ACTS

ACTS 26

• Acts 26:1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: 

Notice how God is allowing Agrippa the privilege to hear the gospel. Agrippa actually thought that he was the one to grant permission to Paul but I believe God is as work making sure those in authority hear the gospel as well as others so that when judgment comes in 70 AD God is fully justified in allowing the coming judgment.

We must remember, however that the Jews lost their homeland because of unbelief but that doesn't mean that God has cut them off entirely. They will be grafted back in in the latter days. In 1948 the nation of Israel came back to life. It as a nation has not yet recognized Jesus as their Messiah but during the tribulation period spoken of in Revelation, they will discover the real Christ after being betrayed by a covenant with man of sin that some of us call the antichrist. The great thing is that many Jews (not the nation as a whole) have come to Christ from all over the world. Messianic congregations have sprung up all over the United States and other places in the world and we can rejoice to see this. They are being grafted back into the vine as Paul writes about in the book of Romans chapter 11. Bible prophecy is coming to pass in these latter days. 

• Acts 26:2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews: 
• 3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. 
• 4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 
• 5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 

When any religion gets away from their first love which is God and becomes harsh and judgmental adding to the commandments of God or substituting their own commandments ignoring God's commandments, they can get what we call a religious spirit. It can get so bad that they actually put people to death thinking they are doing God a favor. This is what happened throughout history. We need to face up to this and not try to cover it up. In order to correct false ways we have to discover them, repent of them and change. In doing that though, we must not blame all in one sect for there are many among all sects, religions and people that do not go along with the decision of the leaders. So let's avoid stereotyping when we hear of someone persecuting others. It is usually the leadership or those in authority that orders people to be harmed. 

The first persecutors of believers in Jesus Christ were Jewish religious leaders. They thought they were helping God. 

The second persecutors of believers were the secular Roman rulers. The false religion of the Romans were pagans who believed in many gods. The first Christians were accused of atheism because they believed in only one God. 

The third group of persecutors were some of the leaders in Christianity who still called themselves Christians but they had gotten away from their first love and calling to spread the gospel. They mixed with the pagan religions in Rome and started gaining converts to a religion called Christendom but not really a religion of true Christianity and they began to persecute the Jews and other Christians who disagreed with the apostasy that the church leadership had gotten into.

The Roman Church grew big and powerful. They used forced conversions, persecuted and put to death those that dissented from their view. They did as the religious Jews before them and substituted the own commandments in place of God's. They lost their first love and hated their brethren. This happened among the leadership and those that followed them either by fear or true devotion. God always has a remnant that do not depart from the truth. True believers in Jesus Christ must try hard to avoid getting into a big and powerful political union with the state. Instead they need to stay in unity with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ, not turning themselves into a religion that is married to the world system. The kingdom of Christ is not of this world.  

The third group of persecutors were protestants groups that had left their first love, forgetting how they were persecuted by the Roman Church and began to persecute their own dissenters. The Church of England, the Calvinists and other protestant groups that had mixed church and state began to persecute the Anabaptists and other groups who held onto the word of God. 

Later in the United States the Puritans started out great but began to persecute the Quakers and others who disagreed with them. 

When the holiness movement started with John Wesley, they were not as severely persecuted but they were isolated cases of persecution still in different parts of the world.

Later in the late 1800s the Pentecostal movement started. There were Pentecostals in other parts of the world also but I have to write of what I'm familiar with. The Pentecostal churches in North Carolina were shot at, some churches burned down by the established denominations of their day. 

We have to read and learn these things so that we also do not allow ourselves to lose our first love and begin to persecute those that disagree with us. We are to preach the gospel, not do harm to dissenters. 

I see a pattern when I read of religious persecution. I notice that when they do not seek, depend on or are not filled with the Holy Spirit, they can easily get away from their first love for Jesus and begin to major on establishing their own organizations or in some cases religions based on another headship in a person instead of Christ. Studying the book of Acts we can see the great need to seek an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 

We must avoid false teaching and joining ourselves in one ecumenical group of Christians for political power and unity. We must stand for the faith once delivered to the saints. We must stand for sound biblical doctrine but we must do it having the perfect love that is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. True unity is by the spirit and by the truth of the word. We can't be unified with those that have forsaken God's word. 

