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TruthNotes
How to Take a Stand
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world..."
Romans 12:2

"Me, take a stand?!"

One of the toughest things teenagers face is peer pressure. For Christians, this is usually the temptation to compromise Biblical commands and principles or their personal convictions. Here are three reasons why should learn to take a stand:

1) Christians are commanded to stay committed God, His Word and His kingdom. Just as Joshua challenged the Israelites to "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15), we must determine whether or not to follow God in every circumstance we face.
2) Our faith is challenged to grow when we are faced with decisive and/or high-pressure situations. Scripture is clear that trials are an opportunity for growth, providing we respond correctly (see Joshua 1:2-4 & 1 Pet 1:6-7).
3) We must be prepared for hostile situations we will face in life. The Bible promises that anyone who wants to live for Christ will face persecution (Jn 15:18-21; 2 Tim 3:12). This is often because they think it is strange that you don't conform (1 Peter 4:4). You must determine ahead of time how you will respond to the high-pressure situations that you will face.

Unfortunately, peer pressure is constantly an area of defeat in the lives of so many young people. "How can I possibly be bold enough to take a stand?" you might wonder. We want you to be able to say with Paul that, "I am not ashamed of the gospel" (Romans 1:16), so here are four basic principles that will help you to take a stand and resist compromise.

STEP ONE: Devote your heart to God

The word 'devote' means, "to set apart by vow". One dictionary included the phrase, "to addict oneself". David commanded his son, Solomon, to serve the Lord with "wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind" (1 Chronicles 28:9). If you aren't completely committed to God and His principles, you will not have the desire to stand for Him. Is your heart genuinely devoted to God? Is He your #1 priority?

STEP TWO: Establish your convictions

The word 'conviction' can be defined as "a biblical principle that we obey no matter what others do or say". In other words, it is a fixed belief that does not change according to circumstances or who's around. An example of conviction might be choosing not to see "R" rated movies. Down at the bottom of this lesson gives you some basic guidelines for establishing biblical convictions. Determining your standards can be seen as drawing a line in the sand and saying, "this is as far as I go," and sticking to it. Even if no one else does. In 1 Kings 18:21, Elijah asked the people, "How long will you waiver between two opinions?" Establishing your convictions lets you decide which side you will be on in every situation.

STEP THREE: Make it your goal to please God alone

2 Corinthians 5:9 says, "So we make it our goal to please him." This step involves a conscious effort to live for an audience of One. In other words, the Lord's opinion is the only one that really matters to you. Paul said in Galatians 1:10, "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." This attitude means two things:

1. The approval of others doesn't come first. John 12:42 and 43 gives us a picture of those whose goal is to please others before God. It reads, "Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God." In other words, their fear froze their faith. Do you love praise from men more than praise from God? What you must overcome if you are to stand firm in your faith is the concern for the opinion and approval of others above the approval of God. Proverbs 29:25 says, "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whomever trusts in the Lord is kept safe."

Whose reputation are you more concerned with -- yours or God's? In high-pressure situations, you must be willing to say, "My relationship with God is more important than my relationship with you." They may not understand or change, but they will never forget your stand for your convictions. This is because (unfortunately) it is rare for someone to be bold in his or her beliefs today. Although you may not realize it, others will respect you for taking a stand. But your goal is not to gain the respect of others or change their minds. The goal is to communicate a love for Jesus and not a rejection of others.
2. Your selfish interests don't come first. This part of Step Three really focuses on just two characters: you and the Lord. If your goal really is to please God alone then you must separate yourself from whatever displeases Him. Jesus said that to follow Him meant to deny yourself (Mk 8:34). This is where you make Him Lord of every area of your life. "Lord" means that He calls the shots. He determines our convictions. Many of us say He's our Lord when it really isn't true. Jesus pointed this out in Luke 6:46 when He said, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' but do not do what I say?" We want to be like the wise man in Proverbs 14:16 who "fears the Lord and shuns evil." The biggest test to see if you're living for God is if you do the right thing even when no one's watching.

STEP FOUR: Remember that God has already given you the courage

Courage can be defined as "the presence of confidence and the absence of fear". You can have confidence because God promises to strengthen you (2 Chronicles 16:9), to give you the words to say (Luke 21:15), and to be with you (Matthew 28:20). Plus you know that God's principles are an expression of His love and that, when fully obeyed, they will produce a better way of life.

CONCLUSION

Taking a stand for your faith is not just a once in a while thing... it's a lifestyle. Having a devoted heart, firm convictions, and a God-pleasing attitude is a moment by moment decision. What you will find is that when you step out on faith and trust that God is for you and with you, you will have the courage you need. Believe it or not, teenagers are always looking for leaders - someone who's confident and strong in what they believe. The question is...

