Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me
to be a Christian. (Acts 26:28, KJV).
Almost only counts in horseshoes. In the Christian life, "almost"
amounts to two-thirds of nothing. Jesus said, "He that is
not with me is against me. . ." With Christ, it's all or
nothing. Either you're converted or unconverted, saved or unsaved,
born again or not born again.
King Agrippa had heard Paul's tremendous testimony. He had heard
how Jesus had appeared to him and called him to surrender his
life and called him to be a minister of the Gospel. Paul told
him how Jesus had died on the cross for our sins, that He was
calling men to repentance that they might receive eternal life.
Agrippa said, "Almost. . . Almost. . . Almost. . . thou
persuadest me to be a Christian." How sad to be an "almost"
Christian.
I wonder how many "almost" Christians there are in the
world today. How many that say that they like the Christian message.
They want their sins forgiven. They want a change in their life.
Almost. . . Almost. . . Almost. . . they are willing to give their
life to Jesus.
No, there will be no half-way Christians in heaven. It's all or
nothing, black or white, sin or righteousness. We all need Jesus.
He's the only way.
The only way to get to heaven, to be saved, to be born again
is to turn from sin and believe in the finished work of Calvary.
Jesus said, "ye must be born again. . ."
"Born again" is an overused term these days. Some would
say that a sports team that has experienced a change for the better
has been born again. Or it may be someone whose career has turned
around.
A few years ago a man who was a publisher of a porn magazine announced
that he was "born again." The problem is, he kept publishing
the magazine. That's not being born again. When you're born again,
you change. You don't publish porn magazines, you publish the
Gospel.
Porn magazine owners, just like the rest of us, can be born again,
but when you're born again you leave the old life behind. You
are changed by the power of God. Born again people face temptations
and sometimes sin, but there is a difference. They have a new
godly nature. It's a change in the inner man in which you desire
to live for God. The born again message is the solution to the
crime problem, the abortion problem, the "lingerie show"
problem, the sin problem. . .
You cannot be "almost" born again. Either you are
or you aren't. And there's no excuse for refusing God's free gift
of salvation.
God says his salvation benefits are for everyone. "And whosoever
will, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation
22:17, KJV). "Whosoever" includes everyone. It includes
you. It includes me. It includes the porn publisher. No one is
excluded. But each most come through the straight gate and the
narrow way. Jesus is that way. He changes lives. He forgives sins.
He gives new life. He gives the power to change.
Get off the "almost" Christianity. Get off the fence.
Leave whatever is hindering you behind, whether it be selfishness,
position, power, religious tradition, family or friends and go
all the way with Jesus. He is Lord!
Pray this simple prayer:
Dear God, I give you my life. I confess Jesus Christ as
my Lord and Savior. I believe He died for my sins and rose again
from the dead. Thank you for saving me and giving me a new life,
in Jesus name.