Festus sought a crime to charge Paul with by trying to cause Paul to incriminate himself.

Acts 25:26-27

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“I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write. For it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.” Acts 25:26-27

Paul is setting in the courtroom and hearing everything that Festus is saying, in front of Agrippa [the expert in Jewish affairs], the military commanders, the prominent people of the community, and Bernice, the sister-in law of Festus, Acts 25:23. Festus plainly said that the purpose of the trial was to find a crime [against Paul] through the speech that Paul was expected to give. Festus would then use that criminal charge to send to Caesar [Nero] to have Paul prosecuted in Rome, the highest court of the nation. Nero is the Roman Emperor who brutally persecuted and killed Christians for being a destabilizing force to the Roman Empire. The charge sought against Paul was that he was stirring up the crowds and destabilizing the Roman Empire.

Envision how Paul would have felt to know that every word he spoke would be used in search of some wrongdoing he was guilty of. Just being a Christian was enough to consider Paul a liability to the Roman social structure. On top of that, the crime sought would relate to violating the laws of homeland security, being a threat to community leaders and the community culture. The death penalty was sought against Paul.

If today’s culture gave a Christian the opportunity to share their born-again experience, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it would be to find wrongdoing and even a crime against us. They would have their ears open to our born-again testimony to determine if we had committed any crimes before coming to Jesus Christ. They would use that against us. They would listen to what we had to say about the testimony of Jesus and the Kingdom of God to determine if we had any mal-intent towards their culture here on earth. Forgiveness, leniency, understanding, and compassion towards born-again Christians is not part of who they are.

Our message to those of this world is, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17 For that message alone, we are considered a destabilizing threat to today’s culture. That’s because they live for the beast that speaks and lives through them by giving them what to say, think, feel, and do. As Christians, we live for Jesus Christ who speaks and lives through us through the Holy Spirit.

As a reminder, the Roman commander who arrested Paul accused Paul of being a terroristic threat who stirred up a rebellion against the Roman Empire. As quoted, “Are you not the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a rebellion and led the four thousand assassins out into the wilderness?” Acts 21:8 As followers of Jesus Christ, that is the charge brought up against us, that we are leading a rebellion, in the name of Jesus Christ, against today’s atheistic culture, which is global. This is why the Holy Spirit speaks these words to us, “…be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” Titus 3:1-2

In today’s culture, the beastly entity that governs through thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors is to be thought of as the governing authority. Violations against that entity is considered an act against the community values and against the people of the community. In that light, we can see how Christians will be considered outlaws and enemies of humanity, having legal consequences. Even today, Christians and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are locked out of mainstream society and considered a bad influence on their atheistic culture. Our Lord Jesus says, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11