Based on Acts 25:1-12 (New King James Version)
“Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem. Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they petitioned him, asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him. But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly. ‘Therefore,’ he said, ‘let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, to see if there is any fault in him.’ And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought. When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove, while he answered for himself, ‘Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.’ But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, ‘Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?’ So Paul said, ‘I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know. For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.’ Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, ‘You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go!’”
The Lord told us that in the world we would have tribulation, and indeed, there are many reasons why we might face problems—especially if we strive to do God's will. We might ask, "Why do we have problems in this world?" The primary reason is sin—whether it is sin we commit directly, the sin of those around us, or simply the sin present in the environment—because sin corrupts everything. Yet, it is usually a combination of all three: the environment, the sins of others, and our own sin. Whenever we speak of problems—or challenges, as some call them—we must remember that the underlying factor is always sin. Why? So that we may begin to loathe sin. If we fail to grasp that sin is the root of all our troubles, we will continue to tolerate it—which is the worst thing we could possibly do.
Now, when we come to Christ, are we made perfect immediately? In practical terms, of course not. While the Lord does forgive us and grant us a fresh start, sin remains within our members; therefore, it is impossible for us to be perfect right now. Nevertheless, when we come to Christ, the Lord begins a process of transformation within us—a result of our repentance and conversion (provided they were genuine, for many people never experience a life change simply because genuine repentance never took place). The Lord taught: “Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’” John 3:5-6. What does the water signify? The Lord is speaking of the baptism of John the Baptist—that is, the baptism of repentance. If a person does not repent and turn away from all their sins, they cannot be born again. As it also says: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before.” Acts 3:19-20. It is the Holy Spirit who produces conviction of sin—something that goes beyond mere conscience—so that there may be an opportunity for conversion. However, if a person does not repent and convert as required—which is a matter of choice—then there is no new birth. A serious doctrinal error held by many Christians today is the belief that one need only believe in Christ—and nothing else—to be born again or saved; yet this does not align with the Lord’s teaching. As we have just read, unless the conditions of repentance and conversion are met, sins are never blotted out. How, then, can there be salvation?
This leads us to the next point—which ought to be logical, especially for someone who understands the future that lies ahead: the matter of striving to live a lifestyle that glorifies God. In today’s passage, we saw a Paul who was fully confident—not only in the Lord but also in his own conduct—and who had nothing to fear because his conscience was clear. As he himself declared: “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all.” And why could he say this? Because he strove to live in a way that glorified God, and this in itself made him free from any just judgment, for when we seek to do God’s will, we do no harm to anyone. This is the practical aspect we must apply to our Christian lives. And I say we “should” apply it because it is something we ought to strive to do. We must never forget free will. Even when we are in Christ, we always have the freedom to do whatever we choose. The Lord will always seek to guide, teach, speak to, correct, and even persuade us through circumstances, but ultimately, He will never force anyone to do something they do not want to do. Why? Because everything is rooted in love—especially faith in Christ. In love, there is no obligation, and certainly no manipulation. When we come to Christ, we do not become puppets or, so to speak, spiritual robots. That is why the Lord Himself established the first commandment just as He did: “And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.” Mark 12:30. If everything were automatic upon conversion to the Lord, He would not waste time on extensive instruction in the Word, nor on the spiritual process that must take place within the believer, nor anything of the sort. That is why He commands us to love Him with all our soul and with all our mind; human beings must arrive at their own conviction regarding spiritual matters through the work of the Holy Spirit and biblical teaching. Everything we do should matter to us; we must be conscious of our actions. Furthermore, if we strive to live a life that glorifies God, a practical benefit is that we will often face fewer problems. At the very least, we will avoid those issues that are within our control. Ultimately, this is the counsel of the Word: “And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. ‘And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.’ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” 1 Peter 3:13-17. The One we must please above all is God, because all of this will come to an end one day; the only One who remains for all eternity is the Lord, and He is the One who determines where we will spend eternity. So, are you living a lifestyle that glorifies God? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!