How do you react when your beliefs are challenged? When Pilate was speaking to Jesus on Good Friday, he made this comment. John 18:37 Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” 38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked.[1]
When our spiritual beliefs are challenged, we have two choices. One choice is to completely shut our eyes and ears to what is being said or presented to us. In contrast, another choice is to seek the Lord for wisdom and understanding.
Wisdom in the Challenge
The wisdom that God gave Stephen challenged the spiritual beliefs of the Jewish leaders. Their arguments against Stephen only failed because they chose to close their eyes and ears. As a result, they did not seek the Lord, pray, or meditate on His word.
Acts 6:8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9 But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.
11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” 12 This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. [2]
Hope during the Challenge
How can we have hope when the world challenges our spiritual beliefs? Here are some verses to guide you through these stormy waters:
- Trust the Lord: Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. [3]
- Seek wisdom from the Lord: James 1:5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.[4]
- Pray to the Lord: James 5:16The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. [5]
- Search the word of God: Psalm 119:105Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. [6]
To hear more about the story of Stephen, listen here:https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/hope-when-life-is-threatened
[1-6] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.