Warriors For Christ? Wha...??

sermonindex Jan 26, 2012

Where does it say in scripture that we need “warriors for Christ”? I hear this ALL the time in the church, particularly when it comes to children and youth. I know that this phrase is meant to muster up boldness, but can true spiritual boldness be mustered up? It’s always been my impression that the Holy Spirit enables us to be bold witnesses.

I also hear this all the time in Christian sports, particularly (again) in youth and teen sports. I know our experience this year with “Christian” high school (homeschool) football involved coaches using foul language (even the “F” word), verbally abusing players and insulting them by invoking the names of several feminine hygiene products as a means to motivate the players to act more like men. (one coach is a deacon at a local mega-church) When confronted we were told they were going to make these teen players “warriors for Christ” by toughening them up. One coach even told us thats why Jesus sent His disciples out with swords on their first mission excursion. (wow, thats not the impression I got from that passage!)

So it got me thinking… where does this come from? Warriors for Christ? What does that mean? Oddly I hear literally nothing about being servants of Christ. About being obedient even unto death for the name of Christ.

No, it’s all about being “courageous” and being “warriors”. But I find very little (if anything) in scripture to support such a phrase or mentality.

Anyone else notice this trend? Did I miss a command in the NT somewhere? "Go into all the world and be warriors..." perhaps?

Krispy

sermonindex Jan 26, 2012

HI Krispy,

Seems like an odd subject to me, but since my website is called Scottish warriors for Christ and I know that you know that :) Then I thought I would give it a go. First of all, I know nothing about sports or motivations or anything like that, so I cant comment. I know that you know the OT, and the OT is full of battles of one kind or another where the Israelites were called " stouthearted men.' When we consider David and Gideon and so many others, it certainly conjurs up those imgages, or even Jesus as the commander of the heavenly host on his white horse when He comes back, the lion of Judah. When we consider that the Scriptures tells us that we are in a battle, not against flesh and blood but against principalties and powers, again the imagry used by Scriptures is batte. Jesus deafeated His spiritual foes on Calvary, again, imagary of a war which the enemy has lost. In fact, the examples are too many too mention. One famous Christian man reminded us that Christianity is not a playgeound but a battle-field.

Anyway, the inspiration for my own website was a lady called Julie. She is an older lady in Scotland and a wonderful Christian woman. Her son was murdered in the street in Greenock, shot five times and left to die. The murderer was known, but not enough evidence to take to trial. This woman, when asked by the press about this man, just days after the event, publicly forgave him and told of how Jesus loved him. This to me was a high example of Spiritual warfare.

Krispy, we know that we have to put on the full armour dont we brother? And the Scriptures goes through and uses shields and helmets and swords as metaphors for our spiritual warfare. As I said brother, there are too many to mention. I am just a little surprised at the question because I know that you know the Word and the word is replete with this imagary. Maybe other brothers and sisters out there can give you more examples ? :) ........bro Frank

J

jimp Jan 26, 2012

k k , as primadogma isn't here to tell you i will give you a tad of my wisdom. the thought pattern is after you put on the whole armor of God then you are prepared to attack in war.jimp

sermonindex Jan 26, 2012

Contrast with:

Matthew 5:3-10

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"

sermonindex Jan 26, 2012

HI Krispey, for some reason your seeming to set this up as one or the other when it seems clear that we are called to be all those things and more in Christ........bro Frank

sermonindex Jan 26, 2012

No, not setting anything up... just working thru some thoughts...

Krispy

sermonindex Jan 26, 2012

If I remember correctly Bunyon portrayed Christian as a warrior in Pilgrims Progress. This particularly is brought out in his battle with Appllyon, the devil.

Blaine

sermonindex Jan 26, 2012

Okay bro, kinda like being as wise as a serpant and as harmless as a dove :) We are part of an army that marches on its knees. This is the army that truly makes the enemy tremble, the kind of army whose soldiers turn the other cheek, the kind of army whose soldiers go the extra mile or when they evil is commited on them they retun love. The kind of army that yields and surrenders to their King but will never yield or surrender to the gods of this world. Do you have my back Krispy? :) I think you would.....see you in the foxhole (together, on our knees,following His word in prayer) :) .........bro Frank

D

dvndsn Jan 26, 2012

I can see how one would believe that being in this world is being in a war with the world, I believe that because of the scripture appolus quoted. However, I heard a preacher say something of the like: We are not fighting this war for the victory, the victory is ours! We are fighting from the winning side. The only battle we have is in this world. Our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, that my friends, is the battle.

P

pilgrim777 Jan 27, 2012

I never really sensed I was in a battle until after I became a Christian. We are seen as warriors most probably because of verbage and symbolism in the Bible, but more importantly because of the reality that we are indeed in a warfare.

1Ti 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;

2Co 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

I don't want to fill this page with NT scriptures of warfare, battle and fighting because I think you get the point.

If you are a Christian you will know what battle is being talked about concerning the powers of darkness or the flesh or the world.

Better to be a "Warrior for Christ" than for anything else.

Pilgrim

sermonindex Jan 27, 2012

Amen Pilgrim, well put....... bro Frank

sermonindex Jan 27, 2012

I'm with ya Frank, I think you're getting me.

I get the battle with the flesh, etc. I think perhaps my problem with what I am seeing is it is a whole testoterone driven "Braveheart" thing... instead of turning the other cheek we "fight back", etc.

To some extent I think some of what I have been noticing is perhaps a response to the feminization of the church that has happened in the past generation. Now men are calling on men to "be men"... which I am all for, trust me. But somehow I think at times it has gone too far the other direction so that now intead of Jesus being our role model as men... it's Rambo.

