So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places. Philippians 1:13
You have probably heard the old question: if you were brought before a court of law and charged with the ‘crime’ of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence for a conviction? In the days of the apostle Paul, that was not just a conversation-starter question, it was a very real question. It was for the ‘crime’ of being a Christian, for spreading the Gospel, for being an outspoken spokesman for the Lord Jesus Christ, that the apostle was in bonds. And in the palace, the headquarters of the Roman emperor, Paul had stood in the emperor’s judgment hall and had openly defended himself against the charges brought against him. Although we don’t have any of the details, there is little doubt that he preached a powerful Gospel message, possibly similar to his defences before Felix and Agrippa. If we read the next verse, we will find that his defence before Nero had given fresh confidence to the other Christians, who were now actively spreading the Gospel in the very hub of Roman power and authority. Their boldness was a direct result of Paul’s presence and preaching. What would happen if you and I were to take a bold and public stand for the Lord?
Paul did not use his defence in the palace to raise objections to the atrocities of the Roman military, or to rail against the corruption within the Roman government, nor to level accusations of gross immorality against the Roman leaders, although all of those issues would be valid. In the same way, God does not call on Christians to engage in public campaigns against the evils of our day, no matter how great they are (and some are very great). No, our task is to represent our Lord and to present His Gospel. While we stand against the evil all around us, no issue is more important than pointing lost souls to the Saviour, no mission more critical than rescuing poor sinners from hell, no victory more precious than seeing Salvation come to the house of the needy. It was none of Paul’s business to clean up Rome’s ills; he was there to seek to draw people into a better and more glorious kingdom. Like Paul, our priorities should always be those of the Lord Jesus when it comes to standing up for Him.
Not all of us are called to take a public place in defence of the Gospel. But when a few faithful brothers are heralding the Gospel on a street corner, will you take your place beside them? Will you hand out a Gospel tract when an appropriate occasion presents itself? Will you attend the local weekly Gospel meeting even when the numbers are very small? Will you tell friends and relatives and neighbours what the Lord has done for you? And will you give them a tract or a Gospel Text calendar?
Even Paul could not have imagined the impact of his appearance in the palace in Rome. Nor can you tell what will result from a bold stand for your Lord. -Jim MacIntosh