In the Christian's walk with God, quite often he is required to stand. Stand for what? Well, let's start here: "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful" (Psalm 1:1). Not only is it important how we walk, but where we stand. These reveal who we truly are, whether children of wrath and children of the devil (as some of us once were and many still are), or children of God. Which do you belong to? Well, compare yourself to what is said in 1 John 3:4-12. For now, let's see what Scripture has to say about "standing."
Stand together for the Gospel: "Only let your conversation (lifestyle) be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ: that ... I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel" (Philippians 1:27). First, we are told that our lifestyle, if we are true, biblical, born-again Christians, should be worthy of the Gospel. If we believe it and it has changed our lives, our lifestyle should reflect it. Second, we are told to stand firm, united together for the faith of the Gospel. As Jesus said, "If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand" (Mark 3:25). If the church does not stand for the faith of the Gospel, then it is divided. We are told to "contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). We either stand for the Gospel that was delivered by Christ Jesus or we stand for a false gospel of our own making to suit our own feelings and agendas.
We look around today and we see many fools playing church, making a mockery of it before the world, rather than being the church, and then we wonder why it is the world no longer takes us seriously. We've lost sight of the true Gospel and inserted our own plans, concepts, and feelings into it, distorting it wildly beyond recognition. Look; when you hear someone claim they were saved when they were baptized as a child, you scoff because you know that is not how a person is regenerated, born again, and saved. Yet the majority of North America believes in the same illogical claim put to different words.
"I was saved when I was a child by praying a prayer."
"I was saved when I was a child by signing a card."
"I was saved when I was a child by writing my name in the back of my Bible, which I have never cracked open for the past 15 years."
You scoff at them, trying to strain their gnat, while you believe the same lie, swallowing your own camel. 100 years ago and earlier, they never had altar calls. Do you know how they could tell that someone had been born again? Their lives had radically changed. It is impossible to have an encounter with God and not be permanently changed. Study the life of Zacchaeus sometime and see the radical change that took place in him, to which Christ said, "This day is salvation come to this house" (Luke 19:9).
A couple years ago in the news, a former KKK member went all the way to Washington in order to say "I'm sorry" to the black man he had beaten up 48 years ago, who is now a congressman. He has been going around where he lives apologizing and making amends for the wrongs he committed all those years ago. This is what the grace of God does to you when God takes a hold of you and regenerates your awfully wretched and sinful heart. If you don't look like this man, or like Zacchaeus, or like the thief on the cross, who at first mocked and then repented and believed, then you have not yet been touched by God and do not belong to Him. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked" (Galatians 6:7).
Stand with the truth: "Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle" (2 Thessalonians 2:15). In all the epistles, we can see the writers contending for the truth against the heresies that had started to creep in during their lifetime. We are told to stand firm in these truths. "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth" (Ephesians 6:14). John tells us, "Try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). If someone claims to have a teaching from God, hear them out but test what they have to say against Scripture. The Bereans were taught directly from the Apostle Paul and yet they "searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). Peter says, "This voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed" (2 Peter 1:19-20). He is saying, "Look, you can believe me because I was there. But don't believe me just because I have said it; check the Scriptures and see if what I have said lines up with them." If someone claims they have seen Jesus whether in a dream or in person, you, having compared what they have said with Scripture, can conclude that they are in error. They may have indeed experienced something, but their experience does not line up with Scripture, and what they saw was not Jesus Christ. So stand firm on the Word of God because it is sufficient and reliable.
Stand against the devil: "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes) of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). James said, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Jesus conquered sin, death, and the devil, and gives us the power to do the same through Him. That's why it is important for the Christian to submit himself to God (4:7) and to walk in Christ (Colossians 2:6) and the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25). At no point are we to challenge Satan directly and try to take him on one-on-one, because we will lose. He is much stronger and much smarter than we are. All you have to do is look to the Garden of Eden for that reality. Eve thought she could match wits with him and look what happened. Our example is found in Michael the archangel, who is also stronger and smarter than we are, who said, "The Lord rebuke thee" (Jude 9). We are to "stand against" and "resist." That's it! Jesus will do the rest.
Stand fast (with awareness): "Stand fast in the Lord" (Philippians 4:1). This follows what Paul has just said in 3:12-21. We are to be pressing on toward the goal, keeping our eyes on those faithful few who have gone before us and left us an example, imitating them in the faith and the walk. Steve Green sings a song that perfectly captures this:
While I did not have time to examine the Old Testament to see what it can teach us about what it means to stand, there is no shortage of lessons we can learn to stand in our walk with God. Christ is the true believer's treasure and he will stand for and by Him no matter the cost. The true believer has counted the cost of what it means to follow Christ and is willing to lay down his life for Christ if that is what it comes down to. Christians will experience trials, tribulations and persecutions in this life. If you are not, then you might want to see whether you belong to Christ or not, because He promised that all who do, will. When was the last time you were mocked or ridiculed for you faith? or do you not share it with others at all? "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed" (Luke 9:26); "Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: but he that denieth Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8-9).
