Philippians 4:21 “Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. 22 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.”
Paul was fallaciously imprisoned in Rome during the reign of the exceedingly wicked and infamous “Caesar”, Nero. Nero’s insane cruelties rank among the most awful in all of world history. Yet, right in the very midst of Nero’s wickedness and debauchery, Paul continued Preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that blessed Gospel landed in the Regenerated hearts of some “of Caesar’s household”. My guess is that, for their safety, he didn’t list any of their names. Those “of Caesar’s household” may have included some of Nero’s staff and servants and even some of his own kinfolk. Thus, it is most clear, that even the worst “darkness” of the most wicked world around us cannot block the “light” of the Lord; for, our Lord came “To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:79)! And, in spite of evil’s gross wickedness, our Lord’s “light” is still brightly shining to His glory and our Comfort. In today’s world, faithful Children of God still stand face to face with evil, wickedness, dishonesty, immorality, and various “antichrists” (I John 2:18); “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)! But, through the Apostle Paul, our Lord has given us an example of what it means to “be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58) and “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11) and “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (II Timothy 2:3) and “Fight the good fight of faith” (I Timothy 6:12)! Fighting “the good fight of faith” does not mean that we should stoop to the evil devices of the wicked, but it simply means that we just stand our Gospel ground and keep right on Preaching the Word (II Timothy 4:2), “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25), and faithfully meeting to worship! Those who pick up the devil’s weapons will soon become bitter and frustrated, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;” (II Corinthians 10:4)! No matter how difficult the times become, “let” us joyfully and worshipfully “deny” ourselves, “and take up” our “cross, and follow” the Lord. (Matthew 16:24). The Lord wins every time!!!