OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN

Religious leaders arrested the apostles and told them not to preach in the name of Jesus, but God’s angel released them from the jail! When they got them out, they kept on preaching despite men’s orders. “We ought to obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:27-29) It is required that Christians submit to the authority of God when it is contradicted by man’s orders. What about obeying those to whom God has given authority over us? This could include parents, husbands, the government, teachers and elders in the church. But God’s authority over all must be recognized and obeyed (Dt 10:17; Dan 7:13-14; Mt 28:18-20; Rom 14:9; Eph 1:20-23; I Pet 3:22). The authority of men in any position is overruled by God any time there is a contradiction. We must challenge any and all untrue rules of men. It is not uncommon to see church elders leading the church in disobedience to God’s commands. Examples: infant baptism, salvation before believer’s baptism by immersion (Mk 16:16), praising God with mechanical instruments or with hand-clapping instead of with the heart and voice (Col 3:16), allowing women to preach (I Tim 2:8-15), etc. Ask for Robert Dodson’s sermon on CD.

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