Gods Sabbath

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E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

Desire for Harmony

Paul testified that he preached nothing that came from him self, but only what had been given him from above. He was a faithful servant, never forgetting his correct relationship to the heavenly Father. Under no circumstances would he put himself in God’s place, nor would he allow others to put themselves be tween him and his divine Leader in order to establish the mys tery of iniquity. His stand is an example that teaches the neces sity of heeding only those orders which are received from the Master Architect. It was Paul who was in the right—not the leaders who inces santly criticized him and blamed him for the troubles in the church. He walked in the path that God had marked out, and, as a direct result, “the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.” Acts 16:5. The movement was surging forward toward ultimate suc cess despite the well-meaning but detrimental stand taken by the central leaders. Even though he was conscious of God’s leadership, protection, and blessing, Paul felt the disunity be tween himself and these leading men very keenly. His tender, loving spirit cried out for harmony between himself and them, especially when among the leaders was James, the brother of Christ. Before him there were two options as the following diagram shows: For a number of years while Satan strengthened his forces in the church, by tempting those leaders into a more and more de termined stand, he was unable to establish undisputed suprem acy because Paul consistently refused to accept these men as his plan makers in God’s place. During this period, Paul was often geographically separated from the leading brethren, being far away on the mission frontiers, while they were in Jerusalem at the center of the work. But when Paul returned from the mis sion outposts, there was a direct confrontation. They did not, of ALast Appeal