DO NOT FIGHT AGAINST GOD – Acts 23:9
Acts 23:9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees’ part arose, ad strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
Paul was on trial before the high priest and the council in Jerusalem. Paul told the council that he was a Pharisee and that the reason everyone was gathered that day was because he believed in the hope of the resurrection of the dead. Because of this statement made by Paul, it caused the Pharisees to side with him while the Sadducees continued to oppose Paul. The Pharisees now were willing to defend Paul and even went so far to say that continuing this trial would be the same as fighting against God.
Most likely, the Pharisees remembered when Gamaliel, a Pharisee reminded them during the trial of Peter and the apostles that if the work of these men were not of God, then it would die out on its own, but if the work was of God, then they were told that they “cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” Acts 5:39.
The Pharisees evidently took to heart the words of Gamaliel and they started to allow God to have more control over judgment. Rather then stand up and judge whether a man was serving God or not, they were allowing God to take care of the problem. The last thing they wanted to have on their consciences as servants of God was that they possibly were working against God by punishing those who were actually serving God.
While the Pharisees were not necessarily the most God fearing leaders, they had learned an important principle that you would do well to learn. How many times have you seen an individual who has received a calling from God to do something only to be talked out of following the Lord because those around him discuss how illogical the request was?
You remember Christ’s command that whoever caused a little one to stumble that it would be best for that individual if a millstone were placed around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. The Bible is full of commands that you are not to do anything to cause your brother to stumble. Yet how often do you do that very thing because you try to impose logic into a spiritual discussion? You should learn the lesson that the Pharisees learned. Do not be quick to judge someone else� spirituality or someone else’s calling. Jesus said “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matthew 7:2.
God has not placed you in this earth to be a judge as to what God has told others to do. You have enough difficultly as it is to ensure that you yourself are following God’s calling for your life. Rather then follow your natural tendencies to judge other believers, follow the Pharisees approach and allow God to be God.
When you start fighting against God, virtue is not in your life. You cannot maintain just thoughts in your mind if you are attacking those who are attempting to pursue God’s perfect will. There is a time and a place to correct a brother who has strayed from God’s will, but you must first make sure that your heart and mind are right before God and that you are not fighting against God causing more damage then good because you interpose your own human reasoning into a spiritual discussion.