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June 30, 2021

If It Is from God

History records that the early church faced intense pressure to obey man instead of obeying God. The religious leaders of the Jews were filled with indignation as the Apostles were preaching the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name throughout all of Jerusalem. These leaders had the apostles threatened, beaten, and thrown into prison in an attempt to stop the spread of the gospel and of people becoming followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, the apostles boldly proclaimed to the religious leaders an essential component of Christian discipleship, “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29; 4:19-20). For the sinner who repents, Jesus Christ is Lord and therefore He is to be obeyed in all areas of life. Obedience to Christ is synonymous with those who love Christ and (John 14:15, 23) it is the conclusion of the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). As the Christian obeys Christ, he ought to expect persecution and resistance in this world.

In Acts 5:33-39, the Lord provides encouragement to His followers from a very unlikely source. Gamaliel, a member of the ruling class of the Jews, was part of the opposition. Gamaliel was a Pharisee who was on the council that commanded the Apostles to stop preaching in Jesus’ name. Although he was part of the opposition, he recognized a truth that ought to encourage every follower of Jesus Christ to obey God no matter the consequences. Gamaliel’s council began with two historical examples of Theudas and Judas of Galilee. These two men had disciples, who followed and obeyed them, but when they died, their disciples dispersed. He observed the truth that Theudas’ and Judas of Galilee’s “ministry” were of men and not of God and therefore came to nothing. Then he advised to leave the apostles alone (Acts 5:38), implying that time will tell whether their claimed supreme obedience to God was of man or of God. By this, he was inferring to the council that if the Apostle’s message was of men that it too would come to nothing. Then he shares, “But if it is of God, then you cannot overthrow it; lest you even be found to fight against God.” (Acts 5:39)

Nearly 2,000 years later in 2021, we recognize that the gospel message is of God and that no man, no matter how fierce his opposition, has been able to overthrow the church of Jesus Christ, because it is a work of God. These last 2,000 years of history affirms the words of Gamaliel and the reality that our Lord is worthy of our complete obedience and his gospel message must be proclaimed to all nations. Gamaliel’s council encourages us to obey God even when opposed by man, tempting us to obey man rather than to obey God. Gamaliel’s council also exposes the state of those who are opposing obedience to God through the preaching of the gospel message; they are actually fighting against God. Whenever one encourages obedience to man over obedience to God he is actually fighting against God. The true follower of Christ will want no part in fighting against God and will therefore go against the teachings of man that are contrary to obeying God.

As the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name continues to be under attack today, and as efforts continue to grow to prevent Christians from proclaiming that message, be encouraged to obey God by preaching the truth, because “it is of God.”

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June 9, 2021

The Serpent of Old and the Lawless One

“The lawless one” is the description that God uses to describe the coming Anti-Christ in 2 Thessalonians 2:8. He will be lawless because he will have no regard for the laws of God. He will live in open rebellion against his Creator. Just like the serpent of old (Genesis 3) had no regard for the commandment not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so too the Anti-Christ will have no regard for the commandments of God. He will be lawless regarding the laws of God.

However, the lawless one will make and enforce laws. In Revelation 12:9, the serpent of old will be cast down to the earth during the tribulation period and he will deceive the whole world. He will influence and control the coming lawless one, the Anti-Christ. As he makes and enforces various laws, they will represent the laws of Satan’s kingdom. In Revelation 13:12, a law is made regarding worship; only the Anti-Christ is to be worshipped. In verse 16, laws are made regulating commerce; no one can buy or sell unless they have the mark of the beast. From a human level, when the Anti-Christ rules the world during the Tribulation period his government will not be limited. There will be no Bill of Rights limiting the power of government; rather he will control all aspects of a person’s life by not allowing them even to buy food unless they become a worshipper of the creature, instead of the glorious Creator!

Back in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, we read that “the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” There were things in Paul’s world nearly 2,000 years ago that paralleled the coming of the lawless one. Those parallels include the serpent of old deceiving people and nations and governments to disregard God’s laws and to establish laws that go against God’s truth. Since we are nearly 2,000 years closer to the coming of the Anti-Christ it should not surprise us to see those same parallels in our world today. However, during this time there is something restraining the lawless one. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8, “For the mystery of the lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.”

What is restraining the lawlessness today is the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the Church of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth and is sanctified or set apart from the world by belief in the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13). But when the church is caught up in the air, the ministry of the Spirit of Truth through Christ’s church will also be removed from this world (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) and the lawless one will be revealed.

It is important for Christ’s church to know the times in which we live. We must beware of the spirit of lawlessness which is currently at work. The serpent of old, who deceives the world, is still throwing his fiery darts at the church. He wants the church to doubt and disregard the Word of God, just like when he deceived the Woman in the Garden. But the church is to above all take the shield of faith (believe the truth of Christ and His Word) with which the believer will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one (Ephesians 6:16). In these “unparallel” days of the last 15 months in the history of the world, know there are “parallels” to the way the serpent of old has worked and the way the coming lawless one will work. Cling to Christ and His truth and do not be deceived by the laws of men that are contrary to God’s laws.

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From Our Pastor’s Desk

Welcome to Pastor Leary’s Blog! Here you will find encouraging articles to equip you with biblical principles for the practical issues of life.  Read along, be encouraged, and stay updated with the ministries of FBC as we continue to be changed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

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