Life's Ultimate Question: What Must I do to be Saved?

Baptist Daily Devotional
Sep 21
3 min read

Rev. Charles Oppong-Poku | September 21 2025 | Acts 16:22-34

KEY VERSE: “The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’” Acts 16:29-30. (NIV)

MESSAGE:

Paul and Silas displayed such remarkable joy while enduring suffering and imprisonment that the jailer took notice, and when trouble arose, he knew they were the ones to turn to. Their desire for the jailer not to harm himself not only saved his physical life but also opened the door for his family to join him in being saved eternally. Life is full of questions—questions about purpose, direction, relationships, and success. But there is one question greater than them all: “What must I do to be saved?” The jailer’s trembling cry was not just about escaping death, but about finding true life. In this passage, we are reminded that salvation is the most urgent, personal, and life-changing question every soul must confront.

Let us learn from this passage that a Crisis can awaken eternal questions. The jailer’s world was shaken – literally - by an earthquake and the fear of death. In that moment of despair, he recognised his deeper need: not just safety, but salvation. Sometimes God uses crises to strip away our illusions and point us to what matters most—our eternal standing with Him (Psalm 90:12). Another lesson is “Salvation is a personal decision”. Notice how the jailer asked, “What must I do…?” Salvation cannot be inherited, borrowed, or postponed. It is a personal response to God’s offer of grace. No one else can believe for you - you must come to Jesus Christ yourself (John 3:7; Romans 10:9). Finally, we learn that the greatest question deserves the greatest answer. The jailer did not ask about philosophy, wealth, or success - he asked about salvation. This question reveals the core human need: reconciliation with God. It is the most important question because eternity depends on the answer. And the good news is that God has already provided the answer in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:

Have you personally asked and answered the question: “What must I do to be saved?” Life’s greatest question is not about success or survival, but about salvation. Only in Jesus Christ do we find the true and eternal answer. PRAYER:

Lord, thank You for reminding me that salvation is life’s most important question. Help me never to take lightly the gift of grace You have offered in Jesus Christ. Awaken in me a deep concern for my own walk with You and for those who still need to know Your saving power. For Your dear name’s sake. Amen.

THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.

SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!

The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 264: Isaiah 24–27 — The Day of the Lord

DAILY word study: SAVED The word saved in Acts 16:30–31 comes from the Greek sōzō, meaning “to rescue, deliver, or make whole.”

In the New Testament, it is used both for physical rescue (Matthew 8:25, the disciples crying in the storm) and spiritual salvation (Romans 10:9–10). In the jailer’s case, it meant more than being spared from punishment — it meant being delivered from sin and given new life in Christ.

Reflect on This:

Do you see salvation as more than escape? In Christ, it is wholeness, forgiveness, and eternal life.