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| No Place For Spiritual Cowardice! By Robert R. Jackson |
Why aren't more people speaking up? Do we no longer care? As Lamentations 1:12 states, "Is it nothing
to you, all ye that pass by?"
For the past fifteen years or more, most of us have been aware of the rank liberalism running rampant
among us; heretical false teachers having sprung up in nearly all places wherein the Lord's church exists!
There are many who know the truth better than to allow such to take place and should be avidly opposing
such blatant error, but we find instead that they have chosen to remain as silent as the stars. Why is this the
case? Why is it that more of our so-called "faithful" brethren have not defended the faith as one might have
expected them to do? Here are a few reasons that I might suggest for your consideration:
1) Could it be that we are afraid to speak up because we are ashamed of the gospel, the Truth of God's
Word? In Romans 1:16 the apostle Paul states, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Then in Acts
4:19-20 we read, "But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to
hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen
and heard." Let me ask you this, Are you ashamed of the Cause of Christ?
2) Could it be that we are afraid to stand up and defend the truth because it would cause us to have to
disagree with those we know and those with whom we frequently associate? However, Paul informs us that he
was "set for the defense of the gospel" (Phil. 1:7,17). We should be as well! The apostle Peter says we are to
"...be ready always to give a defense to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with
meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15). Are you set for the defense of the gospel?
3) Could it be that we are afraid to speak up on various doctrinal issues because we fear that we might
lose some of our close friends? Revelation 21:8 states, "But the fearful...shall have their part in the lake which
burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Are our friendships more important to us than
Truth? To whom do we owe our loyalty -- God or friends? Who and what will judge you in the last day (see
John 12:48)?
4) Could it be that we are afraid to speak up because of a family member [who was a good person, either
living or deceased] we feel we would be "condemning" in so doing? The apostle Matthew wrote, "Think not
that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at
variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother
in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is
not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh
not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me" (Matt. 10:34-38).
5) Could it be that we are afraid to speak up because we feel we would no longer be accepted by the so-
called "in-crowd?" Was Jesus concerned about such? No! Then neither should we! Then, there are those
among us who seem to "go-along-to-get-along." Timothy was told in 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word; be
instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." The phrase, "be
instant in season, out of season" has the connotation of preaching the truth when people want to hear it and
also when they do not!
There is absolutely no place in the Lord's church for spiritual cowards! It is high time for all of us to stand
up and speak out on behalf of the truth. Can the Lord count on you?
| Street Address: 1019 Clothilde St., Morgan City, LA 70380 Mailing Address: PO Box 1756, Morgan City, LA 70381 Phone: (985) 384-3489 |