"Happy Are Those Who Keep Their Integrity" to Jehovah -AN EXAMPLE FOR US

 Our brothers and sisters are experiencing what the apostles endured in the first century when they were persecuted for peaching about Jesus.  Repeatedly, the judges of the Jewish high court  "ordered them to stop preaching on the basis of Jesus' name" (Acts 4:18; 5:27, 28, 40) How did the apostle react? (Read Acts 4:19, 20.)  They knew a higher authority had 'ordered them  to preach to the people and give a thorough witness  about the Christ. (Acts 10:42) So their spokesmen, Peter and John, boldly said that they would obey God rather than those judges and declared that they would not stop speaking about Jesus. In effect,  they put this question to those authorities.  'Do you dare to say that your commands are superior to those of God?' 

The apostles set a fine example that all the true Christians have followed ever since, namely, to "obey God as ruler rather than men." (Read Acts 5:27-29.) After being beaten for keeping their integrity, the apostles went out from the Jewish high court, "rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in half of [Jesus']  name," and they kept right on preaching! - ACTS 5:40-42.

The example that the apostles et raises some questions.  For instance, how their decision to obey God rather than men harmonize with the Scriptural command to "be in subjection to  to the superior authorities"?  (Romans 13:1) How can we be obedient to government and authorities," as the apostle Paul said, and still keep integrity to God as our foremost Ruler? - TITUS 3:1.

Next time: "Happy Are Those Who Keep Their Integrity" to Jehovah - "THE SUPERIOR AUTHORITIES"

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