Footsteps #194

“³ We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. ^4 [a]We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of hum”an reasoning and to destroy false arguments. ⁵ We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.” NLT  (2Cor10:3-5)

In 2Cor10:3-5 Paul is talking about the spiritual warfare that we are engaged in and how the weapons we use are not worldly ones. He wouldn’t say this if it weren’t a fact that many actually are waging war with worldly weapons. Unfortunately, he does not explain what these weapons are, so they must have known what he was talking about – but do we? What do we use to silence our critics or attract converts? Intimidation, belligerence, legal action, or boycotts. If marketing is our dominant weapon, something is wrong. When charisma is a substitute for substance and content, that’s a problem. When theatrical performance and showy lights make worship, then our theology of worship needs examination. I say this not to question people’s sincerity, only their wisdom. Did we see the apostles or Jesus using any of these tactics? Do any of these send an effective gospel message? 

Christians are called to influence the world. Believers are commissioned to redeem culture as well as make disciples of all people. Jesus taught his followers to practice their faith in the same way that salt is rubbed into meat. The Christian’s call to cultural redemption does not allow for an all-out assault on culture’s depravity. With truth comes power, which, if not accompanied by grace, can manifest itself in arrogance and self-righteous judgment. Christians must confront the moral decay in our culture. But we must be cautious in handling the truth. While truth speaks of power, it also shouts of grace.  

If we think biblically it shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out what those weapons were that Paul talks about in v5.  God has given us a different set of weapons for the spiritual battle. Our first weapon is the truth (the Word of God). I believe the Bible is our primary weapon in the spiritual battle. In the best-known passage on spiritual warfare, the Apostle Paul mentions only one offensive weapon: “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph.6:17). In many churches today, Bibles have become conspicuous by their absence. It is by the word of God that the last part of v5 becomes a reality. TBC