Articles
Standing Firm vs. Standing Still
Standing Firm vs. Standing Still
“So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” (2 Thess. 2:15). Change is hard. We’re creatures of habit and once we get in a routine, it’s hard to break that groove. Besides, some change is bad. Sometimes the “ancient boundaries” set by our fathers were set for a reason and shouldn’t be moved (cf. Prov. 22:28)! The apostle Paul commands us not to deviate from the inspired teachings he passed down! As the church, there are some things we cannot and must not change! God’s inspired teachings are non-negotiable and we’re going to stand firm in His Word. However, there’s a difference between standing firm and standing still. In the church, if we’ve done things a certain way for many years, it can be tempting to resist change so much that we stop looking for new ways to grow spiritually and new ways to reach the lost. It’s easy to find ourselves perfectly content with the church in its present state. That’s standing still.
It’s interesting that the same apostle who wrote 2 Thessalonians 2:15 wrote 1 Corinthians 9:20-23. “To the Jews I became a Jew, so that I might win jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law…To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.” Paul stood firm in the teachings of the gospel and the doctrine of Christ, but he never stood still in adapting to his environment to reach the lost. Note, he never changed simply for the sake of change; neither should we. It was always for the gospel’s sake, to better connect non-Christians with the salvation of Christ.
We’ve seen a lot of change at Palm Springs Drive lately. We have a relatively new website, we hired a new preacher this year, we’ve introduced a new video streaming service, we’ve adopted a new teaching curriculum, the preachers are getting new offices, we’ve installed some new brighter lighting, we’ve enhanced the audio to better hear comments in class, we’ll be recording classes and posting them on the website for the first time starting in 2017, we’ve gained about 30 new members in the past year, and we’ll be introducing our new theme for 2017 soon. So much change in so little time! It might be overwhelming to some, and I sympathize. Change is hard. Please take comfort in knowing no doctrine has changed. We’re standing firm in that. But as long as there are lost souls to reach in Altamonte Springs and brethren to edify here at Palm Springs Drive, we must never be content to stand still.
