The Mythical Standstill Christian
The Mythical Standstill Christian
Open up that great book of imaginary beings and leaf through the listings. Somewhere after Centaur, Goblin, E.T., and Mermaid—but before the Unicorn and the Whatsit—there’s a page devoted to an unlikely creature called the Standstill Christian.
It’s unlikely because it doesn’t exist. There ain’t no such thing.
Christians are either growing in the Lord, or going backward. That doesn’t leave much room in between. It’s like true love: it either grows or it begins to die. Love simply can’t stand still, and neither can our walk with Christ.
Little wonder the Bible makes growth such a critical issue. Again and again the writers of the New Testament implore believers to keep moving higher, wider, deeper, and stronger. Listen to a few of them. Can you sense the urgency?
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better (Ephesians 1:17).
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight (Philippians 1:9).
One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal (Philippians 3:13-14).
This gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it (Colossians 1:6).
We pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the LORD … bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10).
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else (1 Thessalonians 3:12).
You do love all the brothers … Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more (1 Thessalonians 4:10).
We ought always to thank God for you … because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing (2 Thessalonians 1:3).
Fan into flame the gift of God which is in you (2 Timothy 1:6).
Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity (Hebrews 6:1).
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (1 Peter 2:2).
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
It goes on and on. There is simply no room for passivity in the Christian faith. Life in Christ is one long string of action verbs: GROW … PRAISE … LOVE … LEARN … STRETCH … REACH … PUT ON … PUT OFF … PRESS ON … FOLLOW … HOLD … CLEAVE … RUN … WEEP … PRODUCE … STAND … FIGHT.
In a child, an animal, a flower, or a tree, lack of growth signals a problem. A healthy life will always show itself by progress and increase. Anything else begins to look like death.
So how can you tell if you’re growing? Ask yourself a few simple, direct questions.
Is my sense of sin becoming deeper?
Is my hope brighter?
Is my love more extensive?
Is my spiritual discernment more clear?
Is my faith stronger?
Do 1 love the Lord Jesus more?
If you can say a hearty “yes” to these questions, then you are on the growing side. If not, then you’re doing worse than standing still … you are going backwards.
To put it another way, the Christian’s transmission is equipped with only two gears: Drive and Reverse. There’s no such thing as Neutral—let alone Park.
So wake up! There are grave things at stake here. Look—if your foot had gangrene, you would submit to a severe operation, possibly even amputation, to save your life. Your spiritual state is no less grave.
Don’t put yourself in that book of strange, imaginary creatures. If you think you’re a Standstill Christian, you’re only playing a dangerous game of make-believe.