Faith
"A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful" Proverbs 14:25 NIV
Christians nowadays can be overwhelmed by the constant state of attacks against one fundamental truth or another that the secular world and other religious groups bring to bear. As we well know, the truth is constant and cannot change but the lies and twists that the enemy uses can evolve overnight into something new. What gets the rally cry raised among Christians today is that untruthfulness that the enemy uses in its campaign to misguide souls from salvation.
Should we carry around a placard, announcing our thoughts on the biblical truth to the lies and distortions of the enemy? To meet every challenge of the enemy against our faith, our creed, and our very truth with the unyielding and undistorted Truth? It would seem, then, in some theologians' view that Christians would wind up saying nothing but negative things about everything. Funny, the truth has been known to be inconvenient, inflexible, and absolute, but never negative. The very statements that have endured the ages and countless attacks has been uttered throughout the years by different mouths; unchanging and timeless.
So, should we as Christian soldiers stand to the front lines, in a fighting stance, to repel the attacks of the enemy upon the fortress of truth? Out on patrol, in a posture of seek and destroy? Or should we take an attitude of 'defense', waiting to hear the battle cries of the enemy's lies and mistruths before we stand to the wall? Maybe we should just hang up the swords and shields and beat them into plowshares……..
Is it any wonder that the further and further humanity (for we must be politically correct here and not say mankind) gets from the Fall and morality of our beginnings that we increasingly find it harder and harder to hear the truth? That we walk around building a house of cards and hold our breath for fear of blowing it down?
Paul tells us through probably one of his most famous verses in his letter to the Ephesians, where he tells us to 'put on the full armor of God', that we must be in a constant state of battle readiness. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul tells us that we should conduct ourselves in a battle ready state, in Philippians 1:27 "Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ …….contending side by side for the faith of the gospel." We are called to sharpen each other in preparation of the final battle to come, to strengthen, support, admonish, discipline, and exhort one another daily. This is no complacent act.
So, should we stand in our armor, leaning against the mighty fortress walls for the first arrow strikes? No, We should be fully armored, with the words of truth and righteousness cocked and ready to fly against the enemy. Paul tells Timothy and us, in 2 Timothy 4:2, to "Preach the message, be ready whether it is convenient or not, reprove, rebuke, exhort with complete patience and instruction." Instead of waiting for the 'right' and 'convenient' time to talk about the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the immovable truth of God's words, we should actively be seeking out mistruth and slaying the enemy's lies. In Galatians 1:8, Paul declares, "But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to hell!" (Galatians 1:8 NET)
Peter, the stone upon which Jesus declared He would build the church, tells us to prepare our minds for the conflict, ""Therefore, get your minds ready for action by being fully sober and set your hope completely upon the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:13 NET). Again, with our weapons ready, we should be actively searching out the enemy's forces and joining the battle with them.
And, what are these weapons that Christians are given in this war upon the souls of man? Paul, the greatest expositor of the Gospel, declares it in another famous verse, well known to both camps (AOG and the enemy alike), in 1 Corinthians 13:13……."faith, hope, and love." The greatest of all the weapons we are arrayed with is Love. Love spoken in truth, and Love used in compassionate salvation of those the enemy would call his own. How do we know how to use this ultimate weapon? Paul tells us in Colossians 4:6, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one."
One story, told over and over around Christmas time, is of two opposing forces in the dead of winter locked in a colossal battle over the fate of the World at the time, World War II. German and American forces spent the day fighting each other, seeking to gain the upper hand in defeating the other. As night fell, both forces dug in and prepared to defend their positions during the darkness.
At midnight, one soldier started singing 'Silent Night'. Soon, on both sides of the battlefield, up and down the entrenched lines, soldiers from both the German and American units joined in singing. Then, first a soldier from the German side stepped out into the dead man's zone between his forces and the Americans and an American soldier joined him. No shots were fired, and the two enemy forces spent the night in the spirit of Christmas.
The next morning, they renewed the battle.
Yes, we are soldiers in a war, one that has been ongoing since the Fall caused us to descend from perfection into decay and sinful pursuits. The battle has been raging for the souls of Man since the first bite of the fruit to the compliancy of many American Christians today. Live and let live. If that is your motto, then you've condemned those you would save to death.
The enemy knows that the time grows short, until he faces the Commander of the Army of God in the final battle whose outcome has already been declared. So he uses whatever arsenal he has available, that he has used since the Fall of Man from Eden; lies, misdirection, and compliancy to lead as many as he can away from the salvation of his Vanquisher.
We must stand constantly ready, armored in the protection of God's provision, and vigilant against the enemy's weapons; to speak out in truth, which has and will never change, against those evil attacks. We must continue to preach the Truth, live the Truth, and be the Truth until we are blue in the face and the same words have been used over and over again.
James, Jesus' earthly brother, spoke this creed to the Christian soldiers of all ages, "My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (James 5:19-20 NET)" All our lost brothers and sisters, whether actively disillusioned by the enemy or passively disenchanted, have been turned away from the Truth. Would you be the one to fight to save their souls?
Matthew Henry explains it in more direct terms, "The salvation of one soul is of infinitely greater importance than preserving the lives of multitudes, or promoting the welfare of a whole people."
Of course, King Solomon said it the simplest way in this Proverb, "A truthful witness saves lives…" and that is what Christianity is ultimately all about, isn't it? Saving lives, well beyond the physical and temporary realm we all live in? Are you actively in pursuit of that mission?
We are in a state of War, my brothers and sisters, a war where the victor has already been declared and the final battle's echo is beginning to be heard! It is time to stand to our mission; declaring the Gospel of the Almighty God and seeking the souls that have been lost to the darkness. We've been equipped, we've been trained, and we have been standing the walls too long!
Let's clear the ramparts and head outwards, saving those souls that would be saved on our march to meet our King who is descending from the Heavens with the Heavenly Host!
PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
Reader Count & Comments
Date
The opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com. This is especially true with articles that
deal with personal healthcare and prophecy. We encourage the reader to make their own decision in consultation with God, His Word, and others as needed.
This article has been read 1160 times < Previous | Next >
Read more articles by Jim Hutson or search for other articles by topic below.
This article has been read 1160 times < Previous | Next >
Search for articles on: (e.g. creation; holiness etc.)
Read more by clicking on a link:Free Reprints
Main Site Articles
Most Read Articles
Highly Acclaimed Challenge Articles.
New Release Christian Books for Free for a Simple Review.
NEW - Surprise Me With an Article - Click here for a random URL
God is Not Against You - He Came on an All Out Rescue Mission to Save You
...in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them... 2 Cor 5:19
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Acts 13:38
LEARN & TRUST JESUS HERE
FaithWriters offers Christian reading material for Christian readers. We offer Christian articles, Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction, Christian Bible studies, Christian poems, Christian articles for sale, free use Christian articles, Christian living articles, New Covenant Christian Bible Studies, Christian magazine articles and new Christian articles. We write for Jesus about God, the Bible, salvation, prayer and the word of God.