In thy further Meditations, Ο my soul, on the Christian’s “Vocation” there is yet one department which thou wilt do well duly to consider; namely—The Christian’s Warfare.” Rare qualities are needed in warriors, and great honors are heaped on the victorious: but who praises the coward? Alas, he stands at the head of the dark list of the lost, in Rev. 21:88But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8). “But the fearful.”—“The fearful” here means those who are afraid to confess Jesus as Savior and Lord, from the fear of consequences. They are cowards in reference to Christ. This, in God’s sight, is a sin of the meanest and blackest character; for such evidently know something of Christ and of His goodness, and yet they are ashamed of His name before men.
Therefore, under the ignominious brand of “the fearful,” or cowards, they are consigned to their own place in the lake of fire.
But these, being altogether unbelievers, cannot be contrasted with those who are valiant for Christ. It is only with believers that we have to do in meditating on christian warfare. Nevertheless, there are some amongst us who are but little skilled in the use of the shield and sword, and show but little courage in the day of battle. Training is necessary, with a perfect knowledge of the enemy’s position, and of our own vantage ground. Therefore we invite—we entreat, all our readers, and especially our youthful christian readers, to study with us the important subject of the Christian’s conflict. You are enlisted, you do wear the uniform, you ought to fight; victory is certain, the honors are everlasting; and only think of Him who is your “Leader and Commander.” You will have no such opportunity of distinguishing yourselves for Christ in heaven. Lose no time then hi waking up to the consciousness that you are soldiers, and that you must learn to fight. There is no discharge in this war, and no truce with the enemy.
But what of thine own experience, Ο my soul, in this warfare? Knowest thou well the sound of the trumpet that calls thee to battle? Art thou always ready and willing to obey the summons? A false humility might lead thee to plead thine own weakness, and a would-be honoring of Christ might lead thee to plead His strength as sufficient without thee; but thou must never plead either the one or the other to get rid of responsibility. And, remember, it is more with the wiles than with the strength of the enemy thou hast to contend. This is an important consideration and one that must never be forgotten. Who can speak of his wiles, his depths, his snares, his stratagems, innumerable? These must not be underrated. We need both the wisdom and strength of the Lord to resist them; and of these the apostle here speaks.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” This is the first sound of the trumpet, we may say: and to what, we inquire, does it call the saints—does it call thee? Certainly not to survey the stronghold of the enemy, or to show thee what thou hast to overcome; but sweetly to turn all thy thoughts to the Lord Himself. Before a word is said about enemies or conflicts, thou art called to survey thy strength in the mighty Lord, as seated at the right hand of God in the heavenlies. This is grace—the grace of the Lord Jesus, and like the ways of the Spirit when acting towards us for Him— “Be strong in the Lord.” But this touches a high note of privilege and blessing, as well as of security and strength. Clearly, this is the first thing to be understood: what are we to understand by the words— “In the Lord?”
All through this epistle the apostle speaks of the saints as seated together in heavenly places in Christ. In chapter 1 we learn that God raised Him up from the dead, and set Him in the heavenlies. In chapter 2 we learn that God in doing this, laid the foundation of our association with Him there. In chapter 3 we are seen as a testimony to principalities and powers, that they might learn by this unity the manifold wisdom of God. In chapter 4 the doctrine of the “one body” is unfolded. In chapters 5, 6, practical exhortations are given on the ground of these great truths. Hence the saints are addressed in the passage before us as “in the Lord.” This is where they are for themselves in virtue of their union with Him as risen and exalted. It is the common heritage of all that belong to Christ; and their own proper place, according to the counsels of God. But here they arc exhorted to use it as a fortification against the wiles of the enemy. And this we must do if we would be victorious, and fully enjoy our proper christian privileges.
But in what way, thou mayest ask, am I to fortify myself in a heavenly Christ, against the wiles of Satan? How can he reach me there? It seems difficult to understand the true character of this conflict.
Unless the inquiring Christian knows his position as a member of the body of Christ in the heavenlies, according to the teaching of the epistle to the Ephesians, there will be great difficulty in understanding the true character of this conflict. The portion of scripture before us is evidently addressed to such. It assumes that we have died and are risen again in Christ; that we are sitting in heavenly places, and enjoying our heavenly portion in Him. But Satan and his hosts are also regarded as in heavenly places; so that there must be conflict if we would practically maintain our position there.
It will be seen then that this conflict is not merely the mortifying of the flesh, or contending with the temptations of this world, though these, of course, have to be overcome. Neither is it, as many think, a question as to the state of our souls before God. He who has clothed us with the best robe, killed for us the fatted calf, and fitted us to be guests in His own presence chamber, has no conflict with us. And there need be no doubts or fears as to the final results of His grace. It is really a question of fighting with wicked spirits, who deceive and reign in darkness. Hence the exhortation, “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the idles of the devil. For we wrest not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the riders of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.” (See marg.)
We are here reminded of the Lord’s directions to Joshua, and of Israel’s enemies in the land of Canaan. These were types of the mightier and deadlier foes with which the Christian has to fight. The Canaanites were but enemies of “flesh and blood;” we have to encounter wicked spirits in heavenly places, even principalities and powers. These titles give us some idea of their supremacy over the human mind, at least over those whom they have first blinded. (2 Cor. 4:3, 43But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:3‑4).) To resist such enemies as these, we must be armed with the panoply of heaven— “The whole armor of God.” Mere human wisdom and strength are of no avail in this warfare. But it will assist us greatly to consider first, and briefly, the character of the wars in Canaan.
Made for thyself, Ο God!
Made for thy love, thy service, thy delight;
Made to show forth thy wisdom, grace, and might;
Made for thy praise, whom veiled archangels laud;
Ο strange and glorious thought, that we may be a joy to thee!
Yet the heart turns away
From this grand destiny of bliss, and deems
‘Twas made for its poor self, for passing dreams;
Chasing illusions melting day by day:
Till for ourselves we read on this world’s best—
“This is not rest.”
Nor can the vain toil cease,
Till in the shadowy maze of life we meet
One who can guide our aching, wayward feet
To find Himself, our Way, our Life, our Peace.
In Him the long unrest is soothed and stilled,
Our hearts are filled.
Ο rest, so true, so sweet!
(Would it were shared by all the weary world!)
‘Neath shadowing banner of His love unfurled,
We bend to kiss the Master’s pierced feet;
Then lean our love upon His boundless breast,
And know God’s rest.
F. Β. H.