THE FULLNESS OF CHRISTIAN IDENTITY

Rom. 2:29 ... "He is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God."

      After Paul opened the Letter to the Romans with greetings and a prayer, (1:1-15), followed by a statement on the theme and text of the gospel, (1:16-17), he proceeded to establish the fact that not only Gentiles but Jews also were sinners before God, (1:18-3:23). The conclusion is stated in absolute terms in 3:23, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." With all mankind reduced to the same miserable level before God, the need for the salvation offered through the gospel is thus emphasized. Beginning with 3:24 Paul systematically presents the nature of that gospel. The lead text above is a part of the argument that Jews are as guilty of sin as Gentiles and have an equal need for the gospel. For their part, however, they by no means accepted this declaration of their spiritual condition. They prided themselves that they were the chosen people of God, the inheritors of the promises made to the patriarchs, and the stewards of the Holy Scriptures. In their minds they were guaranteed God's special favor and eternal salvation just because they were Jews by race. Even Paul did not deny that there were indeed great racial privileges in being Jewish, (see 3:1-2). But these advantages did not include salvation. This great blessing was available to them on exactly the same terms it was to Gentiles.

      In vs. 28-29 the apostle is defining what a true Jew is spiritually rather than racially. Racially, a Jew was a person descended from Abraham according to the promise in Gen. 12:2. But here Paul emphasizes that, spiritually, a Jew is one whose commitment to God is from the heart and not from the flesh. Notice the contrast between "circumcision that is outward in the flesh" and "circumcision that is of the heart." Judaism emphasized external rituals, but the gospel emphasizes the state of the mind and heart. Later in this letter Paul will write, "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect," (12:2). These statements echo the constant insistence of Jesus during His ministry among the Jews that a person's character is based in the heart, that one's personality reveals the condition of his heart, and that good and evil flow outward from a person's life according to the good or evil state of his heart. The "letter" of the law addressed the external life, one's visible behavior; but the "spirit" of the law addresses the all-important inner nature. Religion which emphasizes external things has a view toward the praise of men, while religion which emphasizes the inward character is more concerned with the approval of God, for "the Lord looks at the heart," (I Sam. 16:7).

      Although the message in vs. 28-29 was directed to Jews, the principle involved is still applicable to Christians. There is always a tendency to place great value upon and confidence in things external, such as rituals, forms and methodology. We can make our religion Pharisaical by emphasizing these externals and forgetting the spirit of the gospel. We must not rest our case in proper terms and names and visible orthodoxy, while we forget that God is interested in the perfection of our hearts as well. As Jesus said in Mat. 23:23, "these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others." Our Christianity must embrace the totality of our being, the inward as well as the outward. We must be Christians both in name and in truth, in letter and in spirit.

A FAITH WIDELY PROCLAIMED

Rom. 1:8 ... I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world."

      Paul's letter to the church in Rome is generally reckoned to be the most profound book of the New Testament, and the most systematic presentation of the gospel. It differs from the rest of Paul's epistles in that he had never been to Rome and had nothing to do with the founding of the church there. However, he was planning to visit Rome on his way to Spain, (Rom. 15:24). Paul felt a great urge to be with the disciples there in order that "I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles," (v.13). It is not known who founded the church at Rome, but we do know that "visitors from Rome" were present in Jerusalem on the Pentecost when the church was established, (Acts 2:10). It is likely that some of them were among the 3000 who obeyed the gospel that day and were added by the Lord to the church, (Acts 2:47). When they returned to Rome, they would have taken their new-found faith with them, thus introducing the church to the Roman capital. The Christian community in Rome seems to have been very active in the years before Paul came to them with their first apostolic ministry. The historian Suetonius mentions the zeal of people devoted to one Chrestos, (probably Christ).  It is reported in Acts 28:15 that as Paul was being conducted as prisoner up the Appian Way from southern Italy, "the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there (Rome) as far as the Appian Forum and Three Taverns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage."

      Paul must have often thanked God for the strong faith and great zeal of the church in Rome, for the lead text above finds him opening this letter with another expression of thanks to God for them. They were to be highly commended because their faith was "being proclaimed throughout the whole world." Although one would expect the church in the first city of that vast empire to be known far and wide, it is still to their great credit that their faith was remarkable. And here is a lesson for each congregation of the Lord's church today. We face the challenge to develop our faith to the level where its expression is obvious. Faith that is worthy of the name makes itself evident in the deeds that it accomplishes in Christ's name.

