"...you were slain, 
 and with your blood you purchased men for God
 from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Revelation 5:9

". . .as  it is written: ^ “None is righteous, no, not one. . .

Death is separation. A physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. Spiritual death, which is of greater significance, is the separation of the soul from God. In Genesis 2:17, God tells Adam that in the day he eats of the forbidden fruit he will “surely die.” Adam does fall, but his physical death does not occur immediately; God must have had another type of death in mind—spiritual death. This separation from God is exactly what we see in Genesis 3:8. When Adam and Eve heard the voice of the Lord, they “hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God.” The fellowship had been broken. They were spiritually dead.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins. - Ephesians 2:1

In those words, the Apostle Paul is speaking of a 'former' state of those believers, a state of being spiritually dead.  So we have to ask - former to what? Well, that is rather self-evident in the context and can only mean before they believed in Christ, since he is speaking to professing believes in Ephesus.

A pastor friend in Hawaii recently posted on Facebook this emphatic statement:  "Make no bones about, the purpose of the church is EVANGELISM." (Emphasis his.)

We all have probably heard the phrase that speaks of believers having three enemies - the world, the flesh, and the devil. I probably should have said "some of us" instead of "we all" since there seem to be quite a few churches who embrace the world these days, but I will leave it that way because we should consider the world an enemy, since the world system(s) are under the control of the evil one, so the Bible tells us.

What I would like to ask, and then answer is this: "Of those three; the world the flesh and the devil, which one should we as believers be most concerned with? Can we consider one above the others a more 'formidable' enemy? Have you ever thought about it? Why or why not?

Consider those rhetorical questions, I am not after an argument or debate. I think scripture tells us which of the three causes us the most problems; not in exact words, but implicitly nonetheless.

Some years ago now, when I was traveling in Christian circles that made much of battling Satan, and blaming him for just about everything from the evils in the world to individual sins (If he didn't tempt us we wouldn't sin, would we? ), I had one of those "moments", the kind that happen when you hit a passage of scripture that sort of settles an issue, or question you might have about your Christian walk. There have been a few of those through the years, some more memorable than others. This was one of those more memorable "moments".

Now that you're sitting there on pins and needles for the answer I said I would give you, here it is:

"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." - James 1:14

As far as I'm concerned, that one passage tells me which of the big three I should be more concerned with. All that the world has to offer me would be nothing to me if I didn't have "my own lust" - those desires still lurking within that are at odds with, yet live along side the new nature in Christ. If you don't believe me just ask the Apostle Paul - read Romans 7. Likewise, Satan would not be able to tempt me with anything If I did not have "my own lust". All of his schemes and cunning devices would be worthless!

So there's an old soldier's answer to the original question. I hope that didn't sound too simplistic. Our own flesh, with it's evil desires, is our most formidable foe in the battle against the Big Three.

So what do we do? How to defeat the flesh? How do we "walk in the spirit"? There are probably several sound biblical answers to those questions and I'm glad you asked. (You were asking, weren't you?)

Of all the things I can come up with that we should be doing, the activities or behavior we should or should not be engaged in, one thing stands out as of most importance:

" For though we walk in 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 strong holds;) 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;" - 2 Cor 10:3-5 (Emphasis mine) 

What does that mean? How do you do that? Again, thanks for asking! I don't think that's rocket science either. Read the Book. If you are His, you already have a desire to do so, a grand desire to know Him, His thoughts, His commands, His desire/plan for you as His child (Phil 2:13). read His book! Get to know Him and you will truly taste eternal life here on earth (John 17:3)

Friends, the front line of spiritual warfare begins at home, in our own minds, in our own thought life!

If you were waiting to hear the Ephesians 6 thing about putting on the armor of God, while that's part of it, we'll get to that in another post.

May God richly bless you as you "bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ"!

While that might be true, it might not be the best way to ask the question, or discuss the issue. Passages that support the position that once a person believes in the person and work of Jesus Christ as God's Son (has been 'saved' from condemnation), that person will remain 'saved' are these:

What's the Connection?

Answer: Certainly, since God knows everything, it would have been possible for God to base His predestination and election of individuals upon His foreknowledge of the future. In fact, that is the exact position that many Christians believe. The problem is that it really is not what the Bible teaches about predestination, election, and foreknowledge. In order to understand why the view that “God made His choice based on merely knowing the future” is not what the Bible teaches, let’s first consider a couple of verses that speak to the reason God elected or predestined people to salvation.

