My Christian friends say in College I have to be strong a not a timid Christian and stand firm for Christ and what I believe.
That's what they mean Martin S!
to be ready to preach the gosple at all times, stand firm despite your athiest professors and class mates, not engage in drugs or drink , and stay STRONG
GOD BLESS
They probably mean that in college you may face atheist teachers who teach things that go against what the Bible teaches as well as being surrounded by godless classmates who scoff at the Christian religion.
Therefore you will be under pressure to appear to be "intellectual" by hiding your faith and going along with these types of things. People may laugh at you if you don't want to engage in sexual immorality or if you don't want to live the "party lifestyle" or if you want to go to church on Sunday instead of the beach or something like that because you are trying to live your life as a Christian instead of going along with the crowd.
When I was a believer, it seemed that the ones who in some way advertised their faith (I was one of them) were quick to call other Christians timid. It's really pompous. Just be yourself.
well obviously if you're in college, you're looking to better yourself through knowledge. there's no better place to realize that your whole belief system can be crumbled by thorough thought. their advice is for you to be arrogant and not be open minded to what makes sense, but rather to deny with out a doubt any logic that proves religion to be nothing more than a clever idea.
@John Thomas: If you preach to people at all times then prepare for people to treat you like the self-righteous, arrogant, presumptious, social leper that you will be.
Maybe what you believe is that Christianity should be taken lightly, in which case I would agree with you. That sounds more insightful than timid, more philosophical than Christian.
I respect that.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
And "fearful" here means just that - timid or fearful
Timidity implies either a complete lack of belief, a shame of it, or an unpreparedness.