Opposed by Religious Leaders

Christ Triumphant - A Devotional by E.G. White

Opposed by Religious Leaders

Today's Text: The Sadducees, came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day. Acts 4:1-3

The Message:      The assertions made by the apostles that they had seen Jesus after His resurrection, and that He had ascended to heaven, were overthrowing the fundamental principles of the Sadducean doctrine. This was not to be allowed. The priests and rulers were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. The disciples were not intimidated or cast down....      "The angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life." We see here that persons in authority are not always to be obeyed, even though they may profess to be teachers of Bible doctrines. There are many today who feel indignant and aggrieved that any voice should be raised presenting ideas that differ from their own in regard to points of religious belief. Have they not long advocated their ideas as truth? So the priests and rabbis reasoned in apostolic days. What mean these men who are unlearned, some of them mere fishermen, who are presenting ideas contrary to the doctrines that the learned priests and rulers are teaching the people? They have no right to meddle with the fundamental principles of our faith.      But we see that the God of heaven sometimes commissions people to teach that which is regarded as contrary to the established doctrines. Because those who were once the depositories of truth became unfaithful to their sacred trust, the Lord chose others who would receive the bright beams of the sun of Righteousness, and would advocate truths that were not in accordance with the ideas of the religious leaders. And then these leaders, in the blindness of their minds, give full sway to what is supposed to be righteous indignation against the ones who have set aside cherished fables....      But the Holy Spirit will from time to time reveal the truth through its own chosen agencies; and no one, not even a priest or ruler, has a right to say, You shall not give publicity to your opinions, because I do not believe them. That wonderful "I" may attempt to put down the Holy Spirit's teaching.-Letter 38, 1896.

Commentary: My friend, the religious leaders at the time of Pentecost, who had crucified our Savior and opposed the preaching of Jesus as the Son of God, their spirit is alive and well in the remnant church today.  The religious leaders of the remnant church are in the same way opposed to Jesus as the Son of God.  By the adoption of the trinity as one of the foundational teachings of the church, they teach that Jesus is not the literal Son of God, but is only a title or a role that one of the god-beings has assumed for the salvation of man.  Those whom God has raised to open the eyes of the people to the truth, are ridiculed, derided, and eventually disfellowed from the church. The doctrine of the trinity, or the godhead as some put it, is not taught by the Scriptures, but is a tradition of men.  It's origins are pagan, and has been adopted by the Catholic church as the foundational teaching of the church.  From the beginning of the Advent movement, our church pioneers were opposed to the trinity, and taught that there is only One true God who has a literal Son.  They believed that the Holy Spirit was the Spirit of God, and that the Son shares the same Spirit. Today, since the passing of the prophet of God and the pioneers, the doctrine of the trinity had crept into the church by compromised men little by little, until it was widely believed and became one of the fundamental teachings of the church.  Of this the Scriptures foretold in Jude 3, 4 saying "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."  As such today, those who present the truth about God to the church are opposed by the leaders of the church. My friend, the time has come for you to take a stand for the truth or to oppose it.  You will either be loved or hated by the leaders of the church.  If you take the position of the Scriptures, you will offend the leaders of the church and bring upon yourself their disdain.  They will ridicule you, censure you, and if you persist, disfellow you from the church body.  But though you are persecuted, Jesus says "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." (Matthew 5:11, 12). May you stand up for Jesus and be blessed by God today. God bless,

Video of the Week "Receive Ye the Holy Ghost" w/Dr. Allen Davis Dr. Allen Davis presents a message based upon John 20:22.  The video was corrupted, but the message is clear.  My you be blessed by it.