A Troubled Soul

²⁴ Some days later when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak concerning faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁵ And as he discussed justice, self-control, and the coming judgment, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present; when I have an opportunity, I will send for you.” ²⁶ At the same time he hoped that money would be given him by Paul, and for that reason he used to send for him very often and converse with him.

²⁷ After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and since he wanted to grant the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. (Ac 24:24–27).

 Paul was being held in Caesarea to await trial because of the accusations of the Jews in Jerusalem.  He appeared before Felix, the governor who could not find any fault in Paul but instead of releasing him, held him captive until Lysias could hear his case.  While Paul was waiting Felix with his Jewish wife, Drusilla met with him to find out more about what Paul believed.  Felix and his wife had some knowledge of Christianity. Drusilla was the daughter of Herod Agrippa who was eaten by worms as a judgment for his claim to be god to the people.  Felix had taken her as his wife in an adulterous relationship.  There was something about Paul that was intriguing that caused Felix and Drusilla to find out more about the Way that he was somewhat familiar.

Paul used this opportunity to be a witness to them of the truth that they needed to hear.  He focused on three areas: Righteousness or Justice; Self Control and the Judgment to come.

These 3 areas are critical for us as believers to understand and be able to express to people who are not believers.  These three areas deal with the moral conscience of man.  God has created man with a sense of right and wrong.  There is a moral code written in the heart of man and though it is greatly perverted today there is still within every person a sense of what is right and wrong.  People know what they ought to do or what they should do in given situations regarding moral standards.  This moral law is a reflection of the character of God within man that man cannot escape.

Let's look at these three important areas.

Righteousness or Justice

The Romans were known for their system of justice.  Paul was using his Roman citizenship do be able to have his case heard before the Roman justices.  Felix knew about justice but did not have the courage to acquit Paul of the false accusations brought against him.  Paul used this opportunity to explain to both Felix and his wife, God's standards of righteousness and justice.

The Scriptures clearly teach that God sets the standard of righteousness and from these standards he bases his judgments and his justice.  God is not a man that he should lie.  He does not change his standards to please man.  He cannot be bribed to make exceptions.  His standards are perfect and they are the measure by which he will determine right from wrong. 

The world system today is moving quickly in the direction of relativity.  Absolute truth has been shunned and those who preach it are ridiculed by those who claim there are no absolute standards by which we can judge.  But in stating this they are making a statement that is an absolute truth to them.  They have rejected the Word of God as the standard and replaced it with their own ideas.

Man left on his own drifts away from the moral code God has placed within him.  We read of this happening in the days of Noah when mankind was so corrupt in their thinking and actions that every thought and intention of the heart was bent on evil.  The culture had to be destroyed so that a new culture could replace it through the lineage of Noah who was described as a righteous man and a preacher of righteousness.  The influence of evil was curtailed but not eliminated and God set aside a group of people from the lineage of Abraham through which he would bring the promised Messiah.  As this family grew into a nation and multiplied in Egypt during their captivity, God raised up Moses to bring the nation out of Egypt to the Promised Land.  They were a chosen nation who were called out to become a holy nation, a nation separated from the other nations of the earth that had drifted away from the knowledge of God and were steeped in worshiping other gods.  In order to preserve the nation of Israel God has to institute his laws which defined the moral code that was in opposition to the practices of the other nations.  God's moral code was written in the laws Moses gave to the people that God revealed to him while on Mount Sinai.  These laws reflect the character of God and portray his holiness that he wanted his people to emulate.  They were commandments not suggestions and they are as valid today as they were when they were given. 

Felix and his wife were very familiar with these laws yet were living in violation of them through their adulterous affair.

They must have felt some guilt listening to Paul's explanation yet it was not to the point of bringing them to repentance and faith in Jesus.

