Then are the children free...
Act 22:24 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.
Act 22:25 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?
Act 22:26 When the centurion heard
that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
Act 22:27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
Act 22:28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was
free born.
Act 22:29 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.
Act 22:28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was
free born.
NLT: “I am, too,” the commander muttered, “and it cost me plenty!”
Paul answered, “But I am a citizen by birth!”
Romans chapter 13 is somewhat challenging to me, but I think I am beginning to understand the implications of paying tribute to whom tribute is due.
I find this in the last verse, 13:14
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to
fulfil the lusts
thereof.
In a way I believe it is not for our benefit, but for those who would be offended and find justification in beating or jailing someone for not being submissive to authority. Not for our sake but for theirs.
I see this when Jesus tells Peter:
Mat 17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.
I think Paul is the fish which opens his mouth and his "citizenship" is the cost, the tribute is his birth certificate.
Act 9:13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
Act 9:14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests
to bind all that call on thy name.
Act 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is
a chosen vessel unto me,
to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Act 9:16 For I will shew him how great things
he must suffer for my name's sake.
This vessel, this coin, this tribute money, bares the image and name of Christ. Saul is no longer a "free citizen" of Rome.
He has now become the "offering" and belongs to the Lord.
He has recieved the "seal" of the King. The inscription which bares his name.
Render unto Ceasar what is Caesar's... Render unto Rome what is Rome's.
Saul was no longer operating under Rome's authority.. He had been baught with a price and was now operating under the Lord's authority.
And it was going to cost him his life. His standing, his citizenship, his freedom.
And the "new inscription" on this coin was no longer called Saul, his new inscription "stone" was called Paul.
Paul was no longer a citizen "free born" in the eyes of the world. He had been translated into a stranger and a sojourner in the world.
Mat 22:15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in
his talk.
Mat 22:16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any
man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
Mat 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Mat 22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me,
ye hypocrites?
Mat 22:19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
Mat 22:20 And he saith unto them, Whose
is this image and superscription?
Mat 22:21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
Mat 22:22 When they had heard
these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.
Consider Saul as this penny.. being redeemed by the Lord and renamed Paul.
Mar 8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
Even if we renounce our citizenry of the world, whatever we accumulate from the world, belongs to the world.
Your citizenship, your money, your property, your clothing. None of these things belong to you, they belong to the world.
As the saying goes: you can't take it with you when you die.
Although the Lord makes provisions for us, we should not cling to them because they perish.
Mat 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
Mat 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
just thinking..
Hugs