Acts 24

Acts 24:1-27

67. “THE WAY WHICH THEY CALL HERESY” Acts 24:1-27 Acts 23 closed with Paul at Caesarea under arrest in Herod’s judgment hall. He had been brought there under cover of night and under the protection of 470 Roman soldiers by order of Claudius Lysias. Claudius Lysias wrote a letter to Felix, the Roman governor, explaining the unusual circumstances of Paul’s case and the reason for his actions (Acts 23:25-30). When Paul arrived at Caesarea, Felix told him that he would hear his case once his accusers had arrived from Jerusalem. This historical narrative of what transpired at Caesarea is intended by the Holy Spirit to teach us specific spiritual truths which the wise will lay to heart. First, the Jews’ accusations against Paul show us that IT IS EASY, THOUGH BASE, WORK TO SLANDER AND FALSELY ACCUSE UPRIGHT, HONEST PEOPLE OF WICKED DEEDS AND MOTIVES (Acts 24:1-9). Paul was an upright, honest man. He had done nothing wrong, certainly nothing criminal. He had done nothing, except faithfully preach the gospel of Christ to lost religionists. For that he was arrested and treated as a common criminal (2 Timothy 1:8-9). When his accusers arrived, (Ananias the high priest, a delegation of the Sanhedrin , and a slick, polished lawyer named Tertullus), Paul was brought to trial before Felix. Tertullus began with flowery accolades designed to bias Felix’s sentiment toward the Jews, knowing that proud men love the praises of men (Job 32:21-22; Psalms 12:2-3; Proverbs 26:28). The accusations against Paul were narrowed down to three.
68. “We have found this man a pestilent fellow.” This charge was intended to identify Paul as a troublemaker, one who constantly stirred social unrest. Palestine was filled with such men, and the Governor would naturally be disposed against such.
69. “A mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” Here Tertullus brings to Felix’s attention the fact that Paul was connected with the followers of Jesus, the Nazarene. They were considered both by the Jews and the Romans to be a heretical sect. In those days, the preaching of the gospel met with such phenomenal success that both the political and ecclesiastical worlds feared ultimately being dominated by the church of God, though none of God’s servants sought to influence the world by political power. Then as now, God’s true people sought not moral, political, and social reform, but the conquest of men’s hearts and lives by the power of the gospel (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
70. “Who also hath gone about to profane the temple.” This indictment seems to be the most serious. Yet, it states no specific charge. It is not charged that Paul had profaned the temple, but that he went about to do so. In an attempt to implicate the chief captain, Lysias, and put their own case in a more favorable light, Tertullus said, “You would not have been bothered with this matter if Lysias had left us alone.” Then he said, we are certain that your own examination of this man will prove our charges. And all the elders said, “Amen”. These charges were made against Paul by religious men who knew they were not true. Their hatred for God, the gospel of his grace, and the man who stood on the front lines, leading the church of God against the gates of hell, allowed them to justify violating their own consciences, their own religious codes, and the law of God, all in the name of God and righteousness! Second, when Paul stood to defend himself, he acknowledged one thing that must never be forgotten - TRUE , THE GOSPEL OF GOD’S FREE, , SAVING GRACE IN JESUS CHRIST, IS ALWAYS BY , HUMAN OPINION AS THE WAY OF HERESY (Acts 24:10-21). Paul boldly declared to Felix, “This I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers!” Paul’s response was much more specific than Tertullus’s general charges. After briefly addressing the bench, giving honor to whom honor is due, but without flattery, Paul said to his accusers, “Prove it!” He knew they had no basis for their charges. He had been away from Jerusalem for a long time (Acts 24:17). He had returned simply to worship God, bringing alms and offerings from the Gentile churches to their Jewish brethren (Acts 24:17; Acts 11:29-30; Romans 15:25; 2 Corinthians 8:4; Galatians 2:10). He came in a quiet, lawful manner. He made no disturbance. The real culprits were the troublemakers who followed him from Asia Minor and spread slanderous rumors about him (Acts 24:18-19). Mainstream religion has always been opposed to the gospel of God. The message of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone offends man’s pride because it exposes his sin, his intelligence because it can only be known by revelation, his righteousness because it declares his righteousness to be filthy rags and reveals the necessity of a substitutionary atonement for sin and the imputed righteousness of an infinitely meritorious Representative, the Lord Jesus Christ. Though all the world, (academic, political, and religious), says otherwise, there is only one religion and one message that fully satisfies all that is written in the law and the prophets, honoring the justice and truth of God, while holding forth the hope of resurrection and eternal life to sinners who deserve the wrath of God. That message, the gospel of Christ, declares seven facts, seven spiritual truths, about which there can be no compromise, though all the world denounce them as heresy.
71. The Bible alone is the Word of God and as such must be our only rule of faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21; Isaiah 8:20).
72. God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is absolutely sovereign over all things and constantly exercises sovereignty in creation, providence, and grace (Psalms 115:3; Psalms 135:6; Romans 11:36).
73. All men and women by nature, since the fall of Adam are totally depraved, spiritually dead sinners (Psalms 51:5; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-4).
74. By eternal, unconditional election, the Lord God chose a people before the world began, who must and shall be saved (Ephesians 1:3-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
75. The Lord Jesus Christ effectually redeemed all God’s elect, putting away their sins by the sacrifice of himself, and obtained eternal redemption for them (Isaiah 53:1-12; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13; Hebrews 9:12; 1 Peter 2:24).
76. The grace of God is irresistible in its application, always effecting the salvation of chosen, redeemed sinners at the time appointed (Psalms 65:4; Psalms 110:3).
77. Every true believer shall persevere in grace and faith, being kept by the power and grace of God unto eternal salvation (John 10:28; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:5). Thirdly, Felix stands before us as a beacon to warn us that ALL WHO PUT OFF THE CLAIMS OF CHRIST TO “A MORE SEASON” COURT DIVINE (Acts 24:22-27). Paul spoke plainly to the Roman governor and his wife about “the faith of Christ,” about “that Way”, of which they had heard so much. He pressed home both the necessity of Christ’s imputed righteousness and the moral implications of the gospel. Felix was obviously moved, but not humbled. Confronted with the claims of Christ, he postponed commitment to him to “a more convenient season”. But “a more convenient season” never came. Today Felix is in hell because, having heard the gospel, he refused the claims of Christ in the gospel. Let all who are wise be warned!

