The Unshakeable Christian

We must therefore hold fast to Christ, who cannot change. We must have a faith that cannot be shaken. All the shakings, earthquakes, and changes of our life can be the means of our strengthening, so that we may become steadfast and unshakable.^[1]

The idea of “being shaken,” or moved, is a common one in Scripture. In fact, you can essentially lay it right next to faith in order to better understand what faith is—that is to say that faith is to hold so firmly to belief in God and His promises that one is unmoved by opposing circumstances.

The disciples were shaken by the wind and waves during a boat ride with their master sleeping in the hinder part of the craft. The great storm overwhelmed the boat with water to the degree that even the fishermen on board were convinced they were doomed.

The disciples shook him saying, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38), and our Lord arose, “and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still” (v. 39). Immediately there was calm, but instead of comfort, the disciples received a rebuke:

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? (v. 40)

How should that question be answered? How is it that they had no faith? Is this even a fair question?

They could’ve easily said, “Lord, we are experienced fishermen and no craft can survive such a flooding.” However, they had received something greater than all their fishing experience combined. It was something even greater than the great storm. They had received His Word:

And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. (Mark 4:35, emphasis added)

If their Lord said they were going to pass to the other side, then they were going to do so, “come hell or high water,” but like us, the disciples were shaken by what they saw. In a similar instance, Peter went so far as to walk on water but began to sink when he saw the wind and waves (Matt. 14:29–30). Peter had success when he walked on his Lord’s word, “Come” (v. 29), but sank when he was shaken by the winds.

This story is no doubt in James’ mind when he wrote the following concerning prayer,

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. (James 1:6-8)

The apostle Paul reminds the Roman church that to follow the example of Abraham’s faith means we consider God’s promises and power to be more significant than any opposing circumstance. Abraham’s model is the textbook example for what a walk of faith should look like in the life of a Christian in covenant with God:

And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. (Rom. 4:19-21)

Even David provides us with a powerful method for practicing faith when he wrote,

I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (Psalm 16:8)

David set the Lord before himself. He saw the Lord as being at his right hand, and because that vision was so vivid, David could say, “I shall not be moved.”

Are we easily moved? Then that tells us what we see. As Rushdoony said above, “We must therefore hold fast to Christ, who cannot change. We must have a faith that cannot be shaken.” To live this way, one must be saturated with God’s Word and presence.

God did great things through the lives of those who had unshakeable faith, and He will do the same through us if we walk in similar faith and victory. No doubt, it is far easier to write these things than it is to live them, but these Scriptural examples are given for our admonition, encouragement, and instruction. The issue is will we put them into practice?

Rushdoony wrote a great deal about the Christian’s victorious faith, and his own faith was a great reason that he was able to inspire so many during his years of ministry. It’s more than his intelligence that drew people to Rushdoony. It was infectious faith and confidence in the victory of God in history!

Chalcedon continues in that same spirit of faith as we look to move mountains with the victorious gospel of the Kingdom, and we ask you to join with us in this great mission. Please take a few moments today to remember Chalcedon in your giving. We rely solely upon the generosity of our faithful supporters, and we desperately need that support right now. Click here to donate today.

^[1] R. J. Rushdoony, A Word in Season: Daily Messages on the Faith for All of Life, Vol. 3, (Vallecito, CA: Ross House Books, 2011), p. 6.