The righteousness of God is not attainable for man.  It is impossible for man to make himself righteous according to the standards God has determined. The righteousness that we receive is only through Christ who became our righteousness.  When we give our lives to him his righteousness is given to us.  God looks at us through Christ who became sin for us and through his death, died for us.  Though we are forgiven we are not perfect yet God sees us clothed in the righteousness of Christ.  Without his righteousness we are condemned to eternal separation because of our failure to keep God's laws.  God's laws were designed to lead us to Christ and receive his gift of righteousness.  The question we must ask is why do people not accept what God has done for us in Christ?  If they know they are imperfect and that God is holy why do they not believe in Christ and accept what he has done to make us in right standing with God?  R. C.  Sproul has stated that the reason God's standards are rejected is because people do not want to be subjected to God.  They do not like God nor the absolute standards he has established and consequently they choose to reject him.  They want to do what they want to do rather than what God has commanded of all mankind. We are witnessing today a great change in social mores that reflect man’s rebellion against the holiness of God.  Jesus predicted that there would be a digression in the last days that would parallel what happened in the days of Noah before the flood.

Self-Control

The second area that Paul addressed with Felix was self-control.  This ability is needed to be able to be obedient to what is known to be true or right.  Felix and his wife did not possess self-control as witnessed by their illicit relationship.  They followed after their fleshly desires.  Their failure is common to all of us.  We know what to do but choose to do otherwise.  We are all guilty of not having self-control over many areas of our lives.  It is not just the addicts who exhibit this, we all do in different areas of our lives.  The body is a great servant but a horrible master when we give in to its demands.  Our minds can become polluted with thoughts and ideas that would put us in prison if they were acted upon.  Our lack of self-control should cause us to cry out to God for help!  Our greatest enemy at times is not the devil or other people it is our own thoughts that are influenced by many sources.  Self-control is the fruit of the Holy Spirit working in us.  He can change our thoughts and provide us the ability to exhibit self-control as we learn to yield to him and allow him to control our lives.  Our human will can bring our actions under control to a degree but our thought life can still be disastrous.  Though we may refrain from taking action our inner compulsion will be toward doing the opposite.  People under the control of the world today want freedom to do whatever they want to do.  This is not freedom, it is anarchy against God.  Man does not want controls in certain areas of his life.  He wants complete freedom so that self-control is not needed.  This leads to addictive behavior and self-control is nonexistent as the habit controls the person and leads them into bondage.  It is a ploy of the devil to offer freedom which leads to captivity and bondage.

It is only through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives that we will truly gain self-control. 

⁷ for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control, (2 Tim. 1.7)

It is the hope we can offer to mankind who is trapped in the flesh.  The Holy Spirit can give us true freedom and control over the flesh and the thoughts that are in opposition to God's standards of righteousness.

The Judgment to Come

The final area Paul addressed was the judgment to come.  This is what I believe caused Felix to tremble and say that the conversation needed to end, that is was enough. If there is no judgment then justice cannot truly be served.  Laws that are not enforced and given consequences for their violation lose all power to control people lives and protect them from violators. 

The Scriptures give us an important understanding of God's judgment.

John 3.17 

¹⁷ For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Judgment and wrath are alien to the nature and purpose of God.  God delights to administer mercy and salvation, but He is reluctant to administer wrath and judgment.

⁹ The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

(2 Pe 3:9–10).

God has the sovereign right to be our judge. 1 Peter 1.17  but he has chosen to commit all judgment to the Son.

John 5.22,23

²² The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

²⁶ For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, ²⁷ and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man.

Jesus has been given the honor of being the judge so that all men will show equal honor to him as they would the Father. Jesus as the Son of Man as well as the Son of God, he is both human and divine and in his judgment he is able to make allowances for all the infirmities and weaknesses of the human flesh.  Yet Christ is also unwilling to administer judgment and has transferred final authority of judgment to the Word of God.

⁴⁷ If any one hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. ⁴⁸ He who rejects me and does not receive my sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day. (Jn 12:47–48).

Derek Prince in his book "Eternal Judgment" describes God's judgments of the believer and nonbeliever.

There are 4 main principles of God's judgment found in Romans 2.

First, God's judgment is based on truth.

 ¹ Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are, when you judge another; for in passing judgment upon him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. ² We know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who do such things. (Ro 2:1–2).

God's standards for judging do not change.  They are always based on the truth and his word is truth (John 17.17)

This revealed standard of God’s truth applies just as much to the one who judges as to the one who is judged.

Secondly, God’s judgment is "according to his works”.

⁶ For he will render to every man according to his works: (Ro 2:6).

