ACTS CHAPTER 24:1-27,
“Imprisoned For Two Years In
By
Jim Bomkamp
1.
INTRO
1.1.
In our last study, we looked
at Paul as he was imprisoned in Caesarea, having been brought there by the Roman
Commander in Jerusalem, as he is waiting for the Jewish leaders to come to
bring charges against him which from all external circumstances would lead to
his being put to death, and yet the Lord had appeared to him the night before
and told him to take courage for he would go on and testify for Christ in Rome
1.1.1.
We saw how that Paul knew
that since Jesus had told him that he would go to Rome and testify for him that
he was going to go to Rome and testify for Christ, and therefore Paul just had
to wait steadfastly upon Christ for his deliverance
1.1.2.
We saw how that we
Christians often are in a holding pattern where we must wait upon the Lord for
an answer to our prayers as well as our own deliverance
1.1.3.
We saw how that ‘waiting on
God’ as a believer is to wait with confidence knowing that God will and even
‘has to’ fulfill His Word and deliver you
1.1.4.
We saw that to ‘wait on God’
we must not lean or rely upon any arm of the flesh in order to rescue us from
our circumstances, for we are waiting only upon the Lord to answer
1.1.5.
We saw how that we must wait
‘steadfastly’ in God, and that God wants us as Christians to be immovable in
our faith regardless of our circumstances
1.2.
Today, we are going to see
Paul imprisoned for his faith in Caesarea for a period that appears to have been
as long as two years, and yet during that time we find him always ‘content’ in
Christ and making the most of each opportunity to share his faith
1.2.1.
In this study we will focus
on three different types of responses to God in the lives of the people mentioned:
1.2.1.1.Paul is faithful and obedient to God as His slave no matter what
circumstances he finds himself in
1.2.1.2.The high priest is calloused and hardened in his relationship to God
and thus he is completely given over to evil yet all the while giving the outward impression of the utmost of holiness
and devotion to God
1.2.1.3.Felix, the governor, is curious about God and salvation through Christ,
yet he is a procrastinator and thus never makes a decision for Christ
1.2.2. We see from these verses
that Paul had learned that God was in his every circumstance and that it did
not matter what circumstance he found himself in, it was determined by God and
God planned to use him in that circumstance
1.2.2.1.Paul accepted his captivity
as coming directly from God, and thus he accepted it with God’s heart for it
1.2.2.2.Paul realized also that God
would be with him in his every circumstance and that He would give him grace to
endure it without having to sin
1.2.2.3.Paul realized that in all of
life how he handled the internal struggles of his heart and emotions of his
character through Christ was much more important than the external difficulties
he found himself in
1.2.2.4.If Paul was to proclaim the
gospel to thousands, to a Roman emperor, to just one person, or if he were even
to be beaten for his faith or imprisoned, he would give thanks to God and serve
Christ just as faithfully for he knew that what mattered in his life was that
he remain faithful regardless of his circumstances
1.2.2.4.1.How different this is from
you and I, I would suppose. For we tend
to not hold up in our faith as well under difficult circumstances and trials,
and we abhor even the thought of being persecuted for Christ
1.2.2.4.2.If we have truly surrendered
our lives to Christ though, then we have also surrendered our rights, and thus
we must learn to serve Him always no matter what happens in this life
1.2.2.4.3.I’m afraid for the church in
1.2.2.5.Paul knew that it was always
the case that his greatest joy would be in fulfilling God’s purpose for him in
each and every circumstance he found himself in, for the scriptures promised that,
‘in His presence is fullness of joy’
2.
VS 24:1 - “24:1 And after five days the
high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with a certain attorney named
Tertullus; and they brought charges to the governor against Paul.” - Ananias, the high priest,
with some elders and an attorney came to
2.1.
A total period of two years passes during this chapter of Acts, and
Paul stays imprisoned by Felix during all of this time.
2.1.1.
The Lord places Paul in a prolonged trial through these circumstances,
however Paul seems to have held up courageously under it, kept a proper
attitude and perspective about everything in his life, and he allowed the Lord
to continue to use him greatly.
2.1.2.
It has been suggested that Paul, who is believed by most to be the
author of the book of Hebrews, wote that book during this period of
imprisonment.
2.2.
The high priest, Ananias, had a deep hatred for Paul and the Christian
church. He came in a hurry down to
2.2.1.
The Jews from Asia who had recognized Paul in the temple and began the
revolt, did not come up to bring charges against him as they probably knew that
there was no legal ground to any of the charges that they might bring.
