Acts 26

Acts 26:1-32

72. PAUL’S BEFORE AGRIPPA Acts 26:1-32 Though Paul stood before a Roman tribunal in defense of his life, he seized the opportunity to tell both the court and his accusers what God had done for him and in him by his free and sovereign grace in Christ. In the thirty-two verses of this chapter, he describes himself, his life, his conversion, and his ministry. In doing so, he faithfully fulfilled his responsibility as Jehovah’s servant (Isaiah 44:8; Acts 1:8), preaching Jesus Christ and him crucified even to his captors. The preaching of the gospel always calls for sinners to become followers of Christ, trusting him as Lord and Savior. Agrippa understood that from Paul’s words and said, after Paul had finished speaking, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” What did Paul tell Agrippa that so moved him? First, THE APOSTLE TOLD AGRIPPA THAT HE HAD BEEN A LOST ZEALOT (Acts 26:1-11). He said, “After the most strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee” (Acts 26:5). Saul of Tarsus never was a profligate, immoral person. He was from his youth an upright, religious man, a man of principle and integrity. Like the rich young ruler, he kept the law from his youth up. In so far as the letter of the law and its outward requirements were concerned, he was blameless (Philippians 3:4-6). Yet, he was lost! Unlike most religious people, Saul was a very zealous man.

He was devoted. He studied the Scriptures with diligence. He talked about the things of God with zeal. He was wholehearted, earnest, and thoroughly committed. Saul of Tarsus never neglected the hour of prayer, the study of God’s Word, or the house of God. So zealous was he in religion that, in accordance with Old Testament law, he persecuted those who followed Jesus of Nazareth relentlessly, believing them to be blasphemers. Saul was so zealous that most who truly worship God must blush with shame, when comparing themselves to him. Yet, he was lost!

Moreover, Saul of Tarsus was thoroughly orthodox in his doctrine. This man was no scoffer, skeptic, or liberal. And he certainly was not an Arminian! Even before he was converted, he knew and embraced doctrinal truth (Acts 26:4-8). I do not mean to suggest that he had spiritual understanding. But his doctrine was basically orthodox. Saul was a Pharisee. He believed in divine election, divine sovereignty, absolute predestination, total depravity, the inspiration of Scripture, the resurrection of the dead, and even particular redemption.

No Pharisee, or anyone else who understands the Old Testament sacrifices, ever dreamed of a universal atonement! Saul even looked for the Christ, believing all the Old Testament prophecies relating to him. His doctrine was right. Yet, he was lost! Saul believed in Christ as a matter of doctrine, but he did not know Christ. He believed all that the Bible said about Christ; but he did not know him (John 17:3). He was a lost religious zealot. Secondly, AT GOD’S TIME, SAUL OF TARSUS WAS , , AND BY THE GRACE AND POWER OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST (Acts 26:12-15). There is a time of love appointed by God for the saving of each of his elect (Ezekiel 16:8; Psalms 65:4; Psalms 110:3; Galatians 4:4-6). For Saul, the appointed time and place of mercy was when he was on his way to Damascus to persecute the saints of God there. Suddenly, the Son of God stepped into his life. He was not seeking the Lord; but the Lord sought him. He was not looking for grace; but grace looked for him. He did not find the Savior; but the Savior found him (Isaiah 65:1; Acts 9:1-20; Acts 22:6-21). He was “in the way”. Though he did not know it, Saul was in the way that would lead him to Christ, following a prearranged path, walking in a preordained way. Each of his steps were ordered by the Lord, predestinated and marked out before the world began (Proverbs 16:9; Romans 8:28). Saul of Tarsus was an object of God’s electing love. There were many travelling the Damascus road that day; but only one was called by God’s effectual power and grace because only one had been chosen and redeemed. The irresistible grace and call came only to the chosen (Romans 8:29-30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). The proud Pharisee was conquered and subdued by the revelation of Christ. The Lord Jesus met him in the way, revealed himself in him, and called him with a call he could not resist. He saw the Lord (Acts 26:13), heard his voice (Acts 26:14), and surrendered to his will (Acts 26:15). All who are saved by God’s grace are saved by the same sovereign intervention of God into their lives (Ephesians 2:1-6; Galatians 1:15-16). Thirdly, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF PUT PAUL INTO THE (Acts 26:16-18). God’s preachers do not decide to go into the ministry and begin looking for a place to preach. Any man who goes looking for a place to preach will compromise to get it and compromise to keep it. God’s preachers are made by God and put into the work of the ministry by him. Paul said, “I was made a minister” (Ephesians 3:7-11). God’s preachers are sent by God with a message to proclaim to men.

