Transcript: Hold Fast

Hold Fast (video transcript)
By David Feddes

I want to reflect on holding fast because we need to know the basics and foundational truths, then hang on to those very tightly.

Our focus will be on Hebrews 10:19-25, especially verse 23. Let’s hear what God says:

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ²⁵ Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

The book of Hebrews speaks of Jesus, and if you had to summarize the whole message of the book, it would be this: Jesus is greater. It speaks of angels and says Jesus is greater. It speaks of Moses and says Jesus is greater. It speaks of the priesthood and sacrifices, affirming that Jesus is greater as a priest, as a sacrifice, and in every way. Throughout the book, we see this repeated emphasis: Jesus is greater, and his blood has made us right with God through faith.

However, alongside the emphasis on Jesus' greatness, Hebrews urges us to respond. It says things like, "How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?" It persistently calls for a response. In chapter 10, we find one of those response sections. Since God has done such great things for us in Jesus, what should we do? We draw near, we hold fast, and we stir up one another. Our focus today is on holding fast, but I want to first set that instruction within the larger passage.

We are invited to draw near to God. Since we have Jesus, and since we have confidence in him, we should come to God in worship and prayer, entering right into the throne room, into the Most Holy Place. His body is like the veil in the temple that was torn in two. Through his torn body, the heavenly Most Holy Place is now open to us, so we can enter and know that God welcomes us. God receives us. The Bible says we have confidence by the blood of Jesus, through the new and living way opened for us through the curtain—that is, his body. And since we have a great priest over the house of God, we should draw near to him with sincere hearts and full assurance of faith.

We do not need to fear that God will drive us away when we come on the merits of Jesus and his blood. God welcomes us. Our hearts have been sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. This is a reference to baptism—not just the baptism of the body with water, but the baptism of the heart, a sprinkling that cleanses the heart according to Hebrews.

Drawing near to God has a tremendous impact on us, and holding fast depends on drawing near. The instruction to draw near comes before the call to hold fast. We need to get close to God. A life of prayer, worship, and seeking him through Jesus is the key to holding on. Our grip will weaken if we do not spend time in God's presence. Also, our ability to help others walk with God depends on our own walk with him.

In the Old Testament, when a priest went into the Most Holy Place, he was surrounded by sacred incense. That specific incense could not be made or used anywhere else in Israel. When the priest came out, the aroma of holiness clung to him, signaling where he had been. Similarly, when Moses entered the tent of meeting, God's presence would descend, and when Moses came out, he not only brought God’s Word but also reflected the glory—the Shekinah—of God, which shone from his face.

In the same way, when we spend time in God’s presence, something of his holiness and glory clings to us. We enjoy fellowship with him, and others will notice the difference. They will sense that we have been with God. This drawing near is possible only because of what Jesus has done. When we spend time with God, we are empowered to hold fast to the hope we profess.

Now, let’s turn to the third part of the passage before we return to holding fast. The text encourages us to consider how to stir one another up to love and good deeds. We are warned not to neglect meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing. Gathering with others for worship is essential. Meeting with people of like precious faith stirs us up to love and good works.

A significant portion of my doctoral research focused on the decline of the church in Western Europe, particularly in England. Two major factors stood out: people said they still believed in Christian principles, but they stopped practicing daily devotions in their homes. Additionally, a model arose that suggested you didn’t need to attend church to be a good Christian, leading many to neglect gathering together. As a result, their faith weakened. Though some older individuals who thought this way may have retained some remnant of faith—perhaps even making it to heaven—many of their children did not walk with God. Their faith starved.

Faith needs to be nourished by time in God's presence and through mutual encouragement among believers. God invites us to respond by drawing near, standing fast in his truth, and stirring one another up.

I want to focus especially on the theme of holding fast. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." This theme of holding fast runs through Hebrews and throughout the entire Bible.

Hebrews addresses people who have been tempted to fall away. They are discouraged because opposition is increasing, and some of the people they know—those of similar background and Jewish descent—are not walking with Jesus. It feels easier to fit in with the people closest to them and avoid trouble in the rising tide of opposition against Christians. The temptation is to back off and let go. That is why they need this urgent encouragement to hold fast without wavering.