2.3.
Paul is kept prisoner by Felix for two years. Felix was not really concerned about justice
or the rights of Roman citizens, otherwise he would have dismissed the charges
against Paul, seeing as how Paul’s real accusers, the Jews from
2.4.
Just as happened to Paul, sometimes we Christians can go through a
prolonged trial that never seems to get resolved or to end. We get weary and worn down, yet the Lord
continues to allow us to stay in this state.
However, we should learn from the Lord’s dealings with Paul how that we
should bear up under our trials, and we should be encouraged that just as He
used Paul’s trials for good that He likewise has good purposes designed to occur
as a result of ours.
3.
VS 24:2-4 - “2 And after Paul had been
summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor, “Since we have through you attained much
peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this
nation, 3 we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent
Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 “But, that I may not weary you any further, I
beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing.” - Tertullus begins his case
against Paul by flattering Felix
3.1.
As was typical of that day, this high-powered lawyer, Tertullus, begins
his accusations of Paul by first using lying flattering to Felix.
3.1.1.
Tertullus, a high profile lawyer of this day, was called by a word that
translates to mean a ‘professional pleader’, and as we read what he said to
Felix we can see that there was no depth of lying flattery to which he would
not stoop in trying to butter up a judge or magistrate while presenting his
cases.
3.1.2.
The lying flattery of Tertullus actually undermined everything that he
had to say after that, for Felix knew in fact that the Jews despised him for he
had murdered many Jews and in reality he stood for anything but justice.
3.1.3.
Tertullus flattered Felix, saying that through his rule they had
‘attained much peace’, and that ‘reforms’ were being carried out for the nation
of
3.1.3.1.Felix had suppressed some
uprisings, however Felix himself was a very vile and unjust man who would often
hire assassins to murder his detractors.
According to the historian Josephus, he even murdered a high priest in
order to replace him.
3.1.3.2.Felix
was married now to his fourth wife, and he had hired a sorcerer in order to
lure her away from her husband so that he could marry her.
3.1.3.2.1.We
will see later in this section that Felix’s wife’s name was ‘Drusilla’, and we
know that she was a Jew and the daughter of Herod Agrippa, the man who had
James the apostle, the ‘Son of Thunder’, thrust through with the sword in
chapter 12 of Acts. This was for
‘Drusilla’ a second marriage, and it came about as a result of adultery.
3.1.3.3.History records that at a
date after this time, the Jews actually brought charges against Felix to
Caesar, and Felix could easily have gotten into much disfavor with the ruler,
and even been put to death, however Felix’ demise was averted through the
action of his brother.
3.2.
We might ask ourselves how the high priest had gotten into the
place in his relationship with God that he was in, for he was a man who though
outwardly as religious and pious as can be, yet in truth was completely
calloused and hardened in his heart towards God and the truth
3.2.1. A person who claims to be a
Christian doesn’t just become a backslider overnight, for there are stages that
you go through in order to get to that place.
Ananias the high priest was probably raised up as a child in the Jewish
schools to honor and serve God, and yet over time he had gotten to the place in
his relationship with God where his conscience was completely hardened by
God. Ken Ortiz speaks of how there
are three phases that a backslider goes through to get to the point to where
his heart is hardened and calloused to God:
3.2.1.1.He first knows that what
he is doing is wrong, and his conscience is shocked that he could be doing
something that goes so against God’s laws and nature.
3.2.1.2.Then,
as he continues in his sin he begins to think that maybe
what he is doing is wrong.
3.2.1.3.Finally,
he gets to the point to where he thinks that though it is wrong
for others to do what he is doing, God knows his needs, and thus it must be OK.
3.2.2.
The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish
Christians who were not following through in obedience in their Christian walk
after making a commitment to Christ, and there are a number of warnings that
the backslider should take to heart, including:
3.2.2.1.Beware of an evil
unbelieving heart in falling away from the living God: Heb. 3:12.
3.2.2.2.Beware of becoming dull of
hearing: Heb. 5:11.
3.2.2.3.Beware of sloth or standing
still instead of progressing: Heb.
5:12.
3.2.2.4.If our life is yielding
thorns and thistles instead of good vegetation we are close to being
cursed: Heb. 6:8.
3.2.2.5.If we go on sinning after
receiving a knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for our
sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment (the fury of fire which will
consume the adversaries): Heb.
