Fearless and brave. Tried and true. The valiant saints of the first century were told not to back down but to hang in there. Be firm, be faithful and be there in the end. Such noble scenes as this aspire us but for a moment and then we return to the hum-drum of the 1980's.

One of the most discouraging things today is to find a "deflated Christian." A child of God in which there is no fight, no vigor, and no enthusiasm. In fact, every once in a while you have to punch such saints to make sure that they are still alive. I refer to these folks as "wimpy Christians. " Wimpy because they let the world push them, test them, walk all over them and abuse them spiritually and they timidly sit on the sidelines without the faintest idea as to what they should do. And those who do know are too wimpy to raise their voices in opposition. You see, wimpy saints don't like to say no when everyone else is saying yes. They don't want to sit while everyone is standing. They are fearful of letting their religion show outside the meeting house. They are certain that someone will call them a "fanatic" or a jerk because their "light" may be shining in someone's eyes. The faith of a wimpy Christian is shallow. As a result they have no backbone to standup to the world and no courage to push back as they should.

But wimpy saints is more than an attitude of fear. You see, it affects their behavior as well. They compromise here and there to make the appearance to the boys at the office that they are "one of the guys" just like they are. wimpy saints while not saying profane words, will say those little off colored quirks that says "I go along with what you are saying." wimpy Christians generally have a problem with Sunday evening and Wednesday services. You see their neighbors might catch them leaving and expose them as being "caught up in some religion." wimpy Christians have a hard time remembering to bring their Bibles to services. At home the Bible of a wimpy saint collects a lot of dust. Now pay close attention to the following verses if you will.

1 Tim. 6:12 - Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

2 Cor. 10:5 -- Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

2 Thess. 2:15 -- Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."

If you let others talk you into doing wrong then you shall never receive heaven. Instead of letting them pressure you into the wrong, you stand up and pressure them into the right. It'll take faith to do this. It'll mean that the lines of battle will be drawn. It'll make you proud to be a Christian when it is all over. "If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed" (1 Pet. 4:16).

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 13, p. 396
July 7, 1988