As it was with Paul, so it is with all who are called of God to preach the gospel. Their message and their method is determined by God. Paul was required to preach what he had experienced, no more and no less (Acts 26:16). It was his privilege and responsibility to carry the light of the gospel into a world of darkness and superstition (Acts 26:18). The message he was sent to preach was clear and simple (Acts 26:18). The Lord Jesus sent Paul to preach to sinners the forgiveness of sin by his blood (Ephesians 1:6), the hope of eternal life by his grace (2 Thessalonians 2:16), and sanctification (holiness) by faith in him (1 Corinthians 1:30). Fourthly, PAUL WAS TO HIS MASTER (Acts 26:19-23). Wherever he went, he preached the gospel to all, Jews and Gentiles. His message was always the same (1 Corinthians 2:2). He constantly preached repentance toward God (Acts 26:20), redemption by Christ (Acts 26:23), and the resurrection of the dead (Acts 26:23). He preached the first resurrection, which is spiritual regeneration by the power and grace of God the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8; John 5:25; Revelation 20:6), and the resurrection of the body at the last day (John 5:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Fifthly, BEING CALLED OF GOD, PAUL WAS FAR MORE ABOUT THE SOULS OF MEN AND THE GLORY OF GOD THAN HE WAS HIS OWN COMFORT AND WELFARE (Acts 26:24-32). He stands as a prisoner in chains before Festus and Agrippa. Yet, he is not seeking freedom, or even to prove his innocence. Paul’s obvious intent in this defence of himself was to make Christ known to his captors. Read the chapter carefully. Throughout these verses, Paul was pointing Festus, Felix, Bernice, and his accusers to Christ as the Hope of Israel (Acts 26:6), the crucified Savior (Acts 26:9), the Light from Heaven (Acts 26:13), the exalted Lord (Acts 26:13-15), the Head of the Church (Acts 26:14), and the sovereign God (Acts 26:16-23).

He told them that forgiveness, eternal life, repentance, redemption, sanctification, resurrection, and faith are all the gifts of God’s free, saving grace in Christ. Festus considered him nothing but a madman (Acts 26:24-25). But Paul (Acts 26:26-32), sensing that he had gotten Agrippa’s attention, pressed the claims of Christ upon him personally and urgently. Agrippa was according to his own words, “almost persuaded” to become a worshipper and follower of Christ - “Almost persuaded”, but lost at last! Being reproved and instructed, Agrippa deliberately hardened his heart. Therefore, he perished.

All who follow his example should tremble with fear (Proverbs 29:1).

Acts 26:13-20

73. “FOR THIS PURPOSE” Acts 26:13-20 IS NOT BY WHAT MAN DOES FOR GOD, BUT BY WHAT GOD DOES FOR MAN! “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jeremiah 2:9). In order for a sinner to be saved, three things are essential. If the one who reads these lines is saved, it is because God has done three things for you that you would not and could not do for yourself, three things which he has not done for any who perish under his wrath. God almighty has chosen you, redeemed you, and saved you! Otherwise, you could not and would not be saved. Salvation begins with divine election (Psalms 65:4; Romans 8:28-30); Acts 11:5-8; Ephesians 1:3-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13). No sinner could ever have been saved apart from God’s sovereign, eternal, electing love. Pardon is not the decision of the criminal, but the prerogative of the judge. Salvation comes to sinners in time according to the purpose of God in election from eternity (2 Timothy 1:9; John 15:16). But election alone could save no one. Justice had to be satisfied. The second thing essential to salvation is redemption by the blood of Christ. Justice would never allow sin to be put away without satisfaction (Romans 3:24-26; Hebrews 9:22).

