Truth wins out in the end

We live in a world that claims to love truth—until that truth confronts our choices, our beliefs, or our comfort. People celebrate honesty in theory, but when truth challenges hypocrisy or hinders personal desires, it suddenly becomes offensive. This tension between proclaiming truth and facing opposition for it is as old as the early church itself.

The Man Full of Grace and Power
In Acts chapter 6, we encounter a remarkable figure: Stephen, one of seven men appointed to oversee the food distribution among the widows in the early church. But Stephen was far more than an administrator. He was described as "full of grace and power," performing great signs and wonders among the people. His ministry flowed from a life shaped by God's grace, filled with the Holy Spirit, and rooted in faith.

Stephen's effectiveness didn't go unnoticed. Religious scholars from various synagogues rose up to debate him, hoping to discredit his message about Jesus. These were educated, theologically trained men facing off against an ordinary believer. Yet they failed miserably. Why? Because Stephen operated not in human wisdom but in the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit.

This reveals a profound truth: when we're filled with the Holy Spirit and speak God's truth, no amount of human intellect or training can stand against it. The Spirit provides both the words and the wisdom needed in the moment.

When Debate Fails, Character Assassination Begins
Unable to refute Stephen's arguments, his opponents changed tactics. They secretly instigated false witnesses to accuse him of blasphemy against Moses, the law, and the temple—the three pillars of Jewish religious life. When people cannot defeat the truth, they attack the messenger instead.

Stephen was dragged before the Sanhedrin, the equivalent of our Supreme Court. These religious leaders had the power of life and death. Yet remarkably, everyone who looked at Stephen saw that "his face was like the face of an angel." Even under false accusation, he maintained a peaceful, gracious demeanor—no fear, no anger, just calm confidence in God.

How would we respond in such circumstances? Would we panic? Lash out in anger? Defend ourselves aggressively? Stephen's composure speaks volumes about being filled with the Holy Spirit.

A History Lesson That Became a Courtroom Indictment
When asked if the charges were true, Stephen didn't immediately deny them. Instead, he delivered what appeared to be a history lesson, walking through Israel's story from Abraham to Solomon. But this wasn't just recounting facts—it was building a case.

Stephen began with Abraham, reminding his accusers that their forefather had a relationship with God based on grace and faith, not on circumcision, law-keeping, or temple worship. None of those things existed yet when Abraham believed God. His salvation came through trusting God's promises, especially the promise of a coming Savior.

Then Stephen moved to Joseph, who was rejected by his own brothers out of jealousy. They sold him into slavery, intending evil. Yet God meant it for good. Joseph eventually became the very one who saved his family from starvation. The parallel is striking: Jesus, rejected by His own people, became the Savior who could deliver them.

Next came Moses, and here the pattern intensified. Moses was rejected by his people not once, but three times:

1. When he tried to defend his Hebrew brother, they asked, "Who made you ruler and judge over us?"
2. When he returned from Midian to deliver them, they complained that he was making their lives harder under Pharaoh
3. When he went up Mount Sinai to receive the law, they declared they didn't know what happened to him and made a golden calf to worship

Each rejection of Moses was ultimately a rejection of God Himself.

Stephen's message was clear: Israel had a long history of rejecting the very people God sent to deliver them. And now, they had rejected and murdered the ultimate Deliverer—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

The Uncomfortable Truth About the Temple
Stephen also addressed the accusation about the temple. Yes, God's presence dwelt there, but God Himself declared through the prophets: "Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me?"

The religious leaders had become so focused on the building that they lost sight of the God it was meant to honor. They confused the symbol with the reality, the structure with the presence.

Truth Spoken in Love Still Provokes Rage
Stephen concluded with words that were both bold and matter-of-fact: "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you."

He wasn't being mean—he was being truthful. And truth, when it confronts religious pride and hypocrisy, provokes intense reaction.

The religious leaders were enraged. But in that moment, Stephen, "full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." He declared what he saw, and the crowd could take no more.

They stopped their ears—literally refusing to listen—and rushed him out of the city. There they stoned him to death, technically violating Roman law in their fury.

The Paradox: Truth Wins Even in Death
As the stones rained down, Stephen prayed two prayers that echo Jesus' own words from the cross: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" and "Lord, do not hold this sin against them."
His final moments were marked by forgiveness, not bitterness. Grace, not revenge.

But here's the question: If Stephen died, how did truth win out?

Consider this:

• They silenced Stephen's voice, but they couldn't silence God's truth
• Stephen died, but the gospel kept spreading—persecution only accelerated it
• Before Stephen's earthly eyes closed, his spiritual eyes saw Jesus standing in victory
• The people rejected the message, but heaven confirmed it
• Among those watching was a young man named Saul, who would later become Paul, the greatest missionary the church has known

Truth doesn't lose. Sometimes it's delayed, but in the end, truth always wins out.

Living and Speaking Truth Today
We live in times when speaking biblical truth can cost us relationships, reputation, or opportunities. The world may oppose us, mock us, or seek to silence us. But when we speak truth and live truth in the power of the Holy Spirit, truth wins out—even if we never see the fruit on this side of eternity.

The only time truth doesn't win is when we fail to speak it or live it.

As followers of Christ, we're called to be like Stephen: full of faith, full of the Holy Spirit, full of grace and power. We're called to speak truth without compromise, yet with the grace that marked Stephen's final prayer of forgiveness.

One day, we'll stand in Christ's presence and fully understand that truth won out. But even now, as we navigate hostile territory, we can take peace in knowing that when we align ourselves with God's truth, we're on the winning side—no matter how things appear in the moment.

The question isn't whether truth will ultimately triumph. It will. The question is whether we'll have the courage to stand with truth when it costs us something.