We Ought To Obey God Rather Than Men

Fr. Scott Haynes

“Did we not strictly command you, that you should not teach in this name? and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and you have a mind to bring the blood of this man upon us. But Peter and the apostles answering, said: We ought to obey God, rather than men” (Acts 5:28–29).

There is something wonderfully strong and clear in these words of Saint Peter. The rulers speak with the voice of earthly authority. They command. They threaten. They try to silence the name of Jesus. But Peter answers with the calm courage of a man whose soul has already chosen its master. “We ought to obey God, rather than men.”

This is the great dividing line in every Christian life. There are moments when the world asks us to be quiet about Christ, to soften the truth, to hide our faith, or to compromise what God has made plain. Sometimes the pressure comes with anger. Sometimes it comes with ridicule. Sometimes it comes more gently, through the desire to please others or avoid trouble. But the choice remains the same. Whom shall we obey?

Peter’s words are especially striking because this is the same Peter who once trembled and denied his Lord in the high priest’s courtyard. Now he stands before rulers and speaks without fear. What changed him? The risen Christ had forgiven him, strengthened him, and filled him with the Holy Ghost. Grace turned a wavering disciple into a fearless witness. That should give us hope. God can do the same in us. He can make firm what is weak, brave what is timid, and faithful what is wavering.

To obey God rather than men does not mean loving men less. E It means loving God first, and therefore loving others rightly. The Apostles were not stubborn for their own sake. They were faithful because the truth of Christ was too great to hide. Silence would have been disobedience. And so they chose fidelity over safety.

In our own lives, this obedience may not require standing before tribunals, but it will require daily courage. It may mean speaking the truth when it is unpopular, remaining honest when deceit would be easier, keeping purity when the world mocks it, or holding fast to prayer when distractions call us away. These are the quiet places where Peter’s words must become our own.

Lord Jesus, grant us the spirit of Thy Apostles. When fear rises in our hearts, make us steadfast. When the world presses upon us, teach us holy courage. And when we are tempted to please men at the cost of truth, put into our souls the strength of Saint Peter, that we may say with sincerity and love, “We ought to obey God, rather than men.”