CONVINCED BUT NOT CONVERTED

7. “Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children.
38. A MIXED MULTITUDE WENT UP WITH THEM ALSO, and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock.”
Exodus 12:37,38 (NKJV)

• A number of people are convinced about the Lordship of Jesus Christ but they are not converted.
- A dictionary defines “convinced” as being completely sure that something is not true or right, especially because the evidence seems to prove it or one is persuaded to believe it. While to be converted is to change one's religious faith or other beliefs.
- In our text, Exodus 12:37,38, some people who left the land of Egypt with the Israelites were called mixed multitude.
- They were the set of people who got to know the God of Israel through their relationship with the Israelites. THEY knew the power of this God, they tasted His goodness, and they did witness His awesomeness—the dramatic way He delivered the Israelites.
- These people decided to follow this God called YAHWEH, they went up with the Israelites to the promised land, the land of Canaan. Another name for these sect is Proselyte Jews—they were of Gentile origin, but accepted the worship of Jehovah.
- These mixed multitude were convinced about the God of Israel, that He is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient, but they were not converted.

“Now the MIXED MULTITUDE who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat?”
Numbers 11:4 (NKJV)

Another translation says:
“Then the FOREIGN RABBLE who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. “
Numbers 11:4 (NLT)

• The disorderly crowd [mixed multitude, rabble] incited the people, the Israelites, against Moses and God, by complaining—tried to poison the people’s minds against God and His servant, Moses (Numbers 11:4-6).
- These people, the rabble, were not really converted, they were not ready to submit to God’s will and plan—the ways of God were strange to them and they were not ready to embrace it (1 Corinthians 2:14).
- The mixed multitude are everywhere today; they are in the church of Christ. THEY want the blessings of God, but they are not ready to follow the leadings and the ways of God—they argue, not ready to comply with the directives, the instructions given by God.
- The mixed multitude always long for good old days.
THEY always thirst and want to go back into those things which they claimed they have forsaken, but they are not ready to be weaned off completely.
- Such do not want to discipline themselves and their appetites for sin, and they do not want to embrace God’s plan for their lives.

• Craving
- If you are the type of person who craves for sin and what it offers, you always complain and murmur against God.
YOU always see what He has not done, you never appreciate the things He has done.
- You complain about churches: that one church is not good, the other one is bad.
YOU change churches as if you are changing clothes—you move from one church to another.
IT is either the Pastor offended you or the wife or someone else.
- You always incite others against the authority in the church or wherever you found yourself.
- If any of these, the things mentioned above, are done by you, you are a mixed multitude, a rabble, in the Church of Christ.
- You have been in the Christian faith for a number of years, hearing the Word of God, convinced about the power of God, but you are not converted—you have not surrendered your heart completely to Christ.
- You are certain and persuaded about God and the Lord Jesus Christ, but you have not changed your belief, you have not repented, you still believe in the ways of sin and the world.

• When it is more convenient
- There are some other people who procrastinated, postponed, their salvation; but they never had another chance to embrace the salvation offered them through Jesus Christ.
- Felix was the governor of the province of Judah at the time of Paul the apostle.
THE man with his wife listened to Paul’s message about faith in Christ Jesus, he trembled, but refused to accept Jesus as his Saviour and Lord (Acts 24:24,25).

24. “And after some days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, HE SENT FOR PAUL AND HEARD HIM CONCERNING THE FAITH IN CHRIST.
25. Now as he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, FELIX WAS AFRAID AND ANSWERED, “GO AWAY FOR NOW; WHEN I HAVE A CONVENIENT TIME, I WILL CALL FOR YOU.”
Acts 24:24,25 (NKJV)

- He was convinced about what Paul shared with him and the wife; was convicted and terrified: but he said he would send for Paul when he had a convenient time—but the convenient time never came till he left office, his governorship position (Act 24:27).
- Felix deliberately perverted justice, he knew Paul had not done anything wrong as the Jews accused him of, but he expected bribe, money, to be given him by Paul (Acts 24:26).
- He also wanted to gain favour with Jewish leaders, He left Paul in the Prison (Acts 24:27).
- This man heard the gospel, but failed to change, he procrastinated his salvation.
HE rather expected bribe from Paul and wanted to receive favour from men (Acts 24:26,27; Galatians 1:10).

• Too much study has made you crazy!
- The statement above was made by Festus the Governor, who succeeded Felix, he met Paul in the Prison when he took office (Acts 26:24).
- Afterwards Festus shared Paul’s case with King Agrippa who came to pay his respect to him (Acts 25:13,14).
- After Paul’s defence about preaching of the gospel, Agrippa said, “You almost persuaded me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28).
- Agrippa was convinced, persuaded, but refused to surrender his life to Christ. He said he was almost persuaded; he resisted the urge given him by the Holy Spirit.

• We have seen in this piece: the mixed multitude, Felix the governor, Festus the governor, and King Agrippa; they all had conviction about the way to reach God, the Lord Jesus Christ, but they refused to follow the Way—they did not accept Him as their Lord and Saviour (John 14:6).
- Are you one of the rabble who incites people against God and His servants?
- Or you are like Governor Felix who says he has no convenient time to surrender his life to Christ, but wanted to receive bribe and favour of men?
ARE you liking Festus the governor who believed those who are preaching the gospel are fanatics, thus you refuse to accept Christ as your Lord and Saviour?
COULD you be likened to King Agrippa who knew the truth but was passive about it, he did not yield to the urge given him by the Holy Spirit?

• Being religious, attending church programmes, without genuine salvation, cannot give you an audience with God.
- Some want to run to Jesus when they have problems, but they are not willing to give Him a place in their hearts.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)

• If you want to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, pray thus:
Jesus, I acknowledge and believe in my heart that you died for me and resurrected that I may be justified, made right.
I accept you as my Lord and Saviour today, come into my heart and dwell with me.
- If you sincerely prayed the prayer, I want to congratulate you, and welcome you into the family of God.
- Identify with a Bible based Church, let the pastor know you have just given your life to Christ.

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!