How Christians Stand

Have you ever spotted someone out in public who was in the military? Sometimes you can tell someone was in the military, based off of how they stand: Shoulders back, head high, legs straight, and arms to the side. Soldiers have a very distinctive way of standing. Christians stand in a way unlike the lost stand. We can determine if we are a Christian. We can correct ourselves to become a Christian.

CHRISTIANS STAND OUT

When the trumpets blew in Babylon, the whole city was to bow before the statue of the king, but three young men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, stood still, and thus stood out (Daniel 3). When the Israelites faced the Philistines in Battle, a giant named Goliath stood out among his peers, for he stood at a whopping 9 feet 9 inches tall! On the Israeli side, a young man named David, being about 14 years old, also stood out among his peers. Not for his height, nor for his lacking height, but for his faith and courage (1 Samuel 17). When Isaiah prophesied about The Southern Kingdom going into captivity, he envisioned a lone ensign, a flag, standing on a hill (Isaiah 30:17). At the chiding of one Assyrian, one thousand Israelites would flee. At the chiding of 5 Assyrians, almost all of the Israelites would flee. The only Israelites remaining would be like a flag on a hill, just to show everyone that they were still there. Think about the American flag on the moon. It can’t do anything to defend itself, it’s just there, standing out.

Christians stand out. When everyone else bows to false gods, Christians stand. When everyone else flees from giants, Christians stand. When everyone else goes running for the hills, Christians stand. Christians are not like the world. Or, at least, Paul begged for Christians to be unlike the world (Romans 12:2). Christians are supposed to stand out, like light stands out against darkness, but oh so many Christians hide their light (Matthew 5:14-16). Christians are supposed to act noticeably different than the world. Peter said that the world thinks it strange when a Christian acts differently (1 Peter 4:4) Unfortunately, some Christians are viewed as normal, not different. Rather than letting their lights shine, many Christians walk in darkness (1 John 1:6). Many Christians there are who lie and do not the truth. Many Christians there are who fit in rather than stand out. I’m not suggesting that you make a scene, nor to be an attention seeker; I am declaring, per the Bible, that the world needs to know who is a Christian. Many there are who are like the Ethiopian Eunuch, who read their Bibles and scratch their heads, who need someone to guide them towards understanding (cf. Acts 8). How many Christians are willing to chase chariots? How many Christians are willing to track down these lost, searching souls? When God asked in His throne room, “whom shall I send?” Isaiah proclaimed, “here am I, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). How many Christians are willing to say “send me?” How many Christians are willing to say “here am I!” Christians stand out.

CHRISTIANS STAND UP

Christians stand up and hear. In Nehemiah 8:1-5, we read of the Jews who had just returned from captivity and had just finished rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. After rebuilding the city, it was time to restore the law, so Ezra stood alongside his peers and read to the people the Bible. The people, upon seeing the Bible opened, stood up to hear. Christians need to stand up and hear.

Christians stand up and speak. In Ezekiel 2:1-5, as God is commissioning Ezekiel to preach to the Jews who were in captivity, God sets Ezekiel on his feet and tells him, “I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them” (Ezekiel 2:4b-5). Whether the world listens or not, Christians are to stand up and speak.

Christians stand up and disagree. In Acts 5:25-29, the apostles are brought before the council a second time, for again preaching Jesus. In response to this second reprimand, “... Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’” (Acts 5:29). Christians need to stand up and disagree with those would have God’s Word silenced. Christians stand up and risk everything. In Esther 5:1-2, Esther stood before the King of Persia, which was quite the daunting task. According to Persian law, if the King did not acknowledge her and let her speak, she would be executed. Yet, with a genocide against the Jews on the horizon, Esther stood before the king, risking her own life to save the lives of her people. Christians follow Esther’s example and stand up and risk everything for the sake of others.

Christians stand up and lead. In 2 Kings 23:1-3, King Josiah had the Bible read before the people. Much like in Nehemiah’s day, the Bible had been lost for a generation, and so the hearers were hearing God’s Word for the first time. In this passage, Josiah and the Jews made a covenant with God to follow God’s Word. Josiah stood up and lead his people, and so should Christians stand up and lead.

