Felix Finds Out
The In-Between Years: A Look at the Church in Acts - Part 117
We are moving quickly now in our verse-by-verse study of Luke’s second volume in a series called The In-Between Years: A Look at the Church in the Book of Acts. Last time, we finished Chapter 23 and most of 24, if you can believe it.
Here’s a review of where we are. Paul was arrested in Jerusalem on trumped-up charges. The Romans put him in custody for safekeeping, but he was sent away because they discovered the Jews’ plot to kill him rather than let his case be heard. Under heavy guard, Paul was transported to Caesarea, where he would stand before the Roman Governor Felix, who was over the involved jurisdiction.
A lawyer hired by the Jews tried very hard to convince Felix that Paul was guilty, but the charges were not provable. Just as with the Roman commander, Lysias, the Roman Governor, Felix, was intrigued by Paul. Paul’s position or power did not influence that admiration. It was how he lived according to the heart and soul of God’s Law,
8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does Yahweh require of you But to do justice, to love lovingkindness, And to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 (LSB)
Politics were the same then as they are now, however. Felix couldn’t release Paul for fear of the Jews causing a stink so big it reached Rome, but he kept him under guard and treated him well.
22 But Felix, having a more accurate 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 rest, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him. Acts 24:22–23 (LSB)
Before we proceed, I need to give you more background info on Governor Felix. Remember how the Jews’ lawyer flattered him with all this stuff about his rule bringing peace and prosperity, and I told you that was a lie? In reality, he was a tyrant. An ancient historian says of him, “[he] practiced every kind of cruelty and lust, wielding the power of a king with the instincts of a slave” (Tacitus, Histories, 5.9). He said that because Felix was born a slave. He was freed and somehow worked his way up to becoming a powerful Roman official, an unusual feat back then. From what we learn of Felix through extra-biblical sources, his character and lifestyle were the antithesis of Micah 6:8: Felix lived by the maxims of ancient Roman culture: do injustice (conquer at all costs), show no mercy (to your enemies), and be prideful (accept and expect even the most undeserved praise).
He had several wives, and the wife he had at the time, whom we will meet shortly, was married to someone else when he stole her away in a bold, immoral, adulterous act. She was a Jew and a princess. This would have been scandalous among the common folk even then, but that is what the rich and powerful did.
Now, let’s pick back up where we left off last week.
24 But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and summoned 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 answered, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will call for you.” 26 At the same time, he was also hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to summon 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. Acts 24:24–27 (LSB)
There are a number of notable things here. Note firstly that when he had the opportunity, he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus (v.24). That was his calling, his mission, and his passion. It seems that Paul was less concerned about pleading his case and more concerned about promoting God’s kingdom.
Note secondly that he discussed his faith. In other translations, he reasoned, such as the ESV. Reasoned, discussed equals dialogue, and dialogue requires listening as well as talking, respect for the other party along with the intent to persuade. Today, among those opposed to faith and those of faith, there is no reasoning, no dialogue, and no respect, only the intent to win the argument at all costs. Christians are not allowed to act like this. When we do, we overlook or plain deny the Apostle Peter’s admonition,
15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and fear, 16 having a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 1 Peter 3:15–16 (LSB)
Or, as The Cotton Patch Gospel puts it,
…consecrate your hearts wholly to Christ the Lord, being ready at the drop of a hat to give a full explanation of your inner hope to anyone making an inquiry of you. Yet do so with gentleness and respect, keeping a clean conscience, so that when you are attacked, the people who slander the excellent way of life you have in Christ may be ashamed of themselves. 1 Peter 3 (The Cotton Patch Gospel)
Now note thirdly what he reasoned with Felix about in regards to faith: righteousness, self-control, and judgment
Righteousness. That has to do with a right standing before a holy God. It means meeting his standard, and Jesus told us what that is, talking to the super-law-keeping Pharisees when he said it.
48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 (LSB)
The standard is impossibly high. No one can be perfect like the Creator. That’s why God never intended for anyone to be moral enough, to perform well enough, to keep his law successfully enough to achieve righteousness, a right standing. He knew it was too hard with our corrupt, fallen natures. This is why Paul wrote,
11 Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident, for “THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” Galatians 3:11 (LSB)
He’s quoting an OT prophet there. The way we are made right (righteous) with God is to come to him by faith, putting our trust in the only person ever to keep all the law and be holy as he is holy: Jesus. That’s why he said,
6 …“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6 (LSB)
When we come to God through Christ (by faith), Jesus’ righteousness is put into our accounts so that the standard is met and we are in right relationship with our heavenly Father.
