Paul’s Defense Before Felix

Acts 24:10-21
P. G. Mathew | Sunday, May 21, 2000
Copyright © 2000, P. G. Mathew

When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

“After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me. Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin-unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: `It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.'”

Acts 24:10-21

There was a time when the authorities in this country tried witches. A time may be coming when the authorities in this country may try, not witches, but true ministers of Jesus Christ. In fact, even now many ministers of the gospel in other parts of the world are standing trial and being condemned by the authorities of their countries. Therefore, as we examine the powerful defense of the apostle Paul before the Roman governor Felix, let us understand that it is not just something that happened centuries ago, but it is something that has significant relevance to our life today.

Felix the Judge

Before we examine Paul’s defense, let us first examine who the judge in this situation was. Antonius Felix and his brother Pallas were slaves who were freed by the mother of Emperor Claudius. They grew up with Prince Claudius, and when Claudius became emperor of Rome, these brothers were given powerful positions because they catered to his perversions. In A.D. 52 Antonius Felix became the governor of Judea and was stationed in Herod’s palace in Caesarea.

According to the historian Tacitus, Felix was a master of cruelty and lust, who exercised the powers of a king with the spirit of a slave. The period in which he governed Judea, 52-59 A.D., was characterized by severe unrest and uprisings. During his reign Felix crucified thousands of people and was thoroughly hated by the Jews. As one given to power, glory, and pleasure, Felix would do anything to amass wealth for himself.

Felix was married to a young woman named Drusilla, who was nineteen years old at the time of Paul’s trial. Drusilla was the youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I, the king who had killed the apostle James (Acts 12), and who, in turn, was killed by God in Caesarea (Acts 13). Drusilla’s siblings included a brother, King Herod Agrippa II, a sister, Bernice, who accompanied their brother King Agrippa II to Caesarea (Acts 25-26), and another sister, Mariamne, who is not mentioned in the Bible.

Drusilla was born in Rome in A.D. 38 and was brought to Caesarea by her father, Herod Agrippa I. When her father died in A.D. 44, she was only six years of age. When she was fourteen years old, Drusilla was given in marriage by her brother to Azizus, king of Emesa in Syria. But Antonius Felix-this corrupt, crooked, cruel judge-seduced Drusilla through a magician and later married her when she was sixteen. Drusilla and Felix had one son, Agrippa, who perished when Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. at Pompeii. In A.D. 57, when she was nineteen, along with her husband Felix, Drusilla heard the gospel from the mouth of the apostle Paul.

The Prosecution Party

Paul was brought to trial before Antonius Felix in the Praetorium of Herod’s palace in Caesarea. Who were the members of the prosecution party?

First, there was Ananias-the greedy, cruel, violent man who was high priest at that time. Then there were elders from the Sanhedrin. I suspect that they were mostly of the Sadducean party. Then there was an advocate, a lawyer, named Tertullus, who was a professional orator, trained in Roman law and well-versed in Latin. Probably a Jew from the Diaspora, Tertullus was the spin doctor of his time. During Paul’s trial, Tertullus displayed the utter contempt he had for Jesus of Nazareth and his followers, whom he called Nazarenes. These were the people who came to prosecute the apostle of Christ.

The Prosecution Argument

Tertullus began his prosecution of Paul by flattering Felix in an attempt to get into his good graces. As we read his words, we notice that whatever Tertullus said of Felix was the exact opposite of the truth we know about Felix from history. For example, in Acts 24:2 Tertullus said, “We have enjoyed a long period of peace under you. . . .” This was a lie, as we said before. Felix’s reign was characterized by unrest and uprisings. Tertullus continued, “and your foresight has brought about reforms in this nation.” This was another lie. Felix was not a reformer. Tertullus continued, “Everywhere and in every way, most excellent Felix, we acknowledge this with profound gratitude.” These were all lies from the lips of the lawyer Tertullus.

Not only did Tertullus lie in his opening words to Felix, but he also lied as he leveled his charges against Paul. Tertullus accused Paul of three things which were all false.

1. Troublemaker of the Roman world. In verse 5 Tertullus began by saying, “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world.” Notice the phrase “this man.” Because of his profound contempt for the apostle of Christ, Tertullus didn’t even use Paul’s name as he accused him of being a troublemaker of the whole Roman empire.

The charge of being a troublemaker is nothing new for God’s people. Remember what Ahab said when he saw Elijah in 1 Kings 18:17-18? The wicked king of Samaria told Elijah, “You are the troubler of Israel.” But Elijah didn’t agree with Ahab’s analysis of him. He told him, “I have not made trouble for Israel. . . . but you and your father’s family have,” which was true.