¹⁷ And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.  (1 Pe 1:17–18).

¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. (Re 20:12)

We must be careful not to limit the meaning of the word "deeds or works” merely to external actions, such as can be observed by other human beings. The whole Bible makes it plain that God, in His judgment of man, takes into account not merely external actions, but also the deepest and most secret thoughts, impulses and motives of the heart.

⁵ Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God. (1 Co 4:5)

¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Heb 4:12–13)

The third principle of God’s judgment is stated in Romans chapter 2, verse 11:

¹¹ For God shows no partiality.

God's judgment is not compromised by any external or relational factors.  He is completely unbiased in his judgments.  He cannot be bribed, manipulated, coerced or forced to do anything. Everyone will be treated the same and judged by God’s righteous standards.

The fourth principle of God's judgment is that each person will be judged according to the measure of moral light and understanding made available to him.

 ¹² All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law (Ro 2:12).

Those outside of the law will be judged in accordance with the general revelation of God through creation.

²⁰ Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse;  (Ro 1:20–21).

Those who have greater revelation of God through his word and through the preaching of the gospel will be held to a different standard because they have been given more light.

Three Judgments

There will be three different judgment given.  Each of these judgments will carried out in three different scenes and the Judge will sit on three different seats.

The first will be "the judgment seat of Christ" in which the true followers of Christ will be judged.

The second scene, the seat of judgment is called "the throne of Christ's glory".  Here the Gentiles remaining on the earth at the close of the great tribulation, prior to the setting up of Christ's millennial kingdom upon the earth.

The third scene the seat of judgment is called "a Great White Throne." 

Those to be judged here will be all the remaining dead who will be resurrected at the close of the millennium.

The Judgment seat of Christ

¹⁷ For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? ¹⁸ And“If the righteous man is scarcely saved, where will the impious and sinner appear? (1 Pe 4:17–18).

¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body. (2 Co 5:10).

True believers in Christ will be judged individually not as to whether they will be saved or condemned but to determine the rewards they will receive for their works.

 Every act performed by a Christian while here on earth must fall into one or other of two categories—either "good”, or "bad”. There is no third category, no neutrality. Every act of a Christian has definite value of some kind—either positive, or negative. Every act that is not performed in faith and obedience, for the glory of God, is unacceptable to God, and therefore "bad”. It is upon this simple basis, clearly revealed, that, as Christians, each one of us must expect to be judged. In speaking of the place which Christ will occupy while judging Christians, Paul uses the phrase, "the judgment seat of Christ”. The Greek word here translated "judgment seat” is "bema”. This word suggests a raised platform, used for public address. In other passages of the New Testament, it denotes the place of judgment used by the Roman Emperor, or by one of his deputies, to hear and pronounce judgment on cases brought before them.

Since our sins have been blotted out and God has no record of them, we will not be judged for condemnation but we will be judged for rewards.

Our works will be tested to determine their value.

¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³ each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴ If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. (1 Co 3:11–15).

Only that which is of true and enduring value will survive, purified and refined by fire. As we consider this scene of judgment, we may well ask ourselves each one, as Christians: How may I serve Christ in this life, so that my works will stand the test of fire in that day? There are three points concerning which each one of us should examine ourselves. These three points are: 1.Motive; 2.Obedience; 3.Power.

First, we should examine our own motives. Do we do what we do to please ourselves, for our own satisfaction and glory? Or do we sincerely seek to glorify Christ and to do His will?

Second, we should examine ourselves on the point of obedience. Are we seeking to serve Christ according to the principles and the methods revealed in the Word of God? Or are we fashioning our own forms of worship and service, and then attaching to them the name of Christ and the titles and phrases of  New Testament religion?

Third, we should examine ourselves in respect of power. In First Corinthians chapter 4, verse 20, Paul reminds us:

²⁰ For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power.

Are we seeking to serve God in the inadequacy of our own carnal will and strength? Or have we been renewed and empowered by the Holy Spirit, so that we can say like Paul, in Colossians chapter 1, verse 29:

²⁹ For this I toil, striving with all the energy which he mightily inspires within me.

The Throne of Christ's Glory

This will be the judgment of the Gentiles at the close of the great tribulation.

