Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

You know the stage of life when ‘firm’ is an ideal that has become defied by biology, and the passage of time has lent gravity the extra power to pull eyes, cheeks, chins lower.

You know how cosmetics companies, fitness programmes and supplements start to invade our advertising with promises of restoration of the firmness, the lure of rejuvenation at only the price on the box, the membership to the gym, the subscription to the supplements.

We know that to achieve firmness is costly — To be firm where it really matters is a decision that has to be followed through with relentless, even dogged determination. I really struggle with the phrase that many people in the UK are using to describe their faith: “I’m progressive”. 

In terms of the boundaries we set our children, and oh my! How the teens and tots love to press against those lines we have drawn… do I give a little and be progressive in the language I will accept them to use? The behaviours they demonstrate? The sanctity of life at the beginning and at the end? My views of God’s best regarding sex and sexuality? 

Do I therefore set out on an adventure away from the security of Scripture, marching to the prevailing and reasonable tunes; the siren songs of society? 

“Stand Firm” says Paul.

Know the WORD

Standing firm requires us to know our scriptures, not just as words or clever stories or potential loopholes that can trick our adversary in the battle against firm-standing or make us look clever-clever.

We need to know the pain of the Psalmist and the response he makes in his anguish:

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

Here, there is no progression away from God, no seeking a new direction of ease, the Psalmist stood firm in the face of threat and danger of death.

Stand Firm

Jesus’ cross remains firm when all around is sagging, losing shape and form like a clock in a Salvador Dali painting. We stand firm in the shadow of the cross, where we cling to the promise of hope and life in Jesus. Then we trust the firm and immutable promises of God. And we stand firm.

There is no short cut, no easy answer when we face the ‘agreeable’ suggestions that would cause our faith in Jesus to droop or shift, to progress away from his truth and into something easy, yet untested, unknown and that only satisfies in the short term is unwise. 

This week, I have ‘discussed’ with my teen about language, about behaviour and about respect. I love him so much and he is great fun. But he does love to shock and to find the loopholes. I believe I owe him steadfastness and security in the world that is so changeable. So his dad and me, we stand firm. Call him on his nonsense and try to demonstrate what it means to stand firm in our faith in a society which would applaud it if we did not.