Righteousness, Self-Control, and Judgment to Come

(For an audio version of this sermon, you can go to the Perry Heights 
church of Christ website, sermons page and scroll down to the sermon.)

Text: Acts 24:24-25

Introduction:
  I. Background of the text.
 II. Felix
     A. He had a high priest murdered, taken bribes, a wicked 
        and unprincipled ruler, etc.
     B. He “exercised the authority of a king with the spirit of 
        a slave,” and that, by reason of the powerful influence 
        at his command, “he supposed he might perpetrate with 
        impunity every kind of villainy.” – Tacitus.  (Vincent)
     C. Talked Drusilla (the daughter of Herod Agrippa I who 
        killed James in Acts 12:1-2) to leave her husband and 
        marry him.  So this was an adulterous relationship.
III. Paul preached on Righteousness, Self-control, and Judgment 
     to come.
     A. You would think that Paul would have spoken words that 
        would have made Felix feel good or flatter Felix in an
        effort to win Paul’s freedom.
     B. Yet these are the subjects that Felix needed to hear.
     C. One may only grieve for the fact that widespread 
        preaching of eternal judgment has subsided or 
        disappeared altogether in many churches; but right here 
        is the power that convicted sinners like those who heard 
        Paul; and if modern churches would have any convicting 
        power, let them preach the word of God on such subjects 
        as this. (Coffman)

Body:
   I. Righteousness
      A. Definition:
         1. Thayer – 1. In a broad sense: state of him who is as 
            he ought to be, righteousness, the condition 
            acceptable to God.  …b. integrity, virtue, purity of 
            life, rightness, correctness of thinking, and 
            acting.
         2. “Righteousness”…signifies the moral quality when one 
            does what receives the approval of the divine judge.  
            The term is always forensic; God judges and declares 
            righteous either a man’s conduct (as here) or his 
            entire status (righteousness in Christ Jesus), C.-K. 
            315, etc. (Lenski)
         2. Righteousness is a comprehensive word describing the 
            will of God. (Harkrider)
      B. I suspect that “Paul made Felix and Drusilla aware 
         of their responsibility to live in accordance with 
         God’s teaching.” In addition, he must have stressed 
         to them, as he did to the Corinthians, that unrighteous 
         conduct will prevent one from inheriting the kingdom of 
         heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).  Inasmuch as righteous 
         living was contrary to their unrighteous ways, Paul’s 
         teaching emphasized the need for drastic change in 
         their lives.  We suppose that he taught them that if 
         they submitted to God’s conditions, they could be 
         forgiven of all past unrighteousness and thus be 
         righteous in God’s sight—but not unless they turned 
         from their unrighteous conduct.” Johnny Stringer
      D. Titus 2:12
      C. How can we know we ought to be, have purity of life, 
         correct thinking and life?  Psalm 119:172
         1. The right conduct:
            a. Towards others: Matthew 7:12
            b. Towards family: Ephesians 5:22-6:4
         2. The right speech: Ephesians 4:29; Matthew 12:36-37
         3. The right thinking: Philippians 4:8
         4. The purity of life: 1 Corinthians 6:18
         5. This is just a few of the teachings of the 
            Scriptures that teaches us “integrity, virtue, 
            purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, 
            and acting”.

 II. Self-Control
     A. Definition
        1. Thayer – the virtue of one who masters his desires 
           and passions, especially his sensual appetites.
        2. The original word here denotes a restraint of all the 
           passions and evil inclinations; and may be applied to 
           prudence, chastity, and moderation in general. 
           (Barnes)
        3. God demands that we exercise the self-control 
           necessary to make ourselves do the things that are 
           required of us and abstain from sinful practices. 
           (Springer)
     B. Scriptures:
        1. Part of the Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23
        2. One of the things which we are to add to our faith – 
           2 Peter 1:5-10
     C. Application: (Drinking, Drugs, TV Sports, Computer; 
        Pornography, the Internet, Gambling, Video Games, etc.

III. Judgment to come. 
     A. All must face the Judgment. Hebrews 9:27
     B. Jesus Christ is the Judge. Acts 17:30-31
     C. The Standard by which we will be judged. 
        1. John 12:48
        2. Shows the need and importance of studying the Bible.
     D. Purpose – 2 Corinthians 5:10
     E. Result – Matthew 25:46 (There is a Heaven to gain and a 
        Hell to shun)
        1. Heaven – Revelation 21:4, (Revelation 21 and 22)
           a. “If you miss Heaven, then you have missed all that 
              there is.”

        2. Hell
           a. Matthew 25:46 – Eternal punishment
           b. Matthew 25:41 – Lake of Fire
           c. Mark 9:48

Conclusion:
 I. The results of Paul’s sermon:
    A. Felix was afraid.
       1. afraid – alarmed, or terrified. Barnes
       2. Lit., having become in fear. Rev., better, was terrified. Vincent
    B. Yet he said “when I have a convenient time I will call 
       for you.”
    C. Yet as far as we know, the “convenient time never came.

II. Don’t let this be true of you.
    A. 2 Corinthians 6:2
    B. Satan will do what he can to make sure that no one will 
       obey the Gospel or give up the pleasures of sin.
    C. If you:
       1. never have been a Christian, you need to …
       2. have been a Christian but have been unfaithful, you 
          need to…