IS THE FAITH WORTH THE FIGHT?

By James W. Shear

uch of the present, sad condition of the world today can be laid at the feet of the pacifist philosophy that has gone unchecked for years. This philosophy has given courage to those of a bloodthirsty disposition who think they can make havoc of the innocent and get away with it. It is hypocritical for the pacifist to claim he does not believe in fighting. Armed with this philosophy, liberal politicians will do anything (even fight) to gain more power to promote this philosophy. This philosophy has already robbed us of much we have previously gained through tears, sweat and blood. Let us never forget, the pacifist will fight vigorously if not honorably, to promote his philosophy under the guise of loving peace and unity. For years he has made much gain by fighting, and he has deceived many while truth and courage took a leave of absence.

his philosophy excuses hardened criminals while blaming society for their ungodly deeds. How often have you read or heard on some news broadcast that we are all guilty of their unspeakable crimes? Sickening isn’t it? Sure it is!

adder still, this philosophy has found its way into the church of the Lord while losing none of its destructive force. Those who fight error are falsely accused of causing trouble while the pacifist gains more ground and claims that “consistency” demands “unity in diversity.” Many in the church have fallen for their hypocritical wares while endorsing their heresy.

ome brethren have developed such a delicate and hypocritical constitution that they cannot bear to contend for the faith and neither can they bear those who do contend (Jude 3). No doubt, they consider themselves endowed with superior wisdom and knowledge they believe to be so evidently lacking in those who “earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude 3). They will never concede that those who contend have the right attitude. They think it would be far better to be discussing their misguided and warped concept of love than to defend the faith.

hame on us that Satan has gained so much ground in our generation. That he has cannot be denied by any who will take a casual glance at the present condition in the Lord’s church today. The pacifists in their stupefied condition will continue to shut their eyes and stop their ears to outright departures from the faith while accepting “unity in diversity.” They are “neither cold nor hot,” but will go on believing they are “rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing,” while all the time they are “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked” (See Rev. 3:14ff).

hen there are those who cringe to think that error will be specified and uprooted –when Christ is rooted out by the possessive “MY” and the nominative “I”- when sermons are pretty words but have the substance of cotton candy – when preachers give a watered down, sweet and witty performance for a few days and pretend that it is a “gospel meeting”- when preachers do not know the difference in preaching and performing—when the audience does not know the difference in the two and applaud that which was supposed to be a gospel sermon - while not one word is uttered to discourage the applause as if it were in order, and when brethren had rather a preacher tickle their ears than to preach that which is needed, Satan is having a field day! His disciples, within the body, have worked hard to gain this leverage while pretending that their great love for peace will not allow them to fight the good fight of faith.

nd there is more. When preachers will not expose error for fear it will hurt them – when preachers are judged and rejected because they have been on the firing line for the cause of Christ - when preachers are more interested in holding meetings than exposing obvious error – when we decide we have had too much negative preaching and plead for all positive preaching in order to make us feel good, - when preachers are trying to out scholar one another, and when we can understand perfectly Mark 16:16 but have difficulty understanding Matt. 5:31-32; 19:9, we can know that Satan is in the camp.

atan has had much success in taking the simple things and making them complicated, the most beautiful truths and making them ridiculous and hiding the obvious in obscurity. Our minds can become muddled, our judgments can become distorted and our values confused if we let him have his way with us.

he pacifist philosophy offers a false hope and false security. While the pacifist, in his ignorance, is feeling that all is right with God and man, his error is getting entrenched to tear down and destroy.

he religious pacifist has to take a partial view of Christ and isolate that part from the whole. This is how a sect is formed within the body of Christ. The sect of unity in diversity was formed in this way. Also, this is the foundation of denominationalism. To avoid this we must study to get a complete picture of Christ and His teaching. The “beatitudes” (Matt. 5:1-12) are wonderful but they are only a small part of the whole. The rest of the sermon of the mount is vital, but even here we should not specialize in the positives and ignore the negative. Our view of Christ will broaden as we see Him cleanse the temple (Matt. 21:12-13) and denounce the Scribes and Pharisees (Matt. 23:1-39)

his is by no means the sum total. We must go beyond His personal ministry to get a better understanding. His teaching, which we understand to be “the faith” (Jude 3), sheds more light on Him and on that which He expects of his disciples. Men who were guided by the Holy Spirit (John 16:13) recorded the truth that we might know (1 John1:1-4). We do not have to be ignorant concerning God’s revelation concerning “the good fight of faith.”

aul admonished Timothy: “Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.” (2 Tim. 4:2-4). And again, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:12). To the church at Corinth, he wrote: “We were troubled on every side: without were fightings, within were fears” (2 Cor. 7:5). In his final days on earth, he wrote: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness…” (2 Tim. 4:4-6).

e are not to use carnal weapons in defense of the truth (2 Cor. 10:4-6). We should remember that the truth is to be spoken in love (Eph. 4:14-15). At the same time we should keep in mind that we are to “fight the good fight of faith” in order to “lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:12). True love for God and truth does not prohibit, but rather demands, the marking or rejecting of those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to doctrine of Christ (see Romans 16:17; Titus 3:10). & [Via The Preceptor, July 2003]

[To be concluded next week]