Acts 5:29

The high priest's council charged Peter with disobeying its orders. He did not plead a right to do his own will — a right to do what he pleased. He had no such right. Towards God, that would have been self-will showing itself. He would not have been honouring God in it. His word was not, "I have a right to do what I like without reference to you," but, "We must obey God rather than men." To have obeyed them would have been real disobedience.

We meet unbelief in all its forms, in all its stages, and in its very deepest roots. We meet it with this one weighty sentence: "We must obey." And we meet superstition, in every dress it puts on, with the all-important clause: "We must obey God."

Scripture does not demand obedience to the powers that ought to be, but to "the powers that be." This may bring danger when a revolutionary leader seizes power for a time. But God will care for the results, and the duty of the Christian stays simple and sure. He obeys the powers that be. Still, all obedience in man has its limits. In some cases the Christian is bound to obey God rather than men. I do not say he is bound to be disobedient, and still less to set up his own authority, which is never his duty.

Obedience to the powers that be is a sacred duty. But we can give that obedience only within the circle of their own lawful authority. The rulers in Jerusalem stepped outside that circle when they ordered the apostles not to teach or preach in the name of Jesus. When rulers do that, they must be told what Peter and John answered: "We must obey God rather than men."

These religious leaders of men were opposed to Christ. The apostles were not setting themselves up against the civil power. That a Christian must never do.

Israel, the chosen nation, once had God in the world, and they had the Messiah in hope. Now that they had rejected their Messiah, they were not only without God like the other nations, but the proved enemies of God. They were only "men" like everyone else, and obedience must be to God rather than men.

Sometimes God's word and the ruler's demand collide. Then the believer's path is clear. He must obey God, perhaps by suffering, and not by resisting authority. He is always to obey, though in some cases it may be God rather than men. Nothing is so humble, nothing so firm. By nature the believer might be weak and timid; obedience by grace gives strength and courage. He might be self-confident and stubborn; obedience gives distrust of self and meekness in doing God's will.

"God exalted Him at His right hand" — oh, how blessed — "to be a Prince and a Saviour" — not a Prince and a judge. That He will be one day, but meanwhile "a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins."

The door of grace was still open. God was waiting to be gracious to His people, though they were guilty of the great transgression. By that very blood He could free them even from their guilt in shedding it.