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Bible Will I Find: Things That Belong To The Lord? By: Gary Colley
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Bible Will I Find: Things That Belong To The Lord? By: Gary Colley
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In the first persecution against the church of Christ, Peter and John were arrested because “the priest, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees” were “grieved that they taught the people” (Acts 4:1-2). Many were obedient to the Gospel, after their powerful preaching of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, “and the number of the men was about five thousand” (:4). These protestors to “the faith” called these two apostles before them and charged them “not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” The answer given by Peter and John shows their whole hearted belief in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. They answered, “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). In the second persecution, all of the apostles were arrested by the authorities of the day. They said this time, “Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? And, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us” (Acts 5:28). “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men” (:29). Though Christians are taught to obey “the higher powers” or rulers (Rom.13), and wives are taught to obey “your own husbands” (Eph.5:22), and Christians are to obey qualified elders (Heb.13:17), there is a law that is above all of these, and that is the law of Christ (Gal.6:2). The New Testament law should be the law of rulers, elders, and husbands, but when it is not, it is not to be obeyed. If a law were legislated today that forbids the condemnation of homosexuality, rape, adultery, and murder as “hate crimes,” Christians must remain true to the law of God, not the law of man, and teach and preach faithfully the Word of God! (Rom.1:18-32). If Christians, the Lord’s people (II Cor.6:16), are forbidden to meet in the Lord’s Name (Col.3:16-17), on the Lord’s Day (Rev.1:9-10; Acts 20:7), around the Lord’s Table (I Cor.10:21), to partake of the Lord’s Supper (I Cor.10:20), in remembrance of the Lord’s Death (I Cor.11:29), especially the Lord’s Body and the Lord’s Blood (I Cor.11:24-25, 29), until the Lord’s Coming (I Cor.l1:26), we must not falter if we desire the crown of eternal life. Jesus instructed the apostle John to write to the church of Christ in Smyrna, “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison (persecutions GC), that ye may be tried (proven GC); and ye shall have tribulation ten days (a short time GC): be thou faithful unto (not “until” GC) death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches..” (Rev.2:10-11).
–Gary Colley