Evangelism Paul's Way?

  • Gary Cass
  • Mar 15, 2010
  • Series: Infusion Blog

blogpic_gary  by Gary Cass

Acts 24:24-27: And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. Now as he [Paul] reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, "Go away for now; when I have a convenient time I will call for you." Meanwhile he also hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him.  

Paul was ordained by Christ to be HIs man for the Gentiles, especially the elite Gentiles. Here we read about an encounter between Paul and Governor Felix. The importance of this is because today’s post-modern, skeptical, relativistic worldview is very much akin to that of the Gentile cultural elites of Paul’s day.

Felix called for Paul because he wanted to hear about faith in Christ. So Paul reasoned with them about “righteousness, self-control and judgment.” Note the effect, “Felix was afraid.” 

Is this an inspired example to follow of how to witness to someone who is hard hearted? Is it “loving” for us to tell the lost they have “sin, self-control and judgment” problems? Do we want people to be afraid? 

Paul certainly was not candy-coating the truth with Felix. Maybe Paul sensed that Felix was playing games, we know Felix was hoping for a bribe. Yet, Felix could not resist talking with Paul and keeps sending for him.

All three of these matters, “righteousness, self-control and judgment” can be appealed to on the basis of man’s conscience (general revelation) and does not require that they believe in the Bible (special revelation). 

All men have standards of righteousness they know are true. We know that because people always quick to point out the sins of others, especially when they have been sinned against. Right and wrong becomes very clear when it get personal. God has written his law on the conscience of all people, so there is no excuse or ignorance of His law.

People also know they lack self-control and cannot live up to their own internal standards of right and wrong. They know that we ought not to lie and steal, but they do, even if it’s just to a small degree, etc. Mankind has a major self-control problem, that’s why we have laws, police, courts and prisons.

God’s judgment is also something all men know is coming, but they are loath to acknowledge it. Fear of death and ultimate judgment is real and Felix was rightly afraid.

At Mars Hill, another encounter with Gentile elites, Paul appealed to the creation (general revelation) as proof for God and ends his discussion with an assertion of judgment. 

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." 

Some of the Gentile philosophers immediately believed, but those who objected did so because of the doctrine of the resurrection, not because of the matter of judgment per se.

Question? Are we to follow Paul’s example of the way he dealt with skeptical and cynical unbelieving people?