Acts 28:1-31  Paul Thanked God and Took Courage

[Study Aired October 29, 2023]

Act 28:1  And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita.
Act 28:2  And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
Act 28:3  And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
Act 28:4  And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
Act 28:5  And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.
Act 28:6  Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
Act 28:7  In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.
Act 28:8  And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
Act 28:9  So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:
Act 28:10  Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.
Act 28:11  And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.
Act 28:12  And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
Act 28:13  And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:
Act 28:14  Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.
Act 28:15  And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.
Act 28:16  And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.
Act 28:17  And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
Act 28:18  Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
Act 28:19  But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.
Act 28:20  For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
Act 28:21  And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.
Act 28:22  But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
Act 28:23  And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.
Act 28:24  And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.
Act 28:25  And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
Act 28:26  Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
Act 28:27  For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Act 28:28  Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Act 28:29  And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
Act 28:30  And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
Act 28:31  Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Our study today is the 28^th chapter, the last chapter of the book of Acts. There is an easily discernable spurious 29^th chapter of Acts which would have us believe that Paul left Rome and went to Spain and then to Britain where the Druids convinced Paul that they were the descendants of the northern ten tribes of Israel. From Britain this spurious 29^th chapter of acts has Paul traveling through France to the Belgae (Belbium) preaching the gospel to Roman garrisons and to the people. From Belgium this spurious 29^th chapter of Acts affirms that Paul went to Switzerland, called Helvetia, where he come to “Mount Pontius Pilate” where we are told in this spurious work that Pilate had cast himself down headlong and had perished, but immediately water had gushed out of the mountain and washed Pilate’s dead body into a lake of which lake we are told:

“Verse 20. And Paul stretched forth his hands upon the water and prayed unto the Lord, saying, O Lord God, give a sign unto all nations that here Pontius Pilate, which condemned thine only-begotten Son, plunged down headlong into the pit.
Verse 21. And while Paul was yet speaking, behold there came a great earthquake, and the face of the waters was changed, and the form of the lake like unto the Son of Man hanging in an agony upon the cross.
Verse 22. And a voice came out of heaven saying, Even Pilate hath escaped the wrath to come, for he washed his hands before the multitude at the blood-shedding of the Lord Jesus.” (End Quote)

Contrast all this heresy with these true words of our Lord:

Mat 12:39  But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Mar 8:12  And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

So much for the heresies of the 29^th chapter of Acts. It is really nothing more than an attempt by the adversary to legitimize the false doctrine of British Israelism, and the desires of Catholicism to see signs as proof of their legitimacy as the one true church.

Coming back to The Truth:

Act 28:1  And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita. [Modern day Malta]
Act 28:2  And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

This gracious reception by these ‘Barbarous people’ signifies how the Gentiles were prophesied to receive the gospel after it was rejected by the Lord’s own people, the Jews:

Mat 13:57  And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

Joh 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

The people on the island of Malta graciously received and ministered to those who the Lord has saved from the tempestuous sea.

Act 28:3  And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.

The Lord’s apostle was not above pitching in and doing manual labor to get the job done and to help minister to those needing help. Luke earlier had used the pronoun ‘we’ when speaking of work done on the ship to help save the lives of all:

Act 27:19  And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

Contrary to the lies of Babylon of a pitchfork-wielding devil stoking the fires of hell, the truth is that the adversary (“that old serpent the devil and Satan”) cannot stand the fiery Truths of the Word of God, and he flees from that heat, attempting to poison and destroy the Lord’s elect in doing so. However, the Lord’s elect simply shake off that lying serpent into the Truths of the Lord’s words and are not at all hurt by the serpent’s futile attempt to destroy the manchild of the woman.

