Truth Without Sugar Acts 24:1-21… In this section here we are at a point in the book of Acts that we are just reading the out-lying story and reason that Paul is in Rome. We don’t know if this man Tertullus is a Roman, Greek or a Jew (Doubtful) on the Jewish line, but we do see that he is a schmoozer and trying to win the side of Felix with his smooth words and flattery in verses 2-5, and embellishes the truth in verse 6-8 and applying the “much violence” to Paul as if they themselves were not the cause. What we have here is a simple application of lies and deceit offered by the world in verses 1-9. In verses 10-21 we have the truth of a Christian without the embellished words of flattery and yet Paul gets right to the point of the case before Felix. Paul is not going to use flattery because that is the way of the world and besides Paul would only express those words as directed towards the Lord not mere men. We need to remember that when we are doing what we should be doing, according to the ways of the Lord and His examples there is nothing to fear. When we can honestly repeat the words of Paul, that “We live with a clear conscience before God,” we should have no worries, no fears, and no guilt because we have done what is right. The Psalmist says, The Lord judges and vindicates according to the integrity that is within each of us (Psalm 7:8-11). Some less confident or self-absorbed Christians will take this point of integrity to the final end - just before evil motives replace the actions of integrity with forms of dishonesty, but I say that you are flirting with danger when “playing so close to the edge” and do not understand who you are in Christ. Peter says that we should not be ashamed of being reviled or slandered for Christ because the spirit of glory rests on us at that time and Peter goes on to say that “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, thief, or and evildoer or troublesome meddler” (1 Peter 4:14-15). And who are the evildoers? Here are a few passages concerning the righteous and the wicked or evildoer. 1) Psalm 5 speaks to the wicked and the righteous and their actions 2) Proverbs 29:5-11 3) Psalm 37:5-15 speaks to us concerning worry over the wicked just know that there day is coming.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 07:18:21 +0000
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