And justice can never allow one sinner to suffer the wrath of God for whom atonement has been made (Romans 5:11; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:10-14). Christ laid down his life for his sheep (John 10:11; John 10:15). He died in the place of his people (Isaiah 53:8). He made atonement for God’s elect, the people he came to save and for whom he makes intercession (Matthew 1:21; John 17:9; John 17:20). Election and redemption are essential to salvation, but something else is essential. “Ye must be born again!” In order for a sinner to see and enter into the kingdom of God, he must be regenerated, born again, by the irresistible power and grace of God the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-7). Election opens the door of mercy. Redemption removes the obstacle of grace, sin. And regeneration gives life to the dead.

Regeneration, the new birth, is a resurrection from the dead. It is the creation of life. All who have been chosen by God the Father from eternity and redeemed by God the Son at Calvary, shall be regenerated and called by God the Holy Spirit at the appointed time of love (Psalms 65:4; Psalms 110:3). The fruit and result of regeneration is repentance, faith, and conversion. Sinners are not born again because they repent, believe, and turn to God. Rather, we repent, trust Christ, and are converted because we have been born of God. If, as the Scriptures universally declare, man is spiritually dead, salvation must be the result of what God alone does and in no way conditioned upon what the sinner does (Ephesians 2:1-8; Romans 9:16-18). All whom the Father chose, the Son redeemed, and the Spirit calls must be saved. Yet, God always accomplishes his purpose of grace through the use of specific means. God speaks to men through men. Sovereign grace always operates through the use of human instrumentality. In Acts 26:13-20, Paul tells Agrippa how and why the Lord appeared to him and made him a preacher of the gospel. The Lord said to Paul, “I have appeared unto thee for this purpose,” for the purpose of saving chosen, redeemed sinners. IN ORDER TO SAVE HIS ELECT, GOD CHOSEN MEN TO PREACH THE GOSPEL (Acts 26:13-17; Romans 10:14-15). Salvation is not a haphazard affair. It is accomplished by the all-wise plan and eternal purpose of God. One part of that plan and purpose is the preparation of preachers by whom he will call his elect. This is a wonderful thing! God calls, prepares, equips, and commissions specific men to preach the gospel to specific sinners in specific circumstances (Jeremiah 3:15), just as he prepared Paul to preach to the Gentiles! This business of making a preacher is God’s work alone (Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 3:7-11; Ephesians 4:8-16). In Acts 26:18, the apostle declares that GOD SAVES SINNERS THROUGH THE OF THE GOSPEL. God has not sent his servants into the world for nothing. “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:23). “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17). The gospel ministry must never be viewed as a light thing. The preaching of the gospel must ever be a matter of paramount importance in the church of God. It must never become secondary. God does not save sinners apart from the preaching of the gospel. The issue is not can he do so, but has he chosen to do so. Let the Word of God alone settle the matter. Read Romans 1:15-16, James 1:18, and 1 Peter 1:23-25. Gospel preaching is God’s ordained means of saving sinners. God sent Philip to preach Christ to the Ethiopian Eunuch precisely because that Eunuch could not understand Isaiah 53 until some man sent of God showed him of whom the prophet spoke (Acts 8:26-35).

