THINKING THROUGH TRUTH
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1 After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders, with an attorney named Tertullus, and they brought charges to the governor against Paul.
2 After Paul had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying to the governor,
“Since we have through you attained much peace, and since by your providence reforms are being carried out for this nation,
3 we acknowledge this in every way and everywhere, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.
4 “But, that I may not weary you any further, I beg you to grant us, by your kindness, a brief hearing.
5 “For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.
6 “And he even tried to desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him. We wanted to judge him according to our own Law.
7 “But Lysias the commander came along, and with much violence took him out of our hands,
8 ordering his accusers to come before you. By examining him yourself concerning all these matters you will be able to ascertain the things of which we accuse him.”
9 The Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were so.
10 When the governor had nodded for him to speak, Paul responded:
“Knowing that for many years you have been a judge to this nation, I cheerfully make my defense,
11 since you can take note of the fact that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship.
12 “Neither in the temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city itself did they find me carrying on a discussion with anyone or causing a riot.
13 “Nor can they prove to you the charges of which they now accuse me.
14 “But this I admit to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect I do serve the God of our fathers, believing everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets;
17 “Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation and to present offerings;
18 in which they found me occupied in the temple, having been purified, without any crowd or uproar. But there were some Jews from Asia—
19 who ought to have been present before you and to make accusation, if they should have anything against me.
20 “Or else let these men themselves tell what misdeed they found when I stood before the Council,
21 other than for this one statement which I shouted out while standing among them, ‘For the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you today.’ ”
22 But Felix, having a more exact knowledge about the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will decide your case.”
24 But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.
25 But 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.”
26 At the same time too, he was hoping that money would be given him by Paul; therefore he also used to send for him quite often and converse with him.
CHRISTIANS HAVE A COMMITMENT TO BASING OUR BELIEFS ON THE TRUTH. IN THIS PASSAGE, WE FIND CHALLENGES TO DISCOVERING THE TRUTH IN FELIX. WE ARE COMMANDED TO BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTH, NOT FALSE WITNESS (Exodus 20:16, The ninth Commandment).
WE LIVE IN A TIME NOT UNLIKE JESUS’ AND PAUL’S WHERE A LIE GOES HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD BEFORE THE TRUTH GETS IT’S SHOES LACED.
1. WHEN INVOLVED WITH ACCUSATIONS OR POSITIONS:
A. BE AWARE OF YOUR PREFERENCE. (V. 1-4)
17 The first to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and examines him.
We tend to follow the first idea that comes to us. We don’t like to think. We just that
People like those who butter them up.
B. DO NOT BE GUIDED BY PROFIT. (V. 26)
Do you have something to gain by siding with people? Social standing? Money? Favor with people? We should be known as honest people, even if it cost us.
8 “You shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.
Pliny was a governor of a Roman province at the beginning of the Second Century. He was monitoring those who identified themselves as Christians in order to make report to the Emperor Trajan. He wrote the following to Trajan around 100 AD.
They also declared that the totality of their guilt or error amounted to no more than this: they had met regularly before dawn on a certain day to chant verses antiphonally amongst themselves in honor of Christ as if to a god, and also to bind themselves with an oath, not in a criminal conspiracy, but to abstain from fraud, banditry, and adulteration, to commit no breach of trust, and not to renege on a deposit. After completing this foolishness, it was their custom to disperse and reassemble later to take food of an common and innocuous type; but they had in fact given up this practice since my edict, issued on your instructions, which banned all associations.
Felix had become familar with the Way or Christianity over the 5 years he served there. He seems to know that the charges did not reflect the character of Christians. We can see that even Rome noticed their character. So Felix did not just by into the accusations.
Unfortunately,
However Pliny and Trajan felt that their stubborn commitment to Christ made them dangerous. So those who didn’t recant needed to be executed anyway.
C. LOOK TO THE PROOF. (V. 19-20)
Feelings should not be looked upon.
Groucho and Chico Marx played a mixed identity part where Groucho left a room and and then Chico came out of hiding dressed like Groucho. The lady said, “I thought I saw you leave.” Chico says, “Well, I didn’t. You gonna believe me or your eyes?”
As we saw with the videos, depending on what part you see, you may have impressions or ideas. You can also be manipulated if you ignore certain facts and focus on others.
38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”
And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.
TO AVOID BEING LIKE THE ACCUSERS, PRACTICE THINKING BEFORE SPEAKING.
T - IS IT TRUE?
H - IS IT HELPFUL?
I - IS IT INSPIRING?
N - IS IT NEEDED?
K - IS IT KIND?