A Deep Look at 1st Corinthians 16:30, Day 2

New International Version:

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

Stand Firm in the Faith

This second direction concerns not only an action but the content referenced in that action. We have to be concerned about faith, what we believe. “The faith” is the contents of the Word of God. This faith is the faith of doctrinal content, it is the Truth of God. 

Colossians 2:6 says. " As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,  rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."

Jude 3: " Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints."

As we gather from these verses, we must know who we believe, what we believe, and  why we believe. The Christians life is not based on fairy tales, fiction, or feelings but upon a well-grounded faith.  We believe what we believe because God said it in His Word, and then He sent His Son to be His Word in flesh here on earth.  God blesses us with moments, miracles, experiences that shape our testimonies and help us to find reasons why to trust Him and believe His word, but these moments shouldn't drive our belief.  God's Word and  the gospel should drive our faith.  If you don't know WHY you believe the foundations of the faith, how can you hope to pass it along to others? 

There is nothing as broad as God but there is nothing as exclusive as God.  The Bible places such emphasis on the oneness of God because there is only ONE God, not many.  Defining and standing firm in our faith does not make us narrow-minded and ignorant, it frees us to accept those things that are beyond the realm of human possibility. 

If Christians do not develop an appetite for the Bible, they cannot develop into spiritually mature believers. Christians cannot live on spoonfuls of the Word; they need daily doses of spiritual nourishment.  Feeding our souls is of vital importance, just as feeding our bodies is vital.  

And it is upon the Bible that we are standing firm.  We are unwavering on our belief because His word, a biblical foundation is steady, sure, and unmovable.  This is why Christ Church has used this verse to define the parish through current trials (Come Stand With Us).  

Are you standing firm in the faith?

What changes could you make it your daily life to live out this direction?

How strong is your biblical foundation?