Many years ago, my older kids learned a song called Stand Alone. It sang “Stand Alone, Stand Alone, I will purpose in my heart to not take part! Make it known that I’m his own...” It’s funny that try as I might, I can not remember the exact lyrics but I can remember that we taught the kids this catchy tune to remind them that in tough situations they needed to follow God and take a stand. Then this morning in my study time, I came across a passage of scripture where Paul and Timothy seemed not to take a stand. Rather they went along with what was commonly accepted at that time. How can that be right? I had to dig in deeper.
In Acts 16: 1-5
Timothy Joins Paul and Silas
16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.
The underlined part really got me thinking. As a believer in Christ, we are free from the Old Testament law as a way of salvation. There is no offerings or sacrifice done in the Old Testament that will cover our sin. Throughout the entire OT there is a foreshadowing of Christ’s coming as the ultimate sacrifice. Only his blood, shed on a cross can atone for our sins. Only HIS blood is an acceptable offering to God the Father. So, if we are no longer under the burden of the law, why was Paul requiring Timothy to uphold the law of circumcision?
If we read the next sentence that is the clue as to why. In certain cultures, we must abide by CULTURAL standards to allow us to be given an audience to be heard. Paul and Timothy were going to be teaching JEWS who believed in keeping the OT laws. They would have nothing to do with Timothy if he had not chosen to keep this law or standard. Timothy knew that he was not under the law of circumcision, but he also knew to share Christ with a Jew, he must honor the Jewish customs. Paul elaborates on this in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
Paul’s Use of His Freedom
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
My next line of thought was, “How is this not a compromise? If they are not standing firm for what they believe but changing depending on who they preach to, how can we know how to stand firm?” This is where I had to discern that Paul and Timothy never dishonored Christ’s commands like mentioned in verse 21 above. Meaning if it is a salvation issue, they stood firm and preached truth. If it was one of the many worldly debates that is not against Christ standards, then they erred on the side of causing no offense. If they had been preaching to a society that valued modesty, then they would not have gotten far preaching in a speedo. If they were teaching a group of vegetarians then they probably would not invite them to dinner and serve a pot roast. In today’s society, either a mask or the mention of a political party could bring the same offenses depending on what your beliefs are on either.
So how do we stand alone yet still share our faith with others without them feeling we are casting a ‘judgement’ that everyone shouts about? I have found in my life that I need to be ME. I need to live by what Christ calls me to do. I need to share “this is what Christ is teaching me”, but not expect everyone to be where I am. Christ called David and I to trusting him with my womb and however many babies he would send (or not send) BUT that does not mean I believe he calls everyone to that! He called us to live debt free and owe no man if possible, BUT that does not mean we are judging others who must borrow money. Our walks are so individual. Some are farther along in the meat of the word; others are still in the milk. God does not expect us to be cookie cutter Christians, but he does expect that we will keep his commandments. He does want us continually studying and growing in his word.
Matthew 22:37-39
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
You see we can always LOVE those that are different than us, even if we can not agree with them. If we could just remember God loves them just as much as he does us and Jesus died for them just as he died for us. Then our hearts are tender towards each other and we can be KIND no matter what.
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