Treasures New and Old
Treasures New and OldGod’s Pattern for His Disciples: Hold Fast to our Faith
We are taking a deeper look at that discipleship lifestyle than we did in 2020 by looking at what I call God’s pattern for His disciples.
For our article this month, we will look again at our battle over the old nature, our old man called the flesh, but from a different perspective, that of holding fast to our Head who is Jesus Christ. So far in this series, we have looked at what being a disciple of Christ means, guarding our hearts, and making our calling and election sure, and being of one mind with Christ and one another, and making no provision for the flesh but also replacing those sinful behaviors with godly behaviors, and last month, the importance of a disciple’s control of their tongue.
Hold Fast to our Faith
To hold fast is both an Old and New Testament concept. There are a number of words in both the Old and New Testament that talk about holding fast. Holding fast can be holding on to something good as well as something bad. We need to carefully examine the verses that have “holding fast” within them in order to have the right context. First, let me give you the definitions so that we have that background before we dig into the verses that I have listed in both the New and Old Testaments.
Some Hold Fast Definitions
Strong’s H2388: “chazaq; khaw-zak’: “A primitive root; to fasten upon; hence to seize, be strong (figuratively courageous, causatively strengthen, cure, help, repair, fortify), obstinate; to bind, restrain, conquer:- aid, amend, X calker, catch, cleave, confirm, be constant, constrain, continue, be of good (take) courage (-ous, -ly), encourage (self), be established, fasten, force, fortify, make hard, harden, help, (lay) hold (fast), lean, maintain, play the man, mend, become (wax) mighty, prevail, be recovered, repair, retain, seize, be (wax) sore, strengten (self), be stout, be (make, shew, wax) strong (-er), be sure, take (hold), be urgent, behave self valiantly, withstand.”
Strong’s G472: antechomai: “From G473 and the middle of G2192; to hold oneself opposite to, that is, (by implication) adhere to; by extension to care for: – hold fast, hold to, support.
Wordsearch’s Strong’s G2192: echo: verb . . . “to hold (used in very various applications, literal or figurative, direct or remote; such as possession, ability, contiguity, relation or condition) :- be (able, x hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can (+ -not), x conceive, count, diseased, do, + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, return, x sick, take for, + tremble, +uncircumcised, use.” Total KJV occurrences: 712; have 613; be 22; need + <G5532> 12; miscellaneous translations 63, vr have 2.
Wordsearch’s Strong’s G2722: katecho: “from <G2596> (kata) and <G2192> (echo), to hold down (fast), in various applications (literal or figurative) :- have, hold (fast), keep (in memory), let, x make toward, possess, retain, seize on, stay, take, withhold.” Total KJV occurrences: 19; hold 3; hold fast 3; etc.
Wordsearch’s Strong’s G2902: krateo: “from <G2904> (kratos); to use strength, i.e. seize or retain (literal or figurative) :- hold (by, fast), keep, lay hand (hold) on, obtain, retain, take (by).” Total KJV occurrences: 47; hold 12; take 9; etc.
Wordsearch’s Strong’s G5084: teresis: “from <G5083> (tereo); a watching, i.e. (figurative) observance, or (concretely) a prison :- hold.” Total KJV occurrences: 3; hold 1; prison 1; keeping 1.
Wordsearch’s Strong’s G5083: tereo: “from teros: (a watch; perhaps akin to <G2334> (theoreo)); to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from <G5442> (phulasso), which is properly to prevent escaping; and from <G2892> (koustodia), which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), i.e. to note (a prophecy, figurative to fulfill a command); by implication to detain (in custody; figurative to maintain); by extension to withhold (for personal ends; figurative to keep unmarried) :- hold fast, keep (-er), (pre-, re-) serve, watch.” Total KJV occurrences: 75; keep 57, reserve 8; etc.
Some Hold Fast Verses
The following verses illustrate the use of the concept of holding fast. To hold fast is to grab a hold of something as tightly as you can and be determined that under no circumstances will you let go of it. For Job, it was his integrity. He knew that what had happened to him was not the result of some specific sin but, instead, some evil had befallen him, or some trial, or attack. He refused to accept that he had offended the Lord. In Job 27:6, he refused to let go of what he believed to be his righteousness. A bit prideful, but it illustrates the concept. In Jeremiah, we see the people that Jeremiah is preaching to have also held fast but to their evil and sinful ways.
Job 2:3: “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.”
Job 27:6: “My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.”
Jeremiah 8:5: “Why then is this people of Jerusalem slid back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.”
This verse in Proverbs is a wise admonishment to get godly instruction and to hold fast to the precepts that instruction provides. Taught as if instruction was a living person, we are to keep her (guard her, surround her securely) in our lives as one keeps a precious jewel. The proverb likens her to life. Surely these are good reasons to hold fast to her and not forsake instruction. In this case, how do we do that? By continuously studying God’s Word, seeking His wisdom, and applying God’s truth in our everyday lives.
Proverbs 4:13: “Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.”
The following verses provides us with some things worth holding fast to:
- That which has been proven good
- Godly traditions taught in the Bible
- Sound words, advise from godly sources
- God’s faithful words
- Our confidence, hope, and rejoicing in our Savior
- Our profession (testimony) and never denying Christ
- What we have received and heard from God
1 Thessalonians 5:21 (emphasis added): “Prove all things; hold fast (G2722) that which is good.”
2 Thessalonians 2:15 (emphasis added): “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold (G2902) the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.”
