Take a Stand

Big Idea: Christians should publicly declare their faith despite opposition, as Jesus promises that heaven's rewards will make earthly sacrifices worthwhile.

Many of us want to openly express our identity in Christ, but the word "evangelism" often causes fear. A study identified five main reasons people avoid evangelism: negative views of TV preachers, lack of time, fear of rejection, difficulty in sharing their beliefs, and shyness.

The Bible highlights two men who struggled with this same timidity: Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. John 3 describes Nicodemus as a ruler of the Jews, wealthy, and highly respected. Yet, Nicodemus approached Jesus under the cover of night, likely out of fear of being seen during the day. Before modern lighting, nighttime provided him with privacy and protection from public attention. Nicodemus seemed to be a secret disciple, hesitant to openly support Christ, even if he later became a believer.

Joseph was the same, a member of the Sanhedrin. Luke writes that Joseph was good and righteous, but John 19 tells us that he was a secret disciple of Christ because he feared the Jews. Probably in no culture has the pressure to conform been greater than among the Pharisees of Jesus' day. For Nicodemus or Joseph to express their interest in Jesus' teachings would mean facing ostracism from their religious community, friends, neighbors, and possibly even their families. It seems apparent that they would also have felt negative pressure business-wise. So he kept the secret. They were undercover Christians.

Later, in John 7, the Pharisees ask some officers why they failed to carry out their orders to arrest Christ. The soldiers reply, "No one ever spoke the way this man does!" The Pharisees respond angrily, "You mean he has deceived you also? Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No!" Nicodemus, hesitant to accept the statement, asks, "Does our law condemn someone without first hearing him out?" But his colleagues retort, "Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee."

Such a rebuff is enough to keep Nicodemus silent. After all, who enjoys being embarrassed? What Jew wants to be thought of as non-kosher? No one likes being a misfit. With most of us, the thought of bucking the opinions of others elicits great fear.

However, something changed. We read that in Mark 15, Joseph and Nicodemus finally went public.

Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. (Mark 15:43)

Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. (John 19:39-40) Taking Jesus' body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.

Joseph and Nicodemus were no longer undercover Christians. They now openly declared their association with Christ.

Charles Finney, the famous American lawyer/preacher of 160 or so years ago, wrote these words in his Revival Lectures:

Prevalence of the fear of man is evidence of a slidden heart. If the heart is full of the love of God, the Lord is feared and not man. A desire for the applause of man is kept down and it is enough to please God, whether men are pleased or displeased. But when the love of God is abated, "the fear of man," that "bringeth a snare," gets possession of the backslider. To please man rather than God, is then his aim. In such a state he will sooner offend God than man.

Historians agree that mass communication has led to conformity in modern society. Today's North Americans think more alike than any previous generation. This increasing similarity poses a concerning issue: true differentiation has become harder, affecting the church itself.

Christians hesitate to share their faith, fearing the "fanatic" label. Among friends, believers remain silent on moral issues to avoid social discomfort. Students avoid mealtime prayers for fear of being ridiculed. Church members stay neutral on obvious evils like racism, allowing such injustices to persist unchallenged. Young people sense calls to kingdom-focused celibacy but suppress them under social pressure.

Even within church gatherings, when opportunities arise to testify about Christ's work, certain voices remain consistently silent. They offer excuses—"My thoughts aren't profound" or "Nobody is interested"—when the truth is simpler: they fear looking foolish. Many believers have felt God's Spirit strongly in their lives, but they may not express it, especially if current trends persist. The root? Fear of others' judgment.

Is this your story?

The Bible says that there is a price to openly declaring your allegiance to him. What is this about a price? How high is the price? What will the toll be?

Here are Jesus' exact words:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)

Jesus teaches that any sacrifice made on earth is worthwhile for the reward of heaven. He never promises ease in this life; rather, he explicitly guarantees difficulty. Yet he assures us that heaven's rewards will overwhelmingly vindicate every sacrifice.

The Cost

Some may say, "Paying a price feels old-fashioned—Christians aren't fed to lions anymore." Jesus' words are timeless. His followers have always faced costs for their faith, and they always will.

Let me explain why this remains inevitable.

Our values are different.

The value system of Jesus and the values of contemporary society are always at odds. There's a constant clash between those who live by a biblical Christian perspective and those who don't. These collisions—these moral “fender benders”—happen daily, and they’re becoming more frequent. Take, for example, the issue of irresponsible sexual expression. It’s led to tens of thousands of unwanted pregnancies, millions of sexually transmitted diseases, and skyrocketing suicide rates. Culture insists, “It’s a condom problem with a condom solution.” Christ-followers respond, “It’s not a condom problem, it’s a character problem.” The solution is not something you can buy from a vending machine at a gas station.

At the root of this issue is sin—a self-destructive gravitational pull within all of us. Sin distorts our understanding of life, relationships, and sexuality. And the only way to conquer sin is through Christ. But when Christians speak out about these truths, they will inevitably face resistance. The battle lines are drawn. Discussing topics like homosexuality or abortion can lead to a tense atmosphere, even with the most honest and gentle responses. Let’s face it: being a committed Christ-follower is not exactly popular. Expressing biblical convictions can tank your social standing and invite ridicule.