      Some think that a major emphasis in this epistle is that God's grace dominates everything, paling man's participation in the divine drama to nothing. But one must observe that as early as the fifth verse of the letter Paul mentions "the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles." God's grace is the only context in which man's salvation and union with God are possible, but within that context man must participate by "obedience of faith." That is, faith must lead us to obey God's instructions and commands. That is what the brethren in the church at Rome had done to the extent that the results were known across the empire. The same can, and should be, the case with each congregation of Christians today. Although a given congregation, especially a small one, may not obtain a reputation that is known around the world, or even across the nation, it can still make a good name for itself that is known beyond its local setting. And to do that, it must devote itself to building up strong faith among its members that expresses itself in sustained obedience to the requirements of God in all things.

THE SECT SPOKEN AGAINST EVERYWHERE

Acts 28:22 ... "We desire to hear from you what your views are; for concerning this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere."

      After a long, difficult journey by sea that included shipwreck and spending the winter in refuge on the island of Melita, Paul at last was able to reach Rome. For many years he had planned to visit Rome to preach the gospel of Christ, (Rom. 1:15-16).  Now he had arrived and would do this work for the Lord, but not under the circumstances he had expected. Paul would spend the next two years in Rome as a prisoner and would minister only through those who were allowed to visit him.

      As soon as possible Paul called the Jewish leaders of the city to come to him so that he could explain the reason for his being there under arrest. They answered him, "We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor have any of the brethren come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you," (v.21). From this report it seems that Paul's bitter enemies in Judea lost all interest in his case once he was in a far distant land out of their sphere of influence. Then the Roman Jews said, "We desire to hear from you what your views are ... concerning this sect ... that is spoken against everywhere."  Here we are given an interesting insight into current public opinion regarding Christianity. In most of the New Testament records we are told how the Lord and also godly men in the church thought of Christianity. Their statements, of course, speak of Christianity, (often called "The Way"), in the highest, most complimentary terms. We would expect that outside the brotherhood of disciples there would be a very different assessment, and this frank statement of the Jewish leaders in Rome reveals it to us. First, they call it a "sect" as though it were an upstart religious movement similar to the many that were then making their appearance throughout the Empire. They did not see Christianity as a unique system from God and not from man. Second, they said that Christianity was "spoken against everywhere." There still survive many ancient sources which bear out the truth of this report when the church was young.

      It is necessary for Christians to live in such a way that their conduct makes a good impression upon society at large and draws credit to their religion. Jesus instructs His disciples in Mat. 5:16 to "let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." In spite of our best efforts and most beneficial effects upon the world, however, the Way of Truth will still be maligned, opposed, and even persecuted by some people. Even the perfect, exemplary life of Jesus drew heavy criticism and hostility so great that it led to His crucifixion. Sometimes the excellence of one's life is indicated as much by the resentment it provokes as by the praise conferred upon it. To be denounced by worldly, ungodly people is to be expected in the great struggle between good and evil. We should therefore never be discouraged or dissuaded in our efforts to live for Christ when we are criticized, ridiculed, or even ostracized in our world. With an understanding of the nature of our struggle and our hope fixed on the glorious rewards in store for those who continue "faithful until death," we must with humility and perseverance hold out resolutely for the glorious Lord we honor and worship.

THOSE WHO SAVE IN TIMES OF PERIL

Acts 27:42-43 ... "The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, that none of them should swim away and escape; but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention."

      Paul had spent nearly two years in prison in Palestine and had endured many hearings and trials before he appealed his case to the Emperor in Rome. Along with other prisoners he was turned over to a centurion named Julius and a contingent of Roman soldiers. Leaving Caesarea, they sailed in a ship of Adramytium as far as Myra of Lycia, where they transferred to a ship of Alexandria carrying grain from Egypt to Rome. All went well until they reached Fair Havens, a port of Crete. It was already late autumn, and the storms of winter were threatening. Any day sailing on the Mediterranean would become hazardous, if not impossible. So Paul advised Julius to winter the ship at Fair Havens. The centurion, however, took the advice of the ship captain, who wanted to make a run for Phenice, a more commodious port of Crete. Hardly had the great ship set sail than a tremendous storm swept it into the open sea, where the sailors had no reference points and were virtually lost. For the next two weeks the ship was blown helplessly about, so that almost all on board lost hope of ever reaching land again. Having been visited by an angel, Paul assured the people they would reach land, if they followed the instructions of the Lord.

