Anyone who has ever served in any military capacity whatsoever is worthy of our honor. The sacrifice individuals make, particularly in times of war, is beyond comprehension. But a while back I got really interested in reading books about military history, particularly regarding World War 2, and among all of those courageous individuals who found themselves in the heat of a global battle there was a group of people that really started to capture my attention. That group was those individuals that volunteered for infantry duty. This is the frontline of battle where the conflict is the hottest and the danger is the greatest. Sure, there is danger anywhere you might be in a war; but the frontlines are where the greatest casualties are often suffered. That is because the frontlines are where you directly engage your enemy. The frontlines are where the bullets are flying and individuals are dying, thus it is on the frontlines where wars are won and lost.
It should be no surprise to any Christian that the Bible talks about our lives (Christianity) as a war or battle:
- 2 Corinthians 10:2-4 – “…but I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not way after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds)…”
- 1 Timothy 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…”
- Ephesians 6:11 – “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
- 1 Peter 2:11 – “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against he soul…”
And in this war, like in any other, there are a lot of different jobs that need to be done. There are some supporting roles that have to be filled behind the scenes that involve a person in the war, while not necessarily in the immediate battle. But the greatest need the army of God has is in moving souls to the frontline of battle.
Perhaps more so today than ever before the integrity and credibility of Christianity is under attack. Just last night I read about a prominent atheist group threatening to sue a public official because he simply tweeted “Philippians 4:13” through his official Twitter account. It may seem silly (and it is) but it is also getting incredibly vicious, heated, and future altering. Precedents are being established that will either never change or will take generations to alter. Positions are being promoted that are shifting the landscape of our society. Respect is being lost that will be incredibly difficult to regain. All the while we sit back, we complain, we are dissatisfied, but at the same time so many are doing so little productive work to meaningfully fight back. “But what can we do?” some quickly ask.
- Step into a moral/religious discussion at work, or school, or home instead of stepping away and leaving Christianity with no voice.
- Proactively engage your children, friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc. in Bible study. They will never know truth until someone teaches it to them and the only someone they may ever have may be you.
- Defend Christianity in every way you possibly can, whether it be speaking out against uninformed or blatantly mean-spirited jokes, correcting false assumptions, or even easing hurt feelings from bad experiences of the past.
- Go on the offensive against the enemies of Christianity. An army that is always fighting on the defensive is quickly going to be backed into a corner with no escape. Remember that Christianity does ultimately win in the end, but evangelism has a lot to do with public perception and a lot of souls will be lost one day because Christianity looked like it was fighting a losing battle.
The point is that every Christian can and needs to in some way move to the frontlines of our battle; to “contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). If everyone is playing a passive role and nobody is up front engaging the enemy in battle we will quickly and easily be overrun and we will suffer a devastating defeat. “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).
-Andy Brewer