This is the reason for placing such high importance upon the public ministry of the Word. Nothing is so important as the preaching of the gospel. If you care for your soul, let nothing keep you from hearing God’s servant preach his gospel. If you care for the souls of others, do everything within your power to get them under the sound of the gospel. If you care for the souls of men and women around the world, give generously for the furtherance of the gospel through missionary endeavors. God will save his elect by the preaching of the gospel. Read Acts 26:18 again carefully. God’s servants are not beating the air. God has sent them to open the eyes of chosen sinners and turn their hearts to the Lord. Gospel preachers are men on the trail of Christ’s sheep. They seek the salvation of God’s elect. And they shall not fail! They preach with the confident expectation of success. God has promised to honor his Word (Isaiah 55:11; Romans 1:16-17; Hebrews 4:12). Our labor is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58). God will save his elect by the means he has ordained. One more obvious lesson to be learned from this passage is the fact that ALL WHO ARE CALLED OF GOD REPENT AND TURN TO HIM IN FAITH (Acts 26:19-20). Divine sovereignty does not nullify human responsibility any more than it nullifies human instrumentality. In election, redemption, and regeneration, the sinner is completely passive. But as soon as a person is called of God, he is fully active. No sinner is saved without repentance (Luke 13:3; Luke 13:5; Acts 5:30-31; Romans 2:4). Without question, repentance is the gift of God. But God does not repent for us. We must repent. Indeed, repentance is a voluntary act of a renewed heart. It is a change of mind, a change of manners, a change of motives, and a change of masters. Read Psalms 32, 51 and learn what repentance is from the man after God’s own heart. No one can be saved who does not turn to God by faith in Christ. No sinner will turn to God until God turns him. No sinner will trust Christ until God gives him faith. Yet, we must believe on Christ (Acts 16:31; Mark 16:15-16). Conversion is a heart work. It is believing on the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart, trusting him alone as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-13; 1 Corinthians 1:30-31; Philippians 3:3). And all who repent and turn to God in true faith will do works which evidence repentance. Salvation is not in any measure dependent upon our works. But all saved people, in the tenor of their lives, walk in good works (Romans 6:11-18; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:8; James 2:14-26). Good works are works of obedience to the Word of God, works of love to Christ and his people, and works of faith. Good works are the fruit of faith in Christ. Faith in Christ is the fruit of regeneration. Regeneration is the fruit of redemption. And redemption is the fruit of election.

Acts 26:16-23

74. GOSPEL AND GOD’S Acts 26:16-23 The apostle Paul declared to Agrippa that the Lord Jesus Christ had appeared to him and made him a minister of the gospel so that he might be an instrument in the hands of God for the salvation of chosen sinners (Acts 26:16-18). We recognize, of course, that salvation is not caused, accomplished, or dependent upon preachers. Salvation is God’s work. “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). It is the gift of God (Romans 6:23). It is the work of his grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). But, “it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).

Gospel preachers are instruments in the hands of God by which he saves his people. Salvation is not accomplished by preachers; but neither is it accomplished without the instrumentality of gospel preachers (Romans 10:13-17; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23-25). God, who ordained the salvation of an elect multitude, ordained the salvation of that elect multitude through the instrumentality of gospel preaching (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14). Though the Ethiopian Eunuch was chosen of God and redeemed by the blood of Christ, he could not understand the Scriptures and obtain God’s salvation by faith in Christ until he came into contact with a God-sent preacher who “preached unto him Jesus” (Acts 8:26-39). Preachers must never be exalted to a priestly roll. We have no priest but Christ. There is no merit or efficacy in any preacher to illuminate, convert, forgive, or sanctify anyone. No preacher can give sinners life and faith in Christ. That is the work of God the Holy Spirit. Yet, God’s method of grace and his chosen instruments of good must not be despised.

God’s ordained means of grace is the preaching of the gospel of Christ. No sinner will ever obtain divine illumination, conversion to God, the forgiveness of sins, sanctification, and faith in Christ apart from the preaching of the gospel. Therefore, those men who faithfully preach the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ are to be loved and highly esteemed for their work’s sake (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Isaiah 52:7). Salvation comes to sinners by faith in Christ; and faith in Christ comes by the preaching of the gospel. In the verses under consideration, the Holy Spirit records seven things God does for sinners when he saves them by his almighty grace through the preaching of the gospel. When God saves a sinner… First, HE OPENS THE EYES OF THE BLIND. All are spiritually blind by nature, totally ignorant of the things of God. But when God saves sinners, he sends a man to preach the gospel to them in the power of the Holy Spirit, “to open their eyes.” The preacher cannot do the work. Only the Holy Spirit can open spiritually blind eyes (John 3:3; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Ephesians 1:17-18). The preacher is merely the instrument of illumination. He holds forth the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ.

