Persecution and Defense

 

    When you are a Christian it is normal to face different levels of persecution.  The question you have to ask yourself is am I ready?  Do you have a defense for why you follow God?  Do you understand why your are enduring persecution or will you crumble under the pressure?

    In court there is a judge that presides a trial.  There are accusers and their attorneys.  Then there is a the defense and their attorneys.  It is very odd if a person doesn't have someone to represent them.  Paul was an oddity, but he was also prepared.  He had endured a lot in his Christian life and this was no different.  He rose to the occasion instead of being crushed.

    Paul was in Caesarea only 12 days before being called to court as a radical troublemaker.  He spoke truthfully to Felix and won him over.  How could he have started a revolution when he had not even been in the city for a week?  Paul didn't need to use flattery.  He did not need to play with false modesty or manipulate words to get his point across.  He had the Holy Spirit to help him with his defense and to give him strength.

    There was no peace for Christians.  The Romans declared peace, but only by taking away freedoms from other people.  They suppressed and oppressed people that did not fall in line.  Why would Paul try to fight against that.  That was not his calling.  His calling was to get the truth about Jesus out to as many people as possible and make sure they are discipled.  He allowed God to handle the things that were bigger than one person.  God will take care of all that is not good in the world in His timing.

    Tertullus was a historian.  He recorded all of Felix's corruption in other books.  Since the Bible is not about Felix, we only see a little.  He liked Paul.  He wanted to learn and talk to Paul, but he never took Paul's charges away.  He never let Paul out of prison, which was quite comfortable for Paul.  The only thing Paul didn't have was the freedom to leave.

    Paul was in prison for years on false charges.  The Romans knew the charges were lies, but they didn't want to deal with the backlash of letting Paul go either.  Politically it was smart for Felix to tuck Paul away.  He never started riots or was involved in treason.  He was not a Nazarene which was a heretic group that mocked Christianity.  Paul never profaned God's temple, but he paid the penalty as if he were guilty.

Matthew 10:16-20, Acts 24:1-21, 2 Timothy 4:16-18, & 1 John 2:1-6