Acts 24:10-21

68. “THE OF THE DEAD” Acts 24:10-21 Throughout the Book of Acts, the apostles constantly emphasized the resurrection of Christ and the consequent resurrection of the dead by his power. When Matthias was chosen to replace the apostate Judas, Peter said, one must be “ordained to be a witness with us of the resurrection” (Acts 1:22). A primary function of an apostle was being a witness of the Lord’s resurrection. On the day of Pentecost, the apostle showed the multitude how that David by the Spirit “spoke of the resurrection of Christ” (Acts 2:31). When Peter and John were arrested and brought before the council, the reason given for their arrest was that “they taught the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead” (Acts 4:2). When they were set free, we are told, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33).

It was the preaching of the resurrection that aroused the curiosity of the Athenians. They said, Paul seemed “to be a setterforth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18). And when Paul answered the Jewish council which accused him before Felix, he said, I “have hope toward God…that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust” (Acts 24:15). The resurrection of the dead is a blessed gospel doctrine believed by and full of comfort for all God’s saints. We believe, according to the Word of God, that every person who ever lived shall live forever, not only in the immortality of his soul, but also that his body shall be raised from the dead in the last day. The very flesh in which you now live shall be raised to life again and you shall live forever, either in the bliss of heaven, in the presence of God, the holy angels, and “just men made perfect,” or in torments of hell, in the company of satan, demons, and ungodly sinners, enduring the fires of the wrath of God which cannot be quenched! THERE SHALL BE A OF THE JUST. The light of nature tells all men that the soul is immortal. Even the heathen acknowledge that the soul of man is something so wonderful and mysterious that it must endure forever. Both pagan religion and pagan philosophy acknowledge the immortality of the soul. But the resurrection of the body is another matter. This is not something that can be discovered and proved by science and philosophy.

