Scripture requires believers to do good as much as is possible to all men, in the face of the great evil that we are helpless against. We do this because we know that our only hope is Jesus.
But so often, we are prohibited by wicked men from doing the good that we can, and we are rebuked and punished for doing good.
When Peter and the Apostles performed their first miracle, healing the lame man in the temple, the Gospel was proclaimed and thousands trusted in the Savior.
The wicked rulers arrested Peter and demanded to know by what authority this man had been healed. They really didn't care for the poor man who was healed, but rather they hated Christ and His people, and they were angry that this miracle vindicated Jesus and bore witness to the truth and power of the Gospel.
Peter declared that it was by the power of Jesus Christ that this man had been healed, but then he launched off into a wider response to the rulers: this is the Messiah, the promised Stone that you rejected and murdered, just like David foretold long ago. But no matter what you did to Jesus, God has made Him the cornerstone anyway!
Christ Jesus does better than heal lame men, Peter continued. He is the exclusive Savior of sinners, and we must be saved by faith in Him!
Another example is the rebuke that some of the disciples spoke against Mary, Lazarus' sister, when she worshiped Jesus and anointed Him with precious spikenard. Her heart was overflowing with love for the Savior, because He had raised her dear brother from the dead.
Judas Iscariot, especially, despised Mary's good deed toward Jesus, but the Lord approved of it, and that is all that should matter for believers! |
