The Apostle Paul was taken to the Roman city of Caesarea for a trial before the Roman governor, Felix. Paul’s crime was that for three months he had been speaking boldly in the synagogue concerning the things of the kingdom of God. Some who heard did not believe, so they spoke evil of the Way and reported it to Felix (Acts 19:9).
Demetrius, a man who greatly opposed the Way, made idols of the goddess Diana. Paul’s preaching about the Way was negatively affecting Demetrius’ revenue. At one point, Paul addressed an angry mob that was against the Way and explained that at one time he persecuted and killed people who followed the Way, but Jesus had changed him. (Acts 22:4)
As it was then, today’s idols are in the form of money, statis, pleasure, success, and materiel things. However, if our first pursuit is God, then all His blessings will be added to us (Matthew 6:33). Thus, we are to “enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV). The reality is that “few find it” as we see in this statistic that only 31.6 percent of the world’s population define themselves as Christian. But only a small 9 percent of those identifying as Christians—possess a biblical worldview. (The Roys Report, 9/10/21)
During Paul’s trial before Felix, he gave his defense for following the Way and said, “I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect” (Acts 24:14). We are also told that Felix knew about the Way (verse 22). It appears that the Romans considered the Way to be a sect of Judaism rather than a separate religion.
As in Paul’s day, war has been declared on today’s Christians by weaponizing a government that brainwashes our children with lies and silences and imprisons those who oppose the dismantling of our freedoms. As it was then and is today, there is a great effort being made to silence the Way.” (Acts 19:23-29)
What is the Way? Jesus answered that question when He boldly stated, “I Am The Way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:16 NKJV). If there were many paths to heaven, why would the sinless Jesus suffer the unimaginable agony of crucifixion for our sakes. We see God’s plan 700 years before the birth of Christ, when the prophet Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be “pierced for our transgressions.” (Isaiah 53:6)
All sin, beginning with Adam, to the time of Christ was under the restraining mercy of God who chose not to punish sin, which would require an eternity in hell for all sinners, although He would have been just in doing so. Instead, God planned a Redeemer, His own Son, Jesus Christ who paid for every sin that would be committed. Though God would have been justified in punishing sin, He now justifies sinners who repent and receive Christ by faith. (John 3:16; Romans 3:26)
It cannot be said enough that God’s justice and His mercy were demonstrated by Christ’s death on the cross. At the cross, God’s justice was meted out in full upon Christ, and God’s mercy was extended in full to all who believe. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who they are. (Romans 3:22 NLT)
The trespass of [Adam] caused death to reign in each person. How much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in their life through The One Man, Jesus Christ! (Romans 5:17). Therefore, we are to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage [the enemy of our souls]. (Galatians 5:1)
Because of what Christ did for mankind, there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Jesus freed us from sin and death. We are not saved by being a good person and knowing the commandments of God, because we cannot be good enough or keep the commandments. So, in God sending His Son in a human body like ours, He destroyed sin’s control over us by giving Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. So now through the Holy Spirit we no longer obey the old evil nature that only wants to please ourselves, but we are led by the Holy Spirit to do what pleases God. (Romans 8:1-4)
“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved (Romans 10:9). Maybe you have faithfully attended church most or all your life, but never verbally acknowledged Jesus as your Savior and made a commitment to surrender all to God and His Son. If so, I invite you to pray the following prayer:
PRAYER: Father, I have known about You and Jesus, but I never verbally committed my heart nor surrendered my life to Jesus. But today, I believe in my heart that Jesus not only died for me but that You raised Him from the dead, and He sits at Your right hand. I confess that I am a sinner, but because of the shed blood of Jesus, I am forgiven and set free from the wages of sin. Thank you for this fee gift of salvation that I did not and could not have earned, because Jesus paid it all. In Jesus’ name, amen.