July 7th Bulletin Article TAKE A STAND Charles Coats “…and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:13). These words should motivate us to evaluate the kind of people we are. Too many people wish to be left alone and not have to stand for or against anything. When pressed, they choose a neutral ground not willing to be held to one position or the other. Sometimes, when we are in a discussion with a person who cannot seem to make up his mind about something, we finally just look at them and say “Would you make up your mind? Just tell me where you stand on this issue?” We want people to make up their minds as to what they believe and then stand up for what they believe. As Christians, we should not have any problem standing for the truth. We should boldly proclaim the message (Acts 4:29) and be set for the defense of the gospel (Phil. 1:17). We are instructed, yea commanded, to be no longer tossed to and from with every wind of doctrine (Eph. 4:15). Two statements in 1 Cor. 16:13 help us to understand our responsibility in this matter. First, we see “stand fast in the faith”. This is a statement that teaches us to never waver, always holding firmly to the word of God. The second statement is “quit you like men”, that is, to act like men. Mature individuals take a stand. They are not like children who are still trying to understand who they are. They have grown in Christ (2 Pet. 3:18) to a solid faith in God. In Gal. 5:1, Paul teaches the brethren to stand fast. He teaches them to not go back to the things they had left. Sadly, by verse 7, he has to chastise them because they had fallen away from God (see also verse 4). Today, far too many Christians have gone the way of the Galatians and have failed to take a firm stand with Christ and have fallen back into the world. When we think of our own lives today, are we willing to make a stand even when it is unpopular or will cause us great grief? How many Christians today will oppose sin in every form even if it is their children who are involved in the sin? How many Christians will take a stand against their friends? In the end, when we stand before the Judgment Seat, how shallow our reasoning will sound when we have to give an answer as to why we did not stand faithful to God in all things in all situations with all people!!!
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 12:09:20 +0000
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