Sword & Trowel 2016: Issue 1
pastor or elder interested only in self- preservation, and peace at any price.
Who are these who appeal so much to the counsel of Gamaliel? They are like him. They do not want the counsel of God, but a safe, easy and congenial solution. With the entire Bible open before them, nothing is of any value except for the words of an unregenerate Pharisee.
Gamaliel, to support his plea to do nothing, mentioned the cases of two rebel leaders who had been killed (ap- parently by the Roman authorities), with the result that their influence soon waned. The obvious implication was that Jesus of Nazareth had also been put to death by the Romans, and his following would doubtless die out in the same way. Gamaliel further warned that if the movement was from God, to kill the disciples would be to fight against him.
Don’t interfere!
So Gamaliel employed two argu- ments. Number One: If God is not behind the disciples, they will disperse without our interference. Number Two: If God is behind them, we will be guilty of fighting him. How frequently these arguments are heard today! If God is not behind the gimmicks, the worldliness, and the hysterical and occult practices com- ing into present-day Christianity, they will die out in time. Therefore, forget all pastoral responsibility and let them be.
On the other hand, if you speak
against them, you may find you are quenching and blaspheming the work of the Spirit of the living God. Therefore keep off! Don’t interfere!
Stand on the touchline. See which way the wind blows. Do whatever is most advantageous and favourable to yourself, and see how matters unfold.
A test of pastors
The most useful purpose of the counsel of Gamaliel to present-day believers, is that it serves as an indi- cation of the depth and reliability of those who function as pastors, lead- ers and Bible teachers. The use of the counsel of Gamaliel in defence of a ‘do-nothing’ or ‘run-with-the-tide’ ap- proach to any new fad, is a sure sign of a person who has an inadequate respect for Scripture as the authorita- tive judge of all matters of faith. In other words, the counsel of Ga- maliel may tell you much more about a pastor, than about how you should respond to the latest spiritual threats. It is only to be expected that Ga- maliel should be held in high regard by today’s Bible commentators. If the present array of ecumenical new- evangelicals can endorse the pope, then why not Gamaliel? What is the difference? Both stand tenaciously for works as the basis of salvation, and both reject biblical, evangelical grace. Both uphold a mediatorial priesthood imagined to be vested in themselves, and both reject the simplicity which is in Christ. The similarities could be continued at length. Just as the pope is now widely accepted as a true man of faith, so Gamaliel, a Christ- rejecting, proud Pharisee, is regarded as a saintly protector of the apostles. (He is ‘Saint Gamaliel’ to Roman Catholics!) Fellow believers — be warned, and beware of the counsel of Gamaliel!
page 40 Beware of the Counsel of Gamaliel!
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