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It was for freedom
that Christ set us free; therefore
keep standing firm
and do not be subject again to a yoke of
slavery.
-Galatians 5:1
For
what and for whom are you willing to stand firm?
Politics is a funny
animal, isn’t it? Perhaps "funny" isn’t the best
word to describe it. Maybe "perplexing," or
"amusing," or even "aggravating" would be more
fitting for the traveling road show we are witnessing these days
on the nightly news.
There sure is a lot
of wiggling around and tap-dancing that goes on among the majority
of politicians in hopes that they will position themselves in the
most favorable light to the greatest number of voters. It’s
difficult to keep up with what each of them truly believes. A
non-negotiable issue they passionately defend on one day, can fade
as quickly as one of my three woods the next. Why is that?
Some would say that
it is because of pressure from the voters. If a politician
discovers that his stand on issue "x" is unpopular with
the majority of voters, he will succumb to the opposing pressure
and quickly "clarify" his position with confusing
rhetoric. This is done to save his hide and gain back the approval
of the masses. Ever seen a worm on a hook?
Others would say
that the root of political compromise and back-tracking is the
lack of conviction on the part of the candidate in the very issues
he initially claims to hold so dearly. Deep down, he does not
believe one way or the other about the issue. It’s just not that
important that he is willing to die on that hill at the expense of
losing valuable votes. What he values most of all is the approval
of the majority so that he can avoid the pain of defeat and
rejection, and instead enjoy the fruit of victory and acceptance.
How about a tap-dancing chameleon?
My two-cents worth
is this…when the pressure is on and opposition is at its
fiercest, each of us, politician or not, will discover what hill
we are willing to die on, and for what and for whom we are truly
willing to stand firm. Maybe you and I never really know what we
truly believe until the heat is turned up so high that we risk
losing everything to defend it, including our very life.
The Apostle Paul
faced this test day after day. Think about this…all of Paul’s
epistles were written before the temple, where all the sacrifices
for atonement were made, was torn down.
Imagine preaching
the finality of the cross in a religious culture where almost
everyone fervently believed that the continual sacrifice of bulls
and goats was necessary for forgiveness. Do you think Paul felt
some heat for his gospel? Do you think he experienced some strong
opposition from the "voters" for his stand on the
"issues?" And do you think that Paul realized that what
he was convinced of would eventually lead, not to approval and
acceptance from the masses, but to his death? Talk about pressure
testing your convictions! And yet, he remained faithful to the
gospel of the grace of God. Under tremendous opposition from the
self-righteous and religious, Paul stood firm (Gal. 2:1-5).
And what about you
and me? Are we standing firm in the faith, willing to undergo much
persecution, suffering and opposition for the sake of the gospel?
Friends, I’m not talking about the opposition we might receive
outside the four walls of our church buildings. I’m talking
about the rejection we receive from the self-righteous,
flesh-dependent, and religious of our day, who occupy not only
many of the church pews, but many of the leadership positions as
well. Do not be surprised when I tell you that the ravenous
wolves, the angels of light, and the deceivers of this age rise up
the same way they did in Paul’s…from among us.
Satan’s scheme is
to turn you and me into tap-dancing, wiggling worms who crumble
under the pressure of the religious masses and compromise the
message of the gospel that saved us. His primary strategy is not
to persuade you to listen to Ozzie Osbourne records and play
around with ouji boards. Your enemy’s scheme is to convince you
that your righteousness before God is not solely, completely, and
entirely based upon the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus
Christ and your identification with Him through faith, but rather
Jesus plus something more you do. It’s been his deception since
time began and will be so until time ends (2 Cor. 11:1-4). It’s
another gospel, which is no gospel at all (Gal. 1:6-10)!
For what and for
Whom are you willing to stand firm? The temptation is everywhere
to doubt your righteousness before God being based on Christ plus
nothing. Salvation, peace, righteousness, and truth is found in
Christ alone and if we are to boldly proclaim this gospel in our
churches, our workplace, our neighborhoods, and in our families,
we must be convinced of it ourselves, even if it means losing the
election (Eph. 6:10-20).
Continue to stand
firm with us in one spirit, with one mind striving together for
the faith of the gospel (Phil. 1:27)
-John
Moneypenny
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