Stephen's Example

I love Stephen’s final words because they represent his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by his boldness and courage to share his testimony to the wicked. He testifies of their apostasy and dissention from the word of the Lord and even boldly calls them “betrayers and murderers” since they “received the law by the disposition of angles, and have not kept it.” I know that even at this time, when Stephen was pretty fired up, he still said the things that the Lord would have him say because his words were filled with the spirit for they “cut to the heart.”

In Acts 7: 55-60 we learn that the Godhead is made of the 3 separate personages: God the Father, His son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. We know this because as Stephen recalls, he was “filled with the Holy Ghost,” as he “looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God AND Jesus.” I know that Stephan’s account of seeing the God and Jesus Christ is true because as I read this passage I am also filled with the Holy Ghost. Stephen’s account also helps us to know that God the Father and Jesus Christ have physical bodies due to the fact that he actually saw them.

In comparing Stephen’s death to Abinadi’s in the Book of Mormon

Similarities:

·         Killed for their unwavering belief in Jesus Christ

·         Both cried to God before their death unto God to have their spirits be received by him

·         Both would not deny the commandments of God

Differences:

·         King Noah at first did not want to kill Abinadi where everyone wanted to kill Stephen

·         Abinadi died by fie and Stephen was stoned

·         Before death Abinadi placed a curse that others would die and he had and before Stephen’s death he asked to have their sins be not upon their heads

Both of these men’s testimonies impact me each time I read them because of their unwavering faith in the God’s Plan for his children. Neither of these men ever were hostile in anyway, but were continuous examples of what it means to take upon ourselves Christ’s name.  They show me that no matter how hard our trials may be, the Lord is on our side and that the best prize that this life has to offer is in the next life to come!