You see this theme repeated throughout Hebrews and the New Testament. For example, Hebrews says: "Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in the heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession." There it is—our heavenly calling, Jesus, and our confession, all in one verse. Christ is faithful over God's house as a son, and we are his house if we hold fast our confidence and the hope we boast in.

The author of Hebrews is not afraid to repeat himself, using slight variations each time. He writes, "Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. Exhort one another every day, for we have come to share in Christ if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end."

We must hold fast to God's Word because it is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus, the Son of God—let us hold fast our confession. You hold fast the confession when you are holding on to God's Word and to Jesus.

Hebrews reminds us that God guaranteed his covenant with an oath, swearing by himself, so that by two unchangeable things—his promise and his oath—we might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. This hope is a sure and steadfast anchor for the soul.

The text also urges us to remember our leaders—those who spoke the Word of God to us—and to consider the outcome of their way of life, imitating their faith. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings." If we have heard the Word of God and know that Jesus doesn’t change, we should not be swayed by new revelations or strange teachings. If something doesn’t align with the Bible and has never been accepted as Christian teaching in two thousand years, we should reject it.

Jesus himself said, in one of his parables, that good soil is represented by those who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bear fruit with perseverance. The difference between fruitful and unfruitful soil lies in whether the Word is held fast. Hearts that do not hold fast to the Word do not bear its fruit. A truly saved person, one with a true heart or, as Jesus put it, an honest and good heart, holds fast to the Word and bears fruit with perseverance.

Paul instructs us to "hold on to what is good and abstain from every form of evil." He reminds the Corinthians: "I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain."

Throughout Hebrews and the broader New Testament, the call is to hold fast to something and to someone—Jesus, the Word of God, and the gospel. Sometimes the word "traditions" is used. Paul writes: "Now I commend you because you hold fast to the traditions even as I delivered them to you." He also says, "Stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our word or by letter."

Again and again, we are exhorted to hold fast. The word "confession" appears repeatedly in these passages. The Greek word used is homologia, meaning to "say the same thing." A confession means saying the same thing as God or as God's people. Those who know the Word will declare it and glorify God because of their submission to the gospel.

Paul urges us to "fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." Holding fast to the confession means sticking to it, no matter what.

He also advises Timothy: "If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine you have followed. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." This is a crucial reminder for anyone in a position of influence—whether a pastor, elder, parent, or friend. Our words and actions impact others, either leading them toward salvation or ruin. False teaching and ungodly living spread disaster.

Paul also urges Timothy to "guard the deposit entrusted to you and avoid irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. By professing it, some have swerved from the faith." God entrusts us with the truth, and we must guard it against the false knowledge that leads people astray.

Jesus emphasizes holding fast in his letters to the churches. To the church in Pergamum, he says: "You hold fast to my name, but some among you hold to the teaching of Balaam, eating food sacrificed to idols and practicing sexual immorality. You also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore, repent. If not, I will come soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth."

Similarly, Jesus warns the church in Thyatira about a woman he calls Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and leads his servants into sexual immorality and idolatry. He says: "I gave her time to repent, but she refuses. I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent. I will strike her children dead. But to the rest of you who do not hold to this teaching, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast to what you have until I come."

This is the call: hold fast to the truth you have received, resist false teaching, and remain faithful until Christ returns.

Let me take a moment to mention that some people today call themselves red-letter Christians. This phrase refers to the practice in some Bibles where the words of Jesus, spoken while he was on earth, are printed in red letters. Red-letter Christians claim that these words are more important than the black-letter text in the rest of the Bible.

The problem with this idea is that it implies much of the Bible can be disregarded, with only the words of Jesus needing to be followed—especially those related to social justice. While social justice is an important theme, being kind and promoting justice in society, red-letter Christianity faces significant theological problems.

First, it is heresy. Believing that only parts of the Bible are the Word of God is the ancient heresy of Marcion, who kept certain parts of the Bible and rejected others, including many of Jesus’ words. If you believe that only some of the Bible is God's Word, you are not holding to the full deposit of faith.