When God opens a sinner’s eyes he sees himself as a sinner, justly condemned (Psalms 51:4; Job 43:5-6; Isaiah 6:1-4; Romans 3:19; Romans 7:9), and utterly incapable of justifying himself (Job 9:20; Job 9:30-33). God shows men their need of a substitute. Then he shows them the glory of Christ as the sinner’s Substitute (Romans 3:24-26). Second, IN , GOD TURNS THE WICKED “FROM TO LIGHT AND FROM THE POWER OF SATAN TO GOD”. Conversion is the proof of election, redemption, regeneration, and the effectual call. It is the work of God. True, believers turn to God with willing hearts, but only because they have been turned by God (Psalms 80:3; Psalms 80:7; Psalms 80:17; Psalms 85:4; Lamentations 5:21). Conversion is a heart work. It is more than a reformation of life.

It is a turning of the heart to God. “Conversion”, wrote Joseph Alleine, “is a deep work, a heart work. It goes throughout the man, throughout the mind, throughout the members, throughout the entire life.” And conversion is a lifelong work. It is the commencement of a lifelong devotion to God. Believers are described by Peter as those who are continually “coming” to Christ until, at last, they come to him in heaven (1 Peter 2:4). Third, IN , GOD GRANTS TO CHOSEN SINNERS “THE OF SINS”. This is what convicted sinners want and need above all else. It is the first thing desired of God. The first prayer of every saved sinner is the prayer of the publican, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” The sweetest words ever heard on earth are the words of Christ, spoken to repenting sinners, “Thy sins be forgiven thee!” Guilt is terrible. Forgiveness is glorious! God’s forgiveness of the believer’s sins is A promised in the covenant (1 John 1:9; Jeremiah 31:34), A JUST purchased, secured, and demanded by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:6), A FULL , including all sin, past, present, and future (Isaiah 43:25; Isaiah 44:22), and AN , (Romans 4:8; Jeremiah 50:20).

Once bestowed, it can never be denied or taken away. This forgiveness cannot be purchased with money or earned by the merits of good works. It is the free grace gift of God, received by the hand of faith. Trusting Christ, sinners obtain “the forgiveness of sins”. Fourth, IN , GOD BESTOWS UPON SINNERS AN ETERNAL OF GRACE AND GLORY IN CHRIST, an “inheritance among them which are sanctified.” This inheritance is something we enjoy now, for Christ is our portion now, and in him we now possess all the blessings of grace (Ephesians 1:3). But Paul’s reference is obviously to the believer’s eternal, heavenly inheritance. All who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ” (Romans 8:17). It is an inheritance of grace. It belongs to every child of God equally and completely. There are no degrees of reward in heaven!

How can anyone who believes in salvation by grace alone imagine that some part of heaven’s glorious inheritance is earned or lost by works, or the lack of them? Heavenly glory is simply the climax and completion of saving grace. Fifth, WHEN GOD SAVES SINNERS, HE THEM BY HIS GRACE. The Lord Jesus declared to Paul that, just as we are saved and forgiven by faith, we are “sanctified by faith that is in” him. Most people foolishly imagine that sanctification (holiness) is a matter of progressive effort and work. It is not! Sanctification is altogether the gift and work of grace, received by faith in Christ. We were separated unto God in holy election (Jude 1:1), declared to be holy by the blood of Christ in justification (Hebrews 10:10-14), and given a holy nature by God the Holy Spirit in regeneration (2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 3:9).

