Acts 24:14
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
Paul gladly made his defense at Caesarea before Felix, who was long acquainted with Jewish laws and customs, against charges of sedition and heresy and profaning the temple. He denied that he had caused any disturbance in Jerusalem or had defiled the sanctuary. Jewish tribunals condemned him without proving his guilt.
His confession was that he worshiped the God of his fathers after the way his accusers called heresy. He never swerved from believing all things written in the law and in the prophets. In harmony with the plain teaching of Scripture, that faith included the resurrection of the dead. The ruling purpose of his life was to keep a conscience clear toward God and toward men.
To worship after the way called heresy need not abandon the faith but can remain faithful worship when it rests on belief in all that is written in Scripture and follows conscience as required. It is spoken as a defense before religious judges when church rulers and authorities charge wrongdoing and demand confession and conformity for breaking their rules, for attending other meetings, and for testifying. They threaten discipline and exclusion from the church, with disapproval and displeasure and bitter antagonism.
Applied to later believers, it means holding fast the hope of the Redeemer's soon coming, looking for and loving the Saviour's appearing. It means refusing to yield that faith, to deny sacred truth, or to give up that hope, but continuing to worship the Lord. Faithfulness to it brings consciousness of no sin and of right, a free conscience, free and happy spirits and happiness in doing right. It brings God's blessing in defense and the approving smile of Jesus, with assurance that God is on the side of the faithful and stronger than all opposers.