Keeping The Faith (II)

Keeping The Faith (II)

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears…” II Tim 4:3

The old Apostle, Paul, in his epistle to a young soldier advised him of the coming of a time when men would not be willing to endure and accept sound doctrine of our Lord; the sound doctrine would by then had become “old fashioned” that could not satisfy the demands of contemporary worship. If the sound doctrine that upholds holiness is preached in their gathering, they bid farewell to such assemblage and depart to return no more. They leave to seek out one that condones their waywardness and retort in the most proactive way; “Don’t criticize us!”

Even in the midst of such moment when true faith is rarely entertained, Paul’s writing to Timothy, yet for us, admonished us of our obligation, we whose lives with His is wedded, to keep the faith against the sway of the times. In the midst of a faithless generation not willing to serve the living God but self-seeking, we must keep the faith; in times when so called leaders shudder to stand for the truth, we must keep the faith; in times when all we see around us are sinfully drenched, we must keep the faith; while amidst a fainting and lukewarm worshipper we find ourselves, we, even then, must keep the faith!

As each dawn gives way to another night, and each year depart for a new one, the call for Christian soldiers to keep the faith is becoming louder, the need to strive and contend for our most holy call is becoming intense; if a soldier slumbers in the front line, his remains will be all left for the enemy to trample on; relatively, should a Christian falter in this subject during this season of a fierce battle against our faith, such will only live to recount once in faith he lived.

But thou, O Christian, when all these signs of perverseness you see, when the sound of prayers and supplications once clear and loud in our solemn meeting have been overcame by the snore of slumbering; when the strict rebuke of every ungodliness has been exchanged with an indulged smile; when the world, sin and the Devil have risen in their final affronts against the children of light, O then, thou soldier, Keep the Faith!

1	Faith of our fathers, living still In spite of dungeon, fire and sword, O how our hearts beat high with joy Whene’er we hear that glorious word! Faith of our fathers! holy faith! We will be true to thee till death!
2	Our fathers, chained in prisons dark, Were still in heart and conscience free; And blest would be their children’s fate, If they, like them should die for thee: Faith of our fathers! holy faith! We will be true to thee till death!
3	Faith of our fathers, we will strive To win all nations unto thee; And through the truth that comes from God Mankind shall then indeed be free. Faith of our fathers! holy faith! We will be true to thee till death!
4	Faith of our fathers, we will love Both friend and foe in all our strife, And preach thee, too, as love knows how By kindly words and virtuous life. Faith of our fathers! holy faith! We will be true to thee till death!