      The next day the sailors saw land ahead and made a dash for shore. But quite a distance from it, the ship struck something like a reef or bar. Although the pounding waves demolished the stern of the ship, it was close enough to land, a beach on the island of Melita, that the people could swim or float there on debris from the disintegrating vessel. But the soldiers, fearing that the prisoners, whom they guarded with their own lives, should escape, advised their commander to kill them. Then comes a very significant statement:  "But the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention."

      The lives of the other prisoners were spared because of the presence of one man, the apostle Paul. For the past two weeks Julius had observed the godly and virtuous behavior of this unusual prisoner and had learned to respect both his counsel and his trust in the God he worshiped. There is a great lesson here for every Christian. In Mt. 5:13 Jesus said to His disciples, "You are the salt of the earth." Since salt is primarily a preservative, this indicates that Christians should be saving agents of their environment and the people about them. Most of the 276 men on the Alexandrian freighter were unregenerate sinners, but the Lord was willing to spare their lives for the sake of Paul. Because Paul had the attitude, behavior, and speech that befitted a committed Christian, he so influenced Julius, the officer in charge, that this man acted to save all the other prisoners. Christians today are surrounded by a host of people who are either irreligious or indifferent to religion. Our world is becoming more sinful and ungodly with each passing day, increasingly ripe for destruction as divine retribution. But the presence of a few faithful, stalwart Christians may be just the key agents that are staying God's hand. Except for these occasional lights in a dark world of evil, God would at once extinguish the whole. This realization should encourage Christians to redouble their efforts to live pure and holy lives, reflecting through them the glory of the Lord Jesus.

ALMOST PERSUADED

Acts 26:28 ... "Agrippa replied to Paul, 'In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.'"

      After Paul had spent about two years in prison in Palestine, he appealed his case to the Emperor in Rome. But before Festus, the Roman governor, could send Paul to Caesar it was necessary that he prepare the formal charges against him. To Festus this was very difficult, for it seemed as though the issues centered more on religious differences than on criminal conduct. When King Agrippa came to welcome Festus to his office, the governor now thought he had access to valuable help. With Agrippa being both a Jew and a Roman functionary, Festus thought surely he would be able to fathom the intricacies of this challenging case. He therefore set a time for the apostle to present his case before Agrippa. Thus we read that "on the next day, when Agrippa had come together with Bernice, amid great pomp, and had entered the auditorium accompanied by the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in," (Acts 25:23).

      It is noteworthy that, when Paul was given license to speak before the court, he did not launch out into a vigorous refutation of the charges against him nor eagerly defend his character, motives, and behavior. Rather, he first gave a brief account of how he had been converted from a champion of the Jewish persecution of Christians to an advocate for Christ. Then he began what was, in effect, a basic gospel sermon designed to appeal to the dignitaries arrayed in their finery before him. His message was interrupted by Festus with a declaration that Paul's great education had made him mad. Paul denied this with the statement that all he had just said was a matter of open knowledge which could easily be verified by witnesses. Then, turning directly to the king, he asked, "King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets?" (26:27). Paul was suggesting that a man of Agrippa's erudition should be able to see that Christianity is the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. Also implied in his question was the idea that such perception should induce one to obey the gospel and become a Christian. Agrippa at once perceived Paul's motive and answered, "In a short time you will persuade me to be Christian."

      The king's answer may be interpreted in either of two ways. It could be he was flippantly casting aside Paul's appeal to him. That is, he was sarcastically saying, "Paul, do you really think you can persuade me to become a Christian during this short session? (The sense of the NAS used here.) Or, it might be that Agrippa had been cast into a serious frame of mind and was telling Paul that he had brought him almost to the point of conversion. (The sense of the KJV.) Actually, it does not matter whether the king was serious or being sarcastic. The important point is that he did not accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. He assumed the tragic position of anyone, then or now, who is given an opportunity to renounce sin and accept salvation but chooses instead to continue in the course of sin to which he is accustomed.  To be "almost persuaded" is to be lost. To exchange eternity in heaven for whatever hinders you from accepting Christ as Savior and Lord is a bad trade, one that will be bitterly regretted forever.

TO OFFEND IN NOTHING

Acts 25:9 ... "I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the Temple or against Caesar."

