Daily devotion – Obeying God and not bowing down to man.
Obeying God Rather Than Men
“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!”
But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
—Acts 5:28–29
We are moving toward a time when the preaching and teaching of the full counsel of God will come under increasing restriction from governments across the world. We saw a glimpse of this not long ago when Australian rugby union champion Israel Folau was shamed, fined, and stripped of his career simply for posting passages from the book of Romans—Scripture declaring God’s standard on sexual immorality and sin. His “offense” was simply standing for the Word of God.
In Acts 5, we see a similar conflict. The apostles had been ordered by the authorities to stop speaking in the name of Jesus. Yet the Lord had already told them:
“Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” —Acts 5:20
For this, they were arrested and imprisoned—but they did not stop.
Today, whether in the workplace, the classroom, or the university campus, there is pressure to suppress God’s Word, labelling it “intolerant” or even “hate speech.” The irony is staggering—that the words of the God who gave His Son to die for our sins should be deemed unacceptable. But as Paul warned:
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness… who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” —Romans 1:18, 25
Sadly, many believers in Australia will face no such opposition—not because the world has embraced the Gospel, but because they remain silent. Instead of heeding the Great Commission, we have allowed it to become the Great Omission.
My prayer is that you will not be among the silent. When God opens the door for you to share the Gospel—whether in a conversation at lunch, a classroom discussion, or a workplace debate—seize it. Speak up, but speak with wisdom, grace, and truth.
We are not here by accident. In these Last Days, we have been left in this world for one great purpose: to be His witnesses.