Our Vision
Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. (Acts 26:19)
The Apostle Paul told King Agrippa that he “was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) while on trial due to the false accusations of his believing Jewish brothers. These were the ones who had followed Paul wherever he went so that they could discredit him, and to bring those whom he had raised up under their own influence (Gal 2:4). They twisted his gospel, accusing him of encouraging people to sin that grace might abound (Rom 3:8; 6:1, 15). They accused him of speaking “against the [Jewish] people and the law and this place [the temple in Jerusalem]” (Acts 21:28).
In his defense, Paul recounted to the king the details of his conversion on the road to Damascus. On that day and the days that followed, Paul received a heavenly vision that demanded his obedience, even at the risk of his life. Even though the Jews followed him and seemingly stirred up whole cities against him, Paul was compelled to withstand their opposition and remain faithful to his original vision.
Consider what pressure was upon Paul to compromise his message. He was seemingly the only one who had received the vision that caused him to declare, “circumcision is nothing” (1 Cor 7:19). Against him were men in the church of great reputation, who “were reputed to be pillars” (Gal 2:9). When “some came from James” (Gal 2:12), even the great Apostle Peter surrendered.
James’ Vision
Although the Lord appeared to James after His resurrection (2 Cor. 15:7), we have no record that James ever received a vision from God. But he was the Lord’s younger brother, and knew Him very well in his youth. He no doubt watched as his older brother Jesus kept the law perfectly as a young man. The divine record tells us almost nothing of the Lord’s youth other than that he “grew and became strong, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him. And His parents went year by year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover” (Luke 2:40-41). Until the day of his introduction by John the Baptist, the Lord kept the law perfectly. James surely had many interesting stories to tell about the Lord from these early years, and could quote many things He had said. His vision was an “earthly vision” of a law keeping Jewish Jesus whom he knew according to the flesh.
James was notably absent during his brother’s ministry. He never heard the Lord’s teaching or saw His works. When rumors of Jesus’ “bizarre behavior” reached him and the rest of the family, “they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, He is beside Himself” (Mark 3:21). He must have been mystified indeed when Jesus publicly disowned him as his brother in favor of “whoever does the will of God” (Mark 3:31-35).
Paul’s Vision
Paul, on the other hand, never knew the Lord according to the flesh. The Lord he met on the way to Damascus was already in resurrection. He was the heavenly Christ, and so the vision He gave Paul was heavenly. Perhaps it was because Paul saw how James had risen to prominence in the church through his earthly vision that he wrote, “So then we, from now on, know no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him so no longer” (2 Cor 5:16).
Thus the book of Acts is a history of a clash between two visions, one earthly and one heavenly. The majority of believers (thousands according to Acts 21:20) were on the side of James with his earthly vision. James had seemingly subdued Peter and John, two prominent early apostles in the church in Jerusalem. The many law-keeping zealots who followed Paul wherever he went forced him into many hardships. His reputation was maligned and his message was twisted.
Paul’s own words show the additional environmental frustration to his labor: “Ministers of Christ are they? I speak as being beside myself, I more so! In labors more abundantly, in imprisonments more abundantly, in stripes excessively, in deaths often. Under the hands of the Jews five times I received forty stripes less one; Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep; In journeys often, in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my race, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers; In labor and hardship; in watchings often; in hunger and thirst; in fastings often; in cold and nakedness—Apart from the things which have not been mentioned, there is this: the crowd of cares pressing upon me daily, the anxious concern for all the churches.” (2 Cor 11:23-28)
How tempting it must have been to give up. Let James have the day. Everything would have been simpler then. But Paul’s vision demanded obedience. He had no choice but to continue. Against all odds, Paul could testify even while in chains that he was “not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”
Our Vision
Our own vision must be the same. If it can be given up easily, it is not a heavenly vision. Brother Lee once said that even if everyone forsook the way of the local church, he would continue, because he had no choice. We must feel the same. When we meet the Lord, we will not be able to defend ourselves by saying that the majority went another direction. We will not be able to point to some “James” and blame him. The Lord will ask us how faithful we have been to the vision He has shown us. Vision demands obedience.
