False accusations brought up in court against Stephen.

Acts 6:11-15

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.” Acts 6:11-12

The Freedmen/Libertines [described in the previous section] secretly persuaded others to say that Stephen spoke blasphemy against God and Moses. The Freedmen/Libertines were obviously seeking approval [“brownie points”] from the mainstream Jewish culture for their opposition to those who spoke in the name of Jesus Christ. As our Lord Jesus says, “They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.” John 16:2 With rumors, lies, and malicious persuasion the Freedmen/Libertines stirred up the Jewish people and the Jewish leaders to seize Stephen and bring him to the Jewish court.

In today’s culture, the masses of people of the community only know what they are given to know about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and all of Christianity. What they know is given from the beast with power over physiology to give them what to think, feel, speak, and do. They are taught that there is no living God, that there is no need for the forgiveness of sin and unbelief through Jesus Christ, and that the Holy Spirit is to be resisted. The beast that motivates people against Jesus Christ is the one who gives breath/life to the image of the beast to speak by speaking and living through people. By what they are given to say and do they are groomed to the mark, name, number of the beast. As followers of Jesus Christ, our life of Holiness carries the shield of faith to deflect the fiery arrows coming against our faith in Him. Sanctification is the process of cleansing us from doubts even as they arise.

We definitely need Holiness in these days when Christianity is opposed around the world. In many parts of the world, Christians are literally being seized, dragged into the courts, and jailed. Many are killed. In the United States, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is imprisoned to prohibit the spread of the testimony of Jesus, meaning Christians are not free to share the message of the Cross. There is the intent to drive Christianity into extinction as the atheistic global government is rapidly becoming the undisputed one world government through the United Nations.

Our Lord Jesus has forewarned us so that we are not caught unaware, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles…“Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:16-18, 21-22

“They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” Acts 6:13-14

We will be accused of blaspheming the temple of God, the law, and trying to destroy the customs of the culture. We will be put on trial for teaching in the name of Jesus Christ. They claim the temple of God [our body] as the possession of the beast that has power over the body to give people what to speak, do, think, and feel. We devote our body as the home of the Holy Spirit, so we are put on trial for speaking against their governing authority and the customs of the community culture. Their custom is to honor the beast that governs by setting itself up as God in the temple of God [our body] as if it is God. This is the one “…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4 The “he” in this verse is the “man of sin”. Click here for a post on the “man of sin“.

Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings belief in Him who gives us the Holy Spirit and moves people away from living for the beast that wants to make people the home of the atheistic beast. We do not want to destroy the temple of God but to build it up in the name of Jesus, in the power of Holiness within the process of sanctification.

“And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.” Acts 6:15

The Jewish council saw the face of Stephen as the face of an angel, and they stoned him to death anyway, as described in the post on Acts 7:54-60. In today’s culture, which is global, seeing a person with the face of an angel is enough for them to detest and harass somebody. That’s because they turn sweet to bitter, good to evil, and light to darkness, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20 This is demonic activity, as the beast of the image and mark of the beast gives birth to these demons, as quoted, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and detestable animal.“ Revelations 18:2 “Babylon” symbolizes the global government of the beast and its global culture. They despise the presence of the Holy Spirit and clap for demonic activity.

Today, I saw a dog that looked exactly like an African Hyena because the owner had it shaved and colored that way. It’s popular to take the cutest and most docile dogs and to shave them into lions, tigers, and other types of not-so-cute and not so docile animals. I have also noticed that the “World’s Ugliest Dog” contest is very popular now. Cuteness and anything “Angelic” are being taken out of this world. The streets are filled with feral cats and homeless dogs as humane societies are not able to accommodate all of the pets gone wild. Nowadays, pets are Rottweilers, Pitbulls, Chihuahuas, or some variation of such dogs. Pets nowadays are the type that would eat “fluffy” for breakfast.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11