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Standing,WalkingAndRunningForGod
PostedByPastorCorneliusR.StamOnOctober1,2011@4:00amInTwoMinutesWiththeBible|Comments
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InawaytheChristianlifeisastandinanotheritisawalk,andinstillanotherarace.

InICor.15:1theApostlePaulwritesofthegospelwhereinyestandandinRom.5:2ofthisgracewherein
westand,whileinGal.5:1hebidsus:StandfastinthelibertywherewithChristhathmadeusfree.Perhaps
allthisiswellsummedupinhisappealtohisbelovedPhilippians:

Therefore,mybrethren,dearlybelovedandlongedfor,myjoyandcrownstandfastintheLord,mydearly
beloved(Phil.4:1).

ButtheChristianlifeismorethanastanditisawalk(whichinScripturereferstoconduct).Once,saysPaul,
wewalkedintrespassesandsins(Eph.2:1,2)buthavingbeensavedbygrace,throughfaithinChrist,weare
nowtowalkinnewnessoflife(Rom.6:4).ThustheApostlebidsustowalkworthyoftheLord(Col.1:10),to
walkcircumspectly,notasfools,butaswise,redeemingthetime,becausethedaysareevil(Eph.5:1516).

ButtheChristianlifeisevenmorethanawalkitisarace.Sadtosay,manyChristianswhosewalkis
consistentandcommendable,havenevercometolookupontheChristianlifeasarace.Theseneverputenough
intoitsothatitmightbesaidofthemthattheyarerunning.YetthesamegreatApostlewrote,bydivine
inspiration:

Letuslayasideeveryweight,andthesinwhichdothsoeasilybesetus,andletusrunwithpatiencetherace
thatissetbeforeus(Heb.12:1).

ThewordpatienceinthispassagepointsupthefactthattheChristianlifeisnotashorthundredyarddash
itrequiresmuchendurance.Thusweshouldputintoitallthatwehave.Theywhichruninarace,saysthe
Apostle,runall,buttheydonotallreceivetheprize.Hencetheadmonition:Sorunthatyemayobtain(I
Cor.9:24).

ThosewhohavenottrustedChristasSaviorhavenotevenbeguntostand,orwalk,muchlesstorunaracefor
Him.ThesemightaswellforgetrewardsuntiltheyfirstacceptthegiftofGodeternallifethroughJesusChrist
ourLord(Rom.6:23).

TotheReader:
SomeofourTwoMinutesarticleswerewrittenmanyyearsagobyPastorC.R.Stamforpublicationin
newspapers.Whenmanyofthesearticleswerelatercompiledinbookform,PastorStamwrotethis
wordofexplanationinthePreface:

"Itshouldbeborneinmindthatthenewspapercolumn,TwoMinutesWiththeBible,hasnowbeen
publishedformanyyears,sothatlocal,nationalandinternationaleventsarediscussedasifthey
occurredonlyrecently.Ratherthanrewriteordatesucharticles,wehaveleftthemjustastheywere
whenfirstpublished.This,wefelt,wouldaddtotheinterest,especiallysinceourreadersunderstand
thattheyfirstappearedasnewspaperarticles."

Tothiswewouldaddthatthesameistrueforthearticleswrittenbyothersthatwecontinuetoadd,
onaregularbasis,totheTwoMinuteslibrary.Wehopethatyou'llagreethatwhilesomeofthe
referencesinthesearticlesaredated,thespiritualtruthstaughtthereinaretimeless.