Someone might ask, “You are not one of those Christians who believes in the Bible, heaven, and hell, are you?” Cue the eye rolls and dismissive comments: “Your naiveté is only outdone by your ignorance.” So, what is a Christ-follower to do? How do we respond?

Jesus gives us the answer. First, stand firm. Do not run scared, do not cave in, and do not shrink back. Stand firm. Second, smile on the inside. Rejoice, not because it feels good, but because you know Christ will make it all worthwhile in heaven. The scars we bear for standing with Him will be redeemed and rewarded.

The truth is, Christ’s values and the world’s values will always clash. So don’t get too comfortable here. We’re not called to blend in; we’re called to stand out.

There's a second reason why we may face opposition.

We may unintentionally irritate others.

One reason Christ-followers face opposition in this world is that, by living faithfully, they unintentionally become moral irritants. Think back to that one brilliant student in grade school who ruined the curve for everyone else. They weren’t trying to make others look bad. They simply had a sharp mind and worked hard. Yet, the rest of us froze them out because their excellence exposed our mediocrity.

The same thing happens to Christians, especially in the workplace. They’re not trying to provoke anyone, but by refusing to play politics, exploit perks, or cut corners, they stand out. They put in an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay, and that integrity can make others uncomfortable. Eventually, someone snaps: “Would you get off your high horse? You Christians are all the same, always trying to make us look bad.”

What’s happening here? It’s simple: whenever someone disrupts the moral grading curve, they’re ostracized. Jesus knew this would happen. That’s why He tells us to stand firm and smile, knowing that great is our reward in heaven.

Picture a married woman who becomes a Christian. She still loves her husband but has lost interest in parties with drunkenness and no longer wants to watch pornography. She doesn’t shame her husband, but her changed lifestyle exposes his choices. Frustrated, he says, “I’ve had it with all your pressure.” Yet, she hasn’t preached a word—her life itself has become a moral irritation. Jesus warned that people would insult, persecute, and falsely accuse you because of him.

She faces a choice. She could go back to parties and pornography to maintain peace, but if that's what she must do to stay in the relationship, what choice does she have? Jesus’ answer is clear: stand firm. Grow in integrity. Despite the challenges, smile inside, knowing that the cost of being steadfast may be great on earth, but the heavenly reward will be much greater.

This isn’t Christianity 101. It’s industrial strength. It’s the kind of faith that holds fast when the pressure mounts, trusting that Jesus will make every sacrifice worthwhile.

Our values are different, and we may unintentionally irritate others. There's one more reason we may face opposition.

People may have had a bad experience with Christians.

You are probably going to be lumped in with somebody's worst experience with a religious group. You're going to take hits you don't deserve. Lumped in with Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, David Koresh, and the fellows. It's uncomfortable, but it's inevitable. People can be very suspicious of us because they've been beat up and ganged up by other Christians, and some of them have been burned by preachers who have had affairs and messed up. Not all Christians are alike, but we get stereotyped and lumped in together.

What do you do? When unfairly grouped with fringe Christianity, stay firm, and smile inside when associated with Christian crackpots. But don't shrink back. Don't put your light under a bushel.

In the unlikely event that we wind up living in a culture where there's overt hostility and persecution, can we play out in our minds what we'd do? There are places right now where people are gathering, doing what they're doing at the risk of imprisonment and death. If the threat of imprisonment hung over this, would you come? Would you come to the communion table, share your faith, read the Bible?

Jesus understood the brutal persecution His followers would face—torture, imprisonment, and even death for their faith. History tells us of Christians thrown into the Coliseum, families facing lions while singing praises to God. They stood firm, knowing that the cost of their faith on earth would be far outweighed by their reward in heaven. Their example teaches us to endure and face challenges for Christ, trusting that it will be worthwhile in eternity.

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:26)

Some of us are ashamed of Jesus. The Bible tells us that if our faith is a secret from our co-workers, friends, and neighbors, Jesus Christ will be ashamed of us. We are God's Plan A, and He doesn't have a Plan B. The great commission applies to all of us, not an evangelism committee, not the pastors. It's not a matter of whether it's practical or not, it's a matter of obedience.

The gospel calls us to a bold and public faith, one that refuses to hide in the shadows of fear or conformity. Nicodemus and Joseph remind us that even the most hesitant hearts can be transformed into courageous witnesses. Their journey from secrecy to boldness mirrors the call Jesus extends to each of us: to stand firm, even when it costs us.

The truth is, following Christ will always involve a cost. It may mean facing ridicule, rejection, or even outright hostility. But Jesus assures us that every sacrifice we make for his sake will be redeemed. The reward of heaven far outweighs the temporary discomforts of this world.

So, what do we do? We stand firm. We live with integrity, even when it irritates others. We endure unfair stereotypes and misjudgments, trusting that God sees and knows the truth. And we shine our light—not timidly, but boldly—so that others may see and glorify our Father in heaven.

This week, take the step. Speak openly about your faith, not with arrogance, but with gentleness and respect. Trust that God will use your obedience, no matter how small it feels, to point others to him. Remember, you are not alone. The same Spirit who emboldened Nicodemus and Joseph empowers you today. And the same Savior who promised them a great reward promises it to you as well. Stand firm, and let your life declare the beauty and power of the gospel.