Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word or our epistle. 2 Thessalonians 2:15
In our physics textbook was an illustration of a man who was helping to unload a truck. As the man stood at the back of the truck, an upright piano that had been placed at the very edge of the truck fell outward. Quickly, the man sprang forward and caught the falling piano. But having caught it, he was unable to move. He shouted for help as he stood with the weight of the piano on his shoulders for several minutes until help arrived. Several other people took the weight of the piano, releasing the man from his predicament. His face dripping with sweat, the man declared that he had never worked so hard in his life. But somebody else pointed out that he had done no work at all. The definition of work, according to physics, is the force required to move an object through a distance. And the man had not moved the piano any distance. But, physics aside, the man had used a tremendous amount of energy to hold that piano in place. Just as our text tells us to use our energies to hold onto the truths that we have been taught of God.
Our text calls for two actions: standing fast and holding. Standing fast refers to the stand a soldier might take when under attack. Such a soldier must defend himself and the ground he is standing on. This soldier will know how to use the weapons and the armour that he has, and he knows how to attack the enemy effectively. So he applies himself to standing fast, regardless of how fierce the attack is against him. This is what we are called to do in the spiritual warfare in which we are engaged. We have the armour of God at our disposal (Ephesians 6:11-17), and we must learn to use it. We have the Word of God as our weapon, and we must develop skill in its use, by becoming familiar with it in daily practice. Standing fast never means standing idle, and even though it might seem to others that we accomplish little, if we stand for God we have accomplished much.
Just as standing fast requires great energy, so does holding the traditions that we have been taught. The Greek word for hold implies a forcible holding against assaults, a strong determination to grip firmly and never release under any circumstance. That is how we must hold onto the truths that God has given to us. We can never regard any portion of the Word of God as something that we can ignore or overlook for any reason. In addition, we have been taught great truths by godly men concerning our Christian walk, our obedience to God’s will, and our gathering to His Name. These great truths are under attack today, and people who once held them, or at least agreed with them, are turning their backs on them. Has God’s truth changed? Is what was once true no longer the truth? If we have been taught the truth, any attempt to change what we have been taught, even just a little bit, is an attack of the enemy.
Standing firm for God and holding the truth won’t be an easy task, especially today. But it is what we are called upon to do as faithful soldiers for our Lord.– Jim MacIntosh