Like Elijah, Paul was not a troubler of the Roman world in a negative sense, except for those who hated the gospel. Wherever he went, Paul spread the fragrance of the knowledge of God in the gospel. In other words, he spread life, hope, light, and joy wherever he went through the preaching of the gospel.

If sharing the gospel is trouble, then we must appreciate all of those people who give such trouble to others. The Lord Jesus Christ himself could be considered a troublemaker. Did he tell people, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand”? John the Baptist said the same thing, as did the apostles. I hope we will all become troublers for those who are at ease in Zion. We must trouble people with the truth of the gospel.

The Greek word used by Tertullus is loimon, which means troublemaker, pest, or pestilence. In other words, Tertullus was saying that the Roman world was a healthy empire, but the apostle Paul was a carrier of disease who was seeking to infect the whole Roman world with his teaching. Tertullus saw Paul as a threat to Pax Romana, the Roman peace by encouraging unrest and sedition against Rome.

The charge of being a troublemaker was a serious political charge because the authorities of Rome would do anything to maintain peace and order. Tertullus saw Paul as a threat to peace, and so, in essence, he was saying to Felix, “Most Excellent Felix, if you are really a true governor of the Roman empire, you will notice that this man is a carrier of the disease of unrest and sedition. As the servant of the emperor, you must exterminate him. You can only get rid of him by condemning him and killing him.”

2. Ringleader of the Nazarene sect. The second charge Tertullus made against Paul was that he was the ringleader of the Nazarene sect. Notice the word Nazarene. Tertullus used it to convey contempt. There was a saying at that time, “What good can come from Nazareth?” as we read in John 1:46. But Jesus himself was proud of Nazareth. When he appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus, Jesus identified himself, saying, “I am Jesus of Nazareth.”

By using the phrase “Nazarene sect,” Tertullus was trying to say that Paul belonged to an illegal religion-not part of the legal religion of Judaism, and thus not under Roman protection. This was also a politically loaded charge. Tertullus was accusing Paul of belonging to an illegal messianic movement which, if Felix do not put a stop to it, would threaten the peace of Rome. This, according to Tertullus, was additional reason for Felix to have Paul condemned and killed.

3. Desecrator of the temple. In verse 6 we find the third charge Tertullus made against Paul. He said Paul “even tried to desecrate the temple.” Again, this was a lie.

Notice, this charge was different from that originally made by the Asian Jews who seized Paul while he was worshiping in the temple. In Acts 21:28 the charge made by the Asian Jews. “Men of Israel,” they said, “help us! This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against our people and our law and this place. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple area and defiled this holy place.”

If Paul had actually brought Greeks into a prohibited holy area of the temple, he could have been killed by the Jews. Rome gave the Jews the authority to judge and execute any who defiled the temple, whether Jew or Gentile. But the truth was, Paul did not defile or attempt to defile the temple. Tertullus knew the charge of the Asian Jews was false, and so he adjusted it, saying, “He even tried to desecrate. . . .”

Not only that, as a spin doctor, Tertullus said in verse 6, “So we seized him.” This was also a false statement. The Asian Jews, who had hated Paul for a long time and wanted to kill him, had seized Paul in the temple, dragged him out, closed the gates, and were beating him to death when the commander rescued him. But all Tertullus said was, “We seized him.” The idea was that he wanted the court to examine and take care of this matter in a quick, orderly fashion, without dealing with possibly troublesome details.

After Tertullus rested his case, “the Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true,” as we read in verse 9. They all said, “Amen,” to the charges brought by Tertullus.

Paul Stands Before Felix

In Acts 24:10 Paul began to defend himself before Felix. The first point I want to make is that Paul did not engage a lawyer to defend him. Why? He was not lying. Paul did not need a lawyer to spin his case before a judge. However, even though Paul had no human lawyer in this trial, he did have an advocate-the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth.

Jesus Christ speaks about this role of the Holy Spirit in Mark 13. Knowing that his disciples would be seized, arrested, and dragged before councils, kings, and governors, Jesus tells them that such situations will be glorious opportunities for them to give witness to him. In Mark 13:11 he said, “Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”

Praise God for our advocate! First John 2:1 tells us we have an advocate in heaven in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the first advocate. Additionally, we have a second advocate on earth, the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus spoke of when he said, “I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor,” or advocate, “to be with you forever-the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:16-17)

Paul’s Defense

In Acts 24:10 we read, “When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied. . . .” Notice, Paul did not engage in flattery as he addressed the wicked, cruel judge, Felix. He simply stated the facts. Paul began, “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation. . . .” This was true. Felix had been governing Judea since 52 and it was now 57 A.D. Paul continued, “so I gladly make my defense.” Again, notice the lack of flattery. May God help us to imitate Paul and not flatter anyone. If you flatter, it means you are trusting, not in God, but in your own ability to spin. Christian people don’t flatter.

