The Word of God cuts like a knife through the world we live in regardless of the time, culture, or season of life we find ourselves in. In Acts 5:29 Peter said before the Sanhedrin and Chief Priest,
“We must obey God rather than men.”
Understanding how obedience, submission, wisdom, and authority work in this broken world can be critical if we are called to follow Jesus.
Following Jesus means we must be willing to break “World” rules for a higher loyalty and authority. But that must be done with wisdom, grace, and a mature understanding of the consequences and rewards.
Some in the world, want to follow their own rules. I think that’s why our world is in so much chaos. Everyone wants to do their “own thing” thinking they know best, everyone is running in different directions instead of focusing on one goal -living for God. It’s a lawless society.
The general rule of thumb for biblical interpretation is to start with what is most clear and allow that to inform what is most ambiguous. In Acts, Peter is confronted with two contradictory commandments. The first comes from Jesus Himself in Acts 1: 8 when the apostles are commanded to share the message of Jesus to the ends of the earth. The second is in Acts 4:7 when Peter and John are commanded by the Sanhedrin not to teach in Jesus’s name. The commands of man are always opposite to Jesus’s. In this circumstance, it is clear that the commandments of God are to take precedence over the attempts by earthly powers to suppress the teaching of the gospel.
When human laws go directly against the command of God, we must follow God. Like Daniel when he was given the King unclean food in Daniel 1:8 or forbidden to pray in Daniel 6:10.
From my experience when I choose to obey God rather than man, my life is easier. Things just flow better. But, clarity does not automatically make us courageous, it’s that standard set our for us.
We need to mentally, prayerfully, and courageously prepare for the essential and nonnegotiable realities of our faith that will stand in opposition to the lies of Satan, our flesh, and this fallen world.
While many choices are not explicitly addressed in the Bible, they are based on biblical wisdom and matters of conscience. We can depend on God’s Word, and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to make the right decision. The Bible describes how Godly and worldly authority interact in Romans 13:1-3,
“Let every person by subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive His approval.”
Our sinful desires work hard against our obedience to God. We live in a world that ignores all the rules and all the “taboos” of traditional culture. Going along with the crowd is a natural temptation when we face hard situations. We don’t want to stir up trouble so it’s easier to quietly submit. But, giving in to our desires to avoid a problem is not what God wants. We are called to stand up and be a witness for Jesus and the salvation He brought for us. Being ugly or stirring the pot should never be our intention. It is the glory of Jesus and the truth of God that should be our focus and our theme throughout our lives.
If the world is going to hate us, we should let them hate us for our gospel message and not for our arrogance, our harshness, or our impatience.
How are we going to obey God rather than the world? Here are a few tips:
- Know what God has told you to do. We cannot obey God’s Word if we don’t know God’s Word. When Satan tempted Jesus. He always answered with scripture “It is written.”
- Stay close to God, worship daily, pray. Make prayer you’re default setting. “Pray without ceasing should be our default setting.
- Stay close to other believers. Reliable friends serve as a sounding board and a good source of encouragement as we face the temptation not to obey God. Friends can be suitable for loving accountability.
- Don’t trust your own strength. Jesus had given us the Holy Spirit as a gift. We do not have to face anything alone.
One time I remember after working a fundraiser I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things. It was a cold windy day and I was tired and wanted to go home. As I was leaving the store I lady came up to me and asked if I could take her home. I told her yes, even though I didn’t want to. Because I heard God say “give her a ride.” I could have easily have told her no and been on my way.
Sometimes God tells us something that we don’t understand. Don’t second guess it. Obey. The blessings far outweigh the trouble we think it is.
From Pity to Praise 