There are some things we ought to ‘open up’ about! Paul requested the saints at Ephesus to pray for him to ‘speak out’ the mystery revelation God gave him. He was already imprisoned for it .... but he still did not want to cease and desist, even in jail:
Eph 6:18-20 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me,
that I may open my mouth boldly,
to make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds:
that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Many of us quit defending every word of God in the KJV or we stop talking about sound doctrine, if we just suspect others are whispering about us. At even the slightest hint we may be ruffling some feathers, how quickly we drop the sword of the Spirit and retreat! But not so with Paul:
Acts 16:19-25 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Being cheerful during great distress and persecution (bodily harm) is certainly noble, and entirely possible, when walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh. In the context of writing about a bishop’s responsibility, Paul described some folks that should keep their mouths closed:
Titus 1:9-11 (vs. 7, "A bishop must be" ....) Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
Paul told ‘who’ needs to shut up. It is certainly not the bishops!
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
