Adding Crime to Crime

In their rage against Paul, the Jews had added another crime to the dark record that marked their history and had made their doom more certain. In the synagogue at Nazareth, Christ reminded His hearers that in the past God had turned away from His chosen people because of their unbelief and rebellion and had revealed Himself to people in heathen lands who had not rejected the light of heaven. The faithful messenger of God would find no safety with backsliding Israel. The Jewish leaders were taking the people farther and farther from obedience to God—where He could not defend them in the day of trouble.ULe 152.1

The Savior’s words of rebuke to the people of Nazareth applied in Paul’s case of Paul to his own brethren in the Christian faith. If the leaders in the church had fully surrendered their bitterness toward the apostle and accepted him as one God had specially called to carry the gospel to the Gentiles, the Lord would have preserved him for them. God had not decreed that Paul’s work should end so soon.ULe 152.2

The same spirit is still depriving the church of many blessings. How often would the Lord have prolonged the work of some faithful minister if the church had appreciated his efforts. But if church members misrepresent and misinterpret the words and acts of Christ’s servant, allowing themselves to stand in his way, the Lord sometimes removes the blessing He had given them.ULe 152.3

Those God has chosen to accomplish a great and good work may be ready to sacrifice even life itself for the cause of Christ, yet the great deceiver will suggest doubts about them to their fellow believers to undermine confidence in their integrity and cripple their usefulness. Too often, through their own fellow Christians, Satan succeeds in bringing upon them such sorrow of heart that God graciously intervenes to give His persecuted servants rest. After the voice of warning and encouragement goes silent, then these hardened opposers may see and value the blessings they have thrown away. The death of God’s servants may accomplish what their life failed to do.ULe 152.4