By Jim Miller
Gray, Maine
Where do I stand? This should be the question on every Christians mind to day and every day. Every person is know by their fruit are they not? When one calls themselves a Christian we start looking for the fruit that person bares and the first thing we can look for is do they/we stand on Gods word. I can claim to be anything but what I truly am will be seen by all in my actions, my speech, my adherence t5o the truth.
First we know that if one has not followed the Gospel and been baptized for the remission of sin then that person no matter what they say is not a Christian. We know Christ at the point of baptism ads man to the church and thus one becomes a Christian at that point too.
When one has chosen to follow Christ and been obedient to the word they are taking a stand and have began that long walk down the narrow way and it will show outwardly in their lives. They will no longer desire to walk in the ways of the world. All the things that allure so many will no longer be attractive to you or lets say this should not be attractive to you.
When you take your stand on the principles of Gods word you will be confronted with all kinds of temptations and it is how you handle those temptations that will show in your life. We have but to look to the Lord Himself in Mathew for the way to handle temptation. Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Mat 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, Mat 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Mat 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Many times you will have to stand firm on Gods word when confronting error and you will be attacked for taking that stand also. You will be called unloving, unkind and many other things far worse. The question you need to keep before you is am I going to stand on the word or am I going to seek to please those around me. It will help you to memorize a few verses such as Mat_5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Mat_5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Mat_5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Mat_5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. These are but a few the bible is filled with all that we need to face the trouble and trials of this world.
Always remember you are in GREAT company because the Lord has said Joh_15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. There is no middle ground for a Christian. One can not keep one foot in the world and one foot in Christianity. James made that clear when he wrote Jas_5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
Taking a stand for God and His word is not an easy thing to do. The word has been twisted over the years so much so that many if not most have not true understanding of Gods will. When one has been taught wrong it is a difficult task to re educate them in the real truth of Gods word. Yet, you have to be willing to stand firm even if it hurts someones feelings or makes them mad. We are told that we will know the truth and it will set us free but we have to be looking for it and willing to change because the word will not.
We must stand firmly or it is in vain as Paul stated in 1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
You have a choice friends I pray it will be a stand for Gods word only you can decide Jos_24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Where do you stand?
