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?”
They replied, “Believe in the
Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they
spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that
hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then
immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer
brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy
because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household. Acts 16:29-34
Salvation
is an individual decision. You cannot
get saved for someone else. However, if
a key person in the household gets saved then, yes, others will probably follow
through because of their influence. This
happens a lot with men, whose spiritual leadership can powerfully change the
spiritual landscape of their family.
This story in Acts seems to shortcut the salvation to the family, but if
the story played out in more detail, each member of the household needed to
hear the Gospel and respond with their whole heart. Paul sees into the future, knowing the family
will follow.