Acts 26:28- “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”
Background of Paul:
- Before he was a Christian: Expert in the law. A pharisee zealous for his “faith”
- Becoming a Christian: Unexpected and caused by God entirely
- After Paul was converted: Complete change of heart, action, purpose
The Text:
Agrippa was an expert in the law and customs of the Jews. Paul makes his case to Agrippa of his careful observance of every law, and zeal to follow traditions to the point of persecuting this new “Way” – chasing them down and imprisoning them.
King Agrippa understood every reason why Paul was careful to follow law and tradition, and why he would persecute the new Church – until that day going to Damascus he was changed by Christ. Paul’s testimony was convincing to Agrippa, yet Festus listening to Paul deemed him mad from learning. Paul answers Festus, yet focuses on Agrippa, who seems to be moved by Paul’s testimony.
The King hears and understands. As an expert in the law and tradition, he agrees with Paul in every point, as he understands Paul’s reasoning, his conversion, and sees his changed life. Yet – Agrippa’s testimony and understanding falls short – he is “almost persuaded” to be a Christian.
How far may one go in a profession and not be a Christian?
- A person may have great and spiritual gifts, and yet not be a Christian
- Judas was a great preacher, and yet himself cast out. Those that came to Christ claiming they prophesied in His name, yet Christ never knew them.
- Balaam even prophesied of Christ, yet he himself was cast out.
- Saul lay down and prophesied all day, yet was was rejected of God.
- One may have every appearance outwardly of faith – even attending to the Lord, yet be cast out as the five foolish virgins whom Christ never knew. In Matthew 25:
- They were called “virgins” – they were serious about their religion
- They had some oil in their lamps – they had some convictions and some faith, but not unti salvation
- They went forth- they were performing religious works and were with the wise virgins – who themselves were unable to distinguish them until their lamps went out and they asked for oil
- They heard the call of the Bridegroom as they were waiting and watching along with the five wise virgins
- They obeyed the command of the five wise to find oil – they earnest thought they had a solid profession, but in the end they were kept out
- A man may be convinced of sin and even mourn over it, yet not be a Christian.
- Consider Esau who sold his own birthright – understood his gross error – then sought his birthright carefully with tears, yet God hated him. They may even confess sin as Saul confessed to David, yet be reprobate.
- Many a person makes a vow in desperate straits to the Lord; “if you spare me from such and such, I vow to…”. These empty vows, promises, and pleadings do not gain heaven as they are vain and without the Holy Spirit.
- One may join himself to a body of believers, take classes, be a member in good standing outwardly, yet be a whited sepulchre – full of dead men’s bones, as his enjoinment is for every wrong reason.
- The may participate in ordinances, yet be an outcast drinking damnation unto themselves in communion
- The Hebrews left Egypt with a multitude, yet Egypt was still in their heart at the base of Sinai while Moses was meeting God. Not all Israel are of Israel
- Demas traveled with the disciples, yet forsook Paul at the end as he was more in love with the world than the Gospel
- A man may have faith, and yet not be a Christian.
- The devils believe and have been to the throne of Almighty God, yet cannot be redeemed – yes, they have been in the presence of Holy God, and sang together for joy at creation – yet will be destroyed in the lake of fire.
- Simon Magus believed and had more believers than Peter, yet was in the gall of bitterness and perished with his money.
- The seventy went out from Christ, healed sicknesses and cast out evil spirits, yet some walked with Christ no more John 6:66. Even Judas the devil stayed after many left Christ
- One may exercise all of the outward signs of “Christianity” in prayer and good works, yet not be a Christian.
- In Daniel 4:34-37, Nebuchadnezzar blessed the Most High God being through trials, yet was interested in having his kingdom restored and majesty added to him
What causes a man to go thus far and no further?
Being born again / born from above is a change internally that manifests inwardly and outwardly. Regeneration begins with the Holy Spirit making alive a spiritually dead man; afterwards the gift of the new birth is given, then the new believer is adopted and justified in Christ. They are brought into the body of Christ and declared “not guilty” by Christ before His Father. In time, the fruits of the new birth is the act of working out sanctification in the believer unto the eventual day of glorification when this life has concluded.
