13th Sep 26 | 04:00
Daily Study
Opposition to the Gospel
Acts 16 - Series 04/Episode 13 - Wed, 29th July 2026 - Opposition to the Gospel - Acts 16:16-40 - EXPERIENCES AT PHILIPPI - Matthew 05:43-45
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Acts 16:19-21 But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities. (20) And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, "These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; (21) and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe."
The opposition against the apostles began when the masters of the slave girl saw that the profits that they were making through her were gone.
Culture has various factors that are at interplay, which the devil influences to keep the world in bondage. The social factor that was at play in this encounter with the slave girl and her masters was the system of slavery, which is an evil system. Even though the system of slavery has been abolished, we see manifestations of the same system in other forms, such as the caste system. This system aims to categorise people by their caste classification and treat them accordingly.
When a person comes to Christ, a big realisation takes place that we are all created in the image of God and we are all equal before God. Galatians 3:27-28 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
We can see one of the reasons why there is strong opposition to the Christian faith in our country, India. Those who come to faith in Jesus realise that they are created in the image of God and need not be identified, classified and relegated by their caste and its implications. They now choose to obey God and do His will in all aspects of life. The people of other castes find this transformation in the believers in Christ unacceptable.
This slave girl maintained the culture of entertainment tied to fortune-telling, rolling. Everyone was happy with the fun and sport that this girl provided for them. People who came to the marketplace were used to seeing the slave girl help people pass their time, and this was a cultural activity. Suddenly, this cultural experience came to a stop. They looked at the apostles as those who were changing their culture.
Isn't this also so true to our times? Socio-cultural ties are strong, and when these are disrupted because people are turning to faith in Jesus, the majority socio-cultural-religious group is deeply troubled, and persecution follows.
Then the major issue was the matter of money. This slave girl was bringing profits to her masters. She did not cost them anything, except for some tidbits that they would throw at her for her food and clothes. On the other side, she was raking in plenty of money for them. This convenient system came to an end, and they were angry and upset.
Isn't this also relevant for our times? The higher caste groups could dominate the lower caste groups for their end in various ways, such as having cheap and plentiful labour available to do their work. When people turn to Jesus, they become aware of their rights and how much they need to be paid for the work that they do. They also refrain from taking loans from their landlords at high interest rates. This upsets the socio-cultural-economic structure that has existed for centuries.
We can understand why there is severe opposition to the Gospel in India. Yet, this is the outworking of the Gospel. Just as this slave girl was set free from the oppression of the evil spirit, people will experience freedom in Christ. When they come to this fullness of life in Christ, their eyes will be opened to who they are in Christ. They will cast away all their shackles and begin to live and enjoy the fullness of life in Christ and in His church.
Just as it happened with Paul and the team, we can surely expect more opposition and persecution for the church in India. We need not be surprised, but we must keep in mind the words of our Lord. Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (11) "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. (12) Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
We ought to also keep in mind that we are called to love those who persecute us. Matthew 5:43-45 "You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' (44) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (45) that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
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