" Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ and You Will Be Saved?"

As I have been studying and reading what true repentance looks like before and after conversion, I came across this writing by A.W. Pink entitled, Present Day Evangelism. As I was reading , He makes an important note of Acts 16:31, and how it was used in his day to evangelize the lost.
Which is very interesting, because just as in his day this verse is still used as a way to evangelize. It is used as a stand alone verse. Although it is obviously inclusive of the gospel. But is that the proper way to evangelize the lost with just this verse alone? Is that an accurate gospel presentation.
A friend of me and the Mrs, had asked the most important question "what is the gospel", on another blog. The answer from the one who owns the blog and another frequent commenter on the blog , was "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." When asked where is repentance, the sinless life, the death ,burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ in this gospel presentation? The response was ,"this is the Gospel and we do not need to over complicate it." So, Pink had some interesting thoughts on this particular verse when used in evangelism. It would be worth our time to take a pit stop and read his comments. May it bless you as you read. May it strike at the conscience of those who are guilty of what he speaks.

A.W. Pink (1886-1952)


...........The Gospel is not a thing apart. It is not something independent of the prior revelation
of God’s Law. It is not an announcement that God has relaxed His justice or lowered His standard of holiness. So far from that, when scripturally expounded the Gospel presents the clearest demonstration and the climacteric proof of the inexorableness of God’s justice and of His infinite abhorrence of sin. But for scripturally expounding the Gospel, beardless youths and business men who devote their spare time to “evangelistic effort” are quite unqualified. Alas that the pride of the flesh suffers so many incompetent ones to rush in where those much wiser fear to tread. It is this multiplying of novices that is largely responsible for the woeful situation now con-fronting us, and because the “churches” and “assemblies” are so largely filled with their “converts” explains why they are so unspiritual and worldly.
No, my reader, the Gospel is very, very far from making light of sin. The Gospel shows us how unsparingly God deals with sin. It reveals to us the terrible sword of His justice smiting His beloved Son in order that atonement might be made for the transgressions of His people. So far from the Gospel settling aside the law, it exhibits the Savior enduring the curse of it. Calvary supplied the most solemn and awe-inspiring display of God’s hatred of sin that time or eternity will ever furnish. And do you imagine that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to worldlings and telling them that they “may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their personal Savior” while they are wedded to their idols and their hearts are still in love with sin? If I do so, I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel, insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness.
No doubt some readers are ready to object to our “harsh” and “sarcastic” statements above by asking, When the question was put “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:31) did not an inspired apostle expressly say, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved”? Can we err, then, if we tell sinners the same thing today? Have we not divine warrant for so doing? True, those words are found in Holy Writ, and because they are, many superficial and untrained people conclude that they are justified in repeating them to all and sundry. But let it be pointed out that Acts 16:31 was not addressed to a promiscuous multitude, but to a particular individual, which at once intimates that it is not a message to be indiscriminately sounded forth, but rather a special word to those whose characters correspond to the one to whom it was first spoken.
Verses of Scripture must not be wrenched from their setting, but weighed, interpreted, and applied in accord with their context; and that calls for prayerful consideration, careful meditation, and prolonged study; and it is failure at this point which accounts for these shoddy and worthless “messages” of this rush-ahead age. Look at the context of Acts 16:31, and what do we find? What was the occasion, and to whom was it that the apostle and his companion said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ”? A sevenfold answer is there furnished, which supplies a striking and complete delineation of the character of those to whom we are warranted in giving this truly evangelistic word. As we briefly name these seven details, let the reader carefully ponder them.
First, the man to whom these words were spoken had just witnessed the miracle-working power of God. “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.” (Acts 16:26) Second, in consequence thereof the man was deeply stirred, even to the point of self-despair: “He drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.” (v. 27) Third, he felt the need of illumination: “Then he called for a light.” (v. 29) Fourth, his self-complacency was utterly shattered, for he “came trembling.” (v. 29) Fifth, he took his proper place (before God — in the dust — for he “fell down before Paul and Silas.” (v. 29) Sixth, he showed respect and consideration for God’s servants, for he “brought them out.” (v. 30) Seventh, then, with a deep concern for his soul, he asked, “What must I do to be saved?”
Here, then, is something definite for our guidance, if we are willing to be guided. It was no giddy, careless, unconcerned person who was exhorted to “simply” believe; but instead, one who gave clear evidence that a mighty work of God had already been wrought within him. He was an awakened soul. (v. 27) In his case there was no need to press upon him his lost condition, for he obviously felt it; nor were the apostles required to urge upon him the duty of repentance, for his entire demeanor betokened his contrition. But to apply the words spoken to him unto those who are totally blind to their depraved state and completely dead toward God, would be more foolish than placing a bottle of smelling salts to the nose of one just dragged unconscious from the water. Let the critic of this article read through Acts and see if he can find a single instance of the apostles addressing a promiscuous audience or a company of idolatrous heathen and “simply” telling them to believe in Christ!

“By the Law Is the Knowledge of Sin”

A.W. Pink