This is the only example of anyone in all the New Testament literally taking up a serpent and not being hurt by doing so. Paul did not go out looking for rattlesnakes to bring into the church and tempt the Lord for the sake of the attention and the entertainment of others. Paul’s example is how we handle serpents without suffering any harm:

Mat 4:6  And [the devil] saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Mat 4:7  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Mar 16:18  They shall [inadvertently] take up serpents; and if they [inadvertently] drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Act 28:4  And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.
Act 28:5  And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

Paul was the Lord’s messenger. He had no interest in putting on an unscriptural show for the people of the island. He was not deliberately taking up a serpent to entertain men. The only time he deliberately ‘took up serpents’ was each time he entered a synagogue, knowing from experience that those who were of their father, the devil, would be right there to withstand his gospel message. There were 275 others on that ship, plus all the natives of Malita who were right there and could have been attacked by that serpent, but the Lord caused it to attack Paul, who signifies each of us, the Lord’s messengers in this dark and barbarous world.

Act 28:6  Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

The carnal mind, without the direction of the Lord’s Word, is so easily led to worship the messenger. That is true even for the Lord’s elect as the apostle John twice demonstrates for us:

Rev 19:10  And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Rev 22:8  And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.
Rev 22:9  Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Act 28:7  In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously.

Lodging 276 people for three days was no small task, but it certainly paid off well for Publius who was “entertaining angels unawares”:

Heb 13:1  Let brotherly love continue.
Heb 13:2  Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Luke, Aristarchus and Paul were all angels of the Lord, carrying the gospel of the Lord, being ‘lodged courteously’ by Publius, the chief man of the island of Malita. It turned out to be a great blessing to Publius and to his family, as is always the case when we show any kindness to the least of the Lord’s children:

Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Being totally unaware of the spiritual status of some of his guests, Publius was showing kindness to no less than Jesus Christ Himself, and he was about to reap the blessings of doing so:

Act 28:8  And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him.
Act 28:9  So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:
Act 28:10  Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.

Paul himself healed no one by his own power. He was the Lord’s agency for healing the father of Publius of his “bloody flux”, and that was just the beginning, as others also, who had diseases in the island came and were healed. That is the Lord’s method of operation. What we give in this life will redound a hundredfold to the glory of God:

Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Act 28:11  And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.

Three months of adverse winter weather had constrained Julius to wait until Spring to continue on toward Rome in another ‘ship of Alexandria’ which had also “wintered in the isle” waiting for milder weather. The harsh winter months, notorious for bad sailing conditions, were now past, and Julius was ready to continue his trip to Rome to deliver his prisoners to Caesar. Castor and Pollux were the mythical twin sons of the head Roman God, Jupiter. They supposedly had the power of saving men in danger at sea. The fact Luke takes time to mention them as the sign under which this ship was sailing indicates that someone in the group thought it was good to have the Roman Gods on their side as they approached Rome. That ‘someone’ certainly was not Paul, Aristarchus, or Luke who all knew there was but one God, the Father:

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and [besides this “one God, the Father” there is also] one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. [Paul here totally ignores ‘the third person of the godhead’ because there is no such ‘person’]

Act 28:12  And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.

No reason is given for this three-day layover in Syracuse, therefore I will not speculate, but I will say that the spiritual significance of the number ‘three’ indicates that a process is taking place, and that process is judging us and bring us to maturity if we are ‘in Christ’.

Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

Act 28:13  And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to Puteoli:
Act 28:14  Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.

Julius apparently granted Paul and his traveling companions to spend seven days to visit with Christian brothers in the city of Puteoli. It is a work of the Lord that Julius the centurion was given to honor his prisoner, Paul, at every opportunity. He knew Paul had been prominent in the Jewish religion before being blinded for three days by Christ. Julius knew all about Paul’s experience with the Lord, and he had witnessed in the most severe fashion the fallacy of ignoring Paul as the Lord’s spokesperson. Paul was never once treated as a mere prisoner, not even by King Agrippa, and Julius was more than willing to accommodate Paul and his Christian friends whenever possible.

What happens next reveals how well-known Paul had become even in Rome:

Act 28:15  And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

Appii forum is, according to Gill’s Commentary, 51 miles south of Rome and The three taverns is 33 miles south of Rome.