2 Timothy 1:13, 14 (emphasis added): “Hold fast (G2192) the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.”
Titus 1:7-9 (emphasis added): “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”
Hebrews 3:6 (emphasis added): “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast (G2722) the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.”
Hebrews 4:14 (emphasis added): “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast (G2902) our profession.”
Hebrews 10:23 (emphasis added): “Let us hold fast (G2722) the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”
Revelations 2:13 (emphasis added): “[To the church at Pergamos] I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast (G2902) my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.”
Revelations 2:25 (emphasis added): “[To the church of Thyatira] But that which ye have already hold fast (G2902) till I come.”
Revelations 3:2-3 (emphasis added): “[To the church at Sardis] Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast (G5803), and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
Revelations 3:11 (emphasis added): “[To the church at Philadelphia] Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast (G2902) which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
Hold Fast Instructions
Ways to hold fast:
1. To seize on to and not let go, to take hold of, to grasp, to have power over, to rule over
2. To keep the item before you in memory
3. To watch like a guard in order to prevent theft
4. To care for or nurture in order to keep it alive and viable, or better yet, alive and thriving
5. To be a warden and keep an eye on such as a prisoner so there is no escape, to watch, to keep, to obey
6. To have or hold, to retain, or hold down.
7. To have and hold, as a continued possession, particularly and primarily to have in one’s hands, to hold in the hand
Things to hold fast:
1. Christ’s name – His reputation, character, and person
2. Sound words, faithful words, particularly that which was committed unto you through the Holy Spirit via godly men
3. Sound doctrine by which you are able to navigate through the decisions in life, to know the will of God, and to stand when all around you is in turmoil
4. The confidence and rejoicing that we have in Christ, the hope of our salvation
5. The profession of our faith, always ready to give a reason for the hope that lies within you
6. That which you have received and heard already
7. Take fast hold of instruction
8. Hold fast to that which is good
9. Hold the traditions which ye have been taught
10. Hold fast our profession
11. Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast
12. Hold fast which thou hast
Penalty to backsliding:
1. You will hold onto deceit
2. You will not easily repent and return, making excuses for sins in your life
3. You will become your own standard, and you will become darkened
4. You will become like those of Laodicea, needing to buy from Christ that which you have lost
5. You will forget sound doctrine and instruction and, instead, start listening to and obeying worldly wisdom
6. You will waver, struggle in your faith
7. You will lose hope, joy, rejoicing, and your confidence in Christ – creating all sorts of doubts
8. You will find those weights and sins are now easily besetting you and holding onto you
9. You will cheapen your profession, perhaps not sharing it at all
10. Your prayer life will suffer, and it will seem as if no one is listening
Why do we hold fast?
1. Instruction is your life
2. Good things are proven, endure, and are from the Father of Lights
3. That we may stand fast in what we were taught
4. That we may walk in sound words, in faith, and love in Christ Jesus
5. We are Christ’s house rejoicing with hope, firm unto the end (Hebrews 3:6)
6. That our profession remains until the end
7. That the profession of our faith is without wavering and faithful
8. And he that overcometh and keepeth Christ’s works unto the end, to him will He give power over the nations
9. So that Jesus does not come on us as a thief, and we are embarrassed before Him and found wanting
10. That no man takes your crown
What do we have that we need to hold fast?
1. Our calling
2. Our election
3. Our testimony
4. Our ministry
5. God’s Word and truth
6. God’s promises
7. Each other
Hold Fast Admonishments to Remember
Isaiah 51:1 (emphasis added): “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.”
Psalm 20:7 (emphasis added): “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”
Psalm 63:6 (emphasis added): “When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.”
Psalm 77:10 (emphasis added): “And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.”
Psalm 103:18 (emphasis added): “To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.”
Psalm 105:5 (emphasis added): “Remember his marvelous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;”
Psalm 143:5 (emphasis added): “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.”
Acts 20:35 (emphasis added): “I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Galatians 2:10 (emphasis added): “Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.”
Hebrews 13:3 (emphasis added): “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.”
Hebrews 13:7 (emphasis added): “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”
Revelation 2:5 (emphasis added): “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of this place, except thou repent.”
As we close this article, I think you can see the importance and value of holding fast to those things which God has encouraged us to grab hold of and not let go. In the battle of the flesh versus the spirit, holding fast to God’s truth, promises, and encouragements are an important tool in our arsenal to have a victorious Christian life. As I’ve said in this article and in others, we can’t just clean the house of the weights and sins that easily beset us; we have to refill the house with those things which are good and profitable to the Christian believer. So, hold, dearly beloved, to our Head which is Jesus Christ.
Maranatha!
Bro. Joe
References
Strong, J. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. Meyers, R. (2005). e-Sword. [computer software] . Franklin, TN: Equipping Ministries Foundation. (Original work published 1539)
Strong, J. Strong’s Talking Greek_Hebrew Dictionary. Wordsearch. (2020). Wordsearch Bible. [computer software] . Nashville, TN: LifeWay Christian Resources. (Original work published 1890).