ALMOST PERSUADED TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN ----
ACTS 26:28
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
Some of the saddest words, you can ever hear.. I almost became a Christian..
Almost just isn't good enough. There are so many people who , after hearing a Spirit filled sermon, almost make the decision to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior.
But almost, just won't get you to heaven.
The Bible tells us that unless we repent, and be born again, we will not enter into the kingdom of God.
Let's look at some of the reasons, why people won't become Christians.
1. I HAVE BEEN TO BAD, GOD WON'T ACCEPT ME.
This is one excuse that a lot of people give, but is totally false.
The Bible tells us , that Jesus died for all sins, sins of past, present, and future.
Eph. 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
2nd Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new
When we surrender our lives to Christ Jesus, we become a new creation.
2. I don't need him, I'm as good as the next guy.
This is another reason that many will not become Christians.
But the problem with this is, we don't compare ourselves to the next guy. God is our standard, and we sure don't measure up to His standards, which is being Holy.
God has no flaws in His character. He is perfect, sinless, Holy, and has no flaws in his Character
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.
3. I'M HAVING TO MUCH FUN.
A lot of people think that becoming a Christian will tie them down, and they will not have fun anymore.
May I tell you, that becoming a Christian was the greatest decision I ever made.
It seemed like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulder, when I knew that I had peace with the Lord God, through accepting His son as my Saviour.
Jesus made a way, and His blood covers all sins, but we must accept Him.
( illustration ) About 1830, a man named George Wilson killed a government employee who caught him in the act of robbing the mails. Wilson was tried and sentenced to be hanged. The President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, sent Wilson a pardon. But, Wilson did a strange thing: he refused to accept the pardon.
No one seemed to know hat to do because of this, so Wilson’s case was sent to the U. S. Supreme Court. Chief Justice Marshall wrote the opinion: “A pardon is a slip of paper, the value of which is determined by the acceptance of the person to be pardoned. If it is refused, it is no pardon. George Wilson must be hanged.” And he was.
The death of Christ on the cross is the pardon God has sent. But before it becomes a pardon, we must accept it in faith and obedience. It is through the cross, and only through the cross that we can be saved from sin and its consequence of eternal separation from God in hell
4. BECOMING A CHRISTIAN WILL COST TO MUCH
a. Some people are afraid that when they accept Christ, they will lose all their friends.
I remember that when I became a Christian, I told one of my friends, and he said " that's okay, just don't go overboaard.
How can you go overboard for the one who died on the cross to cover our sins?
b. I now have a friend in Jesus.....proverbs 18:4 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother
5. I HAVE PLENTY OF TIME
This is probably the biggest reason that some won't become Christians. They think that they have plenty of time.
James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away
2nd Cor. 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
(illustration) Pastor Adrian Rodgers , who has gone on to be with the Lord, used to tell the story of visiting people in the neighborhood of his church in Memphis Tn. He told of wittnessing to one man, on a Saturday morning, and presenting the gospel to the man. This man told Adrian , that he would come to church on Sunday, and come to the altar. When Sunday came , pastor Rodgers gave the invitation, but the man never came to the altar. Pastor Rodgers was concerned, so he went back to this man's house after church. The man's wife met him at the door. Adrian asked about the man, and his wife began to cry, and told him that the man had passed away that night that Pastor Rodgers had wittnessed to him
We never know how long we will be here on this earth, but when the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins, we should repent right then and there .
Ezekiel 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
CONCLUSION. Almost becoming a Christian , means you are still living for Satan
Almost saved , means that your still lost.
The choice is ours....Which will be choose.
