"And when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, 'Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is Roman and uncondemned?'  And when the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, 'What are you about to do, for this man is a Roman?'  And the commander came and said to Paul, 'Tell me, are you a Roman?' and Paul said, 'Yes.'  And the commander answered, 'I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.'  But Paul said, 'I was actually born a citizen.'  Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.  But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them."

According to Roman law, citizens of the Roman empire were afforded certain rights.  One of those rights was the right to a trial before punishment. 

Paul is now using the law of the land against those who would hurt and destroy his body.  Paul, on the scourging block, mentions to one of the soldiers that he is a Roman citizen.  Immediately, fear is running through the soldier's camp.  The soldiers could be arrested and scourged for hurting a Roman citizen, especially one like Paul who was born into the citizenship.

God uses many different things to rescue us; to help us.  God can even use the law of the land.  The question is: how well do you know the culture that you live in?

If Paul had not known about the culture of the Romans, he would have been scourged.  Are you a student of what God is doing around you?