Gods Sabbath

P AULS ’ S M ISTAKE

465

Because those who fail to learn the lessons of history will be condemned to re-live them, we must ask ourselves the question: What were the fearful outworkings of the course followed in Jerusalem? Paul’s ministry abruptly ended Firstly, Paul’s error brought his ministry to an abrupt end. God’s plan for this apostle and the church was that Paul contin ue in active service for a number of years beyond that time, but when he accepted the leaders’ insistence on being his plan mak ers, the matter was taken out of God’s hands. He could not work a miracle to countermand their errors. “Had the leaders in the church fully surrendered their feeling of bitterness toward the apostle, and accepted him as one spe cially called of God to bear the gospel to the Gentiles, the Lord would have spared him to them. God had not ordained that Paul’s labors should so soon end; but He did not work a miracle to counteract the train of circumstances to which the course of the leaders in the church at Jerusalem had given rise. “The same spirit is still leading to the same results.” The Acts of the Apostles , 417.2. The mystery of iniquity encouraged The premature ending of Paul’s ministry was a major tragedy, but the worst was still to come. When we vacate our assigned post by deliberate choice or as the result of sin, it will always re sult in serious loss to the church, with the enemy gaining a sig nificant advantage. The removal of Paul from his post of duty gave Satan a tremendous advantage. The devil was triumphant, for he knew that this confirmed the establishment of the papacy in place of the true church. He could see that time would be greatly extended, and the possibility of his gaining the victory in the great controversy markedly enhanced. Paul’s mistake not only took away God’s major defense against the inroads of the mystery of iniquity it positively en couraged this evil. The church leaders had always maintained that Paul was in the wrong and with his arrest they would see confirmation of their convictions. They reasoned that God would have protected Paul from being taken by the Jews and delivered