TO OBEY IS TO DISOBEY

Peter and John told the Sanhedrin: "Better for us to obey God than men!" (Acts 5:29) This meant: "Better for us to teach about Jesus' name than be intimidated by your threats" (see Acts 5:28). Because Peter and John stifled fear instead of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Thes 5:19), they received the Spirit in even greater abundance, for the Spirit is "given to those that obey" the Lord (Acts 5:32).

How can we apply this part of the Bible to our times? Should we say:

• "Better for us not to pay federal income taxes than to fund Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry"?
• "Better for us to be fired from our jobs than miss an opportunity to share our faith in Jesus"?
• "Better for us to home-school our children than expose them to brainwashing from secular humanism"?
• "Better to be attacked or mocked at work or school than tolerate pornography, profane language, racist remarks, or gossip"?
• "Better to be shunned by the crowd than compromise the truth"?
• "Better for us to be pure than popular"?

If we truly choose "the better part" (Lk 10:42), we will not sadden the Holy Spirit but receive an unrationed (Jn 3:34), lavish (Ti 3:6) outpouring of the rivers of the Holy Spirit (Jn 7:37ff). The Spirit is given to those who disobey the world in obeying God.