"sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
- Genesis 4:7
There is a war going on in my life right now. It is the war to know, to be aware. It is a war to understand the things of this world. It is a war to play a role in the free society that I exist in. It is a war to take the gospel to the front lines of the issues that exist in the culture that I live in. There have been so many obstacles in this war, including myself. It has been much easier to stand aside than to walk up to the front lines and stand waiting to get mowed down. So in the spirit of this war, a few questions have been germinating in my mind. What is my role in this world? Spiritual leaders, warriors of the faith, where have you gone?
Please understand, my frustrations are not pointed at any specific individuals necessarily, but rather in a system of thought, be it apathy or fear of the unknown, that I feel permeates the minds of an unfortunate majority. This idea comes out of some conversations that I have had lately with some people that I call "conversational deflectionists." That is, it seems as if they are always getting out of a hard conversation using any means possible. This is discouraging to me, because the conversations that I have with them are vital in preparation for the battle. At times, these conversations have brought me to a place of anger and frustration at those who have gone before me. They chalk it up to "same song, different verse." That's not good enough for me. I feel that it is statements like that which continue to promote apathy in my generation. I understand that war, politics, our current tax system, and the rest of the political society that we live in are not very fun things to talk about at times. I can also understand how it would be hard to perceive them as spiritual matters. However, if we choose to live in this free society, then we had better gird up to fight for what is right.
"I've come to the conclusion that roughly fifty percent of the adults in this country are simply too ignorant and functionally incompetent to be living in a free society"
- Neal Boortz
So to address my first question. What is my role in this world? To become educated. To understand as best that I can the way of the world and play the role that God has given me to influence it for the Kingdom. That is who I want to be and what I feel called to. I want to become a spiritual warrior and fight for that which I know to be true. I want to be a disciple, trained and prepared by those who have gone before me. So, men and women of the faith...rise up.
This leads me to my second question. Where have the spiritual leaders and warriors gone? Are you there? If you are, why is it that so many of you choose to not engage in the culture and society that we live in? There are people who are looking to you to fight. There are people looking to you as an example. Teach us the ways of the world, not that we might follow in them, but that we might learn how to live for the gospel in them. Teach us how to discern the voice of the Spirit on these matters which bombard our culture in the most manipulative of ways.
Achilles was a mighty warrior. He could not be struck down. He was the greatest fighter in his army. They would not go to battle without him. There were times when Achilles would stay behind with his mistresses because he didn't feel it was his war to fight. The lives of many men were lost because of his choice to not fight. That is how I see you sometimes, men of the faith. Not willing to fight. To tired. To afraid. Or maybe it's just not your battle. At the same time, lives are being lost. Mine is one of them.
Again, this is not a generalization. However, it is a charge to those living in apathy, whatever form it takes. Step outside for a moment and smell the possibility of something different. Play the role that you are called to as free citizens. Teach those around you.
As the scripture at the edge of this blog says, I see the sin crouching at my door, and I choose to master it, not hide from it and allow it to pass on to someone else.
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About Me
- Ben White
- Long Beach, CA, United States
Thoughts of a Murderer
The purpose here is to encourage. The purpose here is to be challenged. Leave a comment. Let me know your thoughts. Hopefully in doing this we can become more like Jesus.
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1 comment:
Ben,
Your observations are good, and you are seeing the reality of the battle we are facing. It is true, it would seem that many leaders have "stayed behind" as Achilles did, with many things which have drawn them away from the reality of the war and the reality of His workmanship in them to give them purpose to walk in predetermined works they should do for His Kingdom (Ephesians 2:10)and to be "change agents" in our culture.
Jesus confronted the culture of His day, and did not shrink from getting in the face of the "religious establishment", and it eventually cost Him his life.(which as you know He freely gave as a sacrifice for us)
Another one who gave his life in sacrifice of service to the Lord was the Apostle Paul. He was very aware of the battle in which he found himself, and recognized the battle he fought was a spiritual one. Even though he faced similar attitudes among the "religous establishment" (I mean the Church)of his day, he recognized ultimately the battle could only be won through the power of the cross, the absolute truth found in Christ and the Scriptures, and the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through him.
This did not exclude him from adversity, sickness, pain, and all manner of "distractions" and obstacles.
Fighting a war is a dangerous, draining, difficult task. Talk to anyone who has been in the midst of "battle" in a war on this planet and they will tell you how hard it was.
It is no different in the spiritual battle we face on a daily basis. Perhaps it may be more difficult because often we cannot see our enemy, but he is there, seeking to devour us.
That is why the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy to:
"be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." (II Timothy 2:1)
Grace is the commodity God gives us to walk out what He has called us to do. Also Paul encouraged him to :
"retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you." (II Timothy 1:13-14)
And he also encouraged him in this way:
"Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier." (II Timothy2:3-4)
That word "retain" in the original Greek language means to "hold onto". Here is the interesting thing about the use of this word in this verse: Paul is using the verb form which is the "present, active, imperative". This means what he is saying is this: Hold onto and keep holding onto the standard of sound words...and this is not a suggestion, it is a command!
Why do I bring this into the conversation? Because in order to be a good soldier, to fight the battle properly, you need to be grounded in the battle plan of the commander!
We are bombarded constantly by a culture which is based on relative truth, (which by the way, has permeated the American Church)and its main purpose is to sidetrack us from the truth in which we have been grounded.
The Apostle Paul warned the church about the days we live in when he told Timothy:
"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power. Aviod such men as these." (II Timothy 3:1-5)
The ironic fact of this is that Paul is not talking about people who do not know God, (for these attributes are clearly seen in mankind throughout the world) but he is warning Timothy of ones in the church of our time who will become this way.
These who hold to a form of godliness, but deny its power, are those who have left the truth of Christ, and the reality of the necessity of the filling and baptism of the Holy Spirit for empowering to "fight the good fight".
The writings of the Apostle Paul in the New Testament are full of truth which will help us "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus", and will help us avoid discouragement and confusion when we are facing the challenges of dealing with the culture in which we find ourselves.
Recognize the apathy you see is the same in the South as it is in the West. We are fighting the same battle as you, (as you and I have discussed before!)
Recognize also, our Adversary will work primarily in the thoughts and thinking patterns of mankind, which includes you and me. That is why we must be grounded in the Truth which can only be found in the Bible, so when we are bombarded by our own thought patterns or philosophies of our culture as we are involved in discussions with those in our realm of influence, we can be clear about what is Truth and what is not.
One final note..God has given you all you need to fight the good fight, and you have all you need to be effective for His Kingdom. You just need to appropriate it!
Also, there are still leaders out there who are grounded and still fighting the fight. Two that are right in your area are Jack Hayford, and Rick Warren.
So, be encouraged! We know who will win the war, we have read the end of the story! To Jesus be all the glory and honor and praise!
In His Grace,
Steve
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