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What Battle?
Some years ago a traditional church dropped "Onward
Christian Soldiers" from their song index because
it made reference to war. That's understandable for
people who have never been born again. War is the last
thing on their minds. They are "peacemakers"
meeting in a building which they think is the "church."
They are not born of the Sprit, so they live in a natural
world. They are spiritually insensitive because they
are spiritually dead. The world may think there is peace
between man and God, but the Bible makes it clear that
unregenerate man is an enemy of God in his mind through
wicked works, that anyone who is a friend of the world
is an enemy of God (see Colossians 1:21, Romans 5:10,
Romans 8:7, James 4:4). Many within the Church have
lost sight of this important truth, something evident
by their passive lifestyle. We have become like the
Dead Sea. It is dead because it has water flowing into
it, but no outlet. The water has become so salty, a
human being can't sink into it. Nothing lives in it,
no one can penetrate it . . . just like the contemporary
Church. If the average church made as much noise about
God on Monday, as it makes to God on Sunday,
we would certainly see revival.
Useless though it seems, the Dead Sea contains very
valuable minerals, which are waiting to be harvested.
So does the modern Church. It is a field which is white
unto harvest, both for souls and for laborers.
Perhaps much of the Church needs to consider dropping
"Onward Christian Soldiers" and replacing
it with something more appropriate:
Backward Christian soldiers, fleeing from the
fight
With the Cross of Jesus nearly out of sight.
Christ our rightful master, stands against the
foe
But forward into battle, we are loathe to go.
Like a might tortoise moves the Church of God
Brothers we are treading where we've always trod.
We are much divided, many bodies we
Having many doctrines, not much charity.
Crowns and thorns may perish, kingdoms rise and
wane,
But the Church of Jesus hidden does remain.
Gates of Hell should never 'gainst the Church
prevail
We have Christ's own promise, but think that it
will fail.
Sit here then ye people, join our useless throng
Blend with ours your voices in a feeble song
Blessings, ease and comfort, ask from Christ the
King
With our modern thinking, we don't do a thing.
(Anonymous) |
Are we hot for God? Can we say that we have witnessed
to more than 12 people in the last 12 months? Do we
have the testimony "to live means opportunities
for Christ?" Is there a zeal to witness burning
in our bones? It doesn't matter how much we pray, tithe,
and sacrifice. Sure, those things are basics of the
Christian faith, but if we are not sharing that faith
we are not fulfilling our commission. We are like survivors
of the Titanic singing songs as we polish brass in the
lifeboat, when there is room for many who are drowning
around us. There is nothing wrong with polishing brass
. . . but not while people are drowning around us. We
are commissioned soldiers. True Christianity is not
a pleasure-cruiser on its way to Heaven, but a battleship
stationed at the very gates of Hell.
This article was excerpted from How
To Win Souls and Influence People by Ray Comfort,
(pages 7-9).
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