The ‘almost’ Christian.
“Act 26:28,’Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” We can imagine the setting…Paul has been arrested and sent before Festus and Agrippa to present his case. Paul tells of his life and how he harassed Christians but was later converted when he saw Yahshua Messiah on the way to Damascus. He also reminded Agrippa that he knew the Jewish customs and believed the prophets. Agrippa was a Jew; and, as such, he of course believed the prophets. But he, trying to avoid confessing the facts, accused Paul saying ‘almost, thou peruadest me to be a Christian’.
What a terrible word ‘almost’ is! Almost—just short of the mark, or goal. One small step to achieving something!
Moses ‘almost’ entered the Promised Land but could not because of one instance of disobedience.
The scribe, in Mark 12:28-34, was almost at the kingdom of Yahweh.
The rich ruler, in Luke.18:18, ‘almost’ entered into eternal life, but could not because he would not leave his riches.
There are many such examples in the Bible where the situation is ‘almost’! There are also many who are almost Christians, almost baptized, almost at the door of the Kingdom of Yahweh…I even had a friend who told me he was almost a Christian because he went to a Christian school and knew the Lord’s Prayer!
Paul reminds Agrippa that he knows the word of Yahweh and the prophesies in the scriptures, all the things contained in the Law and the Prophets. Paul is using the scriptures to bring Agrippa to faith in Messiah. 2Ti 3:16,“All scripture is given by inspiration of Elohim, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of Elohim may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
The Bible is a mirror and it shines its light on man’s sin, (Jas 1:23). When we look into a mirror we see ourselves as the world sees us, but when we read the Bible and see ourselves through the Bible, we see our inner man. When we compare our lives with the word of Yahweh, we see all our imperfections, we see where we have gone against His laws.
For the word of Elohim is quick and powerful …a sharp two-edged sword. It cuts to the very heart of a man,(Heb. 4:12). It is a living word, it can enter into the soul of man and produce results which the natural man cannot understand.
The Bible is like a hammer. It can crush the hardest heart, (Jer. 23:29.) A heart that is filled with evil thoughts and intentions is like a stone, nothing can make a good impression on it nor can anything have any effect on it. But the word of Yahweh can crush even the hardest heart
The Bible is like a fire. It can cause the coldest heart to burn for Elohim,(Jer. 23:29.) Just like the refiners fire burns the dross from gold and purifies it, even so, the Bible will burn away all evil from our hearts and purify it.
Agrippa had not only known the scriptures but he also had the testimony of the saints as well as the testimony of Paul. He knew Paul’s life, he heard first hand from Paul how the Lord saved and converted him. Agrippa knew what Paul said was true but he could not admit it because of the truth of his own life.
Agrippa had come into the room with a woman named Bernice, who was living with him as his wife. But in truth she was his sister! He was living in sin with his own sister and if he admits his belief and faith in Yahshua, he would have to stop his sinful life.
It wasn’t just sin that stopped Agrippa at “Almost”. There was also the problem of self. Notice how self kept this man from coming to Yahshua. Agrippa was worried about the consequences if he had declared his faith in Messiah. Agrippa was a Roman ruler. If he had declared faith in Messiah, he would have lost the favour of his superiors and the trust of his Jewish subjects
The Roman Governor Festus was with him that day. Agrippa could not allow Festus to see him declare his faith in Messiah at the word of a political prisoner. His pride would not allow Agrippa to bow.
Agrippa saw how Paul looked…in chains, his body marked with the persecution he had suffered because of his relationship with Messiah. Agrippa knew that if he came to Messiah; he would lose everything else in life. He was not willing to pay the price to come to Messiah.
For a person who ‘almost’ comes to Messiah (but does not, because of what we read above), the results are disastrous. If Agrippa had believed, the course of Israel’s history would have changed. His sister Bernice may have been saved. But because of his ‘almost’ he ends up in hell. His ‘almost’ was not good enough. Elohim wants a hundred percent of your life.
The New Testament has many examples of people who were ‘almost’ there. The rich young ruler (Matt.19:16-30) had kept all the commandments from his youth but could not enter into eternal life because he was not willing to part with his wealth. Judas Iscariot was with Messiah for three and a half years but at the end he sold his salvation for thirty pieces of silver. The second thief on the cross saw Messiah promise eternal life to the other thief but still would not believe (Luke.23:39-43). Felix, Festus and Bernice were in the room with Paul, but Felix wanted to wait for ‘convenient season’ to hear the Gospel (Acts 24:25). Festus heard the Gospel and called Paul a ‘mad man’,(Acts 26:24). Bernice heard the Gospel and walked away (Acts 26:30).
People remain lost because they do not want to come to Messiah. Messiah said,’ And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.’(John 5:40)
On the Day of Judgment, not just Agrippa but there will be millions standing before the throne of the Almighty Yahweh, confident that they were almost saved. Don’t fool yourselves. Don’t fall into the same traps that caught Agrippa. If you are lost, come to Yahshua Messiah and be saved. Allow nothing to stand in your way. |