No Man Stood With Me, But All Men Forsook Me

When Paul stated in II Tim 4:16 “no man stood with me, but all men forsook me,” don’t we realize those who failed to stand with Paul would be held accountable by God for such cowardice? When Rev 21:8 says “… the fearful … shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone,” it is not talking about those who are scared of heights. It is talking about someone who is afraid to do what’s right, including someone who lets peer pressure keep him from taking up for a real contender for the faith.

Many gospel preachers either don’t study enough or don’t have enough courage to defend their convictions, and so some of them will attempt to tear down those who are willing to defend the truth. They are aptly described by “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” in Isa 5:20a. When this occurs, will we just let it happen without a word to defend the righteous, or will we take up for the one being unjustly criticized?

Amos 5:10 reads “They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.” Because of this type hate (and envy Matt 27:18) many will accuse those who rebuke and speak uprightly of being troublemakers (similar to how Ahab accused Elijah of being a troublemaker in I Kings 18:17-18). If that happens, are we going to just sit idly by, or are we going to defend God’s true servant even though because of it we’ll likely be eschewed like he is?

Remember that “He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord” (Prov 17:15). And if we don’t object to the such righteous being condemned, then we become just as guilty as those exhibiting such “froward mouth” (Prov 8:13). Are we too cowardly to speak up for the righteous (Acts 9:27) because we don’t want to be looked down upon along with the one who is imitating Jeremiah, Jesus, and Paul (I Cor 11:1)?

Sometimes a disciple of Jesus becomes another Christian’s enemy because he is willing to tell the truth (Gal 4:16)? Are we going to have enough guts to take up for that man? Or are we going to be too afraid to buck the majority of Christans? Are we ashamed of holding up the hands of the truly righteous because we’re scared of losing our standing with weak brethren?

Quite frequently “the way of truth shall be evil spoken of” (II Pet 2:2).  Are we going to just let that happen without a “fight”? Are we too ashamed to be associated with someone who is not popular in the brotherhood because they are willing to “declare … all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:26-27,31)? Would we have taken up for Jesus when he was mistreated for correcting the errors of the brethren then?  Brethren … we have drifted.

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