10:26-27.
4.
VS 24:5 - “5 “For we have found this man a
real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the
world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” - Tertullus accuses Paul of
being a ‘pest’
4.1.
Tertullus brings up four charges against Paul to Felix, the first three
charges are stated in this verse, and are as follows:
4.1.1.
Paul was ‘a real pest’ to the Jews.
4.1.1.1.This was a serious charge to
Felix, since he himself was accustomed to silencing through assassins those who
caused him any trouble, and he did not want to have anyone around who stirred
up trouble.
4.1.1.2.This charge is not really
founded upon any evidence which Tertullus will present here, and it is not a
crime for which a person should ever be punished under Roman law.
4.1.1.2.1.We have read in Acts about
riots that occurred in
4.1.1.3.The gospel message itself is
guaranteed to offend the rulers and people of this world, as it tells them the
truth in matters to which they do not want to think about or deal with. Paul
said, “Those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution”,
2 Tim. 3:12.
4.1.2.
Tertullus charges Paul with the fact that he, ‘stirs up dissension
among all the Jews throughout the world’, and this charge would also have
been taken seriously by Felix since he did not want to see the Jewish nation
have infighting within itself (Christianity was viewed as a sect within Judaism
at this point). However, it also was not
a crime for which a person should ever be punished under Roman law.
4.1.3.
Paul was charged by Tertullus as being, ‘a ringleader of the sect of
the Nazarenes’, a charge which was true in all regards.
4.1.3.1.Jesus grew up in
4.2.
We Christians must realize that the gospel message when proclaimed will
‘stir’ many people up and cause offense to them when they hear it, since it
tells them that they are sinners and are in the wrong awaiting an impending
judgment for their sin.
4.2.1.
Because of the offense that comes from proclaiming the gospel, we
Christians must not be deterred from it’s proclamation.
4.2.2.
We Christians have the answers people desperately need both in this
life and in the life to come, and if we share the truth as the Holy Spirit
leads us and stir things up sometimes because we speak the truth in love to
people, we must have the attitude of, ‘so be it’.
4.2.3.
We Christians know the cure for the disease that will eventually claim
the life of every person who lives on the face of the earth, and not only will
it kill them physically but the will spend eternity in hell (eternal death) if
they do not receive this cure. What kind
of people would we be if we held back telling those who are going to die of the
good news that we know the cure. We must
get this news out, the good news of the gospel of Christ, how a person came
come to know Christ as Lord and Savior and thus spend eternity in heaven.
5.
VS 24:6-8 - “6 “And he even tried to
desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him. [And we wanted to judge him
according to our own Law. 7 “But Lysias the commander came along, and with much
violence took him out of our hands, 8 ordering his accusers to come before
you.] And by examining him yourself concerning all these matters, you will be
able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.”” - Paul is accused by Tertullus
for desecrating the temple
5.1.
Verse 6 contains the fourth charge that Tertullus brought
against Paul, and that was that he ‘tried to desecrate the temple’.
5.1.1.
This charge was totally false and had no ground which they would be
able to establish it with. Paul did
absolutely nothing that could or should have desecrated the temple, he was
simply joining with some men who were completing a Nazarite vow, and he was
spotted there by some Asian Jews who started a riot as they began to shout
accusations against him.
5.2.
Tertullus does not speak favorably about the Roman Commander, Lysias,
who broke up the riot that they had started.
He spoke condescendingly about him saying that he had taken Paul out of
their hands ‘with much violence’ (i.e. forcefully).
5.3.
Tertullus assures Felix that he can obtain the truth of the charges he
has presented against Paul by merely interrogating Paul.
6.
VS 24:9 - “9 And the Jews also joined in
the attack, asserting that these things were so.” - The Jews chimed in against Paul as Tertullus
read his charges
6.1.
The Jews present with Tertullus nodded their heads and vocalized their
agreement with him concerning the charges presented by him to Felix concerning
Paul.
7.
VS 24:10 - “10 And when the governor had
nodded for him to speak, Paul responded:
“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I
cheerfully make my defense,” - Paul begins his defense against the charges
that have been made against him
7.1.
Paul is represented before Felix by himself alone. I wonder how well the average defendant would
do in court against the highest paid lawyers that money can buy? Pathetic at best, I would think... However, as we read this account of Paul’s
defense of himself, we can see that the Holy Spirit has again filled him and
given him boldness and the very words that he speaks.
7.1.1.
