Some believed

Acts 28:24

And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.

Once the great apostle Paul reached Rome to appear before Ceasar, he had ample opportunity for preaching the gospel. None of these opportunities were lost on him, for he advantaged every one of them, utilizing the current state of affairs and the tools he had to witness to Jews and Gentiles alike. He was allowed to dwell by himself with a soldier to keep him, and he therefore had much liberty. People from every quarter streamed into his residence where he preached the gospel to them, and persuaded them concerning Jesus. He preached Christ through the law of Moses and through the prophets, opening and alleging to them that all spoke of Christ in unity and harmony. With unanimous voice they prophesied of the Messiah to come. For Paul was preaching to the Jews, who lived by the Old Testament. And so, Paul used this to expound the things concerning Christ. But as he did this, many of the Jews walked away, disbelieving the obvious and indisputable evidence pointing toward Jesus of Nazareth as being the Savior of the world. And so it is now. For many will walk away from the most intuitive and conspicuous truths in order that they may put their trust in the feeble, unintelligible ideas of man. They will trade in the self-explanatory for the ambiguous, and will sell the clear and logical truth that they may purchase the illogical philosophies of falsehood. Some will believe, and some will not. Some will believe the things concerning the Savior, but mark it down, there are some who will refuse to believe; for their hearts are waxed gross, their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have been shut.

This is ever what we are to expect. Some will believe! Thank God for the believing minority! But some will not. And we can bank on it. We can expect it. To expect otherwise would be to expect the sun to halt its rising and the ordinances of heaven to cease from their courses. For you see, the Lord has told us that some would not believe. They have been hardened. They do not understand with their hearts. They may know something with their minds, but their hearts have remained cold, hateful, distant from the truth. They cannot perceive. They see the truth, but it never connects that it is for them. It never resonates with their discernment. They cannot perceive it! They must first be converted! You see, without conversion, a person is still in a state of confusion, dysphoria, and spiritual deadness. They cannot understand, except the Lord would convert them, and except He should heal them. Then, and only then, will they truly believe. You see, some will believe, and some will not.

But, my friend, just as some do not believe, some do believe! As Paul spoke the gospel to them, some did believe! Some were converted! Some were changed! Some became ardent followers of the Lamb! Some became believers in the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Some Jews and many Gentiles came to faith in Christ. And this is why we labor! Because some will believe! No one will ever believe if they have not heard. So they must hear! No one will ever hear without a preacher. So we must preach! Therefore we must give the gospel to all! Because there is no telling who will believe. We must not get discouraged or disheartened by those who do not believe, because that is expected. We must continue to tell the truth, and bear the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God, because some will believe. Who must you tell this day? Have you had little or no results? Tell it again. This may be the time of conversion! But you will never know if you do not tell. Tell it now! Speak it today! Because although many will not believe, some will certainly believe!

“Father, how we thank Thee for Thy salvation, available through the Lord Jesus Christ! We thank you that we have believed the glorious gospel of Christ, and that all our hope is anchored in Him. But how we earnestly pray for those that have no knowledge of the truth, whose eyes have been closed, and whose ears cannot hear! They do not understand. We pray that you would convert them! Change them! Show them Christ! And use us to tell them. Help us to continue telling the truth for those who never have heard the glad tidings of the gospel. Help us to spread the news for those who will believe! All these things we pray and ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.”