Away With Such a Fellow
Today, let’s continue with our Book of Acts Bible Study. We shall examine Acts 22:22-30 and how your citizenship is crucial to you.
“And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live” (Acts 22:22).
The Chief Captain is cut from a current “mold” that punishes the good to appease the bad.
“And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air” (Acts 22:23).
Apostle Paul didn’t do anything worthy of a flogging, yet the Chief Captain plans to whip him to ascertain the reason for the people’s uproar against him.
Consequently, “The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him” (Acts 22:24).
If you find yourself in a situation like that, fight. And that’s exactly what Apostle Paul did. He resisted.
Was Apostle Paul a Jew or a Roman?
“And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?” (Acts 22:25).
However, your stance doesn’t have to be violent. Apostle Paul fought against the status quo but his was a non-violent one.
Similarly, your battle could be a non-violent one for yours maybe against abortion or homosexuality.
“When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman” (Acts 22:26).
Therefore, don’t think because you are not fighting physically your efforts are futile. They are powerful. And they will yield many fruits.
Pauls’ efforts bore fruits and so will yours. His was so productive that the Chief Captain didn’t “examine [him] by scourging” as planned.
“Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea” (Acts 22:27).
Apostle Paul was a Jew. How could he be a Jew and a Roman simultaneously? How could he be of dual nationality?
Is Your Citizenship by Naturalization?
The answer is in our every day life. Many Americans possess dual citizenship.
First, they are natives of another country, say Jamaica, who became American citizens via naturalization.
We affectionately call these people, “Jamericans”!
Because they were born in Jamaica but, now they reside and are citizens of USA.
“And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born” (Acts 22:28).
Thus, Saul was born a Jew. He was born in Tarsus, which is a city in Cilicia. However, that city was of the Roman Empire (Acts 22:3).
Therefore, he was born in a city that was a colony of Rome, so that makes him a Roman.
Are You a Citizen of the Most Important Country?
Additionally, he was born “free”. This means that he wasn’t born in servitude, or his parents were not slaves but free people (Acts 22:28).
Because of that, Paul declared to the feisty Chief Captain that he didn’t purchase his freedom but that he was “free born” (Acts 22:28).
“Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.” (Acts 22:29).
Irrespective of where we were born, one thing is supreme, are we all citizens of the Kingdom of God?
“On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.” (Acts 22:30).
Your Citizenship and Future With Christ
Finally, the important thing to consider about Apostle Paul and all Believers, is irrespective of where we were born, first we are citizens of heaven.
We belong to the Kingdom of God and Heaven. However, many may desire to scourge us and others may desire to kill us and remove us from the earth because we are called by the name of Jesus Christ.
But stand in the liberty in which Christ has made us free. Stand against evil. So resist everything that is contrary to Christ!
If you are not a citizen of heaven you have no future with Christ. Secure your future. Believe that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God, then obey his instructions concerning securing your citizenship and future with him in heaven.
