Was Gamaliel’s Advice Biblical? Is it a reason to not call out false teachers?

Acts 5 and the Question of Gamaliel’s Advice

Is the advice that Gamaliel gave in Acts chapter 5 Biblical? Gamaliel in Acts 5 verses 38 and 39 he says, Keep away from these men, and let them alone. For if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing.

But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest you even be found to fight against God. I want to show this clip of Ruslan KD and Pastor Tim Ross and then I'll comment, but part of this is the idea that you should really give people a pass.

If you think someone is teaching false doctrine, if there is a movement that you do not believe is of God, just let it go. After all, Gamaliel said this and this and this in Acts chapter 5. Is that good advice?

Should we be following it? Watch the video.

We put out another video doubling down.

Right, like this is what I feel.

And I was like, Word man, rock out.

Yeah, absolutely. Because I would rather know where a person stands, right? I can respect that. So for me, Jesus' words and then Gamaliel's words.

That's a good passage.

Dude, that's my guidance.

So notice he says that he follows the words of Jesus and Gamaliel. That's my guidance. And then Ruslan pipes up and agrees. And how this is a great passage where Gamaliel gives this great advice. And again, I've heard this many times where you shouldn't warn against false teachers because Gamaliel said to leave them alone.

So if you are wrong, you may find yourself fighting against God. But even if you're right, if the false teacher is not of God, it's not going to amount to anything. So just leave it alone. Here's the thing.

That is totally unbiblical. That is unbiblical advice. Gamaliel is giving bad advice. Now it worked out for the apostles in that moment. But this is not advice we should be following. This is why we need to get our doctrine.

We need to be in a good local church hearing sound doctrine. Not getting our beliefs from these worldly YouTube channels. Again, this guy looks to Jesus. He says, I look to Jesus and Gamaliel for guidance.

What's the problem? Gamaliel was a false teacher himself. According to Acts 5, he was a Pharisee. He didn't believe in Jesus. Gamaliel was a leading member of the Jewish council, the same council that was responsible for putting Christ to death.

Gamaliel's advice is not of the Holy Spirit because he did not have the Holy Spirit. It was completely wrong. First of all, the Bible says to test the spirits, 1 John 4, verse 1, and to expose the unfruitful works of darkness, Ephesians 5, 11.

False teaching needs to be addressed. Also, this idea that movements are not of God, or if they're not of God, it's not going to amount to anything, wrong. Islam is not of God. But today, over a billion people, upwards of 2 billion people, follow the teachings of Muhammad.

The Mormon church is not of God. Yet, they have millions and millions of followers all over the world. So, the idea that a pastor would say that he follows the teachings of Jesus and Gamaliel, and that's where he gets his guidance, that's nuts.

Now, if he said he followed the teachings of Jesus and the Apostle Paul, amen, or Jesus and Peter, or James, or John, the authors of the New Testament, great. But Gamaliel? And yet, a lot of people think this.

A lot of people think that Gamaliel was giving advice that all Christians should follow. That is completely not true. So, how can this pastor, Tim Ross, make such a statement? Well, when you look at some of the other things that he has said, then it does start to make sense.

Watch this.

Tim Ross’s Crude “Stripper” Illustration

Scripture said that manna came from heaven, and it was bred to them. We don't make it rain on booty cheeks. We don't make it rain on strippers. We only reverence one stripper, and that's the one that took off glory to put on humanity, and then get butt naked on a cross to die for both you and me.

The only stripper I'm in love with is Jesus, and he's the one that puts that bread in my pocket.

That bread in my pocket.

I got bread in my pocket.

Exposing Corrupt Speech and the Need for Discernment

Ephesians 4, 29 and 30 says, Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

So, we need to be discerning. You sort of get the sense that the people in that crowd, he could have said just about anything, and they would have cheered and been okay with it. So, in conclusion, going back to the original question, should we take Gamaliel's advice?

Was that good advice that Christians are supposed to follow? Just leave them alone. If you think someone is a false teacher, just turn a blind eye.

Let it be.

Leave them alone. Is that good advice? Is that God's advice? Absolutely not.

Thanks for watching.

Until next time, may the Lord be with you.

Have a great day.