Faith and Freedom

“But Paul said to them, ‘They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.’ The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.” Acts 16:37–39 (ESV)

“Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty… of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” — John Jay

If I had a dollar for every time I heard a Christian say, “I don’t get involved in politics—I just preach the gospel,” I’d be a rich man.

But when I read Scripture, I see something different.

Paul knew his rights as a Roman citizen, and he wasn’t afraid to use them. Why? Not for comfort. Not for power. But so he could continue to advance the gospel more effectively. His awareness and use of his rights actually protected and expanded his ability to preach.

As believers in America, we’ve been given freedoms that much of the world doesn’t have. If we ignore them, neglect them, or refuse to understand them, we risk losing the very platform that allows us to boldly share the truth of Christ.

We are closer than we think to a generation that could lose those freedoms—not because they were taken overnight, but because they were slowly abandoned.

So what do we do?

We get involved.
We stay informed.
We live boldly.

Not because politics is the goal—but because the gospel is.

Know your rights. Steward them well. Use them to preach Christ without compromise.

There are great resources out there to help you grow in this:

• Hillsdale College offers free online courses
• PragerU has short, helpful videos on civic understanding

Paul understood the times he lived in—and he used every tool available to him for the sake of the gospel.

We should do the same.

Have a great day.