In Acts 24:26, Felix represents someone who is consistently seeking out and desiring to listen to the truth with completely impure motives! Felix had incredible access to the truth due to having private interactions with the apostle Paul, but his heart remained closed off the entire time. Remember his motivation that was revealed in v.26—“I’ll listen to the truth if I can get some financial gain out of it.” This is not that far-fetched from what happens in our day—
–“I’ll listen to the truth if it will make me feel happy;”
–“I’ll listen to the truth if it will make someone else in my life happy;”
–“I’ll listen to the truth if it will help me obtain or enhance my relationships;”
–“I’ll listen to the truth if that will make me feel religious and be viewed as a religious person by others.”
All of that is completely contrary to what is blessed by God, according to Is. 66:2 But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble (sees himself rightly) and contrite (crushed) in spirit and trembles at my word. This is also the polar opposite of mere sermon appreciation. The fact is that it’s a great danger to constantly be around the truth, but never believe the truth in a way that leads to bringing about repentance.
Nevertheless, this category of listener can sometimes be hard to detect because there is no outward rejection of the truth, but neither is there any fruit. The rejection does not come in words, but in one’s self-centered life. That’s the massive difference between genuine Christians who are growing and professional sermon listeners, who are merely satisfied with taking in teaching. That’s why it’s the effects of listening to the truth that need to be assessed, rather than merely listening to it. For instance,
• Is the word convicting one of sin to the point of leading to repenting?
• Are new convictions being developed and existing ones being deepened?
• Is there an increasing awareness of one’s dependence upon Christ for all things in order to glorify God?
As you can see, these characteristics are much different than just being sympathetic or non-hostile to the truth.