Acts 28:19 (KJV)
But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.
Albert Barnes writes of this:
“I did it for my own preservation and safety, not that I wished to accuse my countrymen. Paul had been unjustly accused and injured; yet, with the true spirit of the Christian religion, he here says that he cherished no unkind feelings toward those who had done him wrong.”
And John Gill says:
“What he did was not of choice, but by constraint, and with reluctance; being no friend to heathen tribunals, nor any enemy to the Jewish nation.”
I’m going to take from this two applications:
Christians are gracious and forgiving, even toward those who do them wrong.
I understand that church history may seem to say otherwise, but I firmly insist that those who have persecuted others of different persuasions were not Christians. They certainly did not demonstrate the spirit of Christ or the early believers. It is possible, I suppose, that some of them were saved. I’ve met people whose profession of faith appeared genuine, but whose actions were not Christian in nature. When that happens, I believe it's due to the influence of so-called Christianity, not true faith. The spirit of this world has always been to elevate the record of false churches while suppressing the testimony of the true. I say again—those who have persecuted others of different persuasions were no Christians.
Christians have no “ought” against the nation of Israel.
Those who claim to be Christians, yet demean and condemn the people of Israel, are no friends of Christ. Like the apostle Paul, I long to see Jewish people saved, to come out of Judaism, and to unite with a local Baptist church. I believe the nation of Israel is spiritually dead today. But that is no excuse to accuse them or to hate them. That kind of spirit is the spirit of anti-Christ. And I seriously question the professions of those who claim to be born again but harbor such hatred.
Jesus, Stephen, and Paul all possessed a heart of forgiveness for their oppressors and a spirit of love for Israel. That is the spirit of genuine Christianity.
#TrueChristianSpirit #ForgiveLikeChrist #LoveIsrael #NoToReligiousPersecution #GenuineFaithTestifies
True Christians Don’t Hate: What Should We Do When We've Been Wronged?
Are you living out the true spirit of Christianity?
Paul faced injustice without bitterness and loved his people without compromise. That’s the kind of faith the Bible teaches—gracious, bold, and grounded in truth.
💬 Question for you: How do you respond when others wrong you or speak against your faith? Share a specific example in the comments.
✅ Take action today: Reach out to someone who has wronged you—pray for them, bless them, or even send a kind message. Live your faith out loud.
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