This verse uses an interesting simile to describe Stephen's face in the midst of his trial. It says that he had "the face of an angel." This is even more surprising considering Stephen's circumstances at the time. He was on trial for spreading the Gospel. Jews in the synagogue had gathered false witnesses against him and accused him of being a blasphemer because he preached that Jesus is the Messiah and the Way to Heaven. But did he react angrily? Did he get upset and mad at his accusers or God? No. Stephen reacted in a very Christ-like way, and this is captured perfectly in the simile describing his countenance.
Even in the midst of false accusation, Stephen did not lash back; he responded calmly and peacefully. He did not sling back insults or accusations against his enemies, but kept his testimony by acting the way Christ did when He was falsely accused. Why? For one, Stephen knew what he stood for was the truth. He had confidence in the Gospel, and was not willing to compromise. Secondly, as already mentioned, Stephen wanted to keep his testimony. If he had blown up in anger it would have brought reproach to the name of Christ and would have actually given his accusers evidence against him, pushing them further from the truth. Thirdly, Stephen was focused on the eternal state of his accusers. He wanted them to be saved, and he knew responding in anger would make it harder for that to happen. Fourthly, he had the example of Christ to look to. Jesus went through the same thing Stephen did, and Stephen followed Jesus' example. Stephen knew that Jesus had suffered for him, and he counted it an honor to suffer for Jesus, Savior of the world and King of kings. Fifthly, Stephen knew God was in control. He knew that no matter what those people said or did, his life was in God's hands, so he had no reason to worry. Everything is in God's plan, and He works all things together for good to those who love Him, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Nothing touches you unless God first lets it through.
Be sure of this: If you take a stand for Christ in this world, people will falsely accuse you in order to try and stop you or ruin your testimony. They will call you hater, bigot, Bible-thumper, Jesus freak, and many other things. They will make things up to try and get you in trouble. How will you respond? Will you act angrily, in the flesh? Or will you let God's grace and Spirit reign in your heart so you can respond in a Christ-like way?
Stephen didn't do this on his own, though. Only by God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit could he respond in such a way. Earlier in the chapter, Stephen is described as "a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost." Stephen had made the choice to follow Jesus, but it was only by God's grace that he could do the things he did. So it is with us. We may make the choice to follow Christ and surrender our lives to Him, but it is only by God's all-sufficient, enabling grace that we can do anything as we put forth effort to serve God. Every moment, we must walk in the Spirit so we don't fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). We are hopeless and helpless on our own. We have to surrender to the Spirit's leading every moment of our lives. Only then can we live in a Christ-like way and keep our testimony under pressure, just as Stephen did.
I thank God for Stephen's example. He truly was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and he was able to keep his testimony and glorify God until the end of his life, when he was brutally stoned to death by his false accusers. Even then, looking unto God, Stephen "cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" (Acts 7:60). He loved his accusers and attackers, just as Jesus did. I pray God would give me grace to live a Christ-like life and glorify Him no matter what my circumstances, and I pray the same for you. I pray He would enable us, no matter what we face, to look unto Him and the world around us with the face of an angel.
However, if you've never been saved, you can't claim God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit in your life. It hasn't been given to you yet. You don't know the peace of God because you're still at variance with Him. There's only one Way to make things right with God, one Way to save your soul from Hell, one Way to have God's gift of grace and the Holy Spirit, and it's the Way Stephen preached: Jesus. Do you know Him as Lord and Savior? Do you have a personal relationship with Him today? Click the Salvation tab above for more details.
God bless as you seek to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. All glory be to God!
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