{"id":2096,"date":"2020-03-14T11:37:38","date_gmt":"2020-03-14T19:37:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=2096"},"modified":"2020-03-14T11:37:38","modified_gmt":"2020-03-14T19:37:38","slug":"devotion-acts-2422-27-the-truth-the-whole-truth-nothing-but-the-truth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=2096","title":{"rendered":"Devotion Acts 24:22-27 The Truth, The Whole Truth, Nothing But The Truth"},"content":{"rendered":"

Acts 24:22-27<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0<\/i>But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of\u00a0the\u00a0Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, \u201cWhen\u00a0Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.\u201d\u00a023\u00a0So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let\u00a0him\u00a0have liberty, and\u00a0told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/span>24\u00a0And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the\u00a0faith in Christ.\u00a025\u00a0Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, \u201cGo away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.\u201d\u00a026\u00a0Meanwhile he also hoped that\u00a0money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.\u00a0 27\u00a0But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix,\u00a0wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.<\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cBut when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of\u00a0the\u00a0Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, \u201cWhen\u00a0Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.\u201d<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Some interpret this verse to mean that Felix, before Paul spoke to him, already had knowledge of the Way that was greater than most.\u00a0\u00a0Others think that this verse means that after Paul had witnessed to him then he gained in knowledge of the Way.\u00a0\u00a0The first is possible because Felix was married to Drusilla, who was a Jewess.\u00a0\u00a0She may have had contact with, and so some knowledge of, what Jewish Christians believed.\u00a0\u00a0She may have shared that knowledge with Felix.\u00a0\u00a0However that may be giving Drusilla too much credit for her interest in God and His teachings.\u00a0\u00a0It would seem that, even if Felix had some knowledge of the way, his knowledge had increased after hearing Paul.<\/span><\/p>\n

Felix adjourned the meeting, he said he did so as to get more information about this matter from Lysias.\u00a0\u00a0Perhaps Felix thought that Lysias could help him make a sure decision.\u00a0\u00a0In truth, Lysias could have provided some information to help.\u00a0\u00a0He could have witnessed that the Jews had not calmly and judiciously taken Paul into custody in a benign manner, as they had presented.\u00a0\u00a0No, they were going to murder him without a trial.\u00a0\u00a0That would have shown that the Jews were misrepresenting their case and their intent.\u00a0\u00a0Also, Lysias could have testified that the reason the transference of Paul was expedited was because of a plot by the Jews to kill him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let\u00a0him\u00a0have liberty, and\u00a0told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0The command concerning Paul was that he was not to be released but to remain in the castle.\u00a0\u00a0However he was to have extreme liberty around the premises and was allowed to have friends come to provide for him and visit him.\u00a0\u00a0It was a very loose imprisonment, perhaps similar to what we know as house arrest, only Paul would not be at a home of his choosing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the\u00a0faith in Christ.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u201cSome days\u201d is an undefined period of time.\u00a0\u00a0Some think it usually meant less than a month, but that is not confirmed.\u00a0\u00a0Drusilla was with Felix when they called for Paul to speak them \u201cconcerning the\u00a0faith in Christ<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Paul was not called to talk (directly) about his trial, but about his faith in Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0Paul\u2019s heart must have skipped a beat at the opportunity.\u00a0\u00a0If Felix and Drusilla were truly interested in finding out more about the Way, they could have had no better person than Paul to do so.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNow as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, \u201cGo away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.\u201d<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0They asked for Paul to explain the faith to them and he did not hold back.\u00a0\u00a0In our age when the Gospel message is too often whittled down to speaking only of love and the righteousness of Christ left out, Paul spoke the whole truth.\u00a0\u00a0We can be sure that Paul, who wrote so much about the grace of God being a free gift, spoke to them of the love of God and the free grace that is offered through Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0Here, what is mentioned, is that Paul spoke about righteousness, self-control, and about the judgement to come.\u00a0\u00a0These are all topics that include the responsibility to all who come to the Lord seeking grace.\u00a0\u00a0It is not responsibility of earning salvation, but of bearing witness of salvation by living in a way that shows appreciation for it.\u00a0\u00a0That appreciation is borne out of the genuine love of the Lord that is one\u2019s heart and for the thankfulness for being saved from what no-one can save themselves from.\u00a0\u00a0Paul didn\u2019t proclaim \u201clove, love, love\u201d without also teaching about the fruits of truly knowing and valuing the love of God.<\/span><\/p>\n

