THE K INGS BUSINESS
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render to God (cf. John 7:17; 14:15, 16; 26:15-26).
properly constituted authorities, ecclesiasti cal and civil, as long as the demands o f their authority do not conflict with the comrnandments o f God; but just as soon as they do we,should turn a deaf ear to human authority, either ecclesiastical or civil, and " obey G od .” But with the aver age man or woman- man’s word has more weight than God’s, but woe to the man who listens to the voice o f man more than to the voice o f God. (Gen. 3:17; 1 Sam. 15:24). The council had bidden them not to teach in this name, but God had said “go out, and speak.” The high priest fur ther charged them with trying y to bring Jesus’ blood upon them. They ought not to have objected to that for they them selves had said, “His blood be upon us” (Matt. 27:25). Without any fear o f their stern looks and implied threats Peter looked them straight in the eye and said, “the God o f our Fathers raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged upon a tree.” His reply was very much to the point, it shivered their claim to authority, it exposed the enor mity o f their guilt. It is noticeable how Peter in all his sermons rings the changes on the guilt o f man as seen in his treat ment o f Jesus set over against God’s treat ment o f Jesus. From stern exposure o f sin Peter passes to a proclamation o f hope. He shows this Jesus whom they had so grievously wronged, exalted to be for them not only a Prince but a Saviour, to give them repentance and forgiveness .of sins. There is something marvelous in Peter’s skill in the addresses recorded in the Acts and we do well to study them carefully. Let us learn from them aboye all else (1) to expose to men the blackness o f their guilt in the rejection o f the Son o f God. (2> When wfe have' exposed their guilt to open to them the door o f salvation through this same Jesus. Peter and the other Apos tles were not the only witnesses to the res urrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit was also a witness and He is a witness still. He comes to. and gives his witness to all who obey God, that is, surrender their wills absolutely to God. This is the great secret o f receiving the Holy Spirit—absolute sur
Saturday, November 4. Acts 5 : 33 - 39 -
Peter’s answer was effective, it cut them to the heart, his words had had a similar effect on the Day o f Pentecost (Acts 2 :37) but look at the difference o f the ultimate effect on the two occasions. On the day o f Pentecost-it led them to repentance and transformation, in this case it led only to bitter opposition and persecution. The truth o f God spoken in the Spirit either saves man or makes them mad. The enraged council proposed to slay them at once (cf. John 15:20; Luke 4:28; 29:6-11). But the time had not come in God’s plan for. them to die; so He raised them up a defender. Gamaliel was not by any means a model teacher, he was a shrewd politician. He advised standing off and watching results. I f he had been a man of earnest convictions and courage he would have advised finding out as soon as possible if Peter and the rest were right, and, if they were, to cast in their own lot with them at any cost. But what he advised was to keep their skin whole, on the one hand by not taking a course that might prove to be fighting against God and on the other hand not identifying them selves with the apostles. Gamaliel as far as known never became a Christian, time servers rarely ever do become Christians. Gamaliel’s.advice was in part good, as far as it went. It is always wise to take heed to ourselves what we intend to do touch ing any man f v . 35). There is danger even in our own day that by our hot-headed zeal against some seemingly new doctrine we may oppose someone whom God hath sent. .Gamaliel was quite right in saying, “ if this work be o f man it will come to naught” (Isa. 8:9, 10; Matt. 15:13). But it does not always come to naught in a day or two (note e,g., Mormonism and Mohammedan ism, Russelism, Eddyism). Gamaliel was even more right when he said, “ if it be of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them”
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