A Bold Witness

8/21/07
Telling people the harsh truth about themselves is no pleasant task. Most Christians struggle with a desire to be nice when it comes to any confrontation, and try to avoid anything that looks like “fire and brimstone” in the eyes of those who need to heed the Gospel.

The Bible backs up being nice. Jesus didn’t stand on a soapbox and shout “Turn or burn” at everyone who passed. Paul was gentle with those who sought the truth. The idea that you catch more flies with honey is fairly sound.

However, harsh truth is included in the Bible. Today I’m reading about Stephen, the first martyr in the Christian church. He, “full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.” Some religious leaders began disputing him. They accused him of speaking blasphemous words against them and the law of Moses, and stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes. When they gathered against him, Stephen began his sermon.

He spoke of their history. He reminded them of the many times their ancestors turned from God and how God faithfully persisted, delivering them from one thing after another. Then he said, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

The next verse says they were “cut to the heart” and in rage gnashed at him with their teeth. Not a surprise. These were the religious leaders. They thought themselves above reproach. Who was this nobody to tell them they were resisting God? “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.”

But before they did, God did something amazing for Stephen. Verse 55 says, “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.”

Then, as the stones flew, “He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And then he “fell asleep.”

I’d not want rocks thrown at me, even verbal ones, but would I trade my fear of that happening for a vision of Jesus? Do I know enough about the power of the Holy Spirit that I’d realize no matter what people did to me, He would give me faith and power to obey Him?

Then there is the matter of telling the truth to others in such a way that when they heard it, they really heard it. Some of these religious leaders may have also stood at the foot of the cross shaking their fist at Jesus. Some of them may have sat on the council that condemned Him to death. Perhaps these were the same leaders hearing it again and shutting their ears again and again putting to death the person who dared tell them the truth.

It is little wonder that Christians tremble when we feel the Holy Spirit’s prompting to speak the truth to religious people or people in high places. People with power may not crucify us or throw actual stones, but they can make our lives uncomfortable, even miserable.

What encourages me is that not everyone in religious leadership resisted the harsh warnings of Jesus and the early Christian preachers. Acts 6:7 says many of the priests were obedient to the faith, and after Stephen died, the church expanded greatly, regardless of threats and persecution. Besides that, God gave Stephen that incredible vision of Himself and His glory.

Today’s church could use more of that fire and certainly some of that vision, but I cannot condemn anyone else for remaining silent if I am not willing myself to speak the truth, even speak it forcefully and with blunt words. The only thing I need to remember is that those blunt words are reserved for only those who have heard and rejected gentler messages about their sin and their need for the Savior. Hard words are for those with hard hearts.