We would love to see a survey of professing Christians in which the above question appeared, either as a stand alone question, or with multiple choice answers.

Does these passages give us a clue to the main reason God forgives and saves sinners?

Romans 8:29-30 is called The Order of Salvation (Ordo Salutis), as well as the Golden Chain of Redemption (terms not specifically in Scripture). Textually, these two verses are Paul's logical explanation of why 'all things work together for those who are called according to His purpose' (Rom 8:28). Let's take a look:

In addition to the motives of followers of Christ and secular corrborating evidence for the crucifixion and resurrection, we have a third proof, indeed the most compelling and irrefutable - the empty tomb! As in the last two posts, we present only a small amount of the available historical data to support the proof presented.

 Sounds like a TV crime show, doesn't it?

Corroborating evidence is evidence that tends to support a proposition that is already supported by some evidence. For example, W, a witness, testifies that she saw X drive his automobile into a green car. Y, another witness, testifies that when he examined X's car later that day he noticed green paint on its fender.

The simple Gospel Message that the Apostle Paul preached:

"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me." - 1 Cor 15:3-8

One of the reasons we can trust the reliability of biblical accounts are supernatural acts of God (miracles) that are not only recorded in Scripture, but that also have historical and archeological evidence. The intent of this blog post is to peak your interest and encourage personal Bible study and research. In addition to increasing personal confidence in the truth of Scripture, such endeavors will serve to equip the believer for conversation/debate with non-believers.

Indeed we are hesistant, therefore we must encourage ourselves, Mal. 3:16 "They that feared the Lord spoke often one to another." A gracious person has not only piety only in his heart—but also in his tongue, Psalm 37:30. "The law of God is in his heart, and his tongue talks of judgment:" he drops holy words as pearls. It is the fault of Christians, that they do not in company provoke themselves to good conversation: it is a sinful modesty; there is much visiting—but they do not give one another's souls a visit. In worldly things their tongue is as the pen of a ready writer—but in matters of piety, it is as if their tongue did cleave to the roof of their mouth.

Excerpted from “The Christian Soldier” by Thomas Watson

Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2 Corinthians 13:5.

This is a duty of great importance: it is a parleying with one's own heart, Psalm 77:6. "I commune with my own heart."

Excerpted from “The Christian Soldier” by Thomas Watson

Meditation may be described as a holy exercise of the mind; whereby we bring the truths of God to remembrance, and do seriously ponder upon them and apply them to ourselves.  It is a serious thinking upon God. It is not a few transient thoughts that are quickly gone—but a fixing and staying of the mind upon heavenly objects.

Excerpted from “The Christian Soldier” by Thomas Watson

Prayer is a duty which keeps the trade of piety flowing. When we either join in prayer with others, or pray alone, we must use holy violence. It is not eloquence in prayer—but violence carries it. Theodorus, speaking of Luther, "once (says he) I overheard Luther in prayer: with what life and spirit did he pray! It was with so much reverence, as if he were speaking to God—yet with so much confidence, as if he had been speaking to his friend." There must be a stirring up of the heart, 1. To prayer. 2. In prayer.

Excerpted from “The Christian Soldier” by Thomas Watson

When we come to the Word preached, we come to a business of the highest importance, therefore should stir up ourselves and hear with the greatest devotion. Luke 19:48. "All the people were very attentive to hear him." In the Greek it is "they hung upon his lip."—When the Word is dispensed, we are to lift up the everlasting doors of our hearts, that the King of glory may enter in!

 Excerpted from "The Christian Soldier" by Thomas Watson

What an infinite mercy it is that God has blessed us with the Scriptures. Our Savior bids us "search the Scriptures", (John 5:39). We must not read these holy lines carelessly, but peruse them with reverence and seriousness. The noble Bereans "searched the Scriptures daily," (Acts 17:10-11). The Scripture is the treasury of divine knowledge; it is the rule and touchstone of truth; out of this well we draw the water of life.

The call to battle, the order to go to war issues from the Commander and Chief and moves downward through the chain of command until iit rests upon the military unit(s) that will engage the enemy. Unit commanders prepare their combat forces to engage and defeat the enemy, with the goal of walking victoriously off the battlefield. However, no matter how well trained their combat soldiers might be, no matter how advanced their weaponry, victory in battle will elude them if individual soldiers will shrink from their duties in the face of the enemy. In addition to being sufficiently trained and well equipped, the combat soldier also needs to have the 'heart of a warrior'. 

