The Christian Fight

I know I have posted quite a bit about the topic of our responses as Christians to the evil all around us but this is an IMPORTANT topic and deserving of further consideration. Please remember folks, no matter what laws are introduced in our countries as a result of the current ISIS commotion and whatever else will undoubtedly come to light in these dark days, there is NO excuse for Christians to be violent as a result.

At the time of this writing, Wednesday, 24th September, 2014, it is NOT illegal in Australia to openly preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and His teachings from the Holy Bible, no matter how increasingly controversial or politically incorrect it inevitably becomes. Remember, God’s moral standards do not shift. It is the shifting, relative moral standard of a decaying and rebellious world that renders the scriptures increasingly offensive to them. In regards to current by-laws, many of us here in Adelaide are working WITH our city council and the local police force and have been granted permits to preach which not only state that we can preach but also that nobody can interfere with our activities as long as we are not breaking the law. I realize that many would question the right the council has to rule on our ability to preach the gospel but we must remember that our decision to abide by their requirements does not prevent us from preaching but rather, enables numerous benefits which currently outweigh the limitations. Granted, there are occasions where we have challenged the response of members of the council and the police force (and many of you are aware of the various court cases some of us fought recently, including the High Court of Australia case that lead to the ruling preventing the council/s from refusing us permits) but we should always seek to do so with the awareness that we are acting as ambassadors of Jesus Christ and in a manner that brings Him glory and honour.

Our current relative freedom in preaching the gospel openly could rapidly change and indeed, it probably will and possibly very soon. It may well be considered by those in authority that our activities, despite our constant and unchanging message, are too dangerous because of the shifting relative morals and resultant reactions of others. I could easily see this becoming the case if groups such as Islam, homosexual ‘marriage’ lobbies, outspoken members of the LGBT community, pro abortion groups and others who oppose the REAL gospel and its definition of sin, are offended and become physically violent towards us to the point of our lives being constantly endangered. Indeed, that is already occurring with increasing frequency and, with the rise of ISIS, increasing intensity, despite us not responding with violence but rather, passionate understanding of the very real horrors of the eternal hell that awaits the unsaved.

We may be upset, deeply upset, or even angry at some of the measures which will no doubt encroach upon our responsibility and calling to openly preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and yes, we MUST obey God rather than man, as per Acts 5:29, when the laws of the land are in direct conflict with what Jesus Himself teaches and commands of us, even if that means we are imprisoned for our preaching. Even so, keep at the forefront of your minds and actions it was our LORD Himself who commanded the following in His sermon on the mount. Even in cases where we are called to obey God rather than man, we must NEVER make excuse or find occasion for violent retaliation towards ANYONE:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. If you love only those who love you, why should you get a reward for that? Even the tax collectors do that. And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than anyone else. Even the people who don’t know God are nice to their friends. What I am saying is that you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Matthew 5:43-48.

Remember who our fight is against and what our tools are:

We live in this world, but we don’t fight our battles in the same way the world does. The weapons we use are not human ones. Our weapons have power from God and can destroy the enemy’s strong places.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4.

To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and in his great power. Wear the full armor of God. Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks. Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing. So stand strong with the belt of truth tied around your waist, and on your chest wear the protection of right living. On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stand strong. And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows that come from the Evil One. Accept God’s salvation as your helmet. And take the sword of the Spirit–that sword is the teaching of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times. Pray with all kinds of prayers, and ask for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready. Never give up. Always pray for all of God’s people.
Ephesians 6:10-18.