Based on Acts 24 (New King James Version)
“Now after five days Ananias the high priest came down with the elders and a certain orator named Tertullus. These gave evidence to the governor against Paul. And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: ‘Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight, we accept it always and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. Nevertheless, not to be tedious to you any further, I beg you to hear, by your courtesy, a few words from us. For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to profane the temple, and we seized him, and wanted to judge him according to our law. But the commander Lysias came by and with great violence took him out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come to you. By examining him yourself you may ascertain all these things of which we accuse him.’ And the Jews also assented, maintaining that these things were so. Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: ‘Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. ‘Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’’ But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, ‘When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.’ So he commanded the centurion to keep Paul and to let him have liberty, and told him not to forbid any of his friends to provide for or visit him. And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, ‘Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you.’ Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him. But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound.”
The Apostle Paul’s life is one of the clearest examples that we have that shows us what can happen in the life of a Christian, even when everything is done right. It can be said that he was the person in history that mostly resembled the Lord which shows that the Holy Spirit can do an incredible transformation work if a person submits completely to His will. Paul did not remain as he started, but rather, he was a completely transformed person that came to be very much like Christ. Glory be to the Lord, but as it has been said many times based on the Word, we do have free will and neither God nor the Holy Spirit will force anyone because love is always voluntary. Paul started off being a strict, authoritarian, and very religious person. But after his encounter with the Lord, he changed completely from persecuting Christians to converting to the Lord and voluntarily giving his life for the same faith he once persecuted. I say “voluntarily” gave his life because he could have compromised his faith at any moment and everything bad that was happening would have ended. But he did not compromise on his love for the Lord. He was faithful until the end.
Now then, and as we started to see before, despite Paul obeying the Lord, he suffered much persecution unjustly. And of course, they killed him unjustly. But the Lord warned us about that, and much before Paul would show up on the scene, per se. For it is written: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12. The Word teaches that even our loved ones will turn against us when we follow the Lord. The Word says that even parents will turn on their children and children against their parents, and that our enemies will be from our own family. So, is it any surprise what happened to Paul? Through this is that we understand that it is possible for not everything to turn out as desired, even when looking to serve and be faithful to the Lord. And this is what keeps many people from surrendering more to the Lord. This is one of the reasons for why many only try to get close to the Lord not because they love Him, but just enough to take advantage, without running the risk of suffering. This is what the Lord refers to in Revelation when He speaks about the lukewarm. The lukewarm is the one that says that believes but is not willing to make decisions that will affect their momentary wellbeing. It’s the one that desires the benefit, but without paying the price. There are a lot of lukewarm folks today.
So then, what was Paul’s thinking? The Bible tells us this which Paul wrote: “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:7-14. What would get Paul into problems? Just as he said it: striving to have a conscience without offense toward God and men, reasoning about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come. Paul tried to live like Christ and to talk about Christ and preach what He preached. But, sooner or later, most people will be offended by the things of the Lord. But finally, do you wish to please men and go to hell, or do you prefer to sacrifice what is temporary to attain the eternal? Lord bless! John