Acts 7:51-54 ESV

51 “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. 52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, 53 you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” 54 Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.

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51 “Kayong matitigas ang ulo at hindi tuli ang puso't mga tainga, kayo'y laging sumasalungat sa Espiritu Santo. Kung ano ang ginawa ng inyong mga ninuno, ay gayundin ang ginagawa ninyo. 52 Alin sa mga propeta ang hindi inusig ng inyong mga ninuno? Kanilang pinatay ang mga nagpahayag noong una tungkol sa pagdating ng Matuwid, at ngayon kayo'y naging kanyang mga tagapagkanulo at mamamatay-tao. 53 Kayo ang tumanggap ng kautusan ayon sa pangangasiwa ng mga anghel, at hindi ninyo ito tinupad.” 54 Nang marinig nila ang mga bagay na ito, sila ay nagalit at nagngalit ang kanilang mga ngipin laban kay Esteban


YOU ALWAYS RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT

Their resistance to the Holy Spirit had exposed the problem of their hearts. They were a stiff-necked people and uncircumcised in heart and ears. As water couldn’t permeate into a hardened clay like pots, so is the numbness of hearts to the conviction of the Spirit. Instead of humbling, they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him upon hearing the truth. They were no different than their forefathers who persecuted the prophets.

They were circumcised physically but their hearts and ears were not. Circumcision was the covenant sign that God gave Abraham to indicate that He chose Abraham to be the patriarch of His people. Abraham, most specifically his descendants, would possess the land of Canaan and bless the world (Gen 17:1–14). To be uncircumcised was to reject one's place in God's covenant. Stephen has already mentioned that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob's sons were circumcised, taking their place in the Abrahamic covenant. In the same way, Stephen’s accusers have been circumcised and expect to take their place in God's promise to Abraham. In other words, they always believed as being entitled to receive the promise because they were also circumcised physically.

A religious ritual and tradition by itself isn’t necessary bad. However, a misunderstanding of a religious ritual may cloud or cover up the need of repentance. Take for example, an unregenerate person who is baptized with water may think he is saved because he has been baptized. A child who attends Sunday School regularly might assume that he is a believer because he is listed at the roster. As somebody said, ‘A person going to church won’t make somebody a Christian like a person who goes in McDonalds won’t make him a hamburger.”

Today, how would you respond upon hearing the truth? Do you melt or become mad? The sun that melts the wax would harden the clay. A broken heart would always receive the truth but a hardened heart would become much harder. Take for example Pharaoh’s hardening of his heart. God said to Moses, He would hardened his heart yet Pharaoh has hardened his heart also. In what ways? When God revealed to Pharaoh His power and glory, Pharaoh rejected God. The truth caused him to more defensive and built much thicker walls. This would happen if a person continues to reject the truth. Simply said, rejection to the truth is adding more veneer to the impenitent soul.

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