*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*GOD'S SALVAGE KINGDOM (2).*
*Scripture Treasure.*
Acts 26:29 *I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”*
*Insight and Highlight.*
There are people like Agrippa who almost believed but did not believe.
*Scripture Commentaries.*
Paul's encounter with Agrippa was mind gripping. It points to a wake-up check and balance in personal evangelism.
Yesterday, we looked at the lesson on personal evangelism.
Acts 25—26 gives a great example for believers to follow.
Agrippa was very powerful. Paul, though in chains of ministry, frustrated with no life of freedom of his own, he did not shrink back from faithfully proclaiming the gospel to Agrippa in his positions of power.
Today, we will look at another lesson we can learn from Paul's encounter with him.
This is that, Paul said all who hear him besides Agrippa would *".....become both almost and altogether such as I am,...."*, Acts 26:29.
Agrippa fulfilled the former but not the latter part.
Agrippa *......almost but not altogether....* believed.
Paul was telling Agrippa of the importance of complete salvation.
He offered himself as an example of the testimony of the complete salvation by Christ and that he is a living testimony of God's salvaged Kingdom.
God's testimony is true, and He wants complete salvation.
God's salvaged Kingdom will not settle for anything less than complete salvation, ref Rev 3:15.
Just because Agrippa settled for less did not mean the gospel in Paul was incomplete.
This is why he wished those he preached to be as he was. He said he wished they would *....altogether such as I am,...* Acts 26:28b.
Paul was saying, God is always true but every man a liar, (Rom 3:4).
Agrippa was traceable to the Herod family. The Herod family and dynasty, according to the scriptures, were most notorious to the gospel of Christ, Matt 2, Mark 6, Luke 23: 7-12, Acts 12.
Agrippa's family history made him unlikely to receive Paul warmly.
There are people today who are from staunch family backgrounds of certain religions. They are most resistant to the gospel.
They may be mimicking, saying, *'Keep this up much longer, and you will make a Christian out of me!"* (NKJV), Acts 26:28.
They may be saying, *"Do you think that in such a short time, you can persuade me to be a Christian?"*(NIV) Acts 26:28.
These are the 'Almost faith' or the 'almost persuaded' people.
They are so stone hearted to tell you that "you got close, you almost convinced me, you almost made it, but you did not!"
Just like it makes no sense of anyone God gives the opportunity to be meaningful and impactful in life but he did not, so also wiil there be no sense in anyone who *“almost”* became a Christian but ultimately did not?
The Bible warns about waiting for the right time to be saved or wasting time because *“today is the day of salvation”* (2 Corinthians 6:2; cf. Hebrews 3:7–15).
In spite of Agrippa's reluctance, Paul was not discouraged, so we ought not be!
If you are faced with the choice to follow Christ as your Savior, do not be like Agrippa. Choose Christ immediately!
*Remorse corner.*
If you miss the salvage Kingdom, you can not miss the savage kingdom.
*Call to Word action.*
2 Cor 6: 2 *(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.*
*The Christian clarion duty.*
Almost persuaded is not complete persuasion or completion of salvation.
*Prayer.*
Lord, help me to lead someone to complete salvation
Good morning all and have a blessed day.
God bless you.