Just as Paul was empowered by the Holy Spirit and used mightily in this
circumstance, we also need to realize that He can also empower us mightily to
witness to others, and He will empower us if the day comes when we also are
persecuted for our faith.
7.2.
Unlike Tertullus, Paul does not flatter Felix in beginning his defense,
and by doing so he lends credibility to his defense. In essence, he simply acknowledges to Felix
that he knows of his experience governing for many years, and therefore he is encouraged
that Felix will make a right decision in his case. There is no lying flattery in this.
7.3.
We as Christians should not use flattery towards people in order to
manipulate them in any way for our purposes.
We are called to be polite and respectful to all people, as much as is
possible, however we are not called to use flattery. The Bible includes many verses which command
God’s people not to use lying flattery.
7.3.1.
Some scriptures that deal with not using flattery are:
7.3.1.1.The Psalmist said in Ps.
12:2-4, “2 They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart
they speak. 3 May the Lord cut off all
flattering lips, The tongue that speaks
great things; 4 Who have said, “With our
tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our
own; who is lord over us?”
7.3.1.2.Paul warned the Romans to be
on the lookout for people within the church who use flattery in Rom.
16:17-18, “ 17 Now I urge you,
brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary
to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are
slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth
and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting”.
7.3.1.3.The writer of the Proverbs
warned of the adulteress who used flattery to woo her lovers, and, we
Christians must guard our heart against getting sucked into these kinds of
traps.
7.3.1.3.1.Many a Christian man has
been taken off his guard when a sweet good looking young gal suddenly began to
pay attention to him and give him flattery that pumped up his ego and made him
feel good about himself, and, then he has subsequently fallen into adultery.
7.3.2.
Whenever we hear someone using flattery, there should be a red flag pop
up in our mind, and we should begin to think about the person’s motives and
what it is that the person using the flattery is really wanting from us.
7.3.3.
We need to be aware that our ‘naivety and pride’ are the things
that blind us so that we are sucked into the flattery that people sometimes use
on us.
8.
VS 24:11-13 - “11 since you can take note of
the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to
8.1.
Notice in Paul’s defense
for himself the following:
8.1.1.
In his defense Paul states the timeline within which these
supposed charges were to have taken place:
within the last twelve days.
Tertullus had given no timeline for any of the charges, and in fact
everything that he told Felix was in reality an accusation based upon hearsay,
and collaborated with no evidence or testimony by witnesses.
8.1.2.
Paul told Felix that he had not had ‘a discussion with anyone’, nor had
he caused a ‘riot’. Paul did not have the time
available to him to do any of the things that he was being charged with.
8.1.2.1.He had gone up immediately
to the church in
8.1.3.
Paul tells Felix that the Jews cannot prove ‘the charges’ which they were making
against him.
9.
VS 24:14-15 - “14
“But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do
serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with
the Law, and that is written in the Prophets; 15 having a hope in God, which
these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of
both the righteous and the wicked.”” - Paul admits to Felix that he
lives ‘according to the Way’ and that the hope that he has is the same as that
which the Jews before him have for themselves
9.1.
Notice in this next defense that Paul makes for himself the following:
9.1.1.
He admits that he is part of the group called ‘the Way’, the group that the Jews
were trying to discount as merely being a ‘sect’ of Judaism. We have seen many instances in the book of
Acts where the church was called ‘the Way’.
Jesus said in John 14:6 that He was ‘the Way’, the truth, and the life,
and that no man could come to the Father, but through Him. This is probably where the name came from.
9.1.2.
Paul’s argument to Felix is that the church, or ‘the Way’, was not a
mere aberrant sect, but rather they believed in ‘everything that is in
accordance with the Law, and that is written in the Prophets’, and that they likewise
shared the same ‘hope in God’ with the Jews, i.e. that ‘there shall certainly
be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked’.
9.1.3.
Paul seeks to communicate that Christianity was actually the
fulfillment of Judaism, and the hope that they had always believed and
cherished. The Old Testament
prophets had prophesied of the Messiah who was to come, and now Jesus was the
fulfillment of all of those many prophesies.
The Jewish nation was the one who had forsaken their religion and their
God, not Paul.
9.1.4.
Paul is implying in his defense that the Lord is the answer for every
person’s life,
and that they desperately needed Him in their life. To know Christ was to know “life”, and to be
brought from “death” into “life”.
9.1.5.
