Be on guard. Stand Firm. Be Courageous. Be Strong!

 

It is easy to get lost in social media posts. I really don’t have a large number of different social media platforms. I really only check on Facebook. I do have several other accounts, but I rarely check them. Admittedly, I probably spend too much time on Facebook and really need to stay off it more. I was reading a post on a Facebook group today called “Pastors for Pastors.” I originally joined the group to connect with other pastors to share ideas and pray with each other. I even thought it would be great to get into some light debate about theology. But, the group has been over run by people with some pretty strange theology and it just got to the point it was not productive so I left that group. I had to take a stand against some pretty egregious false teaching!

As I was reading Romans 1/2 today, I could relate to Paul’s letter to this group of believers. He really was trying to correct some bad theology. He was drawing a line in the sand and wanted to make sure everyone knew the breadth of sin in a lost and dying world. Obviously, there is nothing strange in this letter, but I was fascinated by this passage:

“Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbed, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning and they disobey their parents.” (Romans 1:29-20)

I was fascinated by the content of the “list.” It reminded me that God looks at sin as sin! LOL! He calls it like it is! The idea that quarreling was right next to murder caught my attention and then you throw in “deception” and “gossip” in with hate, and greed, I really got convicted. This list feeds right into the first part of chapter 2:

“You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse.! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.” (Romans 2:1)

Yikes, that hurts. But it certainly is true. I think Christians often look down their noses at those who commit the “worst” sins (as if there is such a thing). Sin in God’s eyes is sin. We are going against God’s will for our lives if we murder someone or if we envy someone. God is not in heaven saying, oh that is not a bad one. If he was, he would not be the perfect judge. When we later find out that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, this list makes even more sense. 

Sometimes it takes courage and bravery to stand against sin, to stand against false teaching, to tell it like it is. As Followers of Jesus we are called to Stand Firm for the Faith!

“Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with Love” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14)

Please Lord, forgive me for my sins. Great or small they all fly in the face of your perfect righteousness. I praise you that you have given us a way to be saved, even though we do not deserve it. The gift of your Son sacrificed on the cross for us, wipes all the sins out regardless of how egregious. Help us to stand firm against a dark and sinful world that flaunts sin and despises You! Amen!