The gospel had first come to Rome via the pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost:

Act 2:1  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Act 2:2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Act 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:5  And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Act 2:6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
Act 2:7  And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
Act 2:8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Act 2:9  Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Act 2:10  Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,

About three years earlier, near the end of his third missionary journey, Paul had written his most profound epistle to these Romans, expounding on the reformation of Jesus and what that entailed. These Roman Christians were coming out to meet the author of that incredible epistle and the man who had once persecuted Christians before being blinded by Christ on the road to Damascus. It was common to travel a long distance to meet an emperor, or a high government official, and escort him back into the city. Paul was being given an emperor’s welcome by the church at Rome, and it had the affect of causing him to “thank God and take courage.”

Paul’s special treatment continued while being kept as a prisoner in Rome:

Act 28:16  And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him.

The Roman government saw fit to let Paul rent his own home, and they provided a personal security guard for the apostle Paul. Why the Roman system did this is not explained, but anyone who knows that God is working all things after the counsel of his own will knows that it was all, in the final analysis, a work of the Lord for His own purposes:

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

The Roman Governor, Festus, had asked King Agrippa to help him formulate a letter to Augustus concerning why Paul was being sent to Rome:

Act 25:24  And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
Act 25:25  But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.
Act 25:26  Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
Act 25:27  For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

Paul’s testimony before the king of his zeal for the traditions of his fathers, and his subsequent conversion to becoming a servant of Christ, was so persuasive that Agrippa confessed to almost becoming a Christian convert:

Act 26:26  For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things [Christ’s ministry, death and resurrection, and Paul’s efforts to extinguish Christ’s followers before becoming a convert to Christ] are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
Act 26:27  King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
Act 26:28  Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

King Agrippa was not much help in finding a reason to send Paul to Augustus as he told the governor, Festus:

Act 26:30  And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
Act 26:31  And when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
Act 26:32  Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

It is not adding to the scriptures at all to say that Festus realized that if Paul had not appealed to Caesar, he “might have been set a liberty”, therefore it logically follows that any letter to Augustus sent from Festus by Julius the centurion would not have condemned Paul. That helps to explain why Paul was never treated as a common criminal because everyone knew he was innocent and undeserving of being treated as a criminal.

Now Paul is ready to be a witness of the gospel of Christ in Rome, first to the Jews, but also to anyone who wants to come and hear what he has to say. As he had said in the beginning of his epistle to the Romans, which was penned over three years before his arrival in Rome:

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Rom 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

Judaism was the established church of Paul’s day. The application today is ‘to the established Christian first and also to the rest of mankind.’ Paul wasted no time taking the gospel to the Jew first. We are not given the particulars of how he did it, but considering the favor he was being shown by the Roman authorities it is obvious that he had no problem calling “the chief of the Jews together” and first assuring them that he was not teaching the Jews among the Gentiles to forsake Moses. Nevertheless, the Jews in Jerusalem had falsely accused him of doing just that, and they had also falsely accused him of defiling the temple by taking a Gentile into it.

Act 28:17  And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.
Act 28:18  Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
Act 28:19  But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.
Act 28:20  For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.

It was indeed “for the hope of Israel” and for the hope of all men that Paul was “bound with this chain”, but he had never taught the Jews to forsake Moses.

Paul had agreed with the consensus of the elders which stipulated that the Jews must continue to keep the customs of Moses while the Gentiles need to do “no such thing.” Paul and Silas had shared with all the churches these “decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.”

Act 15:28  For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Act 15:29  That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Act 15:30  So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle:
Act 15:31  Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

Act 16:4  And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.
Act 16:5  And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

Years later James repeats the words of that epistle to the Gentiles in:

Act 21:17  And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly.
Act 21:18  And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.
Act 21:19  And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.
Act 21:20  And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:
Act 21:21  And they are [falsely] informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.
Act 21:22  What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.
Act 21:23  Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;
Act 21:24  Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.
Act 21:25  As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.
Act 21:26  Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.