Then Paul began to deny each charge that had been made against him. In verse 11 he said, “You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.” In other words, Paul was saying, “I haven’t had time to stir up troubles and seditions all over this land, as I am being accused of doing. If you don’t believe me, do some investigation on your own. You can prove what I am saying is true.”

In verse 12 he continued, “My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city.” Again, Paul was just stating the truth. In verse 13 he added, “And they,” meaning the prosecution, “cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.”

The charges made against Paul were general charges. This was a court of law and the Jews had to make specific, not general, charges. Those who made the accusations against Paul were also the witnesses. They should have been present to make and prove their case.

The truth was, there were no accusers or witnesses to testify against Paul, because the Asian Jews were not there. There were no specific charges and thus no case. So Paul said, “They cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me.” What was Paul saying? “I am innocent.”

The Same God

After Paul asserted his innocence, he then admitted one thing. In verse 14 he said, “However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect.” Notice, he didn’t say “the sect of the Nazarenes.” Paul was declaring, “I am a follower of the Way, but this Way is not a sect. It is not something different and separate from the Old Testament religion. Christianity is the way of the Holy Scriptures, the way of the righteous that we read about in Psalm 1. It is the way of truth, the way of Jesus, and the way of God. It is the way of life eternal-the final flowering of the Old Testament scriptures, the fulfillment of Judaism, the faith of our fathers. It is not different or separate.”

“I worship the God of our fathers,” Paul asserted. “You see,” he was saying, “the God I worship is not a different God from the God the Jews are worshiping. He is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, and the God of David. These people are trying to say that I am worshiping a different God and participating in a different religion-a sect, really-but all these charges are absolutely false. I worship the same God they worship.”

The Same Scriptures

Not only that, Paul then said, “I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets.” In other words, “I believe in the same book that these people believe in-the Holy Scriptures, which alone are able to make a person wise unto salvation.” Paul believed in the absolute authority of the Holy Scriptures and asserted that Christianity is the necessary fulfillment of all that the Scriptures teach.

In Luke 24 we read that when Jesus Christ interpreted the entire Old Testament to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, he came to this conclusion: “They are written of me, the Messiah. They tell you that the Messiah should suffer and be raised up.” Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the entire teaching of the Old Testament. That is why he said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Christianity is not divorced from the Old Testament scriptures; rather, it is the fulfillment of them. If you are not a Christian and you try to interpret Scriptures in any other way, you will be misinterpreting them. This is what we must say to Jews as well as to Gentiles when we are evangelizing. Both Jesus and Paul said that Christianity is the correct interpretation of the Old Testament, so if you are not a Christian, you will thoroughly misunderstand the entire Old Testament. We must earnestly plead with Jewish people to repent and believe in their Messiah and Savior, Jesus Christ–and not only with Jews, but with Gentiles also.

Paul spoke about this also in Acts 26, beginning with verse 22. Speaking before King Agrippa II, Governor Festus, and Bernice, he said, “I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen,” meaning what the entire Old Testament had promised, “that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”

This was the understanding and interpretation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and so it was the understanding and interpretation of his apostle. In other words, Paul was saying, “I am a follower of the Way. I am one who correctly believes the entire Old Testament, which promised this Messiah, and I believe in that Messiah. I worship the same God these people worship and believe in the same Scriptures that these people believe in.”

The Hope of the Resurrection

Not only did Paul assert his faith in the same God and same Scriptures as the Jews, but he also said he had the same hope as they did. What was Paul’s hope? In Acts 24:15 we read, “And I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of the righteous and of the wicked.”

The idea of a resurrection was a doctrine believed by God’s people throughout history, beginning with Abraham, as we read in Hebrews 11:19. When Abraham was asked to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering, he faced a dilemma. He knew that God had promised that nations were to come through Isaac. How could that happen if he burned up Isaac as an offering to God? Then Abraham reasoned, “Hey, wait a minute. I know what is going to happen. God will raise my son out of ashes.” As the writer to the Hebrews says, “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.”

Job believed in resurrection, as we read in Job 19:25-27. David believed in resurrection and prophesied about it, especially in Psalm 16, where he speaks about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah also believed in resurrection, as we read in Isaiah 26:19. Daniel believed in the resurrection of the just and the unjust, as we read in Daniel 12. And, of course, Jesus Christ himself said, “I am the resurrection and the life,” and prophesied there is going to be a resurrection from the grave of the righteous and the wicked, as we read in John 5.