We grow in grace, love, faith, etc. Every living thing grows. But we do not grow in holiness, righteousness, and sanctification. Our standing before God never varies. We are perfect and complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10). Sixth, IN , GOD GIVES SINNERS FAITH IN CHRIST. The Lord Jesus declares that all these blessings of grace are “by faith that is in” him. This faith is the gift of God, the operation of his grace (Ephesians 1:19; Ephesians 2:8; Colossians 2:12; Philippians 1:29). Faith is not the cause of grace, but the gift of grace and the evidence of grace (Hebrews 11:1). And this faith is created in sinners by the power of God the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel (Romans 10:17). Seventh, WHEN GOD SAVES A REBEL, HE MAKES HIM A SERVANT, as he did Saul of Tarsus (Acts 26:19). Grace conquers the heart, subdues the will, and makes those who naturally hate God (Romans 8:7) willing servants of God. Believers bow to Christ and gladly take his yoke upon them (Matthew 11:28-30). Where there is no surrender to the rule of Christ as Lord there is no faith in Christ as Savior (Luke 14:25-33).

Acts 26:24-32

75. ALMOST , BUT LOST Acts 26:24-32 Agrippa was a mighty man of wealth, power, and respectability. He was king over Judea. Unlike his predecessors or his peers, Aprippa was a thoughtful, religious man. He had embraced the tenets of the Jews’ religion, avowed his faith in the Old Testament Scriptures, and enjoyed a rare privilege and opportunity. Agrippa heard the man of God deliver a message from God in the power of God! He not only heard Paul preach, he was fully convinced of the truthfulness of Paul’s message.

The way of life and salvation was set before him. Before his very eyes, Jesus Christ crucified was evidently set forth. The door of mercy was opened to him. He had opportunity to enter it. But this man willfully disobeyed the command of the gospel. In the hour of opportunity, he trifled.

When God spoke, he stopped his ears. He was, according to his own words, “almost persuaded” to be a Christian, but was altogether lost. In these verses, the Holy Spirit holds Agrippa before the eyes of eternity bound souls as a beacon to warn them that God will not trifle with those who trifle with the gospel! Are you, like the Jews of Elijah’s day, halting between two opinions, convinced that the gospel of God’s free, saving grace in Christ is true, yet continuing in the path of unbelief and rebellion? You may compliment yourself that you are “almost persuaded”. You may think it is a commendable thing to be like the rich young ruler who was near the kingdom of God (Mark 12:34). Other people may compliment you for your apparent interest in the things of God. Be warned: To be near the kingdom is to be altogether outside the kingdom! To be almost persuaded is to be altogether lost!

If you continue halting between two opinions, you will soon be confirmed in reprobate unbelief. If you continue to trifle with God, you will soon be destroyed by God (Proverbs 1:23-33; Proverbs 29:1). You must enter the door of mercy while it is open. God’s ambassador warns you, “Receive not the grace of God in vain…Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (1 Corinthians 6:1-2). WHAT IS A ? A Christian is one who is anointed of God, a follower of Christ, one who is like Christ. That is what the word “Christian” means. Nothing in this world can properly be called “Christian” except the church and people of our God. Paul tells us what a Christian is in Acts 26:18. A Christian is a person who is taught of God, one whose eyes God has opened to see and know the truth (John 6:44-45). Being taught of God, all true believers “have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16) to understand spiritual things. A Christian is a person who has been taught of God to acknowledge and confess his sin (1 John 1:9), trust the God-man, Jesus Christ, as his only sin-atoning Substitute and Savior (1 Corinthians 1:30), and to gratefully confess, “By the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

Christians are sinners who have been transformed by the grace and power of God, turned “from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christians have received the forgiveness of sins by the blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7). All sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven us through our Savior’s blood. Blessed they are to whom God will not impute sin (Psalms 32:1-2; Romans 4:8). A Christian is a person whose treasure is in heaven. We have an inheritance among the saints to which we were predestinated in eternity (Ephesians 1:11), which was earned, purchased, and claimed for us by Christ our forerunner (Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 6:20), and which we shall fully possess at last (John 14:1-3).

All true Christians are sanctified by the grace of God. That is to say, God has made them holy by his grace in Christ, so that all who are Christians are saints, being made holy by the imputed righteousness of Christ in justification (Romans 3:24-26; Romans 5:19) and the imparted righteousness of Christ in regeneration (1 John 3:9).