Paul had no compunctions about doing what was requested of him by James because that was what he had been doing all along. When he went to the temple of purify himself with the four men who had a vow, the Jews of Asia who had been persecuting him there in Asia continued their false accusations here in Jerusalem:

Act 21:27  And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him,
Act 21:28  Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.
Act 21:29  (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)

How much of this Paul shared with “the chief men of the Jews” in Rome is not known. We do know that when he told them…

Act 28:17  And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

…he was telling the Truth.

The holy spirit had kept any words against Paul from getting to the chief men of the Jews at Rome and they had to confess that they had heard nothing at all against Paul personally, but they did tell Paul that the message of the gospel was spoken against by the Jews “everywhere”:

Act 28:21  And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee.
Act 28:22  But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.
Act 28:23  And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

The holy spirit has now made good on the promise twice made to Paul, first in Jerusalem right after witnessing to the Sanhedrin…

Act 23:10  And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
Act 23:11  And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

…Also, at sea when all hope of being saved was taken away in the midst of a two weeklong storm that hid the sun by day and the stars by night:

Act 27:20  And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.
Act 27:21  But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
Act 27:22  And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.
Act 27:23  For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
Act 27:24  Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

We will not read of Paul being brought before Caesar, but we do read of Paul’s witness in Rome to “the chief men of the Jews”, and as always his message is rejected by most of the Jews, but there was always a remnant who believed.

Act 28:24  And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not.

Paul quoted the same verses Christ quoted when His words were rejected by all but a remnant of the Jews. It is the same words we witness to the leaders of apostate Christianity until this very day:

Act 28:25  And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
Act 28:26  Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive:
Act 28:27  For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Compare these words to Christ’s words of Matthew 13:

Mat 13:10  And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Mat 13:11  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you [the remnant] to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them [signifying the masses of Christianity] it is not given.
Mat 13:12  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15  For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Act 28:28  Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

Then they, too, will apostatize and become “the multitudes” to whom “it is not given… to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven”.

“The last days [and] the ends of the world [ages]” have been with us since the death and resurrection of Christ:

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come [aorist tense].

Act 28:29  And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
Act 28:30  And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
Act 28:31  Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

Paul had “his own hired house.” It is obvious that the church in Rome was supporting him while he was there in prison. He “received all that came in unto him” as he ministered to the church in Rome. They were the first church to read the epistle to the Romans which He had penned near the end of his third missionary journey three years before he arrived in Rome as a prisoner.

Act 19:21  After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

Rom 15:24  Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.

Rom 15:28  When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

‘When… I… have sealed to them this fruit’ refers to the gift he had gathered from the Gentile churches “for the poor saints at Jerusalem” (Rom 5:16) on his third journey, which dates the timing of the epistle to the Romans to be near the end of that third journey.

If Paul’s experience signifies our experience, and indeed it does, then we need to be aware that our lives in every generation witness for Christ, both within His body and to the leaders of this world. Paul witnessed to the entire Sanhedrin, Lysias, the chief captain in Jerusalem, Felix, and Festus, the governors of Judea, King Agrippa in Casarea, and Julius the centurion who accompanied Paul through all the trials of the entire trip to Rome, and Publius, the chief man of the island of Malta. This is how we will conclude our studies in this book of the Acts of the Apostles:

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Gospels In Harmony – Is it Lawful to Give Tribute To Caesar?

Mat 22:15-22, Mar 12:13-17, Luk 20:19-26

[Study Aired June 29, 2021]

In our last few studies Christ spoke in parables to the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees. These parables, as we saw, accused them of wrong doings and showed them their standing in the kingdom of God. As we know these parables are for us to understand what is happening within each of our heavens. Here are the verses for tonight’s study.

