In Acts 11, the fact that God promised Cornelius that his whole household would be saved does not mean the same promise applies universally to all households across all time. For example, Samson tore the city gates off of Gaza and carried them up a hill (Judges 16:3), but this doesn’t mean that, if we grow our hair long, we will be able to perform similar feats of strength. A principle concerning biblical history is that no one event can be automatically assumed to apply in every situation. In this case it is found in Acts, an historical narrative of actual events. First of all, as with any passage of Scripture, we must consider the genre or type of book in which it occurs. If people are saved as individuals, then how are we to interpret those passages in the Bible that seem to contain a promise of household salvation? How can we reconcile the need for individuals to believe in order to be saved and verses like Acts 11:14? In that passage, Cornelius is promised that his household would be saved. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’ and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” These words completely undermine the concept of household salvation. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. In Matthew 10:34-36 Jesus says, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. Jesus Himself indicates that the gospel often divides families. The fact that one member of a family or household believes does not guarantee that the rest will also believe. Believing in Christ is not something that a father can do for a son or daughter. Thus, salvation can only come to an individual who personally believes in Christ. We also know that the command to believe is directed to individuals and the act of believing is a personal action. We know that there is only one way of salvation, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:13-14 John 6:67-68 14:6 Acts 4:12 Ephesians 2:8). According to the concept of household salvation, God saves the entire family unit, not just the individual expressing faith.Ī proper understanding of the Bible’s teaching on household salvation must begin with knowing what the Bible teaches about salvation in general. If the father or the head of the home declares himself to be a Christian, then he presides over a Christian household-the members of his family are Christian by default, based on the decision of their father/husband. The saving of the entire family is accomplished through the faith of the leader of the family. Household salvation is the idea that whole families or households are saved at once.
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