Second, there’s another serious problem with this approach: are you saying the words of Yahweh in the Old Testament are not the words of Jesus? Think carefully about that. If you believe the words of Yahweh are different from those of Jesus, you are saying that Jesus is not God, which is the ultimate heresy. If God said it, and you claim Jesus didn’t, you’ve embraced the error that denies Jesus' divinity.

This mindset often comes with the belief that Jesus was just gentle, meek, and mild. This, again, reflects a failure to read the Bible carefully. Some say they like the Jesus of the Sermon on the Mount because of his teachings on how to live but dislike other parts of the Bible. However, people with that view likely haven’t read the Sermon on the Mount. In it, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.” Those words aren’t particularly gentle.

Similarly, in Jesus’ words to the church in Revelation, he tells them, “I will strike her children dead”—these are red letters too. Red-letter Christians need to pay attention to what Jesus actually said, even the hard sayings.

Some claim Jesus didn’t speak about issues like sexuality, but he did. He said, “From the beginning, the Creator made them male and female, and a man shall leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Jesus affirmed marriage as between a man and a woman, and he warned against deviations from this design.

In the midst of today’s sexual revolution, where people are drowning in conflicting messages, it’s crucial to recognize that even the red letters are clear. So is the rest of Scripture. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

We've explored passages about holding fast and confessing the hope we profess. Now, let’s ask: what is the hope? More precisely, who is the hope? Jesus Christ, the one who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His blood opens the way to the Most Holy Place, and he is the one to whom we must hold fast. The apostles warned us not to follow another Jesus, another spirit, or another gospel.

We have the apostles of Jesus in Scripture, we have Jesus himself, and we have the Holy Spirit. We must not follow any different message. This is why we need to hold fast to the confession of faith. If you know the confession—if you know the Scriptures and the fundamental truths of the Bible—you will also develop discernment. You will be able to detect falsehood. After reading just ten pages of a book, you’ll be able to say, “This doesn’t sound like the Bible. It doesn’t sound like Jesus.”

We hold fast to the confession of the unchanging Lord Jesus Christ, the one who never changes, and to the inerrant Bible. We don’t pick and choose the parts we like. If we encounter parts of the Bible we don’t like, we shouldn’t conclude that something is wrong with Scripture. Instead, we should recognize that something is wrong with us, and we need to align ourselves with God’s truth.

The Bible says that all Scripture is God-breathed, and that men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. Hebrews tells us it is impossible for God to lie. Yet, some people treat the Bible as though it is merely a collection of helpful advice, exercising their own judgment to decide what parts to accept and what to reject. But we don't have that option.

One of the most contested doctrines today is the atonement, specifically the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement—that Jesus died in our place to take the punishment for our sins and remove God’s wrath. Some emphasize other aspects of Jesus' death, such as his love and exemplary life, which are true but cannot replace the fact that he died to atone for sin.

Another frequently denied truth today is the Bible's inerrancy and infallibility. If Satan can make us doubt God’s Word, everything else—both doctrine and behavior—becomes vulnerable. For example, some claim there are many paths to God, a belief called pluralism. Others embrace universalism, the idea that everyone will be saved. Denying Jesus as the only way to God and the reality of consequences for rejecting him are serious errors.

Many preachers don’t outright deny the existence of hell; instead, they neglect to talk about it. Over time, through neglect, the doctrine fades, and eventually, some boldly deny it altogether. I know of a prominent person in my denomination who, after serving for many years as the editor of the church’s magazine, left to join a more liberal church. He ended up denying that Jesus would return and that hell exists. It was clear, even early on, that he was pushing against sound doctrine.

Some doctrines are not denied outright but die from silence. No one talks about them anymore. Another area of significant challenge today is the church's teaching on sexuality. In my denomination, there were efforts to revise the biblical view of sexuality, but the national synod affirmed the traditional stance. They declared that those who wish to teach and minister within the church must align with this view.

As you know, there are entire cultural movements devoted to changing the church’s stance on sexuality. This is why we must hold fast to the truth.