The resurrection hoped for by Paul is not just the immortality of the soul, but a bodily resurrection as well. Just as Jesus was raised from the dead in a physical body, which his disciples could touch and in which he could eat and drink with them, so also God is going to raise us up from the grave in physical bodies.

Not only is God going to raise his people from the dead and give them new bodies, but he is also going to raise the wicked and give them bodies. So the resurrection of the dead is a prelude to something else: the judgment seat of Christ, which means that all will stand before this Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, and be judged by him. At that time there will be a disposition of people to either heaven or hell. We will speak more about this later.

Paul’s Ambition

Then Paul told Felix he had an ambition. Because Paul believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and his resurrection, and in the resurrection of the just and the unjust, he knew he must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. (PGM) Knowing that Christ would deal with all that he had done while Paul was in his body, as Paul wrote later in 2 Corinthians 5:10, Paul said he had one goal, one purpose, one ambition. What was it?

In verse 16 he said, “So I strive,” meaning he worked very hard to do one thing on a daily, continuing basis-striving, sparing no effort, focusing on just one thing- “to keep my conscience clear, not only before men but before God.” Paul’s ambition was to have a clear conscience before God and man.

In other words, belief in the gospel has ethical implications. If Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, it matters how we live, because one day we must stand before him. The righteous as well as the wicked shall stand before Christ and be judged.

Paul’s Closing Arguments

In Acts 26:17-21 we find Paul’s closing remarks. First, he refuted the claim of the Jews that he was opposed to the Jewish people. “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor.” In other words, Paul was saying that he came to Jerusalem specifically to help his Jewish brothers, especially the poor among them. What about the charge that he didn’t care for the temple? Again, Paul refuted that charge, saying, “I came to Jerusalem. . . . to present offerings. I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this.” In other words, Paul had no intent to desecrate the temple, as he was accused of doing.

Then he came to the very heart of the matter, saying, “But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.” Paul knew it was against Roman law to accuse someone and then not show up for the trial. In fact, it was a crime to behave this way, and so he got to the very heart of it. “Where are my accusers?” Paul was asking. “They are the only ones who can level charges against me. Not you, Tertullus. Not anybody else. Where are they? Why they are not here? Why are there no witnesses? Why is there only this nebulous accusation? Where is the proof? Why has there been no attempt to verify these charges?”

What was Paul’s conclusion? “They have no charge. There is nothing against me.”

The Non-Verdict

What did Felix do after Paul concluded his defense? Nothing. This corrupt judge knew that Paul was utterly innocent, but he refused to declare a verdict which would have exonerated Paul and enabled him to go free.

Paul’s innocence was attested to by many people, both before this trial and in subsequent trials. Before this trial, Felix had received a letter from the commander, Claudius Lysias, which proclaimed Paul’s innocence. As the Roman authority who had been at the site of when Paul was arrested, Claudius Lysias wrote, “I found that the accusation had to do with questions about their law, but there was no charge against him that deserved death or imprisonment” (Acts 23:29). Felix had received and read this letter.

Even when Paul stood before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem his innocence was also proclaimed by a number of people in the Sanhedrin. In Acts 23:9 we read, “There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law, who were Pharisees, stood up and argued vigorously, ‘We find nothing wrong with this man.'”

Felix knew that Paul was innocent, but he did a criminal thing and refused to let him go free. Why do you think he did not set Paul free? Felix was a greedy thief who was always looking for more money. When he enticed Drusilla to marry him, he promised that he would give her all felicity, meaning he would try to give her everything she wanted to keep her happy. He needed a lot of money to fulfill this promise, and so even though he knew the apostle was totally innocent, he hoped to make money from him. He ordered that Paul be kept under guard and in verse 26 we read, “At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.” There was a Roman law against judges accepting bribes, but, being a thief, Felix did not care.

We find further evidence that Paul’s innocence was widely known in Acts 25. When Festus succeeded Felix as governor, the Sanhedrin came again to try Paul before Festus. In verse 7 we read, “When Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.”

In Acts 25:18 Festus himself spoke of Paul’s innocence: “When his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.” And in verse 25 Festus said, “I found he had done nothing deserving of death.”

Even King Agrippa II addressed Paul’s innocence. In Acts 26:31 Agrippa, Bernice and Festus said among themselves, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment,” and in verse 32 Agrippa told Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Brothers and sisters, keep in mind the example of the apostle Paul. When people seize you, arrest you, and try you, don’t expect any justice. Why? Like Paul, you belong to the man from Nazareth, the Lord Jesus Christ, and you and I will be treated in the same way that he was treated. That is why Jesus told us to deny ourselves, take up the cross daily, and follow him.

