Spine of Steel
Pastor Leslie Chua
“So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”
These words underscored the courage of the two apostles.
Peter and John found themselves in a peculiar situation. They had just done a great deed. Yet, they were hauled up to face the ire of the Sanhedrin.
Here is the back story.
One day, the two apostles were going to the temple when they came across a crippled beggar. He asked for alms. Instead of giving him money, Peter proclaimed healing over him - "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6 - NKJV). The man was instantly healed.
It was the afternoon hour of prayer. Crowds were milling around the temple area. So, many people witnessed the stunning miracle. They were amazed. Words got around. Soon, a bigger crowd gathered.
The apostles seized the opportunity to point the people to Christ and preach the gospel. Many believed. By the following day, as many as 5,000 new believers were added to the fledgling church.
Taken aback by the development, the Sanhedrin hauled up Peter and John.
The Sanhedrin comprised the chief priests, elders, and scribes. All the key religious parties such as the Sadducees and Pharisees were represented in this religious ruling council.
This was an extremely powerful group of men. They were also ruthless. They had no qualms about killing people to attain their objectives. That was what they did to Jesus at the height of His popularity.
The Apostles’ Boldness
Facing the Sanhedrin would be an intimidating experience for any Jew. Peter would have melted in fear if he had to stand before them a while back. But he was a different man since the resurrection of Christ and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. These experiences radically transformed him.
The two apostles stood before the Sanhedrin without fear. They were calm and not in the least intimidated by this powerful and hostile group of men. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter handled the interrogation confidently and with poise. He answered their questions decisively.
____________________________________________
Submission does not mean cowardice.
____________________________________________
Notice that Peter was not disrespectful in any way. He demonstrated submission as the Sanhedrin was the religious authority with jurisdiction over the Jews.
However, submission does not mean cowardice. Peter defended their action and turned the table on them. Once again, he took the opportunity to preach Christ and he quoted from the Scripture accusing them of rejecting the Messiah – “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:11-12; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16).
Peter’s boldness caught these religious leaders off guard. That by itself is an exceptional testimony – ‘Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).
The Sanhedrin had little choice but to release Peter and John, but not before charging them not to speak in the name of Jesus.
Guess what? Instead of just being happy that they were let off the hook, they doubled down in their defiance - “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge” (Acts 4:19).
____________________________________________
The apostles were bold. They possessed spines of steel.
____________________________________________
On another occasion when the apostles were again warned by the religious council not to teach in Jesus’ name, they responded – “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
The apostles were bold. They possessed spines of steel. So were many followers of Christ in the first three hundred years of Christianity. Consequently, after 3 centuries of persecution, the church emerged as a dominant force in the Roman Empire.
We observe the same pattern throughout Christian history. Christians demonstrated uncommon courage in preaching the gospel and advancing the Kingdom of God. They took risks. They refused to back down despite opposition and persecution.
William Tyndale
A great example is William Tyndale. Tyndale was famous for translating the New Testament Scripture from Latin to English. Like the Protestant reformers at that time, Tyndale believed that ordinary people ought to be allowed to read the Bible for themselves. But the Roman Catholic authorities were vehemently opposed to the idea.
Tyndale was undeterred. He was determined to get the translation done even at the cost of his life.
____________________________________________
Tyndale did not play it safe. He was burning with such conviction that he had no choice but to live it out. The English New Testament was finally produced in 1524. In 1536, Tyndale was burnt at the stake in Antwerp.
____________________________________________
He said to a churchman, “I defy the Pope and all his laws. If God spares my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth a plough shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost.”
Tyndale did not play it safe. He was burning with such conviction that he had no choice but to live it out. The English New Testament was finally produced in 1524. In 1536, Tyndale was burnt at the stake in Antwerp.
William Tyndale had a spine of steel.
Expect Persecution
Persecution is the furthest thing in the minds of contemporary Christians living in affluent countries. However, this might be the time for us to start thinking about it.
Biblical eschatology informs us that persecution will be intense in the Last Days. From the look of things, it is no exaggeration to say that we are living close to the end of this present age. We are seeing unmistakably clear signs of a global government emerging quickly.
It will be dictatorial. Using the latest technologies and a slew of measures in public health, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), media, social media, and finance, it will easily exert totalitarian control over nations and peoples.
Expect persecution.
Persecution will come in various forms. It will not be restricted to merely physical persecution as in imprisonment and death. People who do not comply with the new global standards and requirements will be barred from travel, employment, banking, and the ability to buy and sell. They will also be considered conspiracy theorists and purveyors of misinformation and disinformation, and hence a menace to society.
Living Out Our Christian Faith Courageously
Christians must be bold and courageous in such a time as this. We need to have spines of steel to stand firmly in our Christian faith and continue to live out our faith. This is crucial.
____________________________________________
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
____________________________________________
Christian leaders have the added responsibility to speak truth and speak against the rising tide of evil whether it is in the church, culture, nation, or world. They cannot be silent.
As Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the famous German theologian and pastor, famously said, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”
Bonhoeffer knew what he was saying. He lived through the terrors of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Germany.
Bonhoeffer spoke out publicly and warned the church against Hitler and his diabolical policies. Most of the German church pastors and leaders ignored his warnings until it was too late.
They mistakenly believed that culture and politics were none of their business and that their calling was just to shepherd the church. Hence, most of the German church kept a blind eye to evil. They kept silent even when millions of Jews, including women and children, were shipped to concentration camps and executed.
____________________________________________
Christians must understand that faith is not just a theological construct. Faith must be lived out. Otherwise, it is dead, or not faith at all.
____________________________________________
In 1934, Bonhoeffer and a few prominent pastors and theologians drafted the Barmen Declaration. Essentially, the document made clear that the German church must stand by biblical principles and that the Nazi government had no right to dictate it.
Only 3,000 out of 18,000 pastors signed the Barmen Declaration. Shockingly, most pastors did not put their signatures to it. 3,000 pastors were pro-Nazi. The remaining 12,000 were unwilling to take a clear stand.
I would presume that they agreed with the contents of the document. However, they lacked the moral courage to take a clear stand.
Christians must understand that faith is not just a theological construct. Faith must be lived out. Otherwise, it is dead, or not faith at all.
Many believers like to echo the Protestant reformer, Martin Luther, in saying “Faith alone.” But please bear in mind that ‘faith apart from works is dead’ (James 2:26). The apostle, James, said “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? (James 2:14)
So, let us live out our faith boldly. Notwithstanding the challenging time and environment, we must continue to preach the gospel and speak the truth. Do not hide in cowardice. Do not compromise by keeping silent. Do not be like the 12,000 German pastors who played it safe and failed in their Christian witness and duty to God. God will not hold them guiltless. In the same way, God will also not hold us guiltless if we cower in fear.
By the grace of God and the power of His Spirit, may God give us a spine of steel!