Luk 20:19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken these parables against them.
Luk 20:20a And they watched him,
Mat 22:15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
Luk 20:20b They sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, 
Mar 12:13a And they sent unto him certain of the Pharisees, 
Mat 22:16a their disciples, 
Mar 12:13b and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words, 
Luk 20:20c that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
Luk 20:21 And they asked him 
Mat 22:16b 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,
Mar 12:14b but teachest the way of God in truth: 
Mat 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Mar 12:15a Shall we give, or shall we not give? 
Mar 12:15b But he, knowing their hypocrisy,
Luk 20:23a he perceived their craftiness,
Mat 22:18 and 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 22:22a When they had heard these words, they marvelled,
Luk 20:26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and held their peace.
Mat 22:22b and left him, and went their way.

Our first verses under review tell us something about what is happening today within the body of Christ. In the body of Christ there are those that are sent among us to do the following (This is happening within and without at the same time):

Luk 20:19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken these parables against them.
Luk 20:20a And they watched him, 
Mat 22:15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
Luk 20:20b They sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men,
Mar 12:13a And they sent unto him certain of the Pharisees,
Mat 22:16a their disciples,
Mar 12:13b and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words,

Christ is warning us to be aware of those sent forth as spies presenting themselves as just men. He is working this for our benefit to train us to be faithful until the end. The Pharisees of today send their disciples trying to entangle us in our talk. Therefore the body of Christ must be diligent to be of the same mind. We are told that we will be delivered up to those with power and authority of this world. It is all for the purpose of killing our old man within. The Pharisees of today are the doctrines of the world. These doctrines act as wolves trying to divide the flock of God.

Eze 22:23-27 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation. There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof. Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them. Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Mat 10:16-18 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

Act 20:29-30 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

All this is done so that we will be delivered up to the power and authority of the “governor”. Our next verses give us an idea of how these Pharisees try to “entangle us in our words”.

Luk 20:20b They sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, 
Mar 12:13a And they sent unto him certain of the Pharisees, 
Mat 22:16a their disciples, 
Mar 12:13b and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words, 
Luk 20:20c that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
Luk 20:21 And they asked him 
Mat 22:16b 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,
Mar 12:14b but teachest the way of God in truth: 

These men within and without speak to us trying to appeal to our trust in the truth. They then ask us to explain our beliefs about matters of this world seeing if we are in agreement with their doctrines.

Mat 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Mar 12:15a Shall we give, or shall we not give? 

Giving tribute to Caesar is today’s equivalent of paying taxes to the government. It is the spiritual type and shadow of our interactions with the world, as we will see later in the study. Continuing with our scriptures, Christ responds to their question.

Mar 12:15b But he, knowing their hypocrisy,
Luk 20:23a he perceived their craftiness,
Mat 22:18 and Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said,
Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?

Christ recognizes their hypocrisy. We must remember, as our last study pointed out, that these people the Lord sends to us appear to be our “friends” and are being used to try us to show us where we are in our process of entering into the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 22:11-13 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

We are to try the spirits of everyone that asks us a question. This is part of the trial of our faith. We are shown by these experiences where our strengths and weaknesses are.

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the   spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

As we are exercised, we grow and are strengthened.

Heb 5:11-14 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Christ continues his answer.

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.

Paul gives us the explanation of Christ’s words “Render therefore unto the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

Rom 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Our old man does not always want to comply with what Christ and Paul is telling us we must do. If we are not careful, the ways of the world may overcome us, and the will from time to time be overcome because this is how the Lord strengthens us. This exercise gives us the ability to shut the mouths of our “friends”.

Mat 22:22a When they had heard these words, they marvelled,
Luk 20:26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and held their peace.
Mat 22:22b and left him, and went their way.

We will be given the ability to overcome the false doctrines of the world by seeking the mind of Christ. We will fall from time to time but as we grow in knowledge and truth we will be able to do the following.

Rom 12:9-21 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

We will be hated by the world, but as we know, this is to give us the ability to receive the crown of life.