The Apostle Paul told King Agrippa that he “was not disobedient to the heavenly vision” (Acts 26:19) while on trial due to the false accusations of his believing Jewish brothers. These were the ones who had followed Paul wherever he went so that they could discredit him, and to bring those whom he had raised up under their own influence (Gal 2:4). They twisted his gospel, accusing him of encouraging people to sin that grace might abound (Rom 3:8; 6:1, 15). They accused him of speaking “against the [Jewish] people and the law and this place [the temple in Jerusalem]” (Acts 21:28).
In his defense, Paul recounted to the king the details of his conversion on the road to Damascus. On that day and the days that followed, Paul received a heavenly vision that demanded his obedience, even at the risk of his life. Even though the Jews followed him and seemingly stirred up whole cities against him, Paul was compelled to withstand their opposition and remain faithful to his original vision.
Consider what pressure was upon Paul to compromise his message. He was seemingly the only one who had received the vision that caused him to declare, “circumcision is nothing” (1 Cor 7:19). Against him were men in the church of great reputation, who “were reputed to be pillars” (Gal 2:9). When “some came from James” (Gal 2:12), even the great Apostle Peter surrendered.
James’ Vision
Although the Lord appeared to James after His resurrection (2 Cor. 15:7), we have no record that James ever received a vision from God. But he was the Lord’s younger brother, and knew Him very well in his youth. He no doubt watched as his older brother Jesus kept the law perfectly as a young man. The divine record tells us almost nothing of the Lord’s youth other than that he “grew and became strong, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him. And His parents went year by year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover” (Luke 2:40-41). Until the day of his introduction by John the Baptist, the Lord kept the law perfectly. James surely had many interesting stories to tell about the Lord from these early years, and could quote many things He had said. His vision was an “earthly vision” of a law keeping Jewish Jesus whom he knew according to the flesh.
James was notably absent during his brother’s ministry. He never heard the Lord’s teaching or saw His works. When rumors of Jesus’ “bizarre behavior” reached him and the rest of the family, “they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, He is beside Himself” (Mark 3:21). He must have been mystified indeed when Jesus publicly disowned him as his brother in favor of “whoever does the will of God” (Mark 3:31-35).
Paul’s Vision
Paul, on the other hand, never knew the Lord according to the flesh. The Lord he met on the way to Damascus was already in resurrection. He was the heavenly Christ, and so the vision He gave Paul was heavenly. Perhaps it was because Paul saw how James had risen to prominence in the church through his earthly vision that he wrote, “So then we, from now on, know no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him so no longer” (2 Cor 5:16).
Thus the book of Acts is a history of a clash between two visions, one earthly and one heavenly. The majority of believers (thousands according to Acts 21:20) were on the side of James with his earthly vision. James had seemingly subdued Peter and John, two prominent early apostles in the church in Jerusalem. The many law-keeping zealots who followed Paul wherever he went forced him into many hardships. His reputation was maligned and his message was twisted.
Paul’s own words show the additional environmental frustration to his labor: “Ministers of Christ are they? I speak as being beside myself, I more so! In labors more abundantly, in imprisonments more abundantly, in stripes excessively, in deaths often. Under the hands of the Jews five times I received forty stripes less one; Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep; In journeys often, in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my race, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers; In labor and hardship; in watchings often; in hunger and thirst; in fastings often; in cold and nakedness—Apart from the things which have not been mentioned, there is this: the crowd of cares pressing upon me daily, the anxious concern for all the churches.” (2 Cor 11:23-28)
How tempting it must have been to give up. Let James have the day. Everything would have been simpler then. But Paul’s vision demanded obedience. He had no choice but to continue. Against all odds, Paul could testify even while in chains that he was “not disobedient to the heavenly vision.”
Our Vision
Our own vision must be the same. If it can be given up easily, it is not a heavenly vision. Brother Lee once said that even if everyone forsook the way of the local church, he would continue, because he had no choice. We must feel the same. When we meet the Lord, we will not be able to defend ourselves by saying that the majority went another direction. We will not be able to point to some “James” and blame him. The Lord will ask us how faithful we have been to the vision He has shown us. Vision demands obedience.