Another commonly challenged belief today is the prosperity gospel—the idea that if you have enough faith and behave properly, everything will always go well for you. This is a disastrous error that leads many astray. While I don’t want to spend too much time discussing deviations from the truth, our focus is on holding fast to the confession. However, if we are soldiers in a battle, we need to know where the attacks are coming from. They won’t always come from the same place, so we must understand the times we live in and recognize where the enemy is attacking. If you let the enemy through at one point, the entire front can collapse, and you’ll find yourself encircled. We must hold out at the point of attack.

One area under attack today is sexuality. Those who teach wrongly in this area also tend to avoid teaching about eternal judgment. They don’t believe in consequences for sin. But we believe in an unchanging Christ, an unerring Bible, and an unstoppable future. There is a negative side to that future—God will punish those who reject Christ and refuse to repent. Yet, we hold fast to the positive hope Jesus has purchased for us: eternal life and a new creation.

We need to think differently than many do today. I sometimes hear people say, “What will Christians in 20 years think of us? They’ll think we were so old-fashioned and outdated.” But do you really think it matters what people in 2040 will think when you stand before the judge who determines your eternal destiny? You won’t be concerned with the opinions of the future; you’ll be concerned with what God thinks of you forever. This idea that we are on a progressive journey, always needing to be on the leading edge of cultural change, is misguided. People who think that way are usually 30 years behind the culture, trying to catch up. But the one who marries the spirit of the age will end up a widow.

Believing in an unerring Bible means not just talking about it but immersing ourselves in it—reading, meditating, and memorizing Scripture. Those of us called to teach and preach need to help others hold fast to biblical truth and the unstoppable future of eternal glory. One of the deadliest errors in the church is focusing solely on improving society here and now, neglecting the message of eternal life. While some Christians are called to engage in governance and social advocacy, these are not the church’s main mission. Societies will rise and fall, but the gospel can flourish in any context.

Our primary mission is to proclaim the message that has eternal impact: the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. If, along the way, we can positively impact our neighbors and improve things for a time, then by all means, we should do so. However, improving earthly conditions is no substitute for bringing people the message of eternal salvation. In my doctoral research on missions, I found that churches often lose their way when they become consumed with government advocacy or social change, neglecting the gospel itself. Some agencies spend 80 to 90 percent of their budget on activities that do not lead people to Christ or plant churches. It is good to improve life for the unconverted, but it cannot replace the message of salvation.

We must not waver in our witness, even though it is unpopular. Some pastors tell me, “You act so sure of yourself. You need to be more humble.” By “humble,” they mean I should be open to the possibility that they are right and the Bible has been wrong for 2,000 years. But that is not humility. True humility is not being foggy or uncertain about the truth. If you don’t know something, just say you don’t know. There’s no arrogance in knowing the truth and declaring it with clarity. The person who says “Two plus three equals five” is not more arrogant than the one who says “Two plus three equals four.”

We need a witness that is clear and unwavering. The Bible says that if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, no one will prepare for battle. If we mumble or pretend we don’t know the truth, no one will be saved. If you genuinely don’t know the truth, then be quiet. Even a fool is thought wise when he keeps silent. If you are still searching for answers, ask God for greater understanding, but don’t criticize those who proclaim the truth.

Some people present agnosticism—the idea that they simply don’t know—as a mark of humility or intellectual sophistication. But the Greek word agnostic means “don’t know,” and the Latin equivalent is ignoramus. Neither term conveys a virtue. Pretending not to know is sometimes a tactic of false teachers, who use uncertainty to undermine the faith. I don’t have anything against honest seekers or those who are still exploring, but there are people with decades of experience and doctorates who actively oppose the historic faith of the church.

We need to help younger believers who are still searching, but we must also recognize when false teachers are deliberately sowing confusion. In response, we hold fast to an unwavering witness. As John writes in his epistle: “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.”

Notice how John repeats, “We know, we know, we know.” This is the kind of unwavering witness we need. We hold fast despite our personal urges and concerns. Sometimes we struggle with parts of the Bible, not because there is something wrong with the Bible, but because we don’t fully understand it yet. It’s okay to explore and seek deeper understanding. Other times, we may find that what the Bible teaches conflicts with our desires. When that happens, we must deny ourselves and follow Jesus.

