Yesterday morning, in a Sunday School class at Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church, we looked at Acts 24:24-27, the short episode in which the apostle Paul speaks with Felix, the Roman governor of Judea, and his wife Drusilla. In this passage, we see one good example and one bad example that are instructive for Christians as we face a culture increasingly hostile to biblical faith.

The previous passage shows us Paul before the governor “cheerfully” defending himself against the charges brought against him by the spokesman for the Jewish leaders: stirring up riots among the Jews, profaning the temple, and generally being a “plague.” Paul denies the charges, and declares his worship of “the God of our fathers” and his belief in “everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,” i.e. he affirms his wholehearted faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Cleverly he narrows the reason for his trial to his belief in the resurrection of the dead, a point of contention among different groups of Jews.

Felix, who the text says had “a rather accurate knowledge of the Way,” is lenient toward Paul, allowing him some freedom of movement and visits from his friends, and after several days he sends for Paul to hear him “speak about faith in Christ Jesus” (v. 24).

It’s intriguing that Felix, whose name ironically means “happy,” would have an interest in “the Way” and would be eager to hear from Paul, for he was certainly not a pious or righteous man. A former slave, he had risen to become the provincial governor largely through his merciless ambition and aggressive brutality. The Roman historian Tacitus describes him as “a master of cruelty and lust who exercised the powers of a king with the spirit of a slave,” and he was particularly known for his horrific crucifixions of his enemies.

His wife Drusilla was no example of moral virtue either: during her first marriage she engaged the assistance of a magician in pursuing an illicit affair with Felix, and then left her husband to form with Felix a perversely well-matched pair.

Yet Felix apparently knew something about Christians and the Christian faith. Perhaps he harbored a curiosity about this sect that seemed so fully and joyfully persuaded about their founder and so courageously committed to following him even to death. He had heard Paul’s wise and well-reasoned defense, and undoubtedly had taken note of Paul’s calm demeanor throughout the trial – and now he wanted to hear more directly and personally from this unusual preacher. It’s a bit reminiscent of Henry VIII who, upon hearing Hugh Latimer’s second straight sermon condemning the king’s adultery, surprised all present by declaring, not “Off with his head!” but “Blessed be God, I have so honest a servant!”

Verse 25 tells us the principal content of Paul’s discussion with Felix: “…he reasoned about righteousness and self-control and the coming judgment” – fitting if risky themes for such as Felix and Drusilla! We can imagine Paul’s calm but clear declaration of God’s holiness and his expectations for his creatures; his respectful but firm challenge about Felix’s and Drusilla’s moral intemperance; and his gracious but fervent warning about the destiny that awaited those who lead such lives. And, from what we know about Paul’s consistent practice, we can safely assume that he laid out the mercy and grace to be found through Jesus Christ.

What a wonderful example of how to present the faith that we know and love! Paul “reasoned” with Felix, speaking both truthfully and graciously, avoiding both the tendency toward hostility and the temptation to fudge on the truth. This was no mean-spirited harangue, although we might think that, if anyone deserved a frontal assault, it was Felix. But neither did Paul back off from the difficult message that he was burdened to present — although, given that his life was on the line, we might be inclined to understand if he had.

I pray that our Covenant students would become so convinced of the absolute truth of the faith – God’s righteousness, our sinfulness and rightful judgment, and the grace of the gospel – that they will speak the truth readily, boldly, and with intelligent reasoning, even in dangerous circumstances. News reports alert us to the increasing likelihood of pressure on Christians, on pain of punishment, to back off their convictions about biblical truth, whether it’s about sexuality and marriage, or the crucial differences between Christianity and other religions, or the gospel itself. Not only Paul and Hugh Latimer, but many of our brothers and sisters around the world are showing us the way in courageous living and speaking even and especially when the costs are high.

I also pray that our Covenant students would become so filled with the compassion of God that they would not be consumed with hostility or bitterness toward those around them, even those who may actively mistreat and abuse them, but would, with Paul and others, declare the truth and grace of God with patient reasoning and loving concern.

But we also need to consider Felix. Verse 25 tells us that, when he heard Paul, he was “alarmed” – the Greek word carries the connotation of extreme terror! Paul’s clear and gracious words obviously stabbed him deeply, and he glimpsed, if only for a moment, the reality of his desperate condition before our almighty God.

Yet his response was not repentance and faith but avoidance: “Go away for the present,” he said to Paul, and “when I get an opportunity I will summon you” (v. 25). It is clear that he saw something of the light of God, but it was a light he could not bear. He couldn’t get back into his darkness quickly enough. Although Felix continued to send for Paul often to converse with him, the moment of terror had passed and his pitiful motive became “that money would be given him by Paul” (v. 26).

(By contrast, a few months ago Kathleen and I heard the testimony of a woman who read the book of Genesis and was, like Felix, “terrified.” Yet her response, under the gracious and effectual work of the Spirit, was genuine repentance and faith.)

Even as we can fully affirm the sovereignty of God in bringing sinners to faith, it is instructive to witness such a turning away from the clear proclamation of God’s truth. Like Felix, unbelievers across the centuries have heard the biblical gospel and refused to believe, blinded by their sin and enslaved to their trivial and temporal passions and desires.

But it’s worthwhile to consider ourselves in this regard as well, for believers who hear God’s Word again and again and again also know the piercing examination of the Scriptures driven home by the Spirit – and must decide to obey or turn away. Felix’s bad example as one who refused to believe prompts me to pray that Covenant students, and all God’s people, would “take heed” (1 Cor. 10:12) to the light of God’s Word and with submissive hearts follow paths of obedience.

Are you fearful to stand in the dock and speak God’s truth when it’s risky and costly? We can take encouragement from Paul and so many others to declare his Word boldly in the troubling years that lie ahead, with God as our principal audience and the guarantor of our eternal hope.

Are you listening to but not faithfully doing God’s Word? We can receive exhortation from Felix’s bad example to soften our hearts and let the Word implanted in us do its work.

Of course all of this – our believing and speaking and obeying – all of this is by God’s grace alone. This is God’s gracious will for us, and he will surely do it as we seek him.