In John 9:20-22 we can read of Jesus giving sight to a man who had been blind all of his life. The man’s parents knew Jesus had done this for their son, but refused to publicly acknowledge him because they feared they would be put out of the synagogue for admitting that it was so. 

In John 12:42-43 we are told that among those in authority in Jerusalem, many believed in Jesus. These, however, also refused to publicly acknowledge him just as the parents of the man Jesus healed of blindness had done in chapter nine. John specifically points out (12:43) that this was because they loved the approval of men more than they loved the approval of God. 

In John 18:17 & 25-27 we are told how even the apostle Peter denied being a disciple of Jesus. Obviously under the intense pressure from the crowd outside part of Jesus’ trial, Peter denied his Lord three times, exactly as Jesus had said that he would (13:38). 

These things happened 2,000 years ago. Has anything changed? 

Truth is unaffected by any opinion we may have of it. Fear, however, is a strong emotion; strong enough even to create a bias against truth. The safeguard against fear, is the moral courage required to remain loyal to truth in spite of the consequences. 

Without this courage we become weak, and willing to crumble before whatever lie is most popular. When this happens, any claim that we value truth is no longer valid. 

Stand up, stand up for Jesus as the old song encourages. Stand up, stand up for truth.