Whatever our concerns or struggles, we must not let them override the reality of Jesus or the truth of Scripture. Truth stands above all. We seek the truth not to mold it into our image but to be shaped by it.

Sometimes, we have to hold fast despite opposition from family and friends. Family and friends can be a support, but not always. Jesus said, "Don’t think I came into the world to bring peace. I didn’t come to bring peace but a sword. I will divide family members against each other—some will react to me one way, others differently—and they will clash with each other." When that happens, we must be prepared to love those family members less than we love Christ.

I’ve read books on sexuality, and I’ve noticed a trend: it’s efficient to read the part where the author talks about their child or grandchild, and then skip the rest of the 400 pages of rationalizing. The story usually goes, "I believed the traditional way, but then my child or grandchild came out as something different, and suddenly I realized the Bible wasn’t saying what I thought it was saying all along." This is when we must say, "Even if someone I love dearly—whether a close friend or family member—makes different choices or rejects the faith, I will not follow." If a friend abandons the faith and becomes an atheist, it is sad, but we cannot follow them. The only way they will ever be helped is if we hold fast. We can love them, but we must not compromise the truth.

The Lord told Jeremiah and Ezekiel, "You are here to change them; they are not here to change you. I will make you like a bronze wall." We are not to change our convictions. By standing firm, we become beacons for those the Lord may eventually bring back to himself.

We must also recognize that some church leaders need to be ignored. That might seem dangerous for a preacher or professor to say, but it’s necessary. Hebrews tells us to listen to our leaders who speak the Word of God—but that also means ignoring those who don’t. In this day and age, we cannot assume that all pastors or professors treasure and respect God’s Word. We need to know the Word of God well enough to recognize when they deviate from it.

We can’t rely solely on someone’s advanced degree or important position. As I’ve said before, a pastor who never warns of false teachers is one. A pastor who never warns about hell is going there. Is that too strong? The Bible warns about false teachers repeatedly. If a pastor never issues those warnings or never tries to save people from the wrath to come, they should step down from the pulpit.

We need discernment to identify leaders who faithfully teach the Word, without being misled by those who do not. We also face societal pressures—from government, schools, businesses, and media. Do you believe any of these are friends of the Christian faith? Government, schools, and corporations do not cultivate your walk with God. Media, movies, TV, and music do not nurture Christian faith. We must be aware of these pressures.

During COVID, we saw some of these pressures play out. Some churches, even a year and a half into the pandemic, said, "As long as the government says we shouldn’t worship together, we shouldn’t." They cited the Bible’s command to submit to governing authorities, forgetting that pastors and elders are the governing authorities of the church. Shouldn’t they have some authority to act according to God’s Word? Or should the church simply do whatever Caesar says, assuming Caesar knows what’s best for the church?

At the recent synod where the decision was made to uphold the biblical view of sexuality, one delegate said, "If we stick to the traditional position, it might be illegal in Canada." Oh no! Should we change church doctrine to suit Justin Trudeau? That is the sad position we find ourselves in when we allow government, corporate bosses, or media narratives to dictate our beliefs. We need to develop a brain and a backbone to survive as Christians in today’s culture.

We must hold fast despite personal urges or concerns, despite family and friends who disagree, despite misguided church leaders, and despite pressures from government, schools, and corporations. Why? Because Jesus is worth holding fast to. The Bible is the truth. Heaven is real and glorious. We also hold fast for the good of others—for the sake of the saints.

Sometimes, when I preach, I am preaching to the choir, and that’s okay. The choir needs it too. Believers need to hear the same message again and again because we are nourished by God’s Word. The choir needs the gospel repeatedly to be built up in the faith, or else even they will begin to waver. We must persevere so the saints are strengthened, hearing both God’s promises and his warnings—the biblical Word of Christ.