"Which side will you be on?"
James addressed this question when he said to believers, "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God" (4:4-5). This point is reiterated in 1 John 3:15 when it says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Pretty strong words! I don't know about you, but I sure don't want to be God's enemy without the love of the Father. This means we'd better make sure our colors are clear and our lifestyle backs up our words. Do you love the Father enough to stand for Him? Anyone can just go with the flow. A dead fish can float downstream; it takes a live one to swim upstream! Be a leader with your lifestyle, not a follower. In every situation, you can either be a thermostat or a thermometer. In other words, you can be set in your convictions and end up changing the surrounding "temperature", or you can be "hot" or cold" depending on who you're around or what the situation is. Don't let your environment affect your colors the way a chameleon changes to his surroundings…be a thermostat!



HOW SHOULD YOU RESPOND?

Read these sample situations and determine how you should respond (not would) using the four main principles given for taking a stand.

SITUATION 1 -

A friend of yours is house-sitting and asks you to come over. Your friend shows you where they homeowners keep their alcohol and points out that they have so many bottles they wouldn't miss one.

SITUATION 2 -

Riding in a car with a friend and two of their friends, the driver plays a tape with explicit lyrics.

SITUATION 3 -

Your co-worker tells you that he and his live-in girlfriend are devoted Christians.

SITUATION 4 -

Your college professor asks the class, "So, are there any fools in here who believe in God and think the Bible is trustworthy?"

SITUATION 5 -

A bedroom scene is shown on the movie your friends have rented and brought over to your house to watch.

SITUATION 6 -

You learn firsthand that two students you know are selling drugs on campus.

SITUATION 7 -

You are with a group of friends. They decide they want to go see the new hit movie, "Pre-marital Sex: Just Do It". (NOTE FROM WEBMASTER: Please understand that our youth pastor meant this example to be slightly humorous.)

SITUATION 8 -

Your employer asks you to "bend" the record books just enough so that the money he lost wouldn't show up on his report.

SITUATION 9 -

You have invited just a few people over to your house for a weekend party (your parents are out of town) and they bring some of their friends (who you don't know). You know you've got a problem on your hands: people are doing drugs, there are couples going into bedrooms, and someone just walked in with a keg of beer.

SITUATION 10 -

Your co-workers learn that you are saving your virginity until marriage when you can experience sex now, as long as its safe?"


What does the Bible say about...

Abortion - Prov 24:11; 31:5; Ps 139:14-16; Ex 20:13; Jer 1:5; Lk 1:44; Dt 12:31
Adultery - Ex 20:14; Prov 2:16-17; Prov 5
Anger - Jas 1:19-20; Prov 22:24-25; 29:11, 22; Eph 4:26-27
Church Attendance - Rom 12:4-8; Heb 10:24-25
Drinking - Eph 5:15-18; Prov 20:1; 23:29-35; 31:4-5; Rom 14:31; 1 Cor 6:20; 8:9; 10:31
Drugs/Smoking - Rom 6:12-13; 12:1; 2 Cor 7:1
Entertainment (movies, music, television, magazines, internet, etc.) - Phil 4:8; Ps 101:2-4; 119:36-37; Prov 8:13; Col 3:2; Rom 12:2; Jas 4:4, 2 Cor 6:14-17; Rom 13:14; 2 Cor 11:3; 2 Pet 2:18-19; Rom 8:58; Ps 1:1-2; 1 Cor 15;33; Prov 13:20
Gossip and Slander - Eph 4:29; Jas 3:9-10; Prov 6:16-19, 28; 20:29
Homosexuality - Lev 18:22; 20:13; Rom 1:24-32; 1 Cor 6:9-10
Lying - Jn 8:44, Col 3:9; Prov 12:22; 26:28; 19:9
Profanity/Obscenity - Col 3:8; Eph 4:29; 5:4; Ex 20:7
Rebellion - 1 Sam 15:23; Rom 13:1-2; Eph 6:1-3; Prov 15:20; Titus 3:1; Hebrew 13:17
Sexual Immorality (pre-marital) - 1 Thes 4:3-8; 1 Cor 6:15-20; 7:9; Heb 13:4; 1 Tim 5:11, 14


