Acts 24:25] As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”

As many times as I read this verse it strikes me, because I have gotten almost exactly this response more times than I could count. People don’t want to be told about righteousness, self control, and the coming judgment! However, refusal to face the facts doesn’t change those facts. That’s why emotions are an unreliable guide. It’s not that emotions are bad, it’s that they are subjective, and therefore unreliable. God is perfectly holy and cannot tolerate sin; sin brings eternal separation from God, which is the worst kind of death. God is also love, so much so that He sent His Son to take the penalty for our sins and open the way for us to fellowship with God as His children. These are objective facts, whether we believe them or not. That is why we are saved by grace through faith, (Ephesians 2:8-10) because we have to believe the truth to receive its benefits. Faith requires repentance, of unbelief at the very least. That’s why Jesus said, “Repent and believe the good news,” (Mark 1:15) not the other way around. Felix had the very uncomfortable feeling that Paul was speaking the truth to him, but he wasn’t ready to repent, so he tried to duck the issue. However, this is something we can’t duck. (Hebrews 9:27) The only way we can make it through the judgment of God is to be found in Christ by faith.

As I said, Felix has a lot of company in his attitude. Frankly, that can be heartbreaking at times, because when someone knows the truth but won’t appropriate it and act on it, there’s nothing I can do but pray for them. I do that, but I would certainly like to see faster and more consistent results! I have to accept and live with the reality of human free will, even if I wish at times we weren’t so free. I can’t make anyone repent, because anything forced isn’t true repentance. All I can do is speak the truth in love and ask the Holy Spirit to work it into their hearts. That I can do, and I must not give up doing it, even when the return seems scanty.

Father, thank You for the privilege of sharing the Gospel, and for the joy of seeing people repent, believe, and receive it for their salvation. I would certainly like to see the second half of that a lot more often! Help me be faithful as a messenger of Your truth and love, so that as many as will may indeed enter Your kingdom, Your family, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!