Reverence Journal

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Choosing to Suffer for the Sake of the Gospel

In Acts 16 Paul and Silas are in jail, singing hymns. At midnight an earthquake shakes their prison doors open and wakes up the prison guard.

The prison guard is about to kill himself because he knows that if his prisoners escape, he'll be killed by the governor. Rather than let their captor kill himself, Paul and Silas stop him and lead him to Christ.

The prison guard then takes Paul and Silas OUT of their cell, to his home, where they speak the Word of the Lord to the prison guard's household, baptize his family, and share a meal together.

As if that's not wild enough - evidently Paul and Silas then VOLUNTARILY RETURN to their prison cell at some point during the night, because the next morning they are right back in their cell.

In VOLUNTARILY returning to their prison cell, Paul and Silas saved their new brothers life. They were also able to seek legal vindication for being falsely imprisoned.

It seems plainly evident to me that Paul and Silas valued their testimony over their comfort. Every decision was made in favor of advancing the Gospel, not avoiding suffering.