Guidelines for Establishing Biblical Convictions

1. Does it directly violate God's Word? (James 1:22)
2. Could it possibly be a stumbling block to another person? (Romans 14:13, 21; 1 Corinthians 8:9; 10:32)
3. Could I possibly be a bad witness to others because of this? Will I be above reproach? (1 Timothy 3:2)
4. Who am I trying to please? (Mark 8:34; Romans 12:1)
5. Will this alter my judgment or discernment? (Proverbs 3:21)
6. Will this pollute my body? (2 Corinthians 7:1)
7. Am I tolerating, supporting, or encouraging godlessness, directly or indirectly, even if I think it doesn't 'affect' me? (Proverbs 25:26)
8. Will this feed my sin nature? (Romans 13:14)
9. Am I being a friend of the world instead of being separate? (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15)
10. Will this pollute or scar my mind? (Philippians 4:8)
11. Am I being consistent? (Titus 1:16)
12. Am I fully convinced about this conviction, or is it just to look "spiritual"? (Romans 14:5)


Preferences...
1. are based on emotions (how you feel at the moment)
2. are based on here and now (not the consequences)
3. are influenced by what others think
4. are abandoned for the sake of immediate pleasure
5. are convenience oriented


Convictions...
1. are based on principle (God's Word never changes)
2. are based on the consequences later
3. are concerned with what God thinks
4. are seen as a way of reaching true satisfaction and joy
5. are sacrifice oriented


Moral Relativism


"In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes."

What is moral relativism?

You might hear it called Situational Ethics or Values Clarification; you've heard it summarized in the statement, "If it feels good, do it"; it's expressed by people when they say, "Who are you to judge?" and "I personally think its wrong but I can't say its wrong for someone else." But however it is expressed, the above statements are part of a particular view about morality called Moral Relativism. A simple way to define moral relativism is to say, "right and wrong are determined from within each individual in a given situation." Or, as found in Judges 17:6, it's where every man does "what is right in his own eyes."

The opposite view of this would be Moral Absolutes, which claims that values are unconditional, unchanging and not dependent on circumstances or individual preference. In short, a moral absolute could be defined as that which is true for all people, for all times, and in all places.

These are the only two ways of looking at truth and morality.


IS Moral Relativism Neutral?

Relativism is the moral perspective that is taught to millions of school children every day. Although the schools try to claim that they are not telling the children what they should or shouldn't do (even though they pass out free condoms), it is important to realize that moral relativism is not morally neutral. This is because everyone has a position - either you believe in real morals or you're a relativist. There is no middle ground. Even our laws are not neutral. Every law legislates someone's morality, either men or God's. Essentially, relativism encourages moral anarchy, because it promotes the idea that man is his own highest authority.

REFUTING Moral Relativism

A. Moral Relativism Refutes Itself
1. "It's wrong to tell others they're wrong!"
*Example
Relativist: "You shouldn't force your morality on me or anyone else!"
Response: "Why not?"
Rel: "It's wrong."
Res: "But you're forcing your morality on me by saying I'm wrong."
Rel: "Where do you get off telling people what they can and can't do with their lives?"
Res: "Are you saying I shouldn't do that?"
Rel: "Yes."
Res: "Then where do you get off telling me what I can and can't do? Again, you're pushing your morality on me."
Rel: "I'm just telling you to stop forcing your beliefs on others!"
Res: "Is that what you believe?"
Rel: "Yes."
Res: "Then why are you trying to force your beliefs on me by saying I'm wrong unless I agree with your view? All you have said to me is that it's wrong to tell others that they're wrong, which is exactly what you're doing, and that I must hold your belief that we shouldn't force our beliefs on others."

2. The intolerance of "tolerance"
a. At first glance, tolerance seems to valiantly say, "we should put up with other views and allow others to hold to their beliefs," but this is not what tolerance means today.
b. Those who supposedly uphold "tolerance" will usually oppose anyone who contradicts their point of view. They believe that their view is the correct one and they will not tolerate any view but their own. You must accept their view or you are "intolerant," "hateful," or a "bigot."
c. Unfortunately, they see no contradiction between their unwillingness to tolerate other points of views and their belief that we should tolerate all points of views.

*Example
Rel: "I believe everyone should decide right and wrong for themselves and tolerate all other views."
Res: "What if I don't agree with that idea?"
Rel: "Then you're being intolerant."
Res: "So unless I agree with your idea of tolerance, I'm wrong?"
Rel: "Yes."
Res: "In other words, unless my view is the same as yours, I'm being intolerant?"
Rel: "Well I'm just saying you should be tolerant!"
Res: "So you won't put up with my intolerance?"
Rel: "Correct."
Res: "But what if my individual morality said intolerance is ok? Will you let me hold my own view?"
Rel: "You would be wrong to be intolerant."
Res: "And only your view would be right?"
Rel: "Right."