ARE YOU OPPOSING GOD?

Acts 5:38-39 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”

Before one picks a side in any battle, there should have been careful consideration of the pros and cons. You must weight the strengths of the teams at play, their inherent weaknesses, existing and upcoming strategies and long term prospects. You must be reasonably certain that the choice will result in victory.

Regardless of the team you choose to be on, or the circumstances, the hard fast consideration that should underguard your choice is “which team is God with”. That answer alone presents an indication of where your biases should lean towards.

In today’s text, Gamaliel, a man of good repute, speaks to the council and among the many things he says was ‘be careful, lest you find yourself opposing God’. When you find yourself in the team that stands against God and his agenda, you are unlikely to encounter the ‘lamb’ or the God of mercy.

You will face the God of judgement and of wrath. That one who is consuming fire: overthrows armies in an instant, rescues his own with power and executes vengeance swiftly. This is not ‘another God’, it is the same God, slow to anger and abounding in mercy whose jealousy towards His own causes him to arise in that manner.

So before you pick your side or opponent, your question should be ‘will I be opposing God in this adventure?’ If your answer is yes, then Gamaliel’s advice is for you “Leave them alone”.

#sly