Acts 5:29-32 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Our pastor preached that there are three things that Christians need to remember in a godless society, including unfaithful religious leaders that acquiesce to them. (1) God is in control of who is in control. God created everything [time, space and matter] by His Word from nothing, so the Cosmos operates in a miraculous yet orderly existence every day. God sees all, knows all, provides all, maintains all, is all-powerful, ever-present and rules all from Heaven, which includes the governing powers of the world. The Kingdom of Heaven has a King, who is over all other kingdoms of the earth and must be obeyed. Romans 13:1 tells us, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” But, those governing powers are also under God’s authority. So, when the governing authorities teach things or makes laws in direct violation of God’s Commandments, Laws, Statutes or Biblical Doctrine, then we must obey Almighty God rather than fallen mankind.
Our heavenly Father sent His Son Jesus Christ live the sinless life that we could not live, so He could die the death that we deserved in our place to pay the price, giving repentance and forgiveness of sins to all who believe and receive the blessed Savior of the world, obeying and following Him as Lord. God raised Him from the dead, conquering both sin and death, then exalted Him at His right hand as Lord and Savior in the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Holy Spirit was given to all sanctified and born-again in transformation children of God as kingdom citizens. (2) Our citizenship is in Heaven and we are Ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. Man may say “disobey God, reject God or there is no God”, but born-again Believers are Ambassadors of the Kingdom, and Christians obey the Lord first, foremost and without fail. 2 Corinthians 5:19-21 explains that God is “reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation [through the Gospel]. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
(3) Cultural setbacks have never stopped Christianity; they spread it. Acts 5:33-42 says, When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
Study and learn the Word of God to understand what God commands and forbids, then live by them gratefully and faithfully in the joy of your salvation. Know the difference between what is right in the eyes of God and what is wrong, then choose to do “right”. Pray for those in governing authority and obey the laws, rules and regulation that are not in violation of God’s in peace. Remember that you are called to disobey godless authority because they reject sovereign God and you will pay the consequences for standing for your faith. Stand up bold for God and His Holy Word, because Christians are assigned to make the true God, the Holy Father of Heaven and Earth.
2 Timothy 2:24-26 proclaims, “the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil. Bottomline: God has authority.
In Christ, Brian
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