Proving that Paul was speaking seriously to them about personal responsibility is the fact that Felix became afraid and sent Paul away.\u00a0\u00a0The originally word speaking of Felix\u2019s fear can be translated as meaning to tremble.\u00a0\u00a0We get the work earthquake from the word.\u00a0\u00a0So Felix, in learning the true unmitigated Gospel, was shaking.\u00a0\u00a0Family, it had always been traditional to first share the law so that one knows why they need to be \u201csaved.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0When one is convinced of the horror and impotency of their own righteousness, then they are ready to run to the grace that God freely offers them.\u00a0\u00a0Now-a-days it is too popular to preach a watered down message to draw people in.\u00a0\u00a0However a watered down gospel is not the one true Gospel. (Galatians 1:6-9<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0For people to be saved, they must hear the whole truth and the truth is that we are responsible for our actions.\u00a0\u00a0Not for our salvation, but our actions, because what we do shows if we truly love God.\u00a0\u00a0And that has eternal implications.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMeanwhile he also hoped that\u00a0money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.\u00a0\u00a027\u00a0But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix,\u00a0wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.<\/i><\/span>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Illustrating what was known to those contemporary to Felix, he lived an evil life, he was hoping to be bribed.\u00a0\u00a0So much for having principles.\u00a0\u00a0No wonder he trembled as Paul spoke the truth to him.<\/p>\n

After two years Felix was removed from duty.\u00a0\u00a0In short, history records that he was withdrawn from Israel because of his cruelty and corruption.\u00a0\u00a0He lived out the rest of his life in Rome and in the shame of his rule.<\/p>\n

Drusilla was reported as killed in the Mt. Vesuvius eruption two years later.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0She died at a very young age, most likely no older than twenty one and possibly a few years younger than that.<\/p>\n

Again we are confronted with the danger of delaying a commitment to Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Felix was removed from power and from hearing from Paul any further.\u00a0\u00a0Drusilla was killed.\u00a0\u00a0Tragically history implies that they never came to know God\u2019s grace as a believer.\u00a0\u00a0Family, praise God that we have responded to the grace of God and our eternity is to be with God forever.\u00a0\u00a0Praise God that we did not delay our acceptance of God\u2019s grace until we had run out of time.\u00a0\u00a0However, what about our family and friends.\u00a0\u00a0Are we presenting the full gospel to them?\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s pray that we have the opportunity and strength to do so, as the Holy Spirit leads.\u00a0\u00a0Yes, may it be so!\u00a0\u00a0Praise God!<\/p>\n

P<\/b><\/span>salm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/p>\n

Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear\u00a0me.<\/p>\n

Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0He has shown You, O man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; and what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Your God.<\/p>\n

Numbers 6:24-26<\/b>\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0Lord\u00a0bless you and keep you; 25\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0turn His face\u00a0toward you and give you peace.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Acts 24:22-27\u00a0–\u00a0But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of\u00a0the\u00a0Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, \u201cWhen\u00a0Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.\u201d\u00a023\u00a0So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let\u00a0him\u00a0have liberty, and\u00a0told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[82,1969,94,1874,17],"class_list":["post-2096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-acts","tag-galatians","tag-micah","tag-numbers","tag-psalm"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2096","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2096"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2096\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2097,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2096\/revisions\/2097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2096"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2096"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}