Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Did you know the first use of stand is defined as to draw near, to approach? At first glance that doesn’t make sense but look at it from a standpoint of the action of a stand happens only on two occasions. You either stand from a sitting position or stand from a moving position.

First use meanings within the bible are always important. The spiritual implication there being that since the definition was related to draw near or approach, then we were not there yet. We had not yet come to that place which was drawing us closer.

The meaning of apostle is sent. One who is sent has already stood before the One who draws us to Himself. I presented Philippians 2:16 because to hold forth implies that one who is sent has to stand in order to hold forth or present that which he was sent to do.

Take a stand! What do those words mean to you? My guess would be to be principled. To defend that which you have chosen as worthy of defending might be another. Either way it is a position of ridged and fixed position. Stiff as in stiff-necked or stubborn. It is unyielding. Men do so love to take a stand.

Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

We who belong to the Lord stand only twice. First we stand as we approach the Lord to receive that which we are sent out to deliver. The second is to stand and hold forth the word of life to a lost and dying world.