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 Rest
assured that when Felix heard Paul "concerning the faith in
Christ Jesus" (Acts 24:24), he heard exactly what he needed
to hear and he heard it from one of the most competent and
informed teachers of that time. In his case it was not a
question, as when we teach, as to whether the most appropriate
things were taught or whether enough was said or whether it was
spoken in the proper spirit. And, judging from his response to
what was heard concerning "righteousness, and self control,
and the judgment to come" (v. 25), a terrified Felix got
the point. But, regretfully, he dismisses God's servant and,
with him, God's truth with the pitiful answer, "Go thy way
for this time; and when I have a convenient season, I will call
thee unto me." (v. 25) So far as we know, that convenient
season and salvation never came to Felix. Felix was lost! But
why?
Certainly
not because God wanted it that way! When the apostle Peter wrote
that God is "not willing that any should perish" (2
Pet. 3:9), that surely included Felix. When Jesus said that
"God so loved the world" Jn. 3:16), that too included
Felix. Felix was no less the object of God's great love and
concern than was the apostle Paul. Jesus teaches us that the
soul of Felix was worth more than the whole world (Matt. 16:26).
Then He proved it by dying on the cross for all men — for
Felix. Through the Holy Spirit, men like Paul were divinely
directed into all the truth (Jn. 16: 13) and were told to preach
it unto all the world (Matt. 28:20) so that sinners like Felix
may learn words whereby they might be saved. (Ac. 11:14)
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Yet,
in spite of God's will, His love and His every provision; in
spite of the efforts of an inspired apostle, Felix
was lost! — and he was lost by choice! He chose to sow
to flesh rather than the spirit; to serve self rather than God.
And, even though God regrets such a decision, He nevertheless
respects it. He allows man to do as he pleases, even when he
chooses to spurn God's grace and reject His salvation, as did
Felix. This is, as some have termed it, God's "permissive
will". Jn. 7:17 clearly shows the two wills involved in
salvation: "If any man wills to do His
will..." While it is true that environment and
circumstances may and do influence one's character, in the final
analysis every man is what he chooses to be. As someone has well
said, "Our character is but the stamp on our souls of the
free choices of good and evil we have made through life."
Spiritually, Felix was what he chose to be — and so are we.
True,
we don't always like to take credit for what we may have become.
Some blame God; others blame God's people; still others find
countless excuses with which to salve their consciences, but
none of this changes anything. We are still just about what
we want to be in our relationship with God. Facing up to
this fact would help put things in perspective for a lot of the
unfaithful. Felix and all like him will find that their choices
are not without consequences. He who chooses to sow to the flesh
will reap accordingly, Gal. 6:8. God's sovereignty is vindicated
in judgment. He wants you saved. The question is... Dan S.
Shipley
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