Here's another major reason to hold fast: so that we are in a position to restore those who are struggling. If we have such a foggy understanding of sin that we don’t even recognize when someone falls into it, how can we help them toward repentance? If we don’t know the truth, how will we guide doubters? The Bible teaches us to restore those caught in sin. It says, “You who are spiritual should restore them gently, but watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.” James reminds us, “Whoever turns someone from the error of his ways will save his soul from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” Scripture also says, “He who wins souls is wise.”

Part of holding fast is recognizing that there are doubters and strugglers among us. Jude encourages us to "be merciful to those who doubt." Holding fast and standing firm doesn’t mean being harsh toward those who struggle. We don’t say, "Wise up, you bozo!" Shepherds care for hurt and wounded sheep tenderly and with great mercy. But when a wolf’s head emerges from among the sheep, especially when that wolf is a teacher, the response must be different. Out comes the staff and the club to protect the flock. Shepherds must respond strongly to those who harm the sheep, but they deal gently with the wounded.

We also hold fast for the sake of those who are perishing. Jude says, “Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them.” If that makes anyone uncomfortable—especially a church leader—they might need to consider a different line of work. We are called to snatch people from the fire and save them because not all roads lead to heaven, and people are perishing without Christ.

Some of you may remember the prophet Ezekiel. God appointed Ezekiel as a watchman. God told him, “If you see disaster coming and warn the people, but they don’t listen, their blood will be on their own heads. But if you see disaster coming and say nothing, and they perish, their blood will be on your head.” As watchmen, we can’t remain silent. When people are perishing, we cannot keep our mouths shut.

We are also called to repel false teachers. Jesus warned, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” He also said, “There will be people who say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and drive out demons and perform miracles?’ And I will say to them, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” The Bible speaks repeatedly of false teachers, prophets, and apostles.

As a preacher, I know how uncomfortable it makes some pastors to hear that their colleagues might be wolves in sheep’s clothing. But the Bible is clear—some will arise from within our own number and lead others astray. We can’t allow collegiality or trust in someone’s education or position to blind us to the truth. If they are not teaching sound doctrine, they are likely wolves.

The Bible instructs us to correct opponents gently in the hope that God will grant them repentance, leading them to the truth. They may escape the devil’s trap, where they have been held captive to do his will. Even with those who attack the faith, there is still hope. We must confront them firmly but not harshly, always hoping that they, too, might repent and come to the truth.

We all have roles as watchmen. As a pastor, I have a special obligation to guard the flock. Parents are watchmen for their children, encouraging them in the faith. Elders must be vigilant, protecting the church from false teachers. At times, standing firm can feel lonely, but we are never truly alone.

Think of Elijah, the great prophet, who had a moment of despair, saying, "I alone am left." But God reminded him, “I already have your replacement, and there are seven thousand who have never bowed to Baal.” We are not as alone as we think.

I’m often inspired by the stories of David’s mighty men, who stood firm even when others fled. These men are only mentioned briefly, but their courage is remarkable. One of them, Josheb-Basshebeth, stood alone against 800 Philistines and defeated them with his spear. Another, Eleazar, held his ground when others retreated. He fought so fiercely that his hand clung to his sword, and they had to pry it from his grip after the battle. The third, Shammah, stood his ground in the middle of a field while everyone else ran away. When his fellow soldiers saw him standing firm, they turned back, and the Lord gave them a great victory.

The key lesson from these mighty men is that they stood firm when others wavered, and their courage inspired others to stand with them. The victories they won were not by their strength alone—“The Lord gave a great victory.” The same is true for us. When we stand firm, our strength comes from the Lord. As Scripture says, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” Or, as Hebrews reminds us, “He who promised is faithful.”

The reason we can hold fast is because God is holding fast to us. Our strength comes from his power.

Prayer

O Lord, we pray that we may always draw near to you with a true heart and full assurance of faith, rejoicing that the blood of Jesus has brought us into the Most Holy Place. When we leave your presence, may we carry the fragrance of your holiness and the shining of your glory with us.

Lord, give us the courage and determination to hold fast to the precious confession of truth found in your Word, even against all odds and attacks. By your grace, may we prevail. May many be snatched from the fire and saved. May those who are losing courage recover their faith, and may even the most determined enemies be transformed and become yours.

Help us, Lord, to hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for you are faithful. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.