It is something that can be known only by divine revelation and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Word of God speaks of the resurrection of the just, it is referring to the resurrection of those people who have been justified and made righteous by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to them. When Christ comes again, all who trust him, all who have been redeemed by his blood and saved by his grace, shall be raised to immortal life and eternal joy. The saints of God in all ages have lived in hope of the resurrection. The faith of God’s elect regarding the resurrection has been a matter of constant, unwavering confidence from the beginning. Job, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Hannah, David, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel all spoke of it with confidence and joy (Job 14:12; Job 14:14-15; Job 19:25-27; Hebrews 11:19; Hebrews 11:22; Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6; Psalms 16:8-11; Psalms 17:15; Isaiah 26:19; Ezekiel 37:11-14; Daniel 12:2). In the New Testament, references to the resurrection are so numerous that they simply cannot be listed in the space of this study. But two passages from the lips of our Savior will suffice to declare his doctrine. Read John 5:25-29; John 11:23-26.

The first resurrection, spoken of in John 5:25 and Revelation 20:6, is a spiritual resurrection. It is the new birth, regeneration, the resurrection of chosen, redeemed sinners from spiritual death to spiritual life by the irresistible power and grace of God the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:1-4). But there shall also be the literal resurrection of the body at Christ’s second coming (John 5:28-29; John 11:23-26). The translations of Enoch and Elijah stand as pledges of every believer’s resurrection (Genesis 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11). As those two men were translated from earth to heaven, so all believers living on the earth when Christ comes again shall be taken up to glory, but only after the dead in Christ have been raised (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). The angels of God watching over the bodies of God’s saints also assure us of the resurrection (Jude 1:9).

Though our bodies must sleep for a while beneath the sod, God’s angels watch over them to protect them until the trump of God shall sound. The many resurrections of the dead recorded in the Scriptures are visible, documented assurances of the resurrection to come. Our God has given us proof over and over again that he is able to raise the dead to life again (1 Kings 17:21; 2 Kings 13:21; Matthew 27:50-54; Luke 7:14; Luke 8:54-55; John 11:43-44; Acts 9:40; Acts 20:9). Our bodies as well as our souls belong to Christ and must be with him in glory (1 Corinthians 6:13). Christ does not save the souls of his elect alone, but their bodies too. His work of redemption will not be complete until he has raised the bodies of all for whom he made atonement at Calvary (Romans 8:23; Ephesians 1:14). The body is for the Lord; and he shall have it. “Your bodies are the members of Christ” (1 Corinthians 6:15). Not only are our souls vitally joined to him, but our bodies as well (Ephesians 5:30-32). The believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). The fact that the Holy Spirit dwells in the body of a saint not only sanctifies it, but also renders it immortal. Though this temple must go to the dust, it shall be rebuilt in “the resurrection of the just!” Above all else, our hope of the resurrection is built upon the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, arose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-23; 1 Corinthians 15:49). If Christ arose from the dead as our Head and Representative, then all his people must also be raised. And if there is no resurrection, then Christ did not arise and we are yet in our sins. If there is no resurrection, then there is…no atonement for sin, for justice is not satisfied…no righteousness to impute to us…no acceptance with God…and no salvation! But since Christ did die for us and did rise from the dead, we are assured that…our sins which were imputed to him are gone, washed away by his blood. Justice is satisfied!…His righteousness is of infinite merit for all who trust him…And all his people, all who are one with him, must be raised from the dead.

Christ is the firstfruit of the resurrection; but the firstfruit is the pledge of more to come. There shall be a resurrection of the just. This is the faith of the gospel. If you do not believe it, you have not been taught of God. THERE SHALL ALSO BE A OF THE UNJUST. At the Lord’s second coming, both the righteous and the wicked, the believing and the unbelieving, the living and the dead, the sheep and the goats shall be raised. Those who stand before God in the spotless garments of Christ’s imputed righteousness, whose sins have been put away by his substitutionary sacrifice will enter into and forever enjoy the glory of heavenly bliss in their bodies. But all who stand before God naked, polluted in their sins, without a Substitute will be cast body and soul into hell to eternally endure the torments of God’s holy and just wrath. This is the second death. By some means, known only to himself, the Lord God will sustain the bodies and souls of the damned eternally, so that, though his unmitigated wrath is poured out upon them, they will not die (Matthew 5:27-30; Matthew 10:28).

