that the head of the family was considered the priest of that family and he was spiritually accountable before God for his family. Upon the authority of this word therefore, Paul and Silas baptized the jailer and his whole family.
When the jailer knelt before God, the Lord saw his whole family represented and the curse of sin was removed from the family at that moment. The spiritual principle underlying this is that we are a covenant people. God has established His covenant with us through His Son as our High Priest so that all those with whom we have covenant, He recognizes them as covenanting with Him by proxy. When the devil takes a family, he has power over the third and fourth generation of those who are disobedient. The blood covenant of Jesus Christ with us makes our families blood-covenanted to Christ by proxy. As it was in the old Levitical covenant, the priest would go into the Holy of Holies once every year with the blood of the lamb and when his sins were forgiven all of Israel’s were also forgiven.
In our experience, we see God moving among our families. When one gets saved, then there is a domino effect and God begins to move in the whole family, especially and first among those who are obedient and willing, but even the unwilling are moved by the mercies of God. In the case of my own family, God saved me first, then my brother, then my sister and their families, then another brother’s family, then another brother, then my father and my mother. In my wife’s family the same thing is occurring and also in our children and their families, and the process still continues. There are some basic reasons for this, but it must be made clear that before God a covenant is a very serious matter.
The covenant must be exercised; it cannot be assumed that it will work without exercising it. I am sure most of us have stories of how God moves in our families. This is no coincidence. For those who do not have these stories of salvation of their families, then be assured they are in the making for God will honor his word.
(Excerpt from The Omega Message, October 1990, pg. 6-8)
Thought for today: Remember that the promise of salvation is not only to you but also to your house. Do not get discouraged by what you see today with your natural eyes. Exercise this family covenant and take God at His Word. You will NOT be disappointed.
Sonlight Devotional 