“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 25:26,27Porcius Festus had a problem. He couldn’t find anything that Paul had done wrong, and Paul had appealed to Caesar. From what Festus says here he seemed like a fair man in an awkward spot.
That’s how all government officials should be, when people accuse a Christian of something. We must not give those who are against us a chance to turn the civil authority against us.
We must expect to be taken before councils, judges and various civil authorities, Jesus said this in Matthew 10:17,18:
“But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.“You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
In the verse prior to that in Matthew 10:16 he states:
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and as harmless as doves".
We must be wise, when talking to those who are to hold judgment over us. We must chose our words carefully and listen for God’s leading. We can’t go in there shouting and screaming, “I have Rights.”
There is a reason, we will be brought before governors and kings. Listen to what Jesus said in verse 19 of Matthew 10:
“You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.”
It is for Jesus’ sake, we will be brought before the civil authorities to give testimony. If we give that testimony in a non judgmental, non threatening way then we have no complaint against us.
The men that brought Paul before the Roman Governor had a political agenda. They seen him as a threat to what they believed, and wanted a civil court to settle their problem.
Something to think about
Sadly today I think there are many within the Christian community that have a political agenda. They are the ones that are in a fashion taking people before magistrates.
They are objecting to laws passed for one minority group or another that opposes what they see as their Christian rights.
They are imposing on a secular society Christian values that an unsaved person does not understand or feels they should have to obey.
They question the right of civil authorities to make laws that protect groups Christians morally oppose.
We as Christian are told to obey civil laws. (Romans 13:1-5) That the civil authorities are no threat to us. That they are put there by God.
We as Christian should remember that unless we find ourselves to be fighting God.
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