"You ARE a Soul"!

Acts 7:54-60       (KJV)
"54 When they heard these things, they were CUT TO THE HEART; and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus STANDING on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

C.S. Lewis "You don't have a Soul!  You ARE a Soul.  You HAVE a body"!

Stephen was a MAN!  He was brutally murdered for his refusing to follow the "establishments" idea of worship.  When Stephen got through sharing scripture with the religious leaders, rage caused them to stone him.  GOD'S Word does that!

Hebrews 4:12 tells us "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any TWOEDGED SWORD, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a DISCERNER of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  The religious hierarchy of the day could not stand to hear how they were not royalty.  So they stoned Stephen to "make their problem" go away.  But just as GOD "hardened" Pharaoh's heart in Exodus 14:4, GOD was, and is, observing everything they did.

Stephen was stoned by those who were thought to be the "RULING CLASS" amongst the Jews.  The man who held their garments was named "Saul".  Saul was transformed into Paul and became a Warrior for The Kingdom!  GOD uses what we see as bad to work for HIS good!  (Romans 8:28)

In Acts 7:55, scripture records that JESUS was STANDING watching them stone Stephen.  I wonder if JESUS ever stands for me?  Or am I so much like the world that HE even notices the difference?????