Consider:
- God can and does work on the conscience of man. King Agrippa’s conscience with with Paul in his understanding of his testimony and carefulness of life, yet when it came to his “moment of truth”, Agrippa testifies that he is only “almost a Christian” and not a Christian altogether. He suppresses his conscience.
- Man can hear true testimonies so much that they are physically affected. Felix had a deep knowledge of “The Way”, even so when Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come – Felix trembles. He is affected physically by Paul’s testimony, yet not unto salvation – suppressing his conscience.
- Pontius Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27:19) warns Pilate to have nothing to do with Christ. God permits her to dream – even warning her husband to avoid prosecuting Christ, yet he valued the voice of the crowd more than his conscience.
In each of these cases, these men were pricked in their conscience, yet never closed with Christ.
Scriptures tell us to not have concord with the unfruitful works of darkness.
There may be strongholds the enemy has built into the life of a professor. One cannot faithfully profess Christ and have mixed allegiances.
- The almost Christian claims to follow scripture yet lack the relationship with its author. If one is to follow Christ, then follow Christ without mixture
- The almost Christian cannot claim Christ and have one foot into the world. The love of the world and its systems is what kept the rich young ruler from Christ
- The almost Christian has oaths sworn to fraternities, organizations, secret societies. He will have two masters. One cannot pledge or be an adept in an organization with mixed allegiances itself
- The almost Christian permits their children to be a part of unchristian activities while appearing to be orthodox themselves. Promoting Halloween, Job’s Daughters, Demolay are all gateways to deeper involvements, and build a stronghold the enemy takes advantage of.
- The almost Christian claims Christ, yet still has interest in the dark works of the Chaldeans – this includes astrology, palmistry, tarot, spiritism, and other unfruitful works of darkness
- The almost Christian loves the world and its systems, yet claim orthodox love for Christ. When the devil takes Christ onto the pinnacle of the temple and offers Him kingdoms, Christ never disputed the enemy’s ownership of those kingdoms – telling the devil that only God alone is to be worshiped. Many false professors love the world and have divided interest, trying to love power and Christ – yet miscarry because their love of the world is greater than their love for Christ. They admire Christ and see much that is lovely in Him, yet never close with Christ.
Exhortation:
So how then, is one to be altogether a Christian as Paul implores Agrippa? As we see in a world filled with cheap and easy belief, and shallow appearances done before men, There certainly is a way that appears right unto a man, but the end thereof is death.
- The gate is narrow and strait. The eye of the needle does not permit a camel to pass – only a thread. Either the eye of the needle is made larger, or the rope needs to be untwisted. This is the same with your own life – you can only pass through that narrow gate / eye of the needle unencumbered. The entire rope can eventually pass through: only if it is entirely unwound.
- Your faith and gifts must be of God and Him alone. There is no room for pride, self, ego, to pass through that needle with you.
- Your faith must be that of the wise virgins – being careful in every command and ordinance – yet having the oil of the Holy Ghost indwelling you. The “Light of the World” cannot burn brightly in your life without the Holy Ghost as the oil – which was the problem of the foolish virgins.
- Your sin enlarges, you making passage through that needle impossible. We must confess our sins to Christ and Him alone, asking Him to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Unrighteous alliances, fraternities, groups, sinful binding vows made in darkness must be renounced, as they will not pass through the narrow gate, and are an affront to Christ.
- There are no solo Christians. God has seen fit to give His children the Church, its fellowships, it’s ordinances, it’s teaching. It is of Him and cannot be forsaken, and those that do not love the body of Christ are not of the body of Christ.
- It takes faith to pass through the narrow gate. There are plenty of poseurs in churches, yet unredeemed and not owned of Christ – even though they may partake in much and have every appearance toward Christ, yet miscarry. True faith can pass the test as it is also accompanied by fruit.
- True good works done from a heart right with Christ are also an evidence of conversion, but false works will not pass.