Title: Don't Be God's Adversary
Contents
Title: Let's not become enemies of God. Bible: Acts 5:33-42
In conclusion, I strongly urged people not to become “one who opposes God.” The council members heard the words of Gamaliel the lawyer and called the apostles, whipped them, banned them from preaching the name of Jesus and released them (Acts 5:40-41). Continued. (Acts 5:42)
1. Let's not become enemies of God (Acts 5:39).
The reason unbelievers and atheists oppose God is because they fundamentally ignore and refuse to acknowledge God and do not believe in the existence of God. However, believers who believe in God and claim to please God according to God's will are committing acts against God. Jews are descendants of Abraham. The Jewish people are a nation that prides itself on being God's chosen people. However, rejecting Jesus, the Son of God, crucifying Jesus, imprisoning the apostles who testified of the resurrection of Jesus, beating them with rods, and threatening to prevent them from preaching Jesus is an act against God.
Satan is the adversary who obstructs God's work of redemption. (John 8:44) The apostle Peter warns, 1 Peter 5:8 - “Be sober and watchful, your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” The Apostle Paul was also an opponent of God before he believed in Jesus. Acts 9:4 - “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He rebuked. Gal 1:13-“You have heard of what I did in Judaism before, but I persecuted and destroyed the church of God severely” 1 Timothy 1:13-“I was formerly a slanderer, persecutor, and assaulter, but on the contrary, I found mercy. Because they acted ignorantly in unbelief.”
If you oppose God, who will lose? The Jewish people became a scattered nation without a nation for 2,000 years because of the price of the blood that was nailed to the cross for Jesus, the Son of God. Matthew 27:24-26 Pilate, the Roman governor, knew that Jesus was innocent and wanted to release him. 24-“Take water and wash your hands in front of the crowd, and I am innocent of this man’s blood, see it to yourselves.” 25-“All the people answered and said, “Ascribe his blood to us and our children.” Six million people were slaughtered by the German Hitler Nazis for the price of the murder of Jesus.
Dear saints, Let's not oppose God. If it's because of something you don't understand or don't know, let's pray. As Gamaliel the lawyer said, if it is not from God, it will be destroyed with time and the work will not be accomplished (Acts 5:38-39).
2. Why do you become God's adversary?
1) Because of self-prejudice. Luke 5:39 - "No one drinks old wine and desires new, because the old is good." Romans 10:3-5 - "Not knowing the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness." It is because they ignore the other person's personality. 3) Because you are not careful. 4) It is because the other person knows more than you and is jealous.
3. God's work of redemption does not stop.
The work of God's redemption Evangelism does not stop even if there is persecution or the adversary's interference. Even though they were beaten, imprisoned, and humiliated in court, the apostles did not stop preaching the gospel and teaching that Jesus was the savior. (Acts 5:42) Let our church continue to evangelize.