Preparing For Persecution XVII

 We’ve become so mealy-mouthed and duplicitous that bonafide theologians have questioned Stephen’s actions, insisting that he could have denied Jesus presently and repented for it later. He didn’t need to be that confrontational, that standoffish, that unwilling to bend and compromise, or in the least omit the things he knew would trigger those to whom he was answering.  

He could have placated them, couldn’t he? That way, they say, he could have gone on to minister and preach the gospel and kept himself from being martyred. You live to fight another day. That’s the end goal, isn’t it? Actually, no. If you have to deny Christ to live another day, then the cost of living another day is not worth it.

Numerous people have tried to find excuses for cowardice and even encouraged others to practice it. Still, none of them can definitively state where the cowardice will end once it begins. Is once the cutoff? Is it twice or three times? How many times can you deny Jesus to get out of a scrape or avoid hardship before it becomes one too many? Those who insist Jesus would understand denying Him in certain circumstances conveniently ignore Christ's words, wherein He declared that if we deny Him before men, He will deny us before the Father because, to them, looking out for number one is their number one goal.

And you wonder why we’re not seeing the presence of God in most churches today? Do you still have to wonder why so many are lukewarm and willing to betray Jesus at the drop of a hat if it means elevation, promotion, or being left alone by those who would see harm come to the household of faith?

To go into Stephen’s entire discourse would be a book unto itself since he went through the entire history of Israel’s journey from Abraham to Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, reminding them of the prophecies given concerning the Christ and pointing out the resistance of their fathers to the Holy Spirit just as they were resisting the Holy Spirit. He encapsulated Israel’s journey up to that point in time and pled with them to open their eyes and see the truth of Jesus.

It likely wouldn’t have mattered if Stephen had been more conciliatory in his discourse because these men who had plotted his demise had been humiliated, and whatever he said would have landed on stony hearts anyway. If you believe compromising the truth will ingratiate you with those who hate you, you’re in for a surprise.

Why humiliate and prostrate yourself before the godless when their hatred of you will not be tamped down, and their desire to see your destruction will not be satiated? Perhaps, for a little while, they will leave you be, using you as an example to others who’ve not been cowed. Still, eventually, unless you renounce your faith altogether and join the forces of darkness in persecuting the followers of Christ, they will still see you as an enemy.

We’ve all seen what happens to those who give in to the pressure. Although they spoke something demonstrably factual, they backpedaled, apologized, and groveled, only to be shunned and ostracized by those they were trying to placate. Not only are they left with nothing, but they’ve also betrayed their ethics, values, and morals.

Know the truth, live the truth, and speak the truth. Then let the chips fall where they may because although you can control your actions, you can’t control the world’s reaction to who you are.

Acts 7:54-60, “When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord, and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.’”

They knew Stephen's words were true; they just didn’t care. It’s as simple as that. These were supposed fellow saints who could not bear the thought of being theologically humiliated and so orchestrated the murder of a man whose only desire was to see the hearts of men turned to Jesus.

It takes monumental rage to gnash at someone with your teeth, perhaps something even beyond rage. I’ve been angry in life, but it never once crossed my mind to gnash at someone with my teeth. These men were convicted and cut to the heart, yet their pride kept them from seeking repentance. If you can’t kill the message, go target the messenger, hoping the message dies with him.

If there had been a shadow of doubt in Stephen’s conviction, if, at any moment, he had valued his life more than Jesus, his story would have had a different ending. If man has not purposed in his heart to endure what may come for the sake of Christ, he will find a way to bypass suffering, hardship, and martyrdom. The opportunity to do so will be presented.

It is a far greater boon for the devil to coerce someone into denying Jesus than to facilitate their murder for His sake. Martyrs have the undesired effect of being looked up to as examples of steadfastness and faithfulness, while cowards are dismissed, and rightly so. The enemy would far rather see a church full of cowards than one of committed saints willing to pay the ultimate price for the sake of Christ. A coward can be brought to heel one way or another. One whose life is forfeit and whose only desire is to do the will of God is impossible to corral.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.  

Posted on 6 May 2024 | 10:40 am