Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. (29) And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
Agrippa's answer leads to a very solemn train of thoughts. How many of the almost Christians, but never in reality so, are now in the world, have been in all ages of the Church, and will be found in the last day? Doth the Reader know of such? Are their characters clearly definable? Yes! They cannot be mistaken. And, although they have different shades under the same title, yet, the whole may be, and are indeed, classed under the one general name of unregenerate professors. These are the almost, but never-to-be Christians. They were born under the meridian of Christianity, but never newborn in Christ, John 3:3
Without running over a large field of observation by way of drawing the line, according to scriptural decision, between the almost and the real Christian; it will be sufficient to remark, that the almost Christian may have great light and understanding in head, when there is no grace in the heart. Such an one may profess great delight in hearing sermons, seem much affected under the word, apparently alive to the promotion of all charities, and the promotion of the Lord's glory in the earth, and yet not a single act of true saving grace all the while hath passed upon his heart. Yea, he may go further. Some views of his own sinful state by nature he may have; some apprehensions of the Person and glory of Christ, in an historical knowledge of him, by reading or hearing sermons; some sorrow for sin, with an apprehension of the consequences of unrepented sin, and the conviction that none but Christ can save from the wrath to come: these, and similar lessons may be learnt in nature's school, where the word of God is read, or heard, or preached; but without a better teaching, and the regenerating work of God the Holy Ghost upon the soul, all, and much more, will leave the persons so taught, among the almost Christians, and never make them real followers of Christ in the regeneration. The Holy Ghost by Paul, hath drawn the portrait of those men with a strong pencil, in his holy word, when he describes them as once enlightened with head knowledge; tasting, but not enjoying, the heavenly gift of his holy word; made partakers of the Holy Ghost in his outward ministry and ordinances; tasting, so as to distinguish the good word of God from the word of man; but not as new-born babes desiring the sincere milk of the word, that they might grow thereby, and tasting the powers of the world to come, in miracles wrought in Christ's name, and to confirm his word, which in the early days they saw, yea, many of them, (as Judas), wrought; but in all these, there is not a single word to shew, that God the Holy Ghost had regenerated their persons; and, consequently, there is not a single act of the graces of the Spirit, which flow from regeneration, such as faith, love, and obedience, to manifest their regenerated nature; and, therefore, the whole of what is here said, may, and not unfrequently will, be found in the character of the almost, but never real Christian. See Hebrews 6:4-6 and the Commentary upon the passage.
Let the Reader look at Paul for a contrast to this almost Christian, when in his very modest and unassuming answer, he said to Agrippa, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. What tenderness and affection, arising from grace in the heart, were expressed in these words? Excepting the chains, in which he stood before them as a prisoner, which he wished not to his greatest natural enemy; neither the humble poverty of his circumstances in outward things in which he lived, and earned his bread by tent making; excepting these, it was the most cordial wish of his soul, if the Lord willed it, that all then present were, as he himself was, in Spiritual things, and living in the enjoyment of them.
Reader! if you wish to behold the portrait of a real Christian, in the character of Paul, the Holy Ghost hath fully drawn it. He hath shewn, that in the days of his unregeneracy, he was as all men by nature are, sometime foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But, (saith Paul), after that, the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but, according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly though Jesus Christ our Savior, Titus 3:3-6. Here we see in the first part, the original features of nature, in the universal tints of character by which all Adam's children are known, and in which they are all born, and in which they all live and die, unless regenerated by grace. And here we see in the second part of this picture, the source of that vast change, which God the Holy Ghost makes by his own Almighty power on the heart, when, by forming the nature anew, he makes them new creatures in Christ Jesus. So that they are now made partakers of the divine nature, having, through that grace imparted to them in their new-birth, escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, 2 Peter 1:1-4. And thus being regenerated by the Holy Ghost, given by the Father to the Son, and redeemed from the Adam-nature of a fallen state by Christ, called with an holy calling, pardoned and justified by the blood and righteousness of Christ, sanctified in their grace union with Christ, and daily renewed by the Holy Spirit; they are not almost, but real Christians, being members of Christ's body, his flesh, and his bones! Ephesians 5:30.