Paul acknowledges that Christianity embraces the truth that there shall
be two resurrections, one for the ‘righteous’, or those who have been made right before God
through Jesus Christ, and, those who are ‘wicked’, or who rejected Jesus Christ
as their Lord and Savior in this life.
The ‘righteous’ will be resurrected to live forever in God’s presence,
or heaven, and the ‘wicked’ shall be resurrected to live forever in hell, the
“outer darkness” where Jesus taught in a few recorded instances that there
would be “weeping and gnashing of teeth”.
Jesus taught in Matt. 8:11-12, “11 “And I say to you, that many
shall come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, and
Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom
shall be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.””
9.1.5.1.Pastors and teachers in the
church today are doing their people a great disservice when they do not teach
about the existence of a literal and eternal hell for those who reject Jesus
Christ as their Lord and Savior.
9.1.5.2.If there is a literal heaven
that the “saved” will go to, and a literal hell that the “unsaved” will go to,
after this life, then we Christians must warn people of this reality, and tell
them that they do not have to go to hell.
People make a choice as to whether or not they shall go to heaven or
hell. God has already made the way open
to go to heaven if people will choose to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, and
it is people themselves who will decide their eternal residence in either
heaven or hell. We must inform people of
the choice that they will make in this life, and we must warn them that by
avoiding making a choice they are choosing to go to hell.
9.2.
We Christians must believe that God has the answers that we need for our
life.
9.2.1.
If we believe that God’s Word is inspired and innerrant, then we
must also believe that it has the answers that we need for our lives,
and we must study it and be taught it so that we can learn the answers we need.
9.2.2.
This world has no answers, only opinions. In the world of Psychotherapy for instance,
there are as many theories as to the origin of people’s problems as well as
what they need in order to be healed, as there are Psychotherapists. How then could we trust worldly
Psychotherapists to have the answers for our life?
9.2.3.
The world has no objective truth which it can stand on. All truth therefore is relative, and
therefore people in the world have no hope beyond this life.
10.
VS 24:16 - “16 “In view of this, I also do
my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before
men.” -
Paul tells Felix that he has always tried to maintain a blameless
conscience before God and men
10.1.
In the last chapter, Ananias had ordered Paul to be slapped when he had
interrogated him and Paul had declared the same truth that he declares here,
that he had always lived true to the light that he had received in his life.
10.2.
In this verse, Paul defends himself to Felix, saying that he is
constantly. trying his ‘best to maintain always a blameless conscience both
before God and before men’
10.2.1.
We Christians should have Paul as our example in life, always trying
our best to live our life according to God’s will, while doing nothing in our
lives that would cause another person to stumble or be offended.
11.
VS 24:17 - “17 “Now after several years I
came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings;” - Paul tells Felix that he was
just bringing his alms to the temple when he was accosted
11.1.
In this verse, Paul reveals that he had come to
12.
VS 24:18-21 - “18 in which they found me
occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar. But
there were certain Jews from
12.1.
Paul tells Felix that the Jews had found him in the temple doing just
as he said he was doing, with the men completing the Nazarite vow.
12.2.
Paul next tells Felix that the Jews from
12.3.
Paul states that the only thing for which they could possibly indict
him for is for saying that he was on trial for his belief in the ‘resurrection
of the dead’.
13.
VS 24:22-23 - “22 But Felix, having a more
exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander
comes down, I will decide your case.” 23 And he gave orders to the centurion
for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any
of his friends from ministering to him.” - Felix determined to judge Paul’s case when
the Roman Commander again came down to them
13.1.
Somewhere at some time, Felix had had some exposure to Christians and
Christianity, and as a result of his knowledge of what ‘the way’ was about he
decided that he wanted to confer with the Roman Commander, Lysias, in
13.2.
Procrastination characterized the life of Felix, as he should have
dismissed the charges against Paul immediately seeing as there were no
corroborating witnesses who were present.
13.2.1.
He was breaking Roman law by not doing this, however he was not really
concerned about doing that.
13.3.
Felix was kind enough to give Paul quite a bit of personal
consideration in allowing him to be ministered to by his friends and have some
freedom.
13.3.1.
Prisons in Paul’s day do not compare with prisons today, for in Paul’s
day if a person did not have friends and/or family to minister to his needs
while in prison he easily might not live through the ordeal.
14.
VS 24:24-25 - “24 But some days later, Felix
arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul, and heard
him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 And as he was discussing
righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened
and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you.”” - Felix came again with his
wife and sought for Paul so that he might hear him preach about Jesus
14.1.