Paul’s Conclusion

It is sad to note that the brilliant defense of Paul did not cause Festus or Ananias or Tertullus or the members of the Sanhedrin to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is sad because there is a resurrection of the just and the unjust, and all of these individuals are in hell at this time.

How did Paul conclude his defense? He spoke of the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. This was something that Paul used in his defenses all the time. He said that in time and space, in history, God became man in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He was crucified and buried, and then God raised him from the dead.

What are the implications of this divine action in history? Because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, certain things are now guaranteed. First, there will be a resurrection of the dead. Because Jesus Christ himself rose from the dead, we have a guarantee that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust, who will all be given physical bodies.

What else is implied by the resurrection of Christ? That all people must appear before God’s appointed judge, the Lord Jesus Christ. He whom God raised from the dead will be our judge, and he will judge everything we have done, whether good or evil, while in our bodies.

That is why Paul said he made every effort to have a clear conscience before God and man. By faith he saw that one day God would sound the trumpet, the dead would be raised, and all would be brought before the judgment seat of Christ for judgment. The gospel is not some theoretical belief in certain propositions; rather, this gospel, if we believe, has serious implications for our lives here and later. God will raise every person from the grave and we must stand before him to give account for what we did in our bodies.

What will happen at this judgment? An eternal distinction will be made. The wicked will be raised up that they may be condemned and given over to eternal death, shame, and everlasting contempt, while the righteous will enter eternal life, glory, and everlasting joy with Christ.

This is a matter of utmost importance. When the gospel is preached, do you treat Jesus Christ with contempt? If so, the time is coming when you will be treated with everlasting contempt. The Lord Jesus Christ will treat those with everlasting contempt who treated him with contempt. Not only that, the Bible uses such expressions as being sentenced “to eternal fire,” or “to eternal punishment.” That is why we must pay close attention to this great truth that Paul has proclaimed. The heart of the gospel is that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, and it has implications in the now because a day of judgment is coming.

In John 5:28 Jesus himself proclaimed, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice. . . .” It will be the voice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is coming in glory and in power. He is coming back personally. As the disciples saw him go into heaven, he shall come again. Every eye shall see him, and everyone shall be raised up from their graves to stand before his judgment seat.

Jesus continued “. . . and come out.” This is the summons from the Judge of all the earth. Nothing can stand in the way of our coming instantly before him when he summons us. Nothing can cover us, nothing can keep us from coming. Even our death cannot prevent us from suddenly appearing before him when he calls.

Then Jesus mentioned the distinction that will be made: “Those who have done good will rise to live.” Oh, that is speaking about, not work salvation, but about trusting in Jesus Christ and doing what he pleases. But then he adds, “Those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”

What Must We Do?

We are all going to die. Hebrews 9:27 tells us it is appointed for man once to die and then comes the judgment. One day this Jesus of Nazareth will come and we will hear his voice, rise from the dead, and appear before him in our bodies. Some will go to eternal life while others go to eternal death. Some will rise to go to heaven, where God is, while others will rise to go to hell, where the devil and his angels are. Some will rise to be justified by our Lord Jesus Christ, whose apostle said, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” while others will rise to be condemned. Some will rise for blessing while others will rise to be cursed. Some will rise to glory while others will rise to everlasting shame and contempt. These distinctions will be crystal clear, according to the gospel.

In light of these truths, what must we do? While we are alive, we must reflect upon this gospel and believe it. We must realize that we cannot escape Jesus Christ. We must not treat him with contempt by not believing in him, because if we do, he will treat us with everlasting contempt, to our eternal regret.

There is a way to escape this death, this curse, this shame, this punishment which is coming to those who treat Christ with contempt. If you want to do that-if you want to get out of the realm of condemnation and death and misery and danger and enter into the kingdom of God-you must trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Acknowledge him, trust in him, ask him to forgive your sins and save you, and you shall be saved.

What if you are already a Christian? Let me ask you one question: Is your faith theoretical, or does it affect your ethics? If your faith is merely theoretical and does not affect your life, you are not saved. Didn’t Paul say, “I strive, I spare no effort to have a clear conscience before God. In my thought, in my word, in my deed, in my going, in my coming I live to please him.” I urge you this day to call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Then you can consecrate yourself to live to please God, knowing that you will one day appear before him to give an account of what you did in your flesh.

May God help us all to live in the light of these gospel truths even this day. Amen.