The church was unified under the emperor Constantine and that unity started out by stopping the persecution of Christians but later those in leadership began to move away from their first love and substituted their own doctrines. It became a false unity that destroyed the church. That is not true unity. We need the unity of the spirit. The Holy Spirit will not unify us in a lie. 

• Acts 26:6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers: 

Israel was given the hope of a promised Messiah through Moses and the prophets. They did not recognize him when he came. 

• Acts 26:7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. 
• 8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead? 

The teaching of the resurrection of Jesus was a big stumbling block to the Jews because they were not looking for a Messiah to save them from sin but to deliver them from the Roman oppression. They didn't want to admit that they rejected and killed the very Messiah that God sent to them as promised by Moses. They forgot the past miracles God did for Israel when they first came out of Egypt. The resurrection from the dead was a miracle over all miracles but that is our hope and the promise of God to all who believe and trust in Him. Eternal life is promised to all who come to Jesus Christ renouncing sin and receiving Him, not another religion but a relationship with Jesus Christ. Obedience to the gospel will bring us into the baptism with the Holy Spirit. He is vital and necessary to equip us to spread the gospel and live in obedience to God. 

• Acts 26:9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 
• 10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 
• 11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. 

Paul was zealous for his religion but was in the wrong. The religious leaders of that day were zealous but wrong. How do I know? By their fruits. They put to death people that did good.  

• Act 26:12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 
• 13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 
• 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 
• 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 
• 16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 
• 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 
• 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 

This is some message here. The gospel that Paul was to preach would open the eyes (spiritually speaking) and turn people from darkness of false religion, the darkness of sin and the darkness of unbelief. They would be delivered from the power of Satan in which he deceived them into believing false teaching. Forgiveness of sin is part of the gospel necessary for salvation for sin cannot enter the kingdom of God. God will give this inheritance of forgiveness of sin and eternal life to those that are sanctified by faith in Jesus. Glory to God for this promise is to all (Jew and Gentile) who would believe. 

• Acts 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 
• 20 But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 

This is one of the verses to support the holiness doctrine. True conversion to Jesus will produce repentance from sin which means actually turning away from sin and living for God. Holiness is produced in the life of a true believer. They will not achieve perfection overnight but as they walk in the spirit denying the flesh they will start to produce a life of holiness in spirit and in truth. Not a man made holiness that produces legalism but a holiness that comes from within in the depths of our spirit and springs forth from our inner being.

This produces the fruit of the spirit: Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Yes it will cause us to dress modestly as a result but modest dress alone is not holiness. Giving up the wearing of jewelry for example is not holiness but some of us just lose our desire for those things when we begin to be mindful of the Lord more and more and we care less for the world. We have to be careful of legalism which is not real holiness. A person who dresses modest yet doesn't judge others is more of an example of someone who may have true holiness in their hearts. If we only have outward show of holiness and are harsh with those that do not see as we do; it is not real holiness. 

• Acts 26:21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 

Paul wouldn't die until the Lord was ready to call him home. 

• Acts 26:22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 

Actually the true gospel will not contradict the law of Moses and the Old Testament. Paul only taught what Moses and the prophets said would come. 

• Acts 26:23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. 

The whole book of Isaiah speaks of this. Isaiah 53 foretells the suffering of Christ. 

• Acts 26:24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. 
• 25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but I speak forth the words of truth and soberness. 
• 26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. 
• 27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. 
• 28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. 

I believe a song was written about these words, "Almost Persuaded." Yet to be almost persuaded is not enough to save the soul from being lost and without God. 

• Acts 26:29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. 

Paul never once wished for anyone to suffer being sent to jail and in bonds like that which was done to him. 

• Acts 26:30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them: 
• 31 And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. 
• 32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar. 

There were many times when Paul could have been free if he didn't say or do something to endanger himself. Yet I believe Paul was being obedient to God and allowing himself to be in bondage in order to preach to those in high places of authority because he also was one who use to have that authority and wanted to warn them not to make the same mistakes that he did in thinking he was doing God a service when in fact he was persecuted those that represented God. DC

Acts 27