Realizing these things, Paul wrote, “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:11). There will be a resurrection of the dead, both the righteous and the wicked. You shall be damned forever, body and soul, if you are not washed in the blood of Christ and robed in his righteousness. I urge you therefore, if you are yet without Christ, even as you read these lines, to be reconciled to God. Trust his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and live forever. “Ye sinners, seek His grace, whose wrath ye cannot bear; Fly to the shelter of His cross, and find salvation there!” LET ALL WHO ARE WISE LIVE IN THE OF DEATH, THE , , AND (Mark 8:35-37; 2 Corinthians 4:18 to 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Acts 24:22-27

69. DEADLY Acts 24:22-27 The closing verses of Acts 24 stand as a beacon to warn us of the evil and danger of procrastination. “After certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith of Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.” But he never did. For two years, “Felix, willing to show the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.” Sometime later, this same Felix committed suicide. Felix warns us all that anyone who trifles with the things of God courts eternal damnation. Procrastination is always evil; but procrastination regarding the claims of Christ in the gospel is deadly. If a person will not repent when he is confronted with the claims of Christ, delivered to him by the power of the Holy Spirit, he cannot repent later. Such procrastination is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31; Proverbs 1:23-33). PAUL WITH FELIX THE FAITH OF CHRIST. Felix was a notoriously wicked man. He rose from slavery to be the Roman governor of Judea by cunning and treachery. His wife, Drusilla, was of the same character. Having the power of Rome behind him, Felix could do whatever he desired with Paul: kill him, leave him in prison, or set him free. Paul was fully aware of these things.

Felix called Paul before him because he was curious about “the faith in Christ.” He imagined that Paul’s philosophical and religious opinions might be stimulating and entertaining. He certainly did not expect his prisoner to expose his sin and demand that he repent. But that is exactly what happened. God’s faithful servant, being full of the Holy Spirit, powerfully preached the gospel of Christ to his captor. Without question, Paul boldly exposed Felix’s sin, both the corruption of his heart and the evil of his deeds. But do not imagine that the apostle spent his time lecturing this pagan governor about the immorality of his behavior and tried to persuade him to become a morally reformed man.

Paul was aiming at the governor’s heart. His subject was not morality, but “the faith in Christ.” He was endeavoring to persuade this proud, wicked man to bow before the throne of God in repentance and faith, “the faith in Christ.” His sermon had three points. First, Paul reasoned with Felix about righteousness. No one will ever be saved until he is made to see what the Word of God teaches about righteousness. When the Spirit of God deals with sinners in grace, he reproves them of righteousness (John 16:8). In essence, Paul said, Felix, God is holy, righteous, just, and true. Because he is holy, he requires you to be perfectly holy. Else he will consume you in his wrath.

You know that you are a sinful man before the holy Lord God, you have no righteousness; and, being a sinful man, you cannot produce righteousness. That is why the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God came into this world. He came to establish righteousness before God as a man, to make sinners righteous by his obedience to God as a man and his satisfaction of divine justice by his death as the sinner’s Substitute. He is “THE LORD OUR “. Felix, the only way sinners like you and I can ever be made righteous is by the doing and dying of Jesus Christ, the sinner’s Substitute. Trust him.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. If you do but trust him, he is your righteousness. Your faith in him is evidence of the fact that he put away your sins by the shedding of his blood, that God has imputed to you his righteousness, and you are born of God. This is what the Word of God teaches about righteousness. Be certain that you understand these things: (1) The Lord God is perfectly righteous and holy (Psalms 7:9-11; Daniel 9:14). (2) The holy Lord God demands perfect righteousness in all his moral creatures, in all who are accepted by him (Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 22:21; Matthew 5:20; Hebrews 12:14). (3) No man is capable of producing righteousness before God (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:9-20). (4) The only way a sinner can obtain righteousness before God is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 3:19-26; Romans 10:1-4). Second, Paul reasoned with Felix about temperance. The word “temperance” means “self-control”. It is yielding to Christ the rule of one’s life. That is the essence of faith (Mark 8:34-36; Luke 14:26-33). It is ever the tendency of sinful man to abuse the powers God has bestowed upon him, to allow the passions of his flesh to rule his life, and to give in to the persuasive allurements of the world and of satan. But when a person is born of God, the Holy Spirit graciously subdues him, brings him under the rule of Christ and of righteousness, so that he as a king rules over his life and the affairs of it, living in obedience to the will of God, for the glory of God (Galatians 5:23; Romans 6:11-18; Revelation 1:6).

