Acts 14:1-20 Sinning To Help God?

It's unfathomable just how ultra-protective the Jews were of their religion -- to the point that they would actively work to cause people to sin to defend their religion!  They wanted to mistreat Paul and Barnabas and even stone them to death!  They traveled miles to persuade people to turn against Paul.  They stoned him and dragged him out of town, believing they'd killed him, and in doing so, they had to believe they'd defiled themselves by touching what they supposed was a dead body!

How shocked they must have been when he walked back into town!  They allowed raw hate to build in their hearts.  It seems to me that in doing all of this, they were no different than radical Muslims today!

Still, Paul and Barnabas continued to preach the Gospel and spread it all across the territories.  Their devotion to God and to Christ was incredible.  Jesus had given the apostles instructions regarding these situation in Matthew 10:23 -- "When you are treated badly in one city, run to another city."  He was telling them the time was short and there were many more people ready to hear the message.

Father, show me how to love those who strike out against me.  Change their hearts and show them that I am doing what You direct me to do.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford