Why was there so much animosity against Stephen?

Acts 6:8-15 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.

Who were these in the synagogue that apposed Stephen, including Paul at whom's feet they laid their clothes in homage.

This is what Stephen said, "Acts 7:52-54 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

And still up to this point there had been no mention of the in Christ position that Paul would receive direct from Jesus Himself.

When Paul began to preach this final Gospel, why did he receive so much animosity and flogging and being thrown into prison, and finally killed?Because the Old Gospel of Moses was at complete variance to the Gospel of Paul.

Yes, Jesus fulfilled all that the old testament could give concerning who He was and Him keeping the Law perfect, but then at the Cross He changed everything. By Christ you are saved and and not by the old testament gospel, which could save no one. There is a difference and they cannot be commingled or the old takes away from Gods Chosen People the Jewish Nation which He will keep His promises to. But He has set them aside until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, and that is Christ in the Believer unto salvation by Grace through Faith. Grace is Christ and the Faith to come to this New Life in Christ is also Christ. It is completely new and puts a New Person in the believer and then fills the believer with the Holy Spirit to make this new revelation possible when it comes to the renewing of our mind to this Mind which is in Christ Jesus and now us.

Seeing the difference in what Paul calls "MY GOSPEL", which he also says is the fulfillment of Gods Word, which is "Christ in you the hope of Glory, this difference of the New from the Old is what has the whole church divided today.
If we don't understand that we are all "baptized into One Spirit, and that Spirit is Christ and we don't see the Holy Spirit as being the teacher of this truth, the Church will always be divided. How are we to present every man perfect? Colossians 1:27-28 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

This was never revealed to anyone until Paul received it. No man in the old testament could be perfect. We are perfect because of the Perfect One that is born again in us, that is who God sees in His son's and daughter's, His Son and that is why we are perfect, not by works lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:4-9 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

This which the church, that is the religious Church, not the body of Christ Church, has cut and chopped this Grace Through Faith into peaces and divided the church of the religious works in the commingling of the old with the new. We must rightly divide the Word of God. 2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

What divides Man and brings us to the point of a tripartite being? The Spirit of Christ, The Holy Spirit filled soul of man and the Quickened body for this new birth to be able to take place? Hbr 4:12 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.

Who is the Word? John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Who is now in us and now our life and our all in all? It is Jesus Christ.

It is different, In Christ: Phillip

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Phillip