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Attempted Cover-up |
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| Pride and dishonesty
led the leaders of Philippi to try to cover their public blunder of
casting Paul and his friends into prison. Paul had violated no law but
they had acted from ignorance and prejudice. Later they wanted Paul to
simply and quietly leave the prison and get out of town (Acts 16: 36). But
Paul would have none of that. He said, "They have beaten us openly
uncondemned being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they
thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch
us out" (Acts 16: 37). The cause of Christ which Paul preached had
been publicly reproached. And these people wanted it to quietly pass.
Like so many even yet, the attempt was to cover their fault without correcting their fault or even admitting their fault. Many public officials do this but so do many others. Repentance and confession of sins is necessary to be forgiven by the Lord. We shall never succeed in some cover-up maneuver. Why should we try? God will forgive if we will obey. |
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