"The Good Confession"

          "Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, 

           Witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than 

           Which than those which the prophets and Moses said would come.

                                                ACTS 26: 22

Paul previously has declared that his work of preaching and teaching among the Gentile is simply a matter of obedience to Jesus christ, who is God incarenate. He told the Sanhedrin in Acts 23:1 that he had lived in "'all good conscience."' And he told Governor Felix that he had striven "'to have a conscience without offense toward God and men"' (Acts 24:16). Now, as he speaks to King Herod Agrippa II, he makes another ringing declaration that he is simply a servant doing his duty. Having told the king what Jesus commanded him to do, he says, "'Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision."' Indeed, his testimony is that, just as we have seen, he went right to work, calling Jews in Damascus, Jerusalem, and Judea, and then Gentiles as well, to repent and turn to God through Christ.

          Ironically, he tells the king it was it was for his obedience to the Lord's commands that he was seized by the Jews and almost killed. He had been indtructed by Israel's God to preach repentance, but the people of Israel did not want to head. Even more remarkable, Paul says, he was 

Preaching nothing more than Moses and other Old testament prophet proclaimed that the Messiah would suffer and die, the. Rise from the dead, and that His message would go forth to Jews and Gentile alike. But just as the Old Testament prophets were rejected and despised when they called the Jews to turn from wickedness to God, so Paul has been hated by his people.

          Yet Paul is able to give a magnificent testimony of God's faithfulness and assistance through all his difficulties. We have seen instances when Paul appears to have been fearful and anxious, abd the Lord came to strengthen and encourage him (Acts 18:9-10; 23:11). Now Paul declares that God has been with him through all his work, enabling him to stsnd fir. And make his witness before the small and the great. Paul's implication is clear without the Lord standing with him, he would have been crushed long  before. He makes this assertion throughout his epistle and he makes it here in the court of the romN governor, fearl and confidently ascribing to the one true God his call and the strenght to carry it out. This is Paul's good confession" ( ( 1 Tim 6:12-13), his ringing testimony of the faithfulness of the one who called and   Has carried him