Joh 15:18-27 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Luk 12:11-12 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

Jas 1:2-12 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Rev 2:8-11 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

We do give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s so that we can give unto God what is God’s.

Hi Mike,

Thank you for your bible study on the Nazarite vow. I understand how difficult it can be to get to everything you would like to when you would like to so I am grateful when you are able to help, whether it is an immediate reply or delayed, either way it is always “right on time”. Within my own time constraints I was able to study briefly and glean some of the spirititual significance of the “no razor shall touch your hair” portion of the Nazarite Vow. What I was able to get out ofthe type/ shadow of this as it relates to the baby dedication is:
1) Recognizing God’s Complete Sovereignty in the parent’s and child’s life from the story of Hannah and Sa
2) Rom 12:1-2… In type it is how we present ourselves (bodies) a living sacrifice… which is our spiritual worship and service to God. So, your teaching on the Nazarite Vow was more complete, thorough and insightful, but I am glad I was at least on the right track with Rom 12.
I was able to give a broad overview of God’s Plan of Salvation for all mankind represented in the nation of Israel (His elect in type, as His elect believe and are “the Israel of God”) documented in the Old Testament and related it to what the parents were committing to that day…. and explained what baptisms in type mean (… washing of water by the Word is baptism and is a process of many baptisms, yet it is all one baptism… just a process…. as nothing from with out can cleanse us, etc…). I prayed that the dedication “ceremony” would be a point of reference for all of us to recognize God’s complete soverignty (I use the redundant term complete as emphasis only because I used to say God was sovereign, but I was blinded to its full meaning and impact) in our lives and the desire He puts in our heart to make these commitments, that we would keep our commitments yet in order to do so we must recognize that in our own strength it is impossible. We must rely completely on Him to do so… and that His Spirit would come to us so we would be able to.
Once again, thank you for your faithfulness.

M____

Hi M____,

Thank you for the picture. It looks like it was a great day with your family. Sandi and I had our last son one month before her 41st birthday. His name is Austin and he is the last of five; three boys and two girls. We caught a lot of flack back then for having a child so late in life. The truth, of course, was that Austin was right on time.
It is good to hear that Rom 12 was what the holy spirit gave to you. When we are in Christ we really do have “the same mind.” We are not all at the same place, but we are all striving to be like Him and think as He thinks. I am especially encouraged with how you took the opportunity to place the blessing of this child on how God works through parents. If indeed God is dragging your sister and her husband to Himself at this time, then that little boy really is a blessed child.
In another e- mail you asked:

Can the elect of God be faithful to His Word and still have a non profit 501 3 (C) for the ministry?

I suppose that is the legal term for acquiring a tax free status? I really do not know anything about that, but it seems to me to be placing one’s ministry under Caesar. I certainly believe that we are to render tribute to whom tribute is due. Those who accused Christ of not paying tribute were lying:

Luk 23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this [ fellow] perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.

Here is how we know that they were lying:

Rom 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
Rom 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

That does not seem to me to be an admonition to seek to not pay taxes. When we place ourselves under Caesar’s jurisdiction, we are subject to his dictates, and while we are specifically told to “pay ye tribute”, this is not the sum of God’s Word on our relationship with the governments of this world. Whenever our governments ask us to place their laws above the laws of our Lord, God’s elect cannot give an inch. When the powers that be ordered Peter and John to refrain from preaching Christ, they defied that order and went right back to preaching. The deaths of Stephen and James were both lawless murders of God’s elect perpetrated by “the powers that be”. Those murders demonstrate that we are to count ourselves as dead if we hope to find life. Peter’s miraculous delivery from prison, on the other hand, demonstrates how God does intervene on behalf of His children to accomplish His Work. But whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
Rom 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

I hope you are confronted with the concerns you spoke of in your e- mail. I refer specifically of having more people than your house can accommodate and being asked to go full- time in the ministry. I have been holding weekly Bible studies for going on ten years. The first year was once a month, in Anderson, S. C. A year or so later we went to twice a month at my brother’s home in Monroe, Georgia. For the past seven or eight years we have been holding weekly Bible studies, and we have yet to outgrow our home – though at times it’s a little crowded. People come, and people go. Very few are willing to be separated from their brothers in Christ, who really are such good people. To most people, Rom 14 is a command to remain united at all cost. Nothing could be further from the Truth. Rom 14 is indeed an exhortation to be patient and “bear the infirmities of the weak.” But both chapters 14 and 15 call our attention to how Christ conducted Himself.

