Be Steadfast, Immovable, Always Abounding

When it comes to our work for Christ, we should be so settled and so firm that any wind of doctrine that contradicts Christ’s teachings does not move us from our place within him. Paul wrote, “(21) And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled (22) in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight (23) if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.” (Colossians 1:21-23) Paul said that since we have been reconciled with Christ He will present us as holy and blameless and above reproach if we continue in the faith being grounded and steadfast. In other words, we have to be settled. We have to be seated in what we believe. If we are not seated, then we are subject to be moved from our position. One of the definitions of seat is “to put or fix in place.” This is the picture that Paul was trying to get the people to see. We should be firmly fixed in place when it comes to what we believe and the work we are doing for Christ. Picture your faith as a chair with restraints that is bolted to the floor. When you sit in that chair and the restraints are put in place you are not going anywhere. It does not matter how strong the storm is, you will not be moved because the chair is bolted to the floor and you are restrained to the chair. The only way you would be moved is either the restraints or the bolts came loose. Paul is telling us to be firmly fixed in place. Paul is telling us to be totally reliable, not shaky or undependable. Are you being steadfast as you go through your storms? The next word Paul uses is immovable which actually one of the Greek definitions of steadfast.

Immovable. The Greek word for immovable is “ametakinetos.” This word again is very similar to steadfast in that it means to be firm and unmovable. This word refers to something that is not capable of being moved from one place to another place. So when we tell God “yes” we should be a permanent fixture in that place where God has us to serve. Let me give you an example based on something I know very little about, basketball. To my knowledge, and please do not correct me if I am wrong because it would totally ruin my analogy, when a person is dribbling the basketball and comes to a stop, one of their feet must be planted. The foot that is planted cannot be moved or the person would be charged with walking or traveling. Now that the player has stopped dribbling, he only has two options. He can shoot the ball, or he can pass the ball. While he is making up his mind, no matter how he moves his body, one foot must be planted. He may turn to the left or right, move his upper body all sorts of ways to get clear, but that one foot must remain planted. This is what I think about when I think about being immovable. All of the other forces are trying to get me to move, but I know if I move the foot that I have planted it is going to cost me. So that one foot remains firm and planted no matter what comes up against me. As we continue our growth and our understanding of God’s Word, we begin to plant our feet just like the basketball player making sure the enemy does not move us out of our position. First we plant one foot; and as we begin to grow more in our faith we plant two; and finally we plant our whole bodies by sitting, our faith being firm. David summed this up when he wrote, “(1) Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. (3) He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalms 1:1-3) A person who stays in God’s word will be like a tree planted by rivers of waters bringing forth fruit and he will not take refuge or get comfortable being seated with sinners. The next word I want to look at is always.