Stand together for the Gospel: "Only let your conversation (lifestyle) be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ: that ... I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel" (Philippians 1:27). First, we are told that our lifestyle, if we are true, biblical, born-again Christians, should be worthy of the Gospel. If we believe it and it has changed our lives, our lifestyle should reflect it. Second, we are told to stand firm, united together for the faith of the Gospel. As Jesus said, "If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand" (Mark 3:25). If the church does not stand for the faith of the Gospel, then it is divided. We are told to "contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). We either stand for the Gospel that was delivered by Christ Jesus or we stand for a false gospel of our own making to suit our own feelings and agendas.
We look around today and we see many fools playing church, making a mockery of it before the world, rather than being the church, and then we wonder why it is the world no longer takes us seriously. We've lost sight of the true Gospel and inserted our own plans, concepts, and feelings into it, distorting it wildly beyond recognition. Look; when you hear someone claim they were saved when they were baptized as a child, you scoff because you know that is not how a person is regenerated, born again, and saved. Yet the majority of North America believes in the same illogical claim put to different words.
"I was saved when I was a child by praying a prayer."
"I was saved when I was a child by signing a card."
"I was saved when I was a child by writing my name in the back of my Bible, which I have never cracked open for the past 15 years."
You scoff at them, trying to strain their gnat, while you believe the same lie, swallowing your own camel. 100 years ago and earlier, they never had altar calls. Do you know how they could tell that someone had been born again? Their lives had radically changed. It is impossible to have an encounter with God and not be permanently changed. Study the life of Zacchaeus sometime and see the radical change that took place in him, to which Christ said, "This day is salvation come to this house" (Luke 19:9).
A couple years ago in the news, a former KKK member went all the way to Washington in order to say "I'm sorry" to the black man he had beaten up 48 years ago, who is now a congressman. He has been going around where he lives apologizing and making amends for the wrongs he committed all those years ago. This is what the grace of God does to you when God takes a hold of you and regenerates your awfully wretched and sinful heart. If you don't look like this man, or like Zacchaeus, or like the thief on the cross, who at first mocked and then repented and believed, then you have not yet been touched by God and do not belong to Him. "Be not deceived; God is not mocked" (Galatians 6:7).
Stand with the truth: "Stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle" (2 Thessalonians 2:15). In all the epistles, we can see the writers contending for the truth against the heresies that had started to creep in during their lifetime. We are told to stand firm in these truths. "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth" (Ephesians 6:14). John tells us, "Try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). If someone claims to have a teaching from God, hear them out but test what they have to say against Scripture. The Bereans were taught directly from the Apostle Paul and yet they "searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11). Peter says, "This voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed" (2 Peter 1:19-20). He is saying, "Look, you can believe me because I was there. But don't believe me just because I have said it; check the Scriptures and see if what I have said lines up with them." If someone claims they have seen Jesus whether in a dream or in person, you, having compared what they have said with Scripture, can conclude that they are in error. They may have indeed experienced something, but their experience does not line up with Scripture, and what they saw was not Jesus Christ. So stand firm on the Word of God because it is sufficient and reliable.
Stand against the devil: "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes) of the devil" (Ephesians 6:11). James said, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Jesus conquered sin, death, and the devil, and gives us the power to do the same through Him. That's why it is important for the Christian to submit himself to God (4:7) and to walk in Christ (Colossians 2:6) and the Spirit (Galatians 5:16, 25). At no point are we to challenge Satan directly and try to take him on one-on-one, because we will lose. He is much stronger and much smarter than we are. All you have to do is look to the Garden of Eden for that reality. Eve thought she could match wits with him and look what happened. Our example is found in Michael the archangel, who is also stronger and smarter than we are, who said, "The Lord rebuke thee" (Jude 9). We are to "stand against" and "resist." That's it! Jesus will do the rest.
Stand fast (with awareness): "Stand fast in the Lord" (Philippians 4:1). This follows what Paul has just said in 3:12-21. We are to be pressing on toward the goal, keeping our eyes on those faithful few who have gone before us and left us an example, imitating them in the faith and the walk. Steve Green sings a song that perfectly captures this:
"As those who've gone before us, let us leave to those behind us a heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives. Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful. May the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe, and the lives we live inspire them to obey. Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful."If we are not aware, we can place our eyes on the wrong people and imitate them. Jesus said, "I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16). Let us be wise and keep our eyes on Christ and on those who have followed and imitated Him, and let us follow and imitate them. Paul told the Philippians: "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do" (Philippians 4:9). Let us imitate those who have left us an example in Christ.
While I did not have time to examine the Old Testament to see what it can teach us about what it means to stand, there is no shortage of lessons we can learn to stand in our walk with God. Christ is the true believer's treasure and he will stand for and by Him no matter the cost. The true believer has counted the cost of what it means to follow Christ and is willing to lay down his life for Christ if that is what it comes down to. Christians will experience trials, tribulations and persecutions in this life. If you are not, then you might want to see whether you belong to Christ or not, because He promised that all who do, will. When was the last time you were mocked or ridiculed for you faith? or do you not share it with others at all? "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed" (Luke 9:26); "Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: but he that denieth Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God" (Luke 12:8-9).