In short, a Christian is a person who trusts the Lord Jesus Christ. We are saved by “faith that is in” him. We have been effectually taught of God to trust the Lord Jesus Christ. Briefly stated, that is what a Christian is. Those who have not experienced and do not possess these graces are not Christians. HOW DID PAUL AGRIPPA TO TRUST CHRIST AND BE A ? He was not indifferent to this man’s soul. Knowing the terror of the Lord, he persuaded him to come to Christ (1 Corinthians 5:11) with four strong arguments. First, he appealed to the Word of God (Acts 26:22). His only argument was, “Thus saith the Lord.” This is the only weapon of our warfare. We do not appeal to science, history, or logic as a buttress for faith.

Rather, we demand that all men bow to the Word of God. Believing God’s Word as a revelation from him is the only way anyone can be saved (1 John 4:10-14). Second, Paul testified to Agrippa of what he had personally experienced of the grace of God (Acts 26:6-19). He told the king what the Lord had done for him. That is good witnessing! Everyone can tell what he has experienced; and there is not better way to persuade sinners than telling them what God has done for you as a sinner.

Third, the apostle gave Agrippa a clear statement of the historic facts of the gospel (Acts 26:23). God became incarnate (John 1:14). The incarnate Christ bore the sins of his people upon the cross as the sinner’s Substitute, satisfying Divine justice for all his people by his vicarious death (I Cor. 5:21; Hebrews 9:26; 1 Peter 3:18). He arose from the dead on the third day (Romans 4:25), ascended into heaven, and makes intercession there as an Advocate and High Priest for his people (1 John 2:1-2). This risen, exalted Christ is able to save to the uttermost all who trust him (Hebrews 7:25; John 17:2). Then, Paul laid the axe to the root of the tree, demanding that his captor openly acknowledge the claims of Christ in the gospel (Acts 26:27-29).

Though he was wearing Agrippa’s chains, Paul was still the servant of Christ, and he boldly behaved as the servant of Christ, even to the point of laying his life on the line! Agrippa must have been shocked! Yet, he could not deny the truthfulness of Paul’s message. So the question must be raised - If he was convinced of the message Paul preached… WHY WAS THIS MAN ONLY “ALMOST ?” Why will men and women who know that the gospel is true persist in wilful rebellion to its claims? For the same reasons Agrippa did. There was one sitting by his side he was unwilling to give up. Bernice was his sister, a beautiful, but shameless woman. She and Agrippa were living together in an incestuous relationship. If he had laid hold on Christ, he must let Bernice go; but he would not do so.

This was his point of rebellion. That is where God always meets a sinner. There was another setting beside Agrippa, whose disapproval he did not want. Festus was lower in rank than Agrippa, but if he desired, he could cause the king much trouble with Caesar. It was, at least in part, the fear of man that kept Agrippa from Christ, Paul was probably an obstacle to his faith as well. He saw the bonds, imprisonment, shame, sorrow, and reproach that Paul had to endure for Christ, and was unwilling to pay that price.

He counted the cost (Matthew 13:44-46; Luke 14:28) and said, “Christ is not worth that to me!” But, primarily, the problem was in his own heart. Agrippa loved the world, the pomp, the pleasures, the fame, the riches, the sin, the power, and the comfort of the world. He was almost persuaded, but he could not and would not forsake the world and follow Christ. Will you? A plane once took off from Chicago bound for Mexico with a bad ring in the engine. One of the passengers was almost persuaded by his wife not to board the plane; but he did. The plane crashed; and he died. A man saw a penny-stock rising on the market. He was almost persuaded not to invest his money. But he decided to risk everything; and he lost everything. A man had a sharp pain in his chest and a numbness in his arms. He was a little fearful. His wife almost persuaded him to go the emergency room. But the pain subsided; and he died of a heart attack. The warning the Holy Spirit gives us by this man Agrippa is written in clear letters: TO BE ALMOST IS TO BE LOST! IF YOU MEET GOD ALMOST , YOU WILL BE LOST FOREVER!