God expects all of His children to do the right thing, no matter how hard it may be, and no matter how many people may dislike it. After all, God is holy and just, and He doesn't care what His enemies think about Him (see Psalm 2:1-5). All of them shudder anyway (see James 2:19).
Have you ever stood up for God and did what was right? If ever you had I'm pretty sure you saw those who were happy you did the right thing. I'm also sure you saw some who weren't. Should you be sorry for doing what was right?
Boldly Standing
Standing strong to do what is right requires one to be prepared for opposition. When we choose to do the right thing, we will almost always offend someone who doesn't want to do right. There's always some opposition.
Consider, for example, people in the Bible. We read many stories of God's people who did what was right, and faced tremendous opposition from many.
• We read of John the Baptist, who kept pointing out the wrong, adulterous relationship that King Herod had with his brother's wife, Herodias. He was eventually beheaded at the request of the adulterous woman (see Mark 6:17-29).
• We read of Nehemiah who asked King Artaxerxes for help in rebuilding the broken-down walls of Jerusalem. He was terribly opposed by several people because he came to seek the welfare of his people (see Nehemiah 2:1-10)
• We read of Paul, Peter, and the other disciples and apostles being persecuted, ridiculed, threatened, and slandered for their bold and courageous preaching of the undiluted Gospel of Christ (see Acts, epistles of Paul).
All of them did what was right in the sight of God, and they faced such opposition for it.
More than all that, we read of Jesus Christ being accused wrongly, ridiculed, humiliated, flogged, punished, and crucified simply because He was doing the will of God. And while it was God's will for Him to be punished, the punishment given to Him was in behalf of our sins and iniquities (see Gospels, Isaiah 53).
Christ went through all the rejection, ridicule, and scorn so that we could be forgiven, accepted, and redeemed by God as His sons and daughters. We must realise that our sins are forgiven, our past is forgotten, our citizenship is in heaven, our identity is in Christ, and our future life is secure in God.
Why should we, then, feel apologetic for doing what is right for the sake of Christ?
Stand for Righteousness
God has given us the righteousness that belongs to His Son Jesus Christ (see Romans 3:22; 2 Corinthians 5:21). We have been made righteous by His blood that was shed on the cross of Calvary. With this righteousness, let us all stand bold and unashamed in doing what God wants us to do.
Let us not fear, nor feel apologetic for doing what God wants us to do the way He wants us to do it (see Romans 1:16).
"The wicked flee when no man pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion." – Proverbs 28:1
