Are You Standing Your Ground?
Are You Standing Your Ground?
Harry Blamires in "The Christian Mind," written in 1963:
It is only within an essentially secular field of discourse
that individual Christians can find themselves illogically called upon to defend
their attachment to particular doctrines as though they had personally devised
or chosen these doctrines on the basis of private predilection. It is only
within a liberal secularist society, dominated by the
it's-all-a-matter-of-opinion code, that a street-corner orator or a knocker on
your door can assume it appropriate to pin upon you, as an individual Christian,
the demand to defend this or that doctrine as though it were your personal
possession.
… we have accepted secularism's challenge to fight on
secularist ground, with secularists weapons and secularist umpire, before a
secularist audience and according to the secularist book of
rules.
You know... I couldn't find the scripture anywhere that tells
us to face our adversaries this way. I mean, I really tried. And I've read
through the Bible well over a dozen times in my life. I have a concordance,
which I checked, and I couldn't find the language anywhere even there that
suggests I should fight like this.
Why would I yield my weapons to the
enemies of God? Why would I agree to use their weapons, their
tactics or their judges or umpires. Should I not see that in standing
before a secular audience and doing combat, it is a chance to demonstrate the
truth which sets all men free in opposing the Lie, which seeks to enslave all
men and destroy their very souls?
Rather, I am told to be sober and
vigilant, and with all forbearance to be on guard and to stand firm in my
conviction. I am told to preach the gospel message to the unbelieving people of
the world. I am told to put on the full armour of God, an armour with purpose. I
am told to be bold in my proclamations that Jesus is Lord and that His is the
only name by which we may be saved.
I am also told I would be reviled in
doing this, but that I should not relent in the face of the opposition. I should
not give any ground, I should not use the wiles of the world to argue my case,
but rather to use the very Word of God as my sword and faith as my
shield.
So I declare to you: If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if
Baal... then follow him.
As I choose to follow the Lord God Jesus, I
shall stand my ground against the onslaught. I shall fight the good fight, not
for personal glory or recognition, but because I so believe in His cause, His
plan, His salvation, that to do any less is to surrender to the darkness that
surrounds us on all sides. If need be I shall fight unheralded, unrecognised and
in complete obscurity, but fight I will and prevail I shall, even unto
death.
And these are not empty words to me. I pray they are not empty
words you throw about, but sincerely held; and if called upon, sincerely
engaged.
May you find yourself in the peace and truth of Christ that sets all men free.
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