Almost a Christian

Acts 26:28: “Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (KJV) “Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?" (NIV)


"Almost a Christian—what a disgusting combination! But are there such people? And how may we know them?

"One who is almost a Christian has no personal religious experience. He has never consciously repented of his sins and asked God for pardon, nor believed that God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven all his sins. He has no daily fellowship with God in the Word and in prayer. He finds the Bible dry and uninteresting, and he can find no time for prayer and meditation. He has found in the Bible neither himself nor the “Pearl of Great Price,” and consequently he does not grow in grace.

"One who is almost a Christian makes no sacrifice. He may make large donations, but only of his abundance. It takes love for the Master and His cause to make one sacrifice. He who is but almost a Christian loves neither the Master nor His work. Christ wants to show him his sins that He may save him; but he does not want to be humbled and beg for grace. Therefore Christ can do nothing for him.

"Dear reader, do not be content to be almost a Christian. “Almost does not avail, Almost is but to fail.” Seek grace to become an altogether whole-hearted Christian who not only has had a personal religious experience but who lives in daily fellowship with Jesus Christ and is willing to serve and sacrifice for Him and His cause.

"Dear heavenly Father, we pray that Thou wilt make us true, whole-hearted Christians, that we may live in daily fellowship with Thee both here and hereafter; in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."



This devotional is an excerpt from a book that belonged to Judi’s Grandma Nelson entitled, The Home Altar: A Book of Family Devotions for Each Day in the Year published in 1936 by The Danish Lutheran Publishing House, Blair, Nebraska.