Gods Sabbath

458

E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

dedicated to building the papacy and de stroying the mystery of God. In their view, Paul was the one threatening the future prosperity and success of the church, not they. Repeatedly, down through history, Satan has gained the advan tage in the struggle sim ply because God’s chil

Attitude of the Christian leaders in Jerusalem towards Paul

Christ the head of the church

Paul

Jewish leaders

dren have not been able to perceive the real nature of the course they pursue. The last person they think they are serving is the dev il. They consider themselves the most loyal followers the Lord has. So today Christians need to be very aware that they are at war—a war in which they must have the spiritual perception to recognize the workings of the enemy. The fact that in the past God’s people have lacked this discernment has led to many tragic defeats.

Faulty Analysis

The leaders in the true church at Jerusalem were more dis posed to trust in their own abilities to manage God’s work than in God’s power to do so. For them, Paul’s ministry had created serious problems which they felt required urgent solutions. It had generated an intense hostility in the Pharisees and Saddu cees which threatened to explode in terrible persecutions. Many believers would die, while others would be dispossessed and scattered. The leaders knew that they would not escape from loss and suffering themselves, and in their human nature they shrank from the ordeal. “The brethren hoped that Paul, by following the course sug gested, might give a decisive contradiction to the false reports concerning him. They assured him that the decision of the for mer council concerning the Gentile converts and the ceremonial law, still held good. But the advice now given was not consistent