God’s people are innocent but kept in chains.

Acts 26:30-32

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“When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.” Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.” Acts 26:30-32

Those in the courtroom, hearing the case of Paul, are mentioned in the post on Acts 25:23. These included king Agrippa [an expert in Jewish affairs], Governor Festus, Bernice [sister-in-law of Governor Festus], Roman military commanders, and prominent community members. Today, this is equivalent to a national or global leader, a state Governor, an expert on religious affairs, Homeland Security representatives, community leaders, and close personal affiliations. They were listening to Paul’s speech in an effort to uncover a crime that would reveal Paul as being a threat to the Roman Empire and an instigator of civil unrest, Acts 25:26-27.

Today, it’s imperative that Christians do not engage in rebellion, riots, protests, or civil disobedience of any type against members of today’s culture, the community as a whole, nor government leaders. Christianity is already considered an enemy to the atheistic values of today’s culture, which is global. Before long, we who embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Christianity as a whole, will be put on a list of enemies of the state under suspicion of carrying out some type of terrorism. The Holy Spirit says 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

After Paul was finished speaking about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the need for the forgiveness of unbelief through Christ, and eternal life, those in the courtroom conferred privately together. The purpose of conferring together was to determine if Paul had said anything to incriminate himself. Was Paul a member of a hostile religious cult? Was he a rebel against state authority? Was he a menace to members of the community? Was he a threat to the peace and security within Roman Empire? Was he sabotaging local community governments? Everything that Paul was suspected of is what Christianity is determined to be to today’s culture, which is global.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we want to avoid belonging to a religious cult that preaches the need for gun ownership as protection against government intrusion. “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.” Zachariah 4:6 We do not want to engage in rebellion against the government, the community, or any person within today’s culture. We want to avoid being instigators that cause upheaval and unrest in the places where we are. The Holy Spirit speaks these words to us, “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” Romans 12:17-19

The members hearing Paul’s case conferred together and determined that Paul was “…doing nothing deserving of death or chains.” Agrippa said to Festus that Paul would have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar. However, Governor Festus knew that was not the truth. The reason Paul appealed to Caesar is because Festus was going to send Paul to the lower court of the Jewish leaders. They had already conspired to kill Paul, as revealed in the post on Acts 25:1-12. “Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews informed [Festus] against Paul; and they petitioned him, asking a favor against [Paul], that he would summon him to Jerusalem—while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.” Acts 25:2-3 “…Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?” Acts 25:9 Paul said, “I appeal to Caesar. Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you will go!” Acts 25:12

Today, we followers of Jesus Christ have done nothing deserving of imprisonment nor of death. Even so, today’s governing leaders and the community culture have no intention of allowing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to spread freely through their social network. Christianity is kept imprisoned. We dedicate our body, the temple of God, to the Holy Spirit, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” 1 Corinthians 6:19. Those of today’s culture have made the temple of God, the human body, the home of the beast that gives them what to think, feel, say , and do. This is the one “…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4 The “he” in this verse is the “man of sin”. Click here for a post on the “man of sin”.

We followers of Jesus Christ are not part of an armed rebellion nor planning a hostile takeover of this present government. This is a perishing world, and we live for the eternal world in the New Jerusalem.

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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