Taking A Stand

Wherefore let him that thinkers he standers take heed lest he fall.

1 Corinthians 10:12

We live in a day where people in society are taking stands for a variety of reasons. Most recently those stands tend to be associated with politics. People are very free to take political stands on both sides of whatever issue seems to be the hot topic of the hour. Those stands are very strong and oftentimes very vocal. The same thing happens in the religious world. Oftentimes, people will take stands on the principles that promote their own objectives. Many times, those stands promote religious doctrine that tends to separate people and not necessarily promote unity. Is it wrong to take a stand on a particular issue or doctrine? If it is not wrong, how should one take a stand? Does taking a stand make a person more spiritual? Should we as Christians not take stands on the issues of the day, especially the political ones, and focus on only those issues that promote spirituality?

There is an old saying that goes, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” There is much truth in that saying. In these last days, while it appears that most people are taking a stance along political line, how many people are standing on Christian virtues devoid of politics. Paul states in the letter to the Ephesians:

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore …

Ephesians 6: 13-14

Taking a stand is scriptural. How we take the stand is what is most important. Paul was impressing upon the Ephesians that in the midst of the battle against the enemy of souls, there is a proper way to take their stand. They needed to be “clothed” with the whole armor God. That armor included truth, righteousness, being prepared with the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the word of God, prayer and supplication and watching. This type of standing does not give room for selfishness, opinions, or proving ones spirituality. The posture that is taken is not one of being offensive. It is a posture of one who has situational awareness and who uses the armor to fight against the right enemy.

In the post, The Rechabites: Commitment Personified we read of an Old Testament tribe of people that took their stand for God. They were truly committed to God and his kingdom. Their stance was based upon their obedience to their “father” Rechab and even when put to the test of breaking their commitment, their faith and obedience was maintained. For their obedience, they are memorialized in the Old Testament and were honored by God. In taking their stand, were they loud? Were they “in-your-face”? Did they have to make a public spectacle in taking their stand? Did they have to prove their spirituality? Were they trying to promote their doctrine? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding “No.” They probably did stand out and were somewhat peculiar. However, they were not trying to make a statement, they were who they were and God blessed them. They personified meekness and obedience. And that is why they probably stood out, as peculiar, in their day.

If there is ever a time to take a stand, it is in the day and time that we live in. Moral relativity should not be the lifestyle of a Christians. In other words, waiting to see what the prevailing thought is on an issue and basing one’s stance on what either the majority thinks or what is the most comfortable approach. It is time for Christians to take a stand as Christians. If there is an intersection with the political idea or ideas of the day, we most stand not based upon political advantage but on the moral values that are based in the Word of God. Now is the time to put on the whole armor of God to make sure that the prevailing thought “darts” do not penetrate into our hearts and minds. We need to take heed of what we are standing on. Anything less than that which is based upon the very virtues that Paul spoke about in describing the individual pieces of the armor will be shifting sand and will result in us falling. Our stands should not be against “flesh and blood.” Our stands should always promote the furtherance of the gospel with Jesus Christ being at the very center!

Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash