Stephen had been performing miracles and signs among a crowd of people. A few days later, a group of men began to debate him. They hated the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke, so they persuaded others to lie about Stephen. Although Stephen was speaking truth, he was arrested and immediately brought to trial. As he spoke in his own defense, the crowd was outraged. The Jewish leaders were enraged as he preached the gospel message and pointed out their sins. In their rage, they rushed at him and dragged him outside the city gates. There they picked up stones and stoned him to death. They threw their coats at a man standing off to the side. He stood there silently. Watching. Holding coats. Approving of the merciless killing of an innocent man.
You can read the full story of Stephen’s witness and death in Acts 6:8-8:1.
Oh. This man holding coats could have spoken up. He could have pushed aside the crowd and protected the accused man. But he didn’t. Instead, Saul stood there guarding the coats of the killers. Standing far enough away to claim innocence. Oh. He didn’t physically throw a stone. But his silent stance of approval said it all.
Saul stood silent, but he was also in a fight. He was fighting against the message that Stephen had been fighting for. Saul belonged to the group who took their fight public. He went from city to city throwing people in jail and sending them to their death all for their belief in the risen Savior. Oh. He knew where he stood on the issue, and he stood on the opposite side as Stephen. Saul was fighting to bring the innocent believers to a guilty judgment in a court of injustice. He had no concern for their lives or beliefs.
So he didn’t speak up for the man who boldly stood on the opposing side of a religious belief. He stood aside and watched him die. Unwilling to allow someone else to freely speak their beliefs. He was as guilty of Stephen’s murder as those who threw the stones.
Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. Acts 8:1
Just as Saul was silent when the crowd stoned Stephen, Adam was silent when the serpent tempted Eve. Oh. Adam was standing right there with her, naked as a jaybird, and he said nothing. He didn’t remind her of God’s command not to eat the fruit from that particular tree. He listened and then took a bite when she offered it to him. There was nothing sacred or holy about that moment. They were both guilty of disobeying God. And they knew it. But they didn’t yet realize the consequences of that one bite. They didn’t realize the consequence for themselves or for the rest of humanity for all times.
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Genesis 3:1-7
In Adam’s case, he knew the truth and ignored it. And look at what it cost him. When we as twenty-first century Christians know the truth and do it not, we place our witness in a precarious position. Particularly if others recognize that we’ve ignored truth for comfort and cultural approval. I find these days that we’ve lost the art of courageous living. We instead lean toward acceptance and comfort. We do the easy thing in the moment, regardless of the consequences.
If we realized the moment before we made that one destructive and sinful decision, would we still do it? Would we still take just one small bite of that forbidden fruit, or would we set aside our eagerness to please others and fit in with our culture? Would we remain silent when a voice of truth needs to be heard? We can’t have it both ways.
Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! Proverbs 12:20
Cultural and political events in this country the past few years have caused many people to speak up for causes they believe in. They want their voice to be heard, regardless of which side of the issue they’re on. They want their opinions to be recorded in history. Some push too far. And yet, the vast majority remain publicly silent. Afraid for the career or status they could lose, they remain silent. So their silence is perceived as consent with a crowd they don’t particularly agree with. But how would anyone know that they hold a differing opinion? They surely don’t risk speaking up in public, because they’ve heard of those who do and are socially and professionally cast aside for those in agreement.
I see the same in them as I see in Saul. Saul stood there holding the coats of those throwing stones to kill Stephen. He was the official coat watcher. What an excuse. He stood by in silent consent as the mob violently threw stones on an innocent man. Those stones broke bones and injured internal organs. The pummeling of his body with huge stones ushered Stephen into the presence of God Almighty. The silence of Saul was deafening. In his final breath, Stephen asked God to forgive those who were killing him.
It is tempting to not speak out on an issue when you know you’ll face blow back and courage is so needed.
Gavin Ortlund
And where do I stand when I see or hear of someone being wronged? Do I stand just far enough away so that I can still see it but proclaim innocence? Don’t I know that by being silent, I’m doing Satan’s bidding? Am I as guilty as Saul when I silently approve of those who participate in ungodly lifestyles by keeping the truth from them? Have I not learned to stand for my beliefs, lest I fall for less? If I don’t stand for something, will I fall for anything?
Saul? The legalistic Pharisee knew all the laws. He could quote Scripture, but he didn’t believe in the Messiah who was prophesied about in those same Scriptures. He stood silently watching an innocent man die for his belief that the promise of the Messiah had actually been fulfilled. Saul’s silence was consent to the murder. Sure. He only held the coats of the killers. But that doesn’t make him innocent.
Another great apostle, Peter, remained silent three times when asked if he was one of Jesus’ followers. Three times he denied knowing Jesus, as Jesus stood on trial for crimes he didn’t commit. Three times Peter remained silent about his relationship with the man he followed with a passion. Why? He didn’t want to stand in harm’s way. He didn’t want to face an unknown future by admitting that he was one of Jesus’ disciples. Yet, earlier in the evening when Jesus had warned him that he would speak words of betrayal not once but three times, he defiantly said that he would be willing to die for Jesus. Yet outside the courtroom where Jesus was on trial, in the moment of truth, he denied even knowing Jesus.
Peter declared, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I will never desert you.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” “No!” Peter insisted. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!” And all the other disciples vowed the same. Matthew 26:33-35
You can read the full story of of Peter’s betrayal in Matthew 26.
I have to ask myself.
Would I continue to speak up if I was publicly ridiculed or if my livelihood was threatened? Would I continue to speak the truth if I knew it could cost me everything? Including my life? What is the truth worth these days? Would I speak up for the one charged with a crime he didn’t commit?
I think of the Germans standing by silently as their leader ordered the Jews to be hunted and marched off to prison camps. Many of the Jews were killed and still others were never seen or heard from again. But the Germans. They knew the wrong that was being done to their neighbors. Their friends. Yet they did nothing. Nothing. They stood by silently while their neighbors and friends disappeared into the unknown. How could they be silent? We ask.
Would I stand silent because I thought my life could be on the line if I spoke up? What harm does my silence do? I opened an email the other day that asked “when truth is erased, who fights back?” Think about it.
Mercy for the Day 