To Stand in the Evil Day

I came across the following quote while reading a book review in the Wall Street Journal:

“When an insecure, malleable, relativistic culture meets a culture that is anchored, confident, and strengthened by common doctrines, it is generally the former that changes to suit the latter.”

(Reflections on the Revolution in Europe by Christopher Caldwell.) Caldwell was referring to the difficulty Europe has had in assimilating increasing numbers of Muslim immigrants, but I was struck by the position of true strength occupied by disciples of Christ.

So often, it feels the other way around—that to be a follower of Christ in our day is to set oneself up for ridicule as a narrow-minded, intolerant fundamentalist who is hopelessly out of touch with modern realities. Of course, this reaction is to be expected: belief in, and proclamation of, the existence of any absolute strikes at the heart of relativism. And in any case, the Lord warned us beforehand to expect this kind of reception. (See John 15:18-22.) But Caldwell’s words are a good reminder that in the face of such strident opposition, the best reaction is simply to continue to stand.

Like Jesus, God’s prophets have warned that the true followers of his Son would be mocked. (See 1 Nephi 8:26-28.) But they have also taught that such mocking is ultimately as harmless and insubstantial as mist to those who stand firm in the faith of Christ. (See 1 Nephi 8:24, 33-34.) In Christ, we find a spirit of “power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7.) The Lord promised those who walk in his name that “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20.) Because of this promise, no matter what comes our way, we can go forward “armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.” (1 Nephi 14:14.) Faced with the storms of life, we can build our foundation on Christ, “a foundation whereon if men build, they cannot fall.” (Helaman 5:12.) And confronted by the “wiles of the devil,” we can “[p]ut on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand.” (Ephesians 6:11.)

After all, as Paul implies, sometimes the most we will be able to do is to “withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand,” (Ephesians 6:13), at least until the day comes when Jesus shall appear in his glory and “every knee shall bow” and “every tongue shall confess” that Jesus is the Christ. (Romans 14:11.)