Krispy

sermonindex Jan 27, 2012

"I'm with ya Frank" I knew you always were :) And I, like you, am not for the Rambo model. I prefer soldiers who march on their knees, love ya man ....... bro Frank

T

TrueWitness Jan 27, 2012

Speaking of Braveheart, did anyone see the news item about Steven Spielberg is preparing to make a "Braveheart-ish" movie about Moses?

http://lum.k.af

I personally have doubts about anyone surpassing Cecil B. Demil's "The Ten Commandments" even if the special effects are a million times better today. When The Ten Commandments came out (I was but a wee lad) I thought it was the most awesome movie.

R

roadsign Jan 27, 2012

Where does it say in scripture that we need “warriors for Christ”?

Interesting observation, Krispy. I think you raise a valid concern. But it’s not merely whether it can be biblically supported or not. It’s what happens to the metaphor in the hands of the wrong people. Spiritual metaphors do have a tendency to assume a sinister flavor in unspiritual minds – like when the “kingdom of God’ become synonymous with an earthly kingdom. The medieval crusaders saw themselves as warriors for Christ. Likewise it is possible that in the future, given a chance, today’s unregenerate “warriors for Jesus” could take their title quite literally, or rather unspiritually. And they will fight against flesh and blood – the “infidels”.

Interesting, some branches of the church are attempting to remove all war imagery in hymns and such. So now it’s not politically correct. In my view, that’s going the other way too far. It’s throwing out the baby with the bathwater. You lose a powerful picture for the Christian life.

Diane

P

pilgrim777 Jan 27, 2012

There is actually a thread on Sermonindex about the "Feminization of Christianity".

There are assaults upon every facet of Christianity and the Bible today by our "modern" culture, today.

The thing about being a warrior for Christ is we fight by loving and forgiving our enemy and the tenderest most delicate soul can die terrible deaths with courage and grace all because of the life of Jesus Christ in them. This is warfare!

This is the overcoming life.

Being faithful to God in the midst of great temptation is warfare and the overcoming life.

Enduring till the end (of your life) when all hope is seemingly gone, this is warfare and the overcoming life.

When you forgive and love when you are slandered and misrepresented by those who say they represent God, this is warfare and the overcoming life.

After donning all of your spiritual armor, warfare is having done all, to stand!

Fighting against the temptation and inclinations of the flesh to fight back in a carnal way and praying for your enemies, instead of defending yourself.

This is warfare. Real men and women, love Jesus and are not afraid to show it.

Fight the good fight of faith. It doesn't take testosterone, it takes faith.

If it took testosterone all the power lifters that hang out in the gym would be raising the dead and healing the sick.

Pilgrim

C

Compton Jan 27, 2012

Spiritual metaphors do have a tendency to assume a sinister flavor in unspiritual minds.

I think this is a good explanation of the problem. It is not the metaphor, but how people apply it to their behavior that we are troubled with. In this case, if we don't see or grasp the concept of spiritual battles, we may conclude that our fight is against flesh and blood. It is certainly tempting!

The metaphor of a Christian warrior is often used to inspire Christians to be leading men rather then following them. However, the rub is that we perceive leadership differently from one another.

For instance, some of us are "command and control" types, and so naturally see leadership as hierarchical and managing. These are more apt to be attracted to Bible verses that paint the Christian as a challenging influencer of men for Christ. Some leaders are consensus builders, and so naturally are attracted to verses that paint the Christian leader as one who humbly serves men needs for Christ. Others view leadership as bringing together collaboration, and are attracted to scriptures that paint the leader as one who inspires others to use their gifts to serve Christ.

All of these leadership perspectives are valid. This is how I explain why there can be multiple differing perspectives among mature Christian leaders, that someow contribute to a single overall picture that is biblical and even prophetic when integrated.

MC

P

pilgrim777 Jan 27, 2012

Hi roadsign,

There are countless assaults on the Bible and Christianity, today.

Your post about "war imagery" taken out of hymns is one I had not thought of.

Here are some Intellectual, Political, Humanistic, Religious assaults on Christianity that I have run into.

1. Gender neutral God of the Bible
2. Gender neutral pronouns in general. (humankind instead of mankind).

3. "New Atheism" today says they have the moral high ground over the God of the OT because He was a butcher.

4. Universalism is spreading.

5. Satan is not a real being, but just the antithesis of good (whatever that means).

6. Political correction beginning to permeate new Bible versions.

7. Jesus was not God, because "God is One" argument.

8. Stories in the OT are just myths and superstitions.

9. Jesus was a product of the superstitious day He lived in and that is why He believed in the existence of the Devil and Hell.

10. Paul preached Judaism.

11. Ecumenicalism (Counter-Reformation continues today).

There is much more that I cannot even think of right now.

What did Paul say,

2Co 7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.

Christianity has always had warfare from within and without.

Pilgrim

sermonindex Jan 27, 2012

Hey this has turned into a great conversation... I was a little concerned at the outset that I had not adequately expressed myself... I love you guys.

Pilgrim... excellent words, brother.

Krispy

Z

ziolence Jan 27, 2012

it takes a 'warrior' to turn the other cheek, and fulfill the passages in the beatitudes you've quoted

a warrior doing violence to one's "self-life"

in this way, the demons are defeated in our lives and around about us

we're not making this message too clear to youth groups that love the imagery

Lance Lambert is a good preacher on here with messages on our being inducted into a real spiritual army -- " Fight the Good Fight" and "Strong in the Lord" .... given in Memphis, Tenn ... along these lines