Acts 8:1-3

Saul decided to pick a fight with God, and we will see that he got more than he bargained for. You don’t go attacking God’s people without Him noticing. More to come on Saul in Acts chapter 9.

This was considered the first official wave of persecution the church suffered. The silver lining in this is that it forced the Gospel message out of Jerusalem. Many believers fled the persecution, and everywhere they scattered, the message went with them.

The message of Christ will always cause division due to the condition of the hearts of those who receive it and those who do not. This wasn’t a simple theological difference; it was a changing of the guard—from the Old Testament to the New Testament, from the old covenant to the new covenant—one based on better promises, from an old way of doing things to a new way of living. For many, to receive this message meant walking away from everything they had known and, in some cases, being disowned by their families.

This covenant was an agreement between God and His people that was superior because it was based on Christ’s work and grace rather than on our performance. It did away with the sacrificial system, for Jesus became our sacrifice once and for all time. God, indeed, fulfilled His promise given through Jeremiah the prophet (Jeremiah 31:31–34), putting His laws in our minds and writing them on our hearts.

This message was completely upending their former way of life.

Change does not come easily for most. Yet, as it is often said, “Change is the only constant in life.”

My husband often says that a key to life is our ability to adjust.

“Blessed are the flexible, for they will not be bent out of shape.”

We all face these crossroads in our lives. Turning to the Lord often requires us to turn away from certain things. We live by a new constitution within our souls, reflected in our actions and attitudes.

We do not need to defend God, for He can defend Himself. It is actually He who comes to our defense. Often it is the ones who are fighting are on the wrong side of the issues for that is not the way of Christ.

Persecution comes with the territory when we follow Christ, for we are a threat to the “god of this world.”

Just remember, to suffer for Christ’s sake is a privilege and will be rewarded by the One who sees everything.