Let Us Stand!
We have heard those words many times—during the song services at church, for the reading of the Scripture, or at the invitation at the close of the sermon.
Standing is one of the most important steps a youngster must go through in the process of growing up. The baby crawls, stands, then finally walks. Rest assured, there will be no walking if there is not standing! After the child matures to the level of running then standing seems relatively boring. If you question this, ask a teacher who has ever policed a line of second graders waiting for lunch. Sadly, many Christians act as though once they’ve progressed to the level of running for God they don’t need to be reminded to stand for God. In many cases, the Christian who has lost his capacity to stand has been consigned to crawling spiritually.
God wants His people to never forget the great technique of standing! Colossians 4:14 says, “ . . . that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” I want to give you five Biblical postures that will aid you in standing for the Lord:
I. Stand in Grace
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:1,2).
We are what we are because of that unmerited favor of God bestowed upon us, thus we owe Him all the glory! “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (I Corinthians 15:10). When we lose sight of this remarkable fact, we are in jeopardy of losing our stand. “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (I Corinthians 10:12).
II. Stand in Grace
“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (I Corinthians 16:13).
Many times people look at doctrine as something boring and non-practical. Nothing could be further from the truth. This blessed Book, which we hold sacred will reinforce us in the faith, causing us to stand fast in our faith. “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee” (I Timothy 4:16).
III. Stand in Liberty
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). Get your convictions from God and His blessed Word! There are enough idiosyncrasies bouncing around today that a conscientious Christian who is not standing in liberty will be brought under bondage. “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth” (Romans 14:22).
IV. Stand Together
“Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, 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).
I’m reminded of the words of old Ben Franklin shortly after the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, “Gentlemen, we will either hang together or hang separately.” We need each other; don’t think God intended us to be selfish little amoebas in the Kingdom “doing our thing.” We are united cells making complete the Body of Jesus Christ.
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (I Corinthians 12:27).
V. Stand Traditionally
“Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle” (II Thessalonians 2:15).
If tradition is not Biblical, I will be the first one to abdicate, jump ship and go to Jesus. On the other hand, let’s be aware of good, solid, Biblical tradition. This can be good when we consider that traditions are “beliefs or customs handed down.” Paul said, “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe” (I Thessalonians 2:13). The Apostle also said, “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me” (I Corinthians 4:16). Sometimes we can get into trouble when we attempt to “wrest the Scriptures” (Psalm 56:5, II Peter 3:16). Remember, most cults are founded by people who become private interpreters of the Bible (II Peter 1:20). There are three things to be cautious about in this area: (1) follow a man only as far as he follows Christ, (2) beware of the teacher who believes he has been given insight from God as no one else on earth, (3) check your belief system for harmony with other people who are godly. For this very reason I relish reading after Luther, Calvin, Brooks, Flavel, Spurgeon, Murrey, Edwards, Moody, Sunday or Jones. These men may not agree on everything, but they will see eye to eye on the fundamentals.
Let us stand!
-Pastor Pope-