Against Such There Is No Law

 In the book of Acts we read of the persecution of the new church led by Saul of Tarsus. He was a devout Jewish scholar who viewed the new "sect" of those who followed Jesus Christ as Lord as a threat to the Jewish nation. He was very adamant that they were a heretical group with an absurd claim that Jesus, who was crucified in shame, was actually their long awaited Messiah whose death was for the forgiveness of sin. Not only that, but they also claimed with great confidence that He was risen from the dead and is now in heaven at the right hand of God, because He was and is God. 

So Saul began a great persecution that became so intense that believers in Jesus had to flee Jerusalem and were scattered all over the region. Saul had legal authority to follow them, root them out and imprison them to the fullest extent of the law. No Christian, man or woman was safe from his hatred and legal authority. It was a very intense time. One person who fled in the midst of this was Philip, who went to Samaria, a nearby city. Maybe he went there because the Jewish people and the Samaritans had a long standing animosity toward each other and Philip thought he would be safe from Saul's hatred there. In any case as he preached the Gospel amazing things began to happen in that town. 

People were coming in huge crowds to hear the Gospel, in one accord. There were miracles happening, healings took place, paralyzed people were able to move and walk, those with demonic spirits were set free from them and people were turning to faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin. The text reads that because of the Gospel and the work of God, "There was much rejoicing in that city." This is amazing in itself, but all the more so when we remember that these things were taking place in the midst of persecution and legal action against the church of Jesus Christ. The hatred of Saul, and the vehicle for his hatred, the legal authorities, had no effect on the work of God. None whatever.

This is a serious reminder for our time. We live in days in the USA when persecution seems to be at the door. Strong anti- christian forces have gained footholds in our government, courts, school systems and certainly the media and entertainment businesses. We as believers in Christ have a right to be concerned. But we also have the knowledge that no legal action no matter how severe, can or will ever stop the work of God through the Gospel of Christ. Civilizations rise and fall, yet God remains. The Gospel has endured opposition and hatred from the first days of it's proclamation. Every generation and culture has had it's Saul of Tarsus to spearhead hatred and the attempt to stop it. They always fail.

Today, remember that the gates of hell itself will not stop the church of Jesus Christ. He will be victorious in His eternal purpose as it plays out in history. No legal action, hatred from atheist or religious zealots or persecution can stop the work of Christ. As we devote ourselves to Christ and the proclamation of His word, He will still work and save and lead even in the face of legal action and animosity. There can be, "much rejoicing," for the kingdom of God will always prevail. Against such things, there is no law.