STEADFASTNESS (Gene Martin, from the Gospel Guardian,
August 16, 1951)
"In Psalm 16:8 we read, "I have set the Lord always before
me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."
Many times we have sung that wonderful old hymn, "I Shall Not
Be Moved" and while singing in the spirit with understanding
we resolved to be ever so steadfast in the way and work of
the Lord. Both the Scripture and the song have helped
Christians to take loyal stands of trial and fierce opposition.
Today, perhaps as never before, we need Christians with strong
determination and fiery zeal couched in sound judgment to
carry the banner of the Lord. We need God-fearing men and
women who will respond to the words of Isaiah, "Lift you up
a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them."
"Thou has given a banner to them that fear thee, that it
may be displayed because of truth. Selah." (Psalm 60:4)
When the trends of digression from the truth and righteous-
ness appear before us we need to heed the principle of the
admonition of Deuteronomy 19:14, "Thou shalt not remove thy
neighbor's landmark, which they of old time have set in
thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that
the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it." The modernist
would deceive us with heavy verbiage to the effect that we
need to streamline the church, revamp moral standards, and
use the Scriptures as "loose-constructionists," all to fit
the needs of modern times. They advise us to quit being so
concerned over Biblical precedent and scriptural authority.
We may be assured that the Bible does not need the addition
of modern schemes, rather it needs to be studied, believed
and obeyed. Let us be steadfast and immovable in the faith,
thus abounding in the work of the Lord." From Gospel Truths.
Nothing much has changed in 48 years! The same calls from the modernists
can be heard today: loosen up our dependence upon the Bible and stop
calling for Authority for all we do. The times may change, but The Bible
and our need for it does not. [JW]