"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." - Romans 8:30

God is completely sovereign over the affairs of men, including their eternal destiny, AND man is responsible and accountable for the decision to believe in or reject Christ as Lord and Savior.

Good question. Some folks will tell you that every person who enters the world is a child of God by virtue of having been born. Others will maintain that every person is not a child of God, that only those who behave a certain way or believe a certain way.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."--John 1:12-13

The Chief End of Man is to Glorify God – Thomas Watson

Part 7

In how many ways may we glorify God?

9. We glorify God by walking cheerfully. It brings glory to God, when the world sees a Christian has that within him that which can make him cheerful in the worst times; that can enable him, with the nightingale, to sing with a thorn at his breast.

The Chief End of Man is to Glorify God – Thomas Watson

Part 6

How shall we know wne we aim at God's Glory?

1. When we prefer God's glory above all other things; above credit, estate, relations; when the glory of God coming in competition with them, we prefer his glory before them.

The Chief End of Man is to Glorify God – Thomas Watson

Part 5

In how many ways may we glorify God?

It is glorifying God when we aim purely at his glory. It is one thing to advance God's glory, another thing to aim at it.

The Chief End of Man is to Glorify God – Thomas Watson

Part 4

Why must we glorify God?

1. Because he gives us our being.

Psalm 100:3, "It is he that made us." We think it a great kindness in a man to spare our life, but what kindness is it in God to give us our life! We draw our breath from him; and as life, so all the comforts of life are from him. He gives us health, which is the sauce to sweeten our life; and food, which is the oil that nourishes the lamp of life. If all we receive is from his bounty, is it not reasonable we should glorify him? Should we not live to him, seeing we live by him? Rom. 11:36, "For of him, and through him, are all things." All we have is of his fulness, all we have is through his free grace; and therefore to him should be all. It follows, therefore, "To him be glory for ever." God is not our benefactor only, but our founder, as rivers that come from the sea empty their silver streams into the sea again.

The Chief End of Man is to Glorify God – Thomas Watson

Part 3

Q. What is it to glorify God?

A. Glorifying God consists in four things: 1. Appreciation, 2. Adoration, 3. Affection, 4. Subjection. This is the yearly rent we pay to the crown of heaven.

When we speak of God’s glory, the question will be moved, What are we to understand by God’s glory?

Answer. There is a twofold glory:

1. The glory that God has in himself, his intrinsic glory.

2. The glory which is ascribed to God, or which his creatures labour to bring to him.

A military Operations Order begins with the Concept of the Operation and the Commander's Intent. Therefore, the subject of the chief end of man/the purpose of our lives can fittingly be termed our Commander's Intent for us.

This post, as well as some in the future, will largely be excerpts from a work called A Body of Divinity, by Thomas Watson  (c.1620-1686). Some of his works can be found online at The Hall of Church History. The Body of Divinity  is a collection of sermons around the questions found in the Westminster Confession, beginning with the question at hand. So without further introductory explanation, let's begin:

Do you catch some flak because you are a Christian? Do other folks seem uncomfortable around you because you'd rather discuss spiritual matters than the latest 'reality' show? Feel like you're stuck in your career because of your faith?

"Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth (wanders), and one convert him (brings him back); Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins."  James 5:19-20 (KJV, emphasis mine)

How often do you take out the household garbage, especially the sort in the kitchen that usually holds a lot of stuff that stinks? As for me, for the non-stinky stuff like old papers in the downstairs office, the trip to "Big Blue" occurs when the trash can is full. For kitchen garbage, it can be when 1) it's full or 2) when it gets too smelly. For some of us, the second instance is directly proportional to the keenness of our olfactory nerves.

 "There are two modes of representation which run through the Bible, apparently at variance with each other. According to the one, the plan of salvation is represented as simple. Believe and be saved, touch and be healed, look and be made whole.

According to the other, salvation is represented to be very difficult. We must strive to enter in at the straight gate. We must work out our salvation. We must run as in a race where the prize is our life. We must fight the good fight. Many who seek shall not enter in. Even the righteous are scarcely saved. "

Then He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."

"If you believe there's a Heaven and a Hell and people go there, that eternal life is a possibility, how much to you have to hate others to NOT tell them about it?"

This, the pow'r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.
 

In an earlier post here , it was stated that “God doesn’t need people to save anyone - you, me or anyone else. It’s our Great Privilege to take the good news to the world around us.” In fact, it’s this author’s opinion that sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the Greatest Privilege our great God has bestowed upon His children. This is the first in a series ofposts that will address the critical issue of presenting...

