“I AM NOT OUT OF MY MIND!”

 Acts 26:24-25                    (ESV)

“[24] And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” [25] But Paul said, “”I AM NOT OUT OF MY MIND”, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words.”

Paul was one of the most profound and powerful speakers of all time, in my humble and honest opinion!  But speaking TRUTH to an unbeliever has the propensity to cause them to believe that you are a “madman”!  

Just who was Paul responding to in the passage of Scripture above?  Porcius Festus was the 5th procurator of Judea from about 59AD to 62AD, succeeding Antonio Felix.  Herod Agrippa II, officially named Marcus Julius Agrippa and sometimes shortened to Agrippa, was the last ruler from the Herodian dynasty reigning over territories outside of Judea as a Roman client. So these “Romans” were rather elevated in the current societal order, certainly not people to be taken lightly!  

When Festus told Paul in Acts 26:24 “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind”, the Apostle Paul promptly responded “I AM NOT OUT OF MY MIND”!!!  Paul could have been chastised greatly for his correction of Felix.  But Paul was speaking TRUTH, something that is greatly underestimated in today’s modern society.  

Would I have been so bold to contradict a Roman procurator in that day and time?  It wasn’t as if the Apostle Paul was talking about something that was unknown to him, it was verifiable events that has happened shortly beforehand.   In Acts 26:28 King Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?”  He knew, others knew, but Paul had appealed to Rome so the matter was out of his hands.  

TRUTH is something that has a sneaky way of making itself known!  When Paul said “I AM NOT OUT OF MY MIND”, he was saying these words as a testimony of how JESUS CHRIST had CHANGED his life!  

When I am ridiculed for a stance that “makes no sense” to “this world”, I need to recall the words of the Apostle Paul, “I AM NOT OUT OF MY MIND”, I just BELIEVE in JESUS and the WORK HE accomplished for me, and the entire world!!!