Stand Fast

Paul said to the church at Galatia, "Stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (Gal. 5:1). He continues from this point to tell the Christians at Galatia that they have no need of abiding by the old law of imperfection (especially in regard to circumcision - vs. 2-12). Because Christ had fulfilled the law, they were no longer bound by the physical constraints of its teachings. Instead Paul says to "Walk in the Spirit," for it was the Spirit who was now leading them (Gal. 5:16,18; Acts 2:38).

Today, we do not have all the same specific pressures that the Galatians once had. We do not have to deal with Judaizers who try and convince us that we have to abide by Jewish law, putting us under pressure to be circumcised according to the old covenant. But what Paul says in this passage applies to us just as much as it did to the Christians in the Galatian church.

Why? Because we, too, can be guilty of turning against the very truth that called us into the body of Christ. We are often prone to backsliding, disobeying the gospel commandments that have set us free. This happens when we give into worldly pressures that tell us there are certain things we must do in order to fit in with modern society and be accepted. This is the very lie that we used to obey before we decided to be Christians. Why then, do we decide to become victims of it again?!

It is so important for us to remember that if we've died to sin, it should no longer have dominion over us. As Paul said to the church at Rome, "For he who died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God" (Rom. 6:7-10).

Paul then gives the application to us - "Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace" (Rom. 6:11-14).

Every Christian needs to keep these passages from Galatians 5 and Romans 6 very close to their heart. If we really want to do His will and reap an eternal reward, we must be ever dedicated to the spiritual walk we now make. This means not giving in to outside pressures, but instead living safely within the doctrine of Christ that has set us free. How sad it is when a person never obeys the gospel! How much sadder when a person who once obeyed ceases to walk! Stand Fast!

- "Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong." - (1 Cor. 16:13)