Rom 14:18 For he that in these things serveth Christ [ not his weak brother] is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus [ not ‘according to’ the weak brother]:
Rom 15:6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

“Receive one another… as Christ received us… but not to doubtful disputations.” If there is anything we should learn from Christ’s example it is that He put fidelity to the Truth of His Father’s Word ahead of oneness with the chief priests and elders and leaders of the synagogues. He “bore the infirmities of the weak” by saying “Get thee behind me, Satan, you savor the things of men and not the things of God.”

Mar 8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

Christ truly taught us by His example, that it is better to be divided by the Truth than to be united in a lie:

Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

If you are faithful to God’s Word, you will soon learn that your greatest trials will come from your own spiritual household, where the adversary will constantly be trying to ‘Judaize’ those in your charge with the doctrines of Babylon, the modern spiritual counterpart of the Judaism of Christ’s day. Here now are some of the absolutely most despised words in the New Testament:

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

And what are we to do when we find that a doctrine is not of God?

2Jn 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
2Jn 1:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Obviously the “weak brothers” of whom we are admonished in Rom 14 to “bear his infirmities,” are not to be allowed to pass his infirmities on to his stronger brothers who may indeed tend to “despise” their weak brother and to forget that “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” It was Paul himself who admonished the church at Corinth to “turn him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit might be saved in the day of the Lord.”

1Co 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
1Co 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, [ concerning] him that hath so done this deed,
1Co 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1Co 5:6 Your glorying [ is] not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
1Co 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

This man’s “fornication” typifies spiritual fornication, which is never to be tolerated by the priests of God whose responsibility it is to make sure that the Levites are never permitted to defile the holy vessels of the temple of God. “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” And yet the mantra in Babylon is “unity in the essentials and tolerance in the non- essentials.” It is politically correct. It is not scripturally correct! God’s priests are not politicians. Their only concern is to please their Lord.
Here is another way of saying “turn him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord”:

Tit 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
Tit 3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
Tit 3:11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

Those who are “weak in the faith” are not contentious. They just need time to mature and adjust to the meat of God’s Word. But a heretic is contentious and wants to engage in “doubtful disputations.” It is incumbent upon those who can “eat all things” to see to it that heresies are not introduced into ‘the holy place.’ That ‘holy place’ is the temple which we are, but it is also “the flock over which God had made you overseers.” Future “kings and priests” are being tried and proven now for what will one day be done in God’s “kingdom of this world” known as “the thousand years.”
To accomplish the goal of pleasing Christ above all else, God’s priests are patient with anyone who is new to the truths of God’s Word. Here is the verse of God’s Word which allows for the different levels of growth in Christ. This is how we are to understand the difference between a babe in Christ and a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Until we are able to see what say the scriptures on any subject, we are still in the process of coming out of Egypt, and we cannot expect a person on the west side of the Red Sea to be as mature as a person on the west side of the Jordan. So we are told:

Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [ he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

As a ‘meat eater’ we must never fail to remember that just yesterday we, too, were “sojouners and strangers in Egypt,” still unbaptised and still on the west side of the Red Sea.

Exo 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Egypt is but an early stage of Babylon and though we may be God’s very elect, we are still “strangers in the land of Egypt:

Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

That is where you and I were just yesterday, preaching and teaching the lies of Babylon. We are all guilty of “rejoicing over their dead bodies” before our “dead bodies lie in the streets of that great city [ where we have all been guilty of] crucifying our Lord.”
How un- Christlike it would have been for others to try to force even the milk of the doctrine of universal salvation down our throats before we were able to receive it. I myself resisted and regurgitated that doctrine for over two years before I even began to be able to receive its nourishment.

