Having thus replied to Festus, St. Paul, turning to Agrippa, said, "King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets?" As a Jew, the king must necessarily be a believer in all the Scriptures of the Old Testament; therefore, without waiting for an answer, the Apostle added, "I know that thou believest." He said no more, but his meaning was easy to understand. Any one, who believing in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, would carefully and honestly compare all that was written concerning the Messiah with the Birth, Life, and Death of Jesus, must perceive that He was indeed the promised Messiah, the Anointed, the Christ. It is clear by the answer, that the king did so understand the question. "Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." He could not deny the truth of what the Apostle had said; his reason, if he would have followed its teaching to the end, would have convinced him that the Gospel preached by St. Paul was the gift of God; the continuation and ending, as it were, of the Law of Moses; that it involved no _change_ of religion, but its completion or _perfect state_, for that the Law had been given to prepare the way for the Gospel. Just as St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Galatians, wrote, "the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ." It is probable that Agrippa felt much of this; why then did he not become entirely, not _almost_, a Christian? Because he was not willing to renounce the Devil and all his works, and the sinful lusts of the flesh. His life and actions were very far from the purity and holiness necessary in a real true Christian; he could not make up his mind to endeavour to lead a new life, consistent with the profession of Christianity; and therefore, though almost persuaded, he stopped there. To be _almost_ a Christian, is to be in a condition most displeasing to the Lord; and yet there are many now, who professing to be members of the Church of Christ, are, it is to be feared, in this sad state. Let us watch and pray, that such may not be our case--remembering, that if we are not daily striving with all our might, to keep our part of the Baptismal Covenant, whatever it may cost us to do so, we are no more than _almost_ Christians, who will never be received as good and faithful servants by our heavenly Master. Agrippa was not ready to live a life of self-denial, and therefore he could only say, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. 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."