CHRISTIANS STAND STRONG

One of the very first verses of the book of Psalms describes the blessed man, and how “He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:3). A Christian stands like a tree, planted by a river, with his roots firmly anchored in the ground so that he shall not be moved. A Christian stands fast, firm, strong, unmoving, unbudging. You can’t push a Christian from his stance —he stands strong in God’s Word!

Christians need to stand strong. Many times in the New Testament, Paul encourages his readers to “stand fast.” To the Corinthians Paul wrote, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13). To the Thessalonians Paul wrote, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” (2 Thessalonians 2:15). To the Galatians Paul wrote, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1). To the Philippians Paul wrote, “Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.” (Philippians 4:1).

As Paul was closing up his conversation about the resurrection, he added one more thing to finalize his thoughts: ““Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Since we are to receive a new spiritual body, there is something that we should do: We should be steadfast and unmoveable —we should stand strong, aways abounding in the work of the Lord. It doesn’t matter your age or health, it is appointed unto man once to die (Hebrews. 9:27). If you stand strong though, you will receive that new body, wherein there is no decay. Therefore, stand strong!

CHRISTIANS STAND AGAINST

When Paul instructed the Ephesians to put on the whole armor of God, he told them why they needed such armor: To stand against Satan (Eph. 6:10-11), every Christian needs to stand against the following:

(1) Satan. James said, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7). Not only will Satan flee from you, but he will flee from those you protect. Adam was not deceived when Satan lied to Eve (1 Timothy 2:14). Had Adam stood against Satan that day, the course of humanity would be much different. Imagine the souls that would benefit (including your own soul) if you just stand against Satan.

(2) Society. The world has many morals contrary to God. Isaiah pronounced a woe against his people for being immoral (Isaiah 5:20). The apostles said, “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29). Society is forever standing against Christians, so it’s time for us Christians to stand against society.

(3) False Teachers. When Balaam was employed to prophecy against Israel, God sent an angel to slay him with the sword (Numbers 22:22). God allowed Balaam’s donkey to see that angel, and so the donkey evaded the angel’s blow. Then God allowed the donkey to speak! Balaam, a false prophet, was stood against —both by an angel and a donkey. Most false teachers will require faithful christians to withstand them.

(4) Friends and Family. On one occasion, Jesus was teaching, and His family came looking for Him (Matt. 12:46-47) Now, Jesus loved His family —He loved all the world, of course— but Jesus uses this opportunity to teach a lesson on family and faithfulness: The one who does God’s will is His true family (Matthew 12:48-50). Your true family, and your truest friends, are the ones also called Christians. If your friends or family are not Christians, they need to be withstood lovingly (Mark 10:21). Christians must stand against sin, whatever the source.

CHRISTIANS STAND TOGETHER

On the very first day of the church, 12 gospel preachers stood together and delivered gospel sermons (Acts 2:14). When the Jews accused a woman of committing adultery (which would be awfully hard to do alone), Jesus said “he who is without sin, cast the first stone.” No stones were cast, but many stones there were that plopped to the ground, and the would be stone throwers sauntered off, until only Jesus and the woman alone stood together (John 8:10). When a man, known for arresting and executing christians, became a christian himself, there were some obvious raised eyebrows among the followers of Christ. Until, at last, a christian known for standing by others, commended the new christian to his fellows. That’s what “encouragement” means, to “stand beside.” Barnabas, son of encouragement, stood beside Paul (Acts 4:36; 9:27).

Christians must stand together. Jesus said the following about standing together or apart: “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.” (Mark 3:24-26). Brethren, even Satan needs to stand together with his demons! If the master divider needs others to stand with, what do you think the church needs? The church, who is God’s grand plan for unity!

If there be divisions among us, many horrible things follow: We will be worse than Satan —even Satan is united! We will be consumed (Galatians 5:4). We will scatter, not gather (John 17:21). We will provoke others to hatred and evil works (Hebrews 10:24). Our feet will become quite disgusting (Romans 10:15).

Thus, we should stand together, with our fellow Christians. Spend time with them (Acts 2:46). Help them (Galatians 6:2). Pray with them (James 5:16). Study with them (Acts 17:11). Work with them (1 Corinthians 12:12). Sometimes we can identify a soldier by the way he stands. In a similar way, we should be able to identify a Christian by the way he stands as well. How do you stand?