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Most professing Christians would agree that we are to share the good news of Christ (the gospel), using words, deeds or both. Most are also in agreement that the sharing of the gospel applies to individuals as well as the corporate church. Furthermore, ‘good deeds’ in the Name of Christ speak for themselves. When it comes to ‘words’ however, there is a lot of opinion out there regarding the correct approach and even the words we should/should not use approaching the subject with non-believers. We would all probably agree with the need to share the CORE of the gospel. Is it possible to define it?

From a sermon preached in the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England in 1879:

"The church of Christ is continually under the figure of an army, yet it's Captain is the Prince of Peace; it's object is the establishment of peace, and its soldiers are men of a peaceful disposition. The spirit of war is the extremely opposite point to the spirit of the gospel.

Yet nevertheless, the church on earth has, and until the second advent must be, the church militant, the church armed, the...

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"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  How are they to call on one they have not believed in?  And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?

I found this short piece by John MacArthur this morning. If you watched the Band of Brothers series, you will recognize the events described. The author used the events described to being a good soldier for our Lord Jesus Christ.

That old hymn came to mind this morning and I decided to investigate it's actual origins. I've seen it used or referenced in discussions and writings conerning the morality of war and the Chritian's role, but I never knew where or how it originated. I thought it worth sharing. . .

I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. --Romans 1:14,15 That is why I say that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is something more than making us the happiest people in the Easter parade. Are we to listen to a cantata, join in singing "Up from the Grave He Arose," smell the lilies and go home and forget it? No, certainly not! The resurrection of Jesus Christ lays hold...

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Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him love.... --Ephesians 1:4 Sin is a disease. It is lawlessness. It is rebellion. It is transgression--but it is also a wasting of the most precious of all treasures on earth. The man who dies out of Christ is said to be lost, and hardly a word in the English tongue expresses his condition with greater accuracy. He has squandered a rare fortune and at the last he stands for a fleeting...

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FRIENDLY FORCES

1. Mission and concept of next higher unit (from his paragraph 2) to include higher leader's intent (from his OPORD)

2. Location and planned actions of units to the left, right, front, and rear (from higher leader's Tasks to Maneuver Units in hid OPORD). State how such actions influence your unit, particularly adjacent unit patrols. Point out their locations on the terrain model

3. Units providing fire support:

List the fire support mean available to your unit: company or battalion mortars, artillery, CAS (Close Air Support), Naval Gunfire, etc.

...

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"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

    John Gill (1697-1771) comments:

both in Jerusalem, the "metropolis" of the nation, and there, in the first place, where such dwelt who had been concerned in the crucifixion of Christ, many of whom were to be called by grace, and converted through their ministry:

and in all Judea; that part of...

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"The church has taught evangelism as a meeting of two antagonists — one righteous and right, the other dead wrong. The point of evangelism, according to this school of thought, is to win an argument. Evangelism also has been taught as a spiritual sales pitch, more nuanced perhaps than a religious argument but still relying on high pressure and ultimately committed to closing the deal. And if not an argument or a sales pitch, the gospel is neutered and reduced to an objective, nonrelational exercise...

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 He is Strong

1 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

He is Single-Minded



3 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs--he wants to please his commanding officer.

He is Strict and Well Disciplined



...

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"Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)

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"God's redemptive opportunities never come disguised. Jesus Christ doesn't coerce men to follow Him by pandering to the tastes of the natural man. He doesn't sugar-coat His opportunities and then dangle them in front of us to lure us on. All opportunities on His list have a fixed price - sacrifice. They are available to those who repudiate self's claims." R. Arthur Matthews  Born for Battle

Born For Battle, the book from which the above quote was extracted, was first published in 1978 by  Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF, formerly China Inland Mission). The chapters in the book were first writtten as editorials for East Asia Millions, a magazine also published by OMF.

...

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"It is not important that we are the obvious choice. The people that God chooses to use are some of the most unlikely people at the most unlikely times...ordinary people for extraordinary tasks" Alistair Begg

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"Because of the hostility of the devil, the work of conforming the members of Christ's Body to the likeness of the soldier-image of the Head is high on the priority list of the Holy Spirit. As believers we are in Christ and He is in us, and this means that His aggression against Satan must be expressed through us." - R. Arthur Matthews

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"The first duty of a soldier is obedience. The most evident duty of a soldier is to endure hardness. The ultimate duty of a soldier is to offer the supreme sacrifice." - D.M. M'intyre (1859-1938)

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