      Paul remained under arrest in Caesarea for two years while Felix ruled as the procurator of Judea. Soon after Festus succeeded Felix in 59 AD, he arranged a hearing in Caesarea at which he had the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem present their case against the apostle. It says in v.7 that they brought "many and serious charges against him which they could not prove." When he was given license to speak for himself, Paul proclaimed, "Neither against the Law of the Jews or against the Temple or against Caesar have I committed an offense." Then, refusing to go up to Jerusalem for a formal trial before the Sanhedrin, believing he would be ambushed and murdered along the way, (see v.3), he exercised his right as a Roman citizen to appeal his case to the Emperor in Rome.

      Paul's disclaimer that he had offended in any way the Law of the Jews, or the Temple, or Caesar is actually the ideal behavior for every Christian. Followers of Christ are to be model citizens in their communities in order to bring honor to the Name which they wear. We are exhorted in I Pet. 2:12-16, "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as to one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bond slaves of God." This passage is telling us that our behavior is on display before the public, and since we are Christians, it broadcasts an important message about the effects of Christ in our lives. If our conduct is blameless with respect to community standards, it speaks well for the beneficial power of Christ acting within us. But if we occasionally disregard or defy those standards, it gives occasion for critics of Christianity to speak out against us and ridicule our Lord.

      To behave oneself is no guarantee, however, that malicious people will not still make accusations and seek occasions to vilify our Lord and His gospel. Paul had done absolutely nothing for which to be arrested, reviled as a public nuisance, and held in custody for a period of about four years. It is entirely possible, in fact even quite probable, that the irreligious, filled with venom against Christ, will make atrocious charges against Christians. Rather than be surprised and discouraged when such unjust treatment comes, Christians must be prepared. We are forewarned in the New Testament that if we are the witnesses for Christ we must be, such adverse reactions will come against us. Then Paul's ordeal becomes valuable inspiration to us. Finally, there is Peter's encouragement in I Pet. 4:16, "If anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that Name let him glorify God."

A MORE CONVENIENT TIME

Acts 24:25 ... "And as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, 'Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you.'"

      After Paul's arrest in the Temple and the aborted hearing before the Sanhedrin the following day, he was transported by the Romans to Caesarea. Five days later a Jewish delegation came down to place formal charges against Paul. The apostle defended himself well against this inimical group with the result that Felix, the Roman governor, postponed any decision until the centurion from Jerusalem should come and give testimony about what had happened in the Temple. Paul was then placed under the guard of a Roman officer, but allowed the privilege of receiving visitors. Several days later, Felix and his wife Drusilla decided to hold a private hearing with Paul.

      When Paul was brought before this couple and permitted to speak, he "discussed righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come." It is significant that, rather than attend to the needs of his own personal security, the apostle  turned his attention to the spiritual needs of the pair who sat before him. He directed his words to the matter of righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come. His words hit home, for there was nothing Felix and Drusilla needed more to hear and consider than these grave matters. They were quite devoid of righteousness and self-control; in fact, their conduct had been a public spectacle of the opposite. He was completely unscrupulous and willing to hire thugs to murder his closest supporters if they displeased him. Drusilla, the daughter of Herod Agrippa, the king who had beheaded the apostle James and imprisoned Peter, was first married to the King of Emesa, but had yielded to the seduction of Felix to forsake her husband to marry him. This couple became very uncomfortable as they listened to Paul's pertinent message, especially when he related everything to the final accountability in the judgment.

      When the inner tension became so great he either had to repent or cancel this disturbing meeting, Felix chose the latter. At once he exclaimed, "Go away for the present, and when I find time, I will summon you." What a frightful decision this was that Felix made, for there is no record that he ever obeyed the gospel of Christ and obtained release from his lifetime of sin. The more convenient time that he supposed he would have never came to him or his wife. This ancient politician is a prototype of the countless individuals who have come face to face with God's will for human life, and seeing it is contrary to what they enjoy and desire, decide they will turn away from the moment of truth to find what they think is comfort in the deception of sin.

      Because of the hardening effect of sin, (Heb. 3:13), it is dangerous to circumvent the opportunity to become a Christian. The growth and influence of sin in the heart will make it less sensitive to the appeal of the gospel and less likely to renounce that sin in submission to Christ's call. The "more convenient time" to obey the gospel is the first occasion when your heart indicts you as guilty and challenges you to seek redemption. Thus we are told in II Cor. 6:2, "Now is the acceptable time, behold, now is the day of salvation."