Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
- Acts 5:29
Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
If someone with high status says something that sounds reasonable but is totally against God’s word, shall we obey God’s word or follow his word? What Peter said has given us a clear answer: ought to obey God rather than men. When the Lord Jesus did His work, those Jewish people followed the Pharisees to crucify the Lord. They didn’t know how to obey God but believed that the Pharisees were the ones who served God and had high status among Jewish people so there should be nothing wrong in following their words.
I'd like to share a passage of fellowship so that we can understand what is following God and what is following people. Then we will not be deceived by people to walk the wrong path but achieve true obedience to God.
“What does it mean to follow God? And how do you put it into practice? Following God doesn’t just involve praying to God and praising God; what’s most important is to eat and drink the words of God and live according to the words of God, to act according to the truth, to find the path to experiencing the life amid the words of God, to accept God’s commission, to perform every one of your duties properly, and to walk the path before you as guided by the Holy Spirit. In particular, at critical junctures, when major problems befall you, there is an even greater need to search for God’s meaning, to be wary of being tricked by man’s doctrines, and to not fall under anyone’s control. “That which comes from God I obey and follow, but if it comes from the will of man I staunchly reject it; when what is preached by leaders or workers is in conflict with the arrangements of God, then I absolutely follow God and reject people. If it is in complete accord with the arrangements and will of God, then I can listen to it.” People who practice in this way are those who follow God.
What does it mean to follow people? Following people means one follows the workers or leaders that they worship. God does not have much of a place in their hearts; they have merely hung up a sign saying they believe in God, and in everything they do they imitate or copy people. Particularly when it’s something major, they let people decide, they let people command their fate, they themselves do not search for God’s meaning, and they are unable to discern words that are spoken by people. As long as what they hear sounds reasonable, then regardless of whether it conforms with the truth they still accept it and listen to it. These are the manifestations of following people. Such people’s belief in God has no principles, there is no truth to their actions, they listen to whoever speaks sense, and even if their idols take the wrong path, they follow them to the very end. If God condemns their idols, then they will have conceptions toward God, and cling tightly to their idols. Their reasons are that ‘we should listen to whoever is in charge of us; the nearer power is better than the higher power.’ This is wretched logic, pure and simple, but such is the silliness of those who follow people. Those who follow people are without the truth. Only those who follow God truly believe in God; those who follow people worship idols, they have been beguiled by people, and in their hearts there is neither God nor the truth.”
You are welcome to use our Bible Verse of the Day to enrich your spiritual life.
Today’s Verse Illustrated