1 Cor 16:13: 

 “Watch, stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all you do be done with love.”

Tonight we want to speak to the second part.

…Standing firm in the faith.

Paul spent his last few years of his life in Rome, chained to Roman soldiers who were assigned to guard him 24/7 until his death. He became personally acquainted with the uniforms, techniques, and manual of arms of the Roman soldier. They most likely were standing to his side, guarding him…continually. The Roman soldier was the basis of the entire Roman Empire…the Tip of the Spear for the Caesars of Rome. Their reputation as warriors on the battlefield was legendary. Every soldier had spikes on their sandals, so that they would be hard to push-back in the heat of the battle. They were able to stand firm and face the enemy full-on. Therefore Paul concluded if a Roman guard can accomplish these legendary feats…so can a Spirit-filled Believer.

So first, we are told/commanded to ‘stand firm.’ This is definitely a military command. We see it used in several places…which we will explore later on in this study. 

What do we STAND ON? 

Early Church had epistles, letters, oral tradition, creeds, then doctrinal statements…even then there were differences in opinion as to which was most important.

Matthew 16:13-19 …the pebble and The Rock

Took place at Caesarea Phillipi: at the base of Mt. Hermon; strategic site based on pagan worship of the Greek God Pan; cave at base of temple to Pan named: the gates of hell; now called Banias, just south of the Syrian border to Damascus; named after Herod the Great’s son Phillip, who also honored Caesar Augustus.

Verse 19: The keys to the Kingdom of Heaven…because Jesus brought authority with Him.

Ephesians 4 the 7 Ones

To stand firm, I have to know if I’m on solid ground. 

On Christ The Solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.

Deut. 32:4; 1 Sam. 2:2; 2 Sam 22: 3, 32, 47; Psalms 18:1-3; Psalms 40:1-2; Psalms 62: 2, 6-7

-Psalms 118:22

-Isaiah 28:16

The Building of God:

1 Peter 2:4-9 lively stones/ Living Stone… Jesus is the foundation

“Stand fast/firm therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1

-Earlier in the 4th chapter, Paul is making an appeal to see that when the appointed/fulness of times came…Jesus was sent from the Father to redeem a people that were under bondage to the Law. He did so by sending His Son, made from a woman, made UNDER the Law, to redeem them/us and to call us adopted sons. Because we have His Spirit because of our new birth/rite…we now become not servants, but sons, and if a son…an heir of God through Christ. (4:1-7)

Back to chapter 5:4 “ Christ has become of no effect unto you if you are justified by the Law, you are fallen from grace. For we through the  Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.”

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.