Stephen's Doctrine

Acts 7: 51: Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: 52: Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

Would we stand in the face of our accusers and preach Christ the Lord if it meant we would die as soon as the message was finished? If we are filled with the Holy Spirit, as was Stephen, the Lord says we will.

Stephen's gospel is the gospel that we must hear and teach continually. He was accused of preaching against Moses, against God, against their holy place, and against the law. Left alone, Stephen would have toned down the message so as not to offend anyone. Yet, by God's grace, by the power of the Holy Spirit, for the sake of Christ, Stephen stuck a finger, salted by grace, directly into the wound of his hearers and wiggled it around till it proved, in this case, a savor of death unto death.

One-by-one Stephen took away every false hope which these men had. The uncircumcised heart is enmity against God. So Stephen declared to his hearers that that they rejected Christ and his doctrine for this very reason, "Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost." Resisting the Holy Ghost involves resisting God's messengers because God's messengers preach that salvation is the work of Christ the Lord, the Just One. So Stephen declared to his hearers that they not only persecuted God's prophets as their fathers did, but that they had also betrayed and murdered the Prince of life. Resisting the Holy Ghost involves the delusional thinking that man has kept the law of God and shall be accepted when all his religion is a rejection of Christ the Lord in whom the law ends. So Stephen declared to his hearers that just like their fathers, they too, had received the law by the hand of angels, and had not kept it.

Stephen proved the necessity of God's grace by showing that God does irresistibly operate within the hearts of some. Abraham was an idolater in an idolatrous land but the Lord brought him out (v2-4.) Joseph was sold into slavery by his brethren but God was with him and delivered him (v9, 10.) Moses fled to Madian but the voice of the Lord came unto him (v29-33.) God was gracious to David (v46.) It is not enough to search the scriptures; it will be just another history book. It is not enough to come to the doctrines of grace; it will be just another system of theology. It is not enough to behold the sovereign predestinating purpose of God come to pass before our eyes; we will be nothing more than fatalist. It is not enough to make a profession or change of conduct; we will be just another sinner looking to another work which we have performed. A sinner must be operated within by the Holy Ghost. And here, Stephen, under the rule and strength of the King of glory preached the power of God to save. His sermon was no less direct than Peter's on the day of Pentecost. The different reaction from the respective audiences was that the Holy Spirit pricked those at Pentecost in the heart while God left these alone.

Yet, Stephen's gospel was so narrow it left these sinners with one of two options. They either had to fall on their face in repentance or prove they hated Christ. Even so we must show sinners how vane it is to claim to have obeyed God while rejecting those God has sent to preach weekly in our midst; while putting confidence in past prophets, a place, in services performed, in observances of the law, or in outward moral reform. Christ is the Substance. For his glory alone, we must set forth the person and finished work of Christ every time, all the time, to everyone who will listen. God will either draw sinners to Christ in his loving kindness or he will damn them for all eternity by his word but preach the gospel we must.

May he be pleased to give us boldness to preach Christ even as he did Stephen.

www.sovereign-grace.us

SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH Of Princeton, New Jersey

LOCATION & TELEPHONE
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd floor
150 Washington Street, Rocky Hill, NJ, 08553
Pastor's Telephone: 615-513-4464

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
Sunday 10 AM Bible Class
11 AM Morning Worship
Thursday 7:00 PM Mid-week Service
(The first Sunday of each month, morning worship begins at 10am followed by observing the Lord's Table. Afterwards we have lunch together.)