As was said earlier, according to secular historians, several things
have come to be known about Felix and Drusilla:
14.1.1.
Felix was a very wicked man. He
hired assassins to silence his opponents.
He was a cruel governor, and it was said of him that, ‘he used the
power of a king with the temper of a slave’. He was married to a woman who was Jewish, and
she had been the wife of the king of Emesa, Azazus. Felix had hired a magician named Simon to
lure Drusilla away from her husband to come and become Felix’s wife. Felix had committed bigamy, which was against
Roman law, for marrying her. Drusilla
was also the daughter of Herod Agrippa I, who had killed James with the sword,
and then died shortly afterwards.
14.1.2.
Drusilla, being a Jewess, should
have known better than to be doing the things that she was doing in committing
adultery, and sharing in the wickedness of this man Felix.
14.2.
Felix was curious about Christianity, having been exposed to it at some
time in his past, and when Drusilla had come to visit him, he sent for Paul in
order to hear him preach the gospel message.
14.2.1.
Paul preached a message to Felix and Drusilla that included three
topics: ‘righteousness, self-control and
the judgment to come’. This was a timely
message for these two to hear.
14.2.1.1.He preached about the fact
that a person cannot be justified before God based upon his own works of
righteousness. Righteousness before God
can only be imputed to a person by Jesus Christ when he becomes ‘saved’.
14.2.1.2.He preached that God expects
men to repent of their sin and live a godly life that is “Christ-like”.
14.2.1.3.Paul preached to Felix and
Druscilla about the ‘self-control’ that the Holy Spirit gives a Christian
enabling him to avoid the sins of the flesh, keeping his mouth and body in
subjection.
14.2.1.4.He also preached to them
that there is coming a day in which God will judge the world, and those who
have received Jesus as Lord and Savior will spend eternity with Him, however,
those who have not received Jesus as Lord and Savior will spend eternity in
hell, the place created for punishment for the devil and his angels.
14.3.
However as I said, Felix was a procrastinator, and instead of repenting
when he felt the feverish conviction of his sin from God, he told Paul, ‘Go
away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you’. However, as far as we know Felix never found
a better time to repent, and thus he never came to repentance.
14.3.1.
People of this world should learn from the story of this man Felix who
put off or procrastinated in making a decision to accept Jesus as his Lord and
Savior. Paul wrote in 2 Cor. 6:2, “2
for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you”
;behold, now is “the acceptable time,”
behold, now is “the day of salvation””
14.3.1.1.People often say that at a later time when
life is less hectic or when they have more time, then they will look into
being where the Lord wants them to be in their life. However, the present is the best time to
search for and know the Lord. It will
never be easier than it is right now to give your life over to Christ. With the passage of time, our hearts are
hardened, and then it becomes harder and not easier to repent.
14.3.1.2.A lot of people are waiting
for some sign in their life from God before they will receive Jesus as
their Lord and Savior, and because some sign has not occurred, then they have
not repented and given their life completely to Him.
14.3.1.3.Some people are waiting
for the Lord to just come into their life and sweep them off of their feet and
call them to salvation rather than making a commitment of their lives to
Christ, yet the Lord chooses not to work in their life in that way. These people need to repent at the preaching
of the gospel message and not wait until the Lord overpowers them, because He
is a gentleman and He probably will not work in their life in that way. They are responsible for the light of
revelation concerning the gospel which they have received.
15.
VS 24:26 - “26 At the same time too, he was
hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send
for him quite often and converse with him.” - Felix was hoping that Paul would bribe him and
thus he kept Paul around
15.1.
Felix had another reason for not receiving Christ as his Lord and
Savior, and that was that he was a greedy man.
He would have released Paul if Paul would have given him a bribe,
however Paul would not stoop to doing that in order to get his justice.
16.
VS 24:27 - “27 But after two years had
passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and wishing to do the Jews a
favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.” - Felix left his post after 2 years, and
wanting to do the Jews a favor he left Paul in prison
16.1.
Felix left Paul imprisoned when his term of governorship was succeeded
by this man, Porcius Festus. Felix
decided that he wanted to try in some way to give some appeasement to the Jews
as he was exiting, by leaving Paul in prison in
16.2.
As it was, history records that after Felix was succeeded by Porcius
Festus, that the Jews brought accusations against Felix to Caesar, however
Felix’s brother interceded on his behalf and perhaps spared his life.