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THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

(By Jay Yeager)

It is hard for me to remember the last time I watched a serious news program and did not hear a report of some Islamic militants who wanted to kill, planned to kill, or have killed innocent men, women and children in the name of God. They even have a name for it, Jihad (holy war). Of course these militants do not call the men, women and children they slaughter innocent, but rather “infidels”, simply meaning they do not knuckle under to the teaching of their prophet Mohammed.

Well friends, you can have a religion of physical violence, if that is what you want. Those of us in the Lord’s church will not threaten, plan or commit any violent attacks against you or your family, and here is why. Violence in the name of God is as foreign to the teaching of the New Testament as day is from night.

That does not mean that a battle is not raging for the hearts and minds of every soul! But New Testament Christians do not wage that battle with gun, sword or bomb, but with the truth of God’s word. “For though we walk after the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Corinthians 10:3-5).

Perhaps one might say, “What about the Old Testament. Didn’t God allow violence then?” God did, and the following is the reason why in a capsule form, as well as God’s law for man today.

I. God made a promise to Abraham (and subsequently to Isaac and Jacob – Genesis 26:4; 28:14) that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).

II. Esau married outside of the Abrahamic bloodline (Genesis 26:34-35), threatening the seed promise. Therefore, a law was given to protect the lineage (Galatians 3:19; 16).

III. That law stood as a middle wall of partition between the Jews and the rest of the world (Ephesians 2:14). The Jews were forbidden to associate or inter-marry with other nations until the seed should come (Deuteronomy 7:2-4; Galatians 3:19; 16). Therefore, the Mosaic Law had to govern them in every aspect of life: socially, religiously and governmentally. In short, they were both the civil and religious authority.

IV. When Christ came, the law had served its purpose and was removed at Calvary’s cross (Galatians 3:24-25; Colossians 2:12-14; Ephesians 2:12-16).

V. Jesus gave us the New Covenant which was founded upon better promises (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:6-13; 9:15-17). The New Testament of Jesus Christ is addressed to all men for all time (John 12:48; Matthew 28:18-19; Acts 17:30-31; Hebrews 1:1-2).

VI. Under the New Testament (the Law of Christ) both civil and spiritual matters are addressed. The civil government has the authority to protect the innocent and punish the offenders (Romans 13:1-7). The New Testament church has the authority to preach the soul-saving message of Christ to a lost and dying world (Mark 16:15-16).

Note: Is there a separation of church and state? YES! Inasmuch as each functions under a different role. There is a vast difference between protecting society and saving society. Now having said that, both are a part of the Law of Christ and ordained by God (Ephesians 3:10-11; Romans 13:1-2).

THE WEAPON OUR WARFARE IS TRUTH

Beloved, running into the street shaking ones fist into the air, while chanting death threats may be the reaction of those who fear examination, but those of us in the Lord’s church do not react violently when questions are raised about what we believe. Rather, we relish the opportunity to provide Biblical evidence concerning what we believe (I Peter 3:15)! What do members of the church of Christ which meets at 680 Vale Road believe?

I. We believe in God. Moreover, we believe all that the Bible says about God. The Bible reveals that there are three members which make up the Godhead (Romans 1:20; Acts 17:29; Colossians 2:9), each one is God.

  1. God the Father (John 4:23-24).
  2. God the Son (John 1:1).
  3. God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4).

Whenever all three members of the Godhead appear in the same verse they are listed in that order (Matthew 28:19; I John 5:7).

A. God is eternal (Psalms 90:2; Micah 5:2).

B. God is the creator (Genesis 1:1-2:25; Psalms 33:6-9; 148:1-5; Isaiah 45:12).

C. The creation was complete in six literal days (Genesis 2:1-3).

Note: The Sabbath day is not a memorial of creation, but of deliverance from Egypt

bondage (Deuteronomy 5:15; Nehemiah 9:14-15).

D. There is no other God (Isaiah 45:18; 21-22; 46:9).

II. We believe that the Bible is inspired of God, and is God’s complete and final revelation to man (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:3; 21; I Corinthians 2:10-13; Galatians 1:8-9; Ephesians 3:3-4; Jude 3; II John 9; Revelation 22:18-19). Therefore, no other book is necessary, needed or acceptable!

III. We believe that every person has an eternal soul given by God at the conception of life[For that reason we stand in complete opposition to abortion] (Jeremiah 1:5; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Zechariah 12:1; Hebrews 12:9 et.al.). And that one day each of us will stand in judgment and answer for the things we have done in life (Romans 14:12; II Corinthians 5:10). Therefore, the serious question is not will we continue beyond physical life, but where? (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:46; John 5:28-29).

IV. We believe that God loves every person and wants them to be saved (Ezekiel 33:11; I Timothy 2:4; II Peter 3:9). Nowhere is that love demonstrated more clearly than in God sending His only-begotten Son into the world (John 3:16; Romans 5:6; 8; 10; I John 4:9-10).

V. We believe in Jesus Christ:

  1. He is the Son of God (Matthew 3:17; 17:1-5; John 11:25-27; 20:30-31).
  2. He is the Saviour of the world (I John 4:14).
  3. He is the Lamb of God (John 1:29; 36; I Peter 1:18-19).
  4. Jesus willingly went to the cross at Calvary (John 10:18).
  5. Jesus died for every person (Hebrews 2:9).
  6. Through His blood forgiveness is possible (Hebrews 9:22; 10:12; Revelation 1:5).
  7. Jesus is the only way to heaven (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
  8. He is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:15).
  9. He is our mediator (I Timothy 2:5).
  10. He is our King (I Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14).
  11. Jesus will be the judge of all men (John 5:22; Acts 17:31).
  12. His words will be the standard of judgment (John 12:48).

VI. We believe that Jesus built the church of Christ (Matthew 16:18; Romans 16:16).

  1. Christ purchased the church with His own shed blood (Acts 20:28).
  2. His church (singular) is the only church mentioned on the pages of the New Testament (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 4:4).
  3. Reconciliation unto God is in the church (Ephesians 2:12-16).
  4. Jesus loves His church (Ephesians 5:25).
  5. Jesus will save His church (Ephesians 5:23).
  6. The saved are in the church (Acts 2:47).
  7. Therefore, there are no saved outside of the church.

VII. We believe that there are conditions of salvation that everyone accountable must meet in order to be saved.

  1. You must hear the word of God (Romans 10:17).
  2. You must believe the gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 16:15-16).
  3. You must repent of your past sins (Acts 17:30).
  4. You must confess Christ before men (Romans 10:10).
  5. You must be baptized for the remission of your sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).
  6. You must remain faithful unto death (Revelation 2:10).

Why do we believe those things? Because God said it! The weapon of our warfare is the truth of God’s word.“For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (II Corinthians 13:8).