As the believer grows in the grace and knowledge of Christ, he grows in the exercise of temperance (2 Peter 1:6). Yet, this temperance is something that requires watchfulness and diligence (1 Corinthians 9:27). Felix was a proud and powerful man. Paul told him that the only way he could ever obtain righteousness with God and eternal salvation was to bow to Christ as a needy sinner, submitting to his dominion and trusting the merits of his obedience as Lord and Savior. Then he pressed the claims of Christ home. Third, Paul warned Felix and reasoned with him concerning eternity and judgment to come. He pressed the governor to make a decision. I suspect he said something like this - “Felix, I have reasoned with you from the Word of God. I have told you the truth. You know that I have done so. Here are your options. You must either repent or perish. You must either turn or burn. You must either trust Christ and be saved by him, or you must meet him in judgment and be damned by him. Which will it be?” Knowing the terror of the Lord, Paul pressed and persuaded Felix, urging him to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10-11). WHEN HE HEARD THE GOSPEL, FELIX WITH . I know that the grace and power of God the Holy Spirit is effectual and irresistible. If God the Holy Spirit goes after a sinner, he always fetches him home (Psalms 65:4). But I also know that every one is responsible to believe the gospel and that every sinner who obeys the gospel is saved by Christ (Proverbs 1:23-33; Romans 10:21; John 3:36). If at this point Felix had repented and trusted Christ he would have been saved, but he chose not to do so. His conviction passed.

He chose death rather than life, because he refused to give himself up to the rule and dominion of Christ. Conviction is not conversion. Emotion is not salvation. Trembling is not believing. But why did Felix tremble at the message Paul preached? He trembled because he was convinced of all that Paul said; but he was still a rebel at heart.

His heart was not broken. His will was not subdued. He would not bow to the rule of Christ as his Lord. BECAUSE OF HIS HEART’S AGAINST THE CHRIST, FELIX THE CLAIMS OF CHRIST IN THE GOSPEL. He said to Paul, “Go thy way for this time; when I have a more convenient season, I will call for thee.” He said, “Not today. Perhaps tomorrow. I have some things to take care of first. I will call you tomorrow.” But tomorrow never came. God never promised to save anyone tomorrow (2 Corinthians 6:1-2; Hebrews 3:15; Psalms 95:6-8). FELIX WAS DAMNED BY HIS ! He could have been saved; but he stopped his ears. He willfully rejected the counsel of God, and God never spoke to him again. What a warning Felix is to all who would trifle with the things of God! There is such a thing as judicial reprobation. There are people living upon the earth who are as sure for hell as if they were already there.

There is no hope for them. God will not show them mercy. Though still alive, like Felix, they are damned forever (Jeremiah 7:15-16; Hosea 4:17; Romans 11:20-21). Many were still alive in Noah’s day when God shut the door of the ark. The five foolish virgins were still alive when God shut them out of his kingdom. Esau was still alive when he tried to repent, but found no place of repentance.

Whenever God speaks and those who hear his voice refuse to immediately obey it, they are courting reprobation (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). If a sinner does not respond to the call of God in the gospel, the day will come when he will want to respond but will not be able to do so. Once more, I direct your attention to God’s warning in Proverbs 1:23-33. Read it and be warned. Felix stands as a beacon to warn sinners of the danger of procrastination.