Felix became frightened and said, “Go away "

Acts 24 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought charges to the governor against Paul. ² After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor,

“Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation, ³ we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness. ⁴ But, that I may not weary you any further, I beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing. ⁵ For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. ⁶ And he even tried to desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him.We wanted to judge him according to our own Law. ⁷ But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands, ⁸ ordering his accusers to come before you. By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.” ⁹ The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.

¹⁰ When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded:

“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense, ¹¹ since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. ¹² Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot. ¹³ Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me. ¹⁴ But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets; ¹⁵ having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. ¹⁶ In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men. ¹⁷ Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings; ¹⁸ in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia— ¹⁹ who ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me. ²⁰ Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the Council, ²¹ other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.’”

²² But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.” ²³ Then he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him.

²⁴ But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” ²⁶ At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him. ²⁷ But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.

In truth Paul was not as much making his defense as he was defending and declaring the gospel. In Acts 9:15-16, when God called Ananias to pray for Paul, He said:   “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;  for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”     Paul fulfilled that call, that commission, he testified of Jesus and the cross. He spoke of righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. In today’s text it says:     But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.”    Very often when people are confronted with the truth about righteousness, about their lack of it, about sin, the response is much like that of Felix. They become frightened so they try to remove the source of the truth. Proverbs 9:10 says: Fear of the LORD is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.    When people try to deny the fear by running from it or by silencing the source of the truth, they exercise poor judgment and forfeit wisdom.

This tendency to run from the knowledge of our sinful condition is inherent in man. In Genesis 3:7-10 we read the account of the original sin of Adam and Eve and their response to the knowledge of the truth.    the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.  They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.  Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”  He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”    Just like He did with Adam and Eve, God seeks fellowship with people. He pursues them. Sin separates people from God. The fear that people feel when they are confronted by the truth is conviction, it is the knowledge that unrighteousness cannot fellowship with righteousness. The darkness of fallen human nature cannot be in the presence of the light of God.

It is conviction though not condemnation that people feel. From the beginning God had a plan to restore the broken fellowship that sin caused between people and Himself.      “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”      Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of all people is God’s solution to the broken fellowship between Himself and people. The righteousness of Christ restores the fellowship that God desires with His created people. The feeling of fearfulness people experience when they are confronted with their unrighteousness is the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It is the drawing of God to Christ and the cross. Jesus says:   “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” (John 6:44)     When people respond to the awareness of their unrighteousness by turning from God, by hiding from Him, by denying or silencing the truth, they recognize that they are separated from God’s holiness. Rather than conviction which draws them to Christ they feel the condemnation, the guilt and the shame of sin. Hiding from God, trying to deny our sinful condition is inherent in man. Yet God continues to pursue even as men run. He pursues with His word and through His witnesses.

Paul was a faithful witness, speaking “of righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come.” Declaring the truth, the good news that fellowship with God is restored through Christ and the cross. We too are called to be witnesses of Christ. We are called to, as Jesus says: “ let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:16) We are called to declare the truth of God’s word, His plan, His desire to restore fellowship with man through the cross of Christ. We are to let them know: there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.(Romans 8:1)

Some will be fearful, run and hide. Some will try to silence the truth. Some will believe and be restored to God. God is faithful, He continues to seek and pursue those who are lost. The Holy Spirit continues to convict and draw them to Christ. We are to be, like Paul, faithful witnesses, living and speaking the truth of God’s love and righteousness.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You that You continued to pursue me even as I ran and hid from You in fear. Thank You for continuing to reveal the truth and the love, mercy and grace of the cross of Christ until finally I came to You. Holy Spirit empower me, enable me to live and speak as a testimony of God’s love and truth, that others too will be restored to fellowship with the righteousness of God through the cross of Christ.  Amen