³¹ “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³ and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. (Mt 25:31–33).

"nations" refers to members of all nations except Israel.

The passage states merely that all the members of the Gentile nations—in other words, all Gentiles —will here be gathered before Christ for judgment. All these will be here be judged, not in groups as nations, but each one individually. This is in line with the principle which we have already established—that in every instance the eternal judgments of God concern individuals, not racial groups. Each individual will be required to answer solely for his own life and conduct.

Now the scripture clearly specifies that the judgment which we are now considering, before the throne of Christ’s glory, will be for Gentiles only.  There will be no Jews, and no true Christians. This fact agrees with the general revelation of scripture concerning the close of this present age. There will be no true Christians at this judgment, because all these will already have been raptured and will have entered into their reward, before this judgment ever takes place. There will be no Jews present at this judgment, because by this time Israel, as a nation, will already have passed through her own special judgment, and all Jews who survive this special judgment, will have been reconciled to God through the acknowledgment of Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah.

The Great White Throne

 ¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done. ¹⁴ Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; ¹⁵ and if any one’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire  (Re 20:11–15).

At the close of this period of one thousand years of Christ's reign, Satan will make one final attempt to organize the Gentile nations in rebellion against Christ and His kingdom, but this rebellion will be brought to naught by the direct intervention of God. At this time Satan himself will at last be banished forever from earth and will be cast into the lake of fire, to join the anti-Christ and the false prophet, who will already be there. With this defeat of Satan’s last rebellion, all the rebellious amongst those living at that time upon earth will be purged out; and it will then remain to judge the dead of all previous ages. For this purpose, all the dead, who have not previously been resurrected, will at this time be called forth for judgment. In this way the scene will be set for the third and final phase of God’s eternal judgment.

Here is the ultimate end of all sin and rebellion against the authority and the holiness of almighty God: it is to be cast for ever into the lake of everlasting fire. Only those may escape this final judgment whose names are written in the book of life. The names recorded in this book of life are the names of those who have accepted the grace and mercy of God made available to man solely through faith in the atoning death of Jesus Christ. All those believers who lived in the ages before the cross looked forward by faith to that atonement. All those believers who have lived since the cross have looked back by faith to the same atonement. The only place of reconciliation between God and a sinful world is the cross of Jesus Christ. Apart from the cross, there is no other way of reconciliation to God. All those who have not come to God in faith through the cross of Christ can have no other claim upon God’s mercy and forgiveness. They must therefore be judged according to their own works, and on the basis of these works be rejected forever from the presence of God. At the close of this final judgment will be fulfilled the eternal purpose of God, through Christ, as revealed in Colossians chapter 1, verses 19 and 20.

¹⁹ For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

These verses reveal that it is the final purpose of God to reconcile to Himself by the blood of Christ all things in heaven and in earth. However, this reconciliation does not extend beyond the confines of heaven and earth. It does not concern those who have been consigned to outer darkness and the lake of fire. By the close of this final judgment, all those who have accepted by faith the propitiatory blood of Christ’s cross, will be eternally reconciled to God. Conversely, all those who have not been reconciled in this way will be eternally rejected. Cast out from heaven and earth they must take their place in the lake of fire.

Paul in his conversations with Felix and Priscilla may not have had all the revelation regarding the Judgments to come but whatever he revealed to him was enough to make him tremble. Felix was troubled but not transformed.  He was more concerned about getting money from Paul than the eternal state of his soul.  He trembled but he did not bow and he will one day stand before God to give an account of his life.

Rejecting Christ is a serious matter and those who do need to know the consequences of their decisions.  God does not delight in executing justice, his desire is that all will come to the knowledge of Christ and be reconciled to him.  He allows mankind free will to make it their choice and if they reject him in this life they will not want to be with him in the next life.  God does not force anyone to go to heaven.

In our witness to the lost, we do them no favor if we do not explain to them God’s righteousness and justice, man’s lack of self-control that leads him into sin and the judgment that God will render to every individual. Paul found it to be very important in his conversation with Felix because it addressed serious issues that were holding him back from gaining eternal life.  The same can be said for the majority of people today who have not accepted their condition nor understood God's provision for them.