Acts 24: a clear conscience

‘I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defence. You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. However, I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man.

‘After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance. But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me. Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin – unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: “It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.”’

Acts 24:10-21

In today's passage, Paul is now standing trial before the Roman governor Felix.  The Jews have brought their charge against him - civil unrest and desecration of the temple.  The passage I have set out above is his defence.

When I was at university and involved in the Christian Union, although the hostility we faced was nothing compared to what Paul faced, there was, at times, a very real threat (sometimes realised) that the university authorities would take action against us in response to protests from other students.  To the extent of even studying the university harassment policy, we strove to act according to the following principle: if anyone were to be offended, it would not be relating to our conduct, but only by the gospel itself.

When we consider that we are serving the creator of the universe, some may conclude that the laws, customs and feelings of those around us do not matter.  Indeed, in countries where it is illegal to be a Christian, there are many who routinely break human laws by practising their faith in secret and bringing the good news to others.  And the feelings of others - both Jesus and the Apostles and evangelists after him caused those around them to be offended: the point we find ourselves at in Paul's story, on trial before the Romans, is testament enough to that.

But to use the above examples to disregard the way in which we conduct ourselves or means by which the gospel is preached would not represent correctly what scripture tells us.  The examples above relate to the gospel itself - the thing actually worth getting into trouble for.

We must not give people other reasons to criticise us.  They still will do so - as evidenced by Paul's story, and the allegations of disturbing the peace and desecrating the temple - we must not provide any further distraction or stumbling blocks for people in leading them to faith.   In 2 Corinthians 4, when writing on this topic, Paul talks says by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God (2 Corinthians 4:2).  This is not just about 'good PR', but about being trustworthy, so that people can have faith in our witness, and not reject it due to superfluous distractions they, maybe with good reason, find offensive or distasteful.  If we are habitual lawbreakers, then why would anyone bother to take notice if we were to find ourselves in a situation where we do need to break the law for the gospel.  If we are habitually offensive to people's feelings, then if we cause offense by preaching the gospel, how can we expect anyone to believe that this is something worth offending for, motivated by a love and a desire for people to know the freedom that is in Jesus.

Finally, we are not preaching an earthly message of our own.  We have neither the right or the need to abandon integrity.  The deception or distorting the word of God referred to by Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:2 may refer more to the trickery sometimes used to convince people to follow pagan gods of the time (and that it itself has other applications for our ministry today), but I think the principle still applies.  For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. (2 Corinthians 4:5)  We do not need to stir up confusion, or resort to unnecessary displays of power or anger.  Those who are fearful lash out, raise armies, and try to take control.  But we have a God who wins, who is sovereign over all the earth, so we do not need to lose our integrity over fear.

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Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:1-6)

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