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            It seems that the apostle Paul was continually having to give a defense of the gospel and himself in the book of Acts. After he was baptized the record says, “Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God…Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him” (Acts 9:20,23). From that moment on in his life it was a continual defense of the gospel and of himself personally. Some years after Paul’s baptism he was brought before the governor Felix and said, “I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men” (Acts 24:16). However, by the Jews he was accused of doing both, as it was said of Paul to Felix, “For we have found this man a plague, a creator of dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). As Paul defended himself from these accusations that Paul had the opportunity to stand before the governor Felix and not only defend himself, but also to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
            Felix listened and was cordial toward Paul for various reasons. One being that he was curious about Jesus and was willing, along with his wife Drusilla, to hear Paul “concerning the faith in Christ” (Acts 24:24). Another reason revealed was because as the record says, “he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul…” (Acts 24:26). Felix listened to the preaching of the gospel with curiosity, but that curiosity and hearing the gospel had a personal impact upon him. As Paul preached about faith in Christ “he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come” (Acts 24:25), and it was at that point the record in Acts says, “Felix was afraid” (Acts 24:25). The power of the gospel had touched the heart of Felix to the point that he “was afraid”. What was there to be afraid of in Felix’s life? The three points that Paul mentioned in his lesson to Felix.
            The first was righteousness. Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:16-17). The righteousness that Paul would have spoken to Felix about would have been the plan of salvation that God proved in Jesus for man and his sins. Felix would have heard of God’s love, mercy, and grace, and how Jesus died on the cross for the salvation of man, and how a human being must respond to the gospel in faith, repentance, and obedience to be blessed in this righteousness.
            The second was self-control. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10). The message of righteousness would have included information to help Felix and Drusilla come to a knowledge of truth concerning Jesus and to act upon that truth in repentance.  While there are no specifics of the life and character of Felix and Drusilla revealed in the Scripture, other than he hoped to receive a bribe from Paul, nothing much else is known. However, it is known that he was of the of the world. Understanding the need for repentance or self-control would have brought about fear in his life.
            The third was the judgment. The Hebrew author wrote, “And it is appointed for me to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Felix would have come face to face with the fact that he was going to have to answer to God for the things that he had done and not done in his life. At this point in his life, he was not ready to stand before God in judgment, and so the Word of God says, “Felix was afraid”. Although he was afraid after hearing the Word of God he said to Paul, “Go away for now, when I have a convenient time, I will call for you” (Acts 24:25). He feared, but his fear did not move him to respond positively. Let us believe and respond.