Self control. Paul wrote about the fruit (singular) of the Spirit in his letter to the Galatians.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22–23 (LSB)
When we come to God through Christ by faith, his Spirit also takes up residence in our souls. The Spirit produces within us — over time and with much trepidation — these nine qualities, which could well be summed up with the last fruit alone: self-control. The other eight involve going against our fallen natures in some way, exercising, in the power of the Spirit, self-control. Even with the Spirit’s help, we will never become holy, as God is holy in this life, but he gets us on our way.
Imagine how this must have landed on a man who lived according to his lusts.
The coming judgment. We hear that and think Paul preached fire and brimstone with a white hanky and an inflective “uh” at the end of every sentence. Don’t forget, though, that he reasoned with Felix. He talked and listened; he respected the Governor’s responses. But at the same time, he unapologetically warned him of the coming day when Christ would return to judge the living and the dead and then set up his kingdom on a newly made earth. As hard as it is these days, we must be unapologetic about what perhaps is the hardest part of the gospel, judgment. It’s ok, though, to be sensitive to the fact that many are sensitive to it. It’s the age we live in. I sometimes have difficulty with it.
In the end, judgment is what everyone wants, even non-believers who reject God. You see, no one (those not of the faith as well as those of it) can honestly deny the existence of evil. This means everyone really wants the Hitlers and the Stalins to get their due. Spare the good, though, with only the truly evil people suffering judgment. But if God were to work that way, the good going to heaven and the bad going to hell, what’s the standard for good? If being right with God is measured on some scale based on one’s own goodness or badness, then that means it has to do with their behavior or performance. How bad must you be to suffer God’s judgment? What’s the cutoff line, and how is communicated? What if you were just one point away? Instead, God does the unthinkable. Through Christ, he offers us ultimate goodness imputed to our accounts so that we are not judged according to our merits but Jesus’! So, then, those who experience God’s judgment are the ones who reject that offer, that free gift.
Finally, note how Felix responded.
25 But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and answered, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will call for you.” 26 At the same time, he was also hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to summon for him quite often and converse with him. Acts 24:25–26 (LSB)
When Felix found out what Paul’s message was, he became frightened, sent Paul away, yet called him back often for more discussion. Felix was attracted to and alarmed by the gospel at the same time. The gospel is attractive and alarming because it communicates the love of an approachable God while confronting us with the stark reality of how far from God we are.
Conclusion: John Stott, the late priest and theologian, summed up our text today well.
…Paul wasn’t afraid of the procurator Felix. He knew that Felix had a kind of wistful desire to be a better man. Felix, although he was a Roman, he’d married a Jewish called Drusilla. And it may be that she had a good influence on him and persuaded him of the importance of righteousness and even persuaded him to ask questions of Paul. And so we read that Paul argued with Felix about justice and self-control and future judgment, and that Felix heard him speak about faith in Jesus Christ. For Felix sent for him after the trial in private and had an interview with him. And it seems likely that the word translated justice [or righteousness], which is the regular word in the Pauline Epistles for justification, means that Paul was speaking with Felix of the three tenses of salvation: justification, self-control and future judgment. That is, how to be forgiven and accepted by God, how to resist temptation and gain self mastery, and how to escape the judgment of God on the last day. Three tenses of salvation.
And on these vital themes, the prisoner Paul argued with the procurator. And as a result, we read that Felix was alarmed and abruptly terminated the conversation.… Luke tells us that Felix sent for him again and sent for him often. Paul was in prison for two years, and during those two years, interview after interview took place in which the prisoner begged the procurator to come to Christ and be converted. Luke adds that Felix was hoping that Paul would give him a bribe. But Paul had something better to give him than money, something money could never buy, the good news of Jesus and the release of Felix from his sins meant more to the apostle Paul than his own release from captivity in prison.1
I can’t help but wonder if any of us might identify with Felix just a bit. Not that we are a cruel, unjust, lustful person, but that maybe we are attracted to the gospel and alarmed by it at the same time. There are parts you get and love, and there are parts you can’t get your head around or accept. That’s actually a good thing. It means you get it. Know this. If you feel a tug, if you find yourself leaning in God’s direction or just wanting it to be true, it’s not of your own making. It means God is working in you, drawing you to himself:
44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44 (LSB)
I know I’ve mentioned this a thousand times, but in the end, we will never have all our questions answered; it will never make perfect sense. How could it? We are talking about an infinite, all-powerful God who approaches us with love and mercy. It makes sense that he wouldn’t make sense. At some point, we must simply surrender. And we do that by putting all we have in this simple invitation,
13 for “WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” Romans 10:13 (LSB)
Stott, J. (1973). Under Arrest and on Trial. In John Stott Sermon Archive (Ac 21–26). Faithlife Corporation.