Conclusion of Paul and King Felix.

Taken from:

Discipline and Other Sermons 

(1881 edition)

 by Charles Kingsley

Conclusion:

But it is written Paul reasoned with Felix about judgement to come. We must not too hastily suppose this means he told Felix he was in danger of hell. For that is an argument which Paul never uses anywhere in his writings or speeches, as far as we know them. He never tries, as too many do now, to frighten sinners into repentance by telling them of hell; and therefore we have no right to fancy he did so by Felix.

He told him of judgement to come; and we can guess from his writings what he would have said. That there was a living God who judged the earth always by his Son Jesus Christ, and that he was coming then immediately to punish all the horrible wickedness which was then going on in those parts of the world which Paul knew. Paul always speaks of the terrible judgments of God as about to come in his own days, and we know that they did come.

We know, God forbid a preacher should tell you one-tenth of what he ought to know - that Paul's times were the most horribly wicked the world had ever seen; that the few heathens who had consciences left felt that some terrible punishment must come if the world went on as it was going. And we know that the punishment did come; and that for about twenty years, towards the end of which Paul was beheaded, the great Roman Empire was verily a hell on earth.

If Felix lived ten years more he saw the judgement in a way which could not be mistaken. But did judgement to come overtake him in his life? We do not altogether know. We know that he committed such atrocities, that the Roman Emperor Nero was forced to recall him; that the chief Jews of Caesarea sent to Rome, and there laid such accusations against him that he was in danger of death; that his brother Pallas, who was then in boundless power, saved him from destruction. That shortly afterwards Pallas himself was disgraced, stripped of his offices, and a few years later poisoned by Nero. It is probable enough that when he fell Felix fell with him; but we know nothing of it certainly.

But at least he saw with his own eyes that there was such a thing as judgment to come, not merely thousands of years hence at the last day, but there and then in his own lifetime. he saw the wrath of God revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men. he saw the wicked murdering and destroying each other till the land was full of blood. He saw the Empress-mother Agrippina, who had bee the paramour of his brother Pallas, murdered by her own son, the Emperor Nero; and so judgment came on her. He saw his own brother first ruined and then poisoned; and so judgment came on him.

He saw many a man whom he knew well, and who had been mixed up with him and his brother in their intrigues, put to death himself; and so judgment came on them. And last of all he saw (unless he had died beforehand) the fall of Nero himself - who very probably set fire to Rome, and then laid the blame on the Christians...

God grant that Felix did remember Paul's words. God grant that he trembled once more, and to good purpose; and so repented of his sins even at the last. God grant he may find mercy in that Day.