Rom 14:20 For meat [ the Truth] destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
Rom 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
Rom 14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat,

“Meat” is spiritual food that is hard to receive and digest. Who today can receive “love thine enemies” while we are being threatened with the spectre of terrorism? And that is just the beginning of the “doctrine of Christ.” There are so many doctrines of Christ which ” indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who eats with offense.”
But “receiving a weak brother [ and] bearing his infirmities” is never to be taken to mean that we are ever expected to deny Christ and His doctrines:

Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.

“Denying Christ” has much less to do with having a gun to your head as you are told to deny Christ, than it refers to those who are willing to put a gun to the heads of their fellow man and claim to be doing so in Christ’s name. That is truly denying Christ:

Joh 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies , bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

‘Deny’ and ‘reject’ are two different Greek words, but when we “deny” Christ, we are also “rejecting His words.” And when we “reject His Words” we “deny Him,” and we will still be “judged by those words” which we have rejected.
Christ was aloof from the affairs of both the Jews and the Romans. It was this unwillingness to get involved in the affairs of this world that cost Christ His physical life and found for Him His spiritual life and body.
Getting back to your question about needing to rent a hall to hold the crowds who eventually come to us, the only ‘rented hall’ that I see mentioned in the New Testament is Paul’s house in Rome. How Paul paid that rent as a prisoner I would suppose was through offerings.

1Co 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

The fact that Paul also worked to supplement his expenses, shows to us that “live of the gospel” is never to be understood as ‘luxuriate of the gospel.’ The apostle Paul and all of God’s true ministers, would rather have died than to allow themselves to be seen as so many of today’s ministers are seen to be, “making merchandise” of those in their charge. Paul never denied that he “took wages of other churches”, but he set us a Christlike example of never doing anything that could be construed as “making merchandise” of God’s flock.

2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

And what do we see today? We see “many following their pernicious ways and speaking evil of the way of Truth.” Paul tells us the exact same thing when speaking to the elders of Ephesus:

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers , to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Act 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Act 20:33 I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.
Act 20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me./

This is also the same message Paul had for those of Corinth who were seeking to discredit his ministry. Paul acknowledges that he “received wages of other churches:”

2Co 11:8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

But Paul went to great lengths to assure that no one would ever be able to accuse him of abusing his position as a minister of Christ. Paul said that he would rather die than to be found guilty of abusing his power in the gospel:

1Co 9:7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?
1Co 9:8 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?
1Co 9:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
1Co 9:10 Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
1Co 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
1Co 9:12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
1Co 9:13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
1Co 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
1Co 9:15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
1Co 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
1Co 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
1Co 9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
1Co 9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

It was our Lord who told us all “freely ye have received, freely give.” So “when I preach the gospel, I [ want to] make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.”
Paul concludes all of this by saying “though I be free from all men, yet I have made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” The only way to be a “servant to all,” is to “be free of all men.” I would think that that would be especially true of ‘Caesar.’
I know that I have probably not answered this question to your satisfaction, but the best I can ever do for anyone is to point to what I see said and done by Christ and His apostles. I personally do not want to go to those who hate my message and ask any favors of them. I definitely don’t want to be in any way under their jurisdiction any more than is absolutely necessary to be in accord with God’s Word to pay tribute to whom tribute is due. I think that our Lord best answered this question:

Mar 12:17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marvelled at him.

I apologize for the length of this e- mail, but I hope I have said something you find edifying. Let me hear from you, and if our Lord opens you eyes to His Word on this subject in some way I have not yet been shown, please let me know.
I too, am aware that all is of God, but that includes me thanking you for your faithfulness to the Words of our Lord.
Mike>