None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke. So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, "We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God."  (Acts 6:10-11 NLT)

Cancel culture, a concept often heard in modern society, was present even in the 1st-century Church. It's a struggle that transcends time, as people who cannot argue intelligently against the truth turn to character assassination.

Cancel culture, always based on a lie, ultimately stems from the Devil, the father of lies (John 8:44 NLT). When the Jewish leaders could not handle the truth, they resorted to disparaging Stephen's character. It's a defense mechanism to avoid accepting the truth, a tactic that tries to project onto you what others are dealing with in their own hearts.

It will be the same for Christians in the modern-day world. Speaking the truth brings conviction to the human heart, and they will either accept the truth or organize themselves against it. Their first line of defense is often to question the integrity of the one speaking the truth. The origin of their thoughts comes from the depravity of their hearts, which they try to assign to you. Unfortunately, sin must be dealt with in our hearts before we can accurately see it in the hearts of others.

So, what is the firewall against these types of accusations? The Apostle Paul gives us the answer in Galatians 1:10 NLT. "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant." The protection is the fear of God and not man. The Devil primarily gets to us through our insecurities when we seek the approval of man above God. When voices of deception come at you, listen to Jesus Christ, the fountain of all truth, and your security will be in him. Then, you will cancel the culture of deception.

I worked for seventeen years as a missionary with Youth With A Mission.  My missionary work has taken me to Mexico, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, and Ukraine.  I hold a Masters of Education in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University.  [email protected]