THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
SPREADING THE SOUL-SAVING MESSAGE OF JESUs
“Soldiers of Christ Arise”
Introduction by narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Spreading the soul-saving message of Jesus. And now, Ben Bailey.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:10-11). One of the most powerful pictures of the church as seen in Scripture is as the army of the Lord. The church is God’s army today. Be sure that we are in a militant battle every day against Satan, sin, and the spiritual hosts of wickedness. Notice what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 about this battle.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
Yes, we walk in the flesh. But that is not where our battle is taking place. We do not wage a fleshly, physical battle. Rather, our battle is a spiritual battle against sin, Satan, and all the foes of righteousness upon come against the church of the Lord Jesus Christ today. The kingdom of Christ is unique. It is not of this world. God’s soldiers are not involved in a physical battle today. In John 18:36 Jesus said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” The kingdom of Christ has been best described as a spiritual rule and reign in the hearts and lives of men and women. That is what the kingdom of Christ is about—God’s will ruling and reigning in our lives today. Thus, we walk in the flesh, but we do not fight a fleshly battle. We are not trying to conquer people or nations physically. We are trying to defeat the foes of wickedness, and go to Heaven. In fact, we are involved in the most important battle ever—the battle for our immortal souls. No one engage in warfare entangles himself in the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him” (2 Tim. 2:4). Thus, we must be engaged in trying to get to Heaven. In 1 Peter 5:8 Peter talked about our battle, and about how we must be prepared against the enemy. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” What do the Scriptures teach us about the army of the Lord? What can we do to make sure that we are fulfilling our roles in this army, and that we are fighting the good fight like God wants us to?
God’s army is a volunteer army. God will not force you to become a member of His army. No one else can force you to do so. It is a volunteer army, which is what makes it a unique and special army. God’s people—the ones who routinely please Him—have always been volunteers. In Psalm 110:3 we read, “Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.” We are living in the day in which God’s power has come to fruition (in the Age of Christianity). God does not force people to serve Him against their will. In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden.” He did not say, “Get over here so I can force you.” He offered an invitation for people to come to Him. In Revelation 22:17 we read, “Let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” That is the idea. You come. You choose. Acts 2:40 tells us that “those who gladly received his word were baptized.” We are told to work out our own salvation “with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). God’s army is unique in that we freely choose to serve Him. We are free moral agents. We are not forced to act like robots in an army of drones. In Joshua 24:15 we read, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, …but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” People had a choice to make. “God be thanked that though you were the slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered” (Rom. 6:17). A cry went out in Isaiah 6:8, “Whom shall we send?” Isaiah said, “Here am I; send me.” That is the mentality of a good servant of Jesus Christ. This is important to the nature of the Lord’s army because the volunteer armies have always been the most productive and best armies in all the world. In Scripture we see that Gideon was a great leader and military general in many ways (under God’s direction). Initially, he had an army of 32,000 men. It eventually was reduced to 300 volunteers who were in it because they loved God, loved Israel, and wanted to defeat the enemy. What good thing did those 300 men do? They defeated the enemy of Israel because they loved their cause and God. An Italian general by the name of Garibaldi said to those who were following him, “I offer you hunger, thirst, cold, no pay, no barracks, no rations, forced marches, bayonet charges, battles, and death. Whosever loves Italy in his heart, and not with his lips only, let him follow me.” That day 4,000 people followed him. Those people loved Italy. There was not any pay. There was no place to sleep. There was no food. What could he offer them but fighting and deaths? Yet they volunteered because they were fully behind the cause. When people are committed and dedicated to the cause of Christ, that is when the Lord’s church will turn the world upside down.
The nature of the Lord’s army also is unique because it has a Perfect Commander. No general or commander, no matter how good he may be, is perfect in every decision—except Jesus Christ, Who is our Perfect Captain. In Hebrews 2:10 we read, “It was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” We are following a Perfect Commander. He is not in the battle to gain land, pride, or ulterior motives such His own lusts or passions. He is perfectly doing the will of God. Hebrews 4:15 says that He was “tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.” He is perfect, holy, blameless, undefiled, and set apart from sinners (Heb. 7:25-26). “He committed no guile; nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Pet. 2:22). God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin on our behalf. We are following the Perfect Leader, Jesus Christ. Our devotion to Him is because we love Him. John 3:16 tells us that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Why do we follow this Perfect Commander? It is because He loved us so much that He gave His life for us. “While we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Scarcely for a righteous man would one day. Yet perhaps for a good man someone might even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). We follow the Perfect Commander because of all He has done for us. Napoleon made a statement that sheds light on this. Concerning himself, Charlemagne, and Alexander the Great he said, “We rested the creation of our genius on force. This man [Jesus] built an empire on love. And at this moment, millions would die for Him.” Think about Napoleon, Charlemagne, and Alexander the Great—and all the conquering they did. How did that come to pass? Was it through volunteers? No, they forced people—even threatening them with death. Yet Jesus never forced anyone. And right now, millions of people would still die for Him as the Great Commander because of His love for mankind.
The Lord’s army also is unique because it uses only one weapon. Can you imagine having just one weapon in a battle? Today armies use a multiplicity of weapons—from guns to knives to tanks to airplanes to bombs. Yet there is only one weapon used by those in the Lord’s army. Ephesians 6:17 says, “Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” We have one weapon. Used correctly, it is the most powerful, life-changing, decision-making weapon we could ever wield. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the word of God is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” It is the best weapon imaginable for using to prick people’s hearts and change them from enemies of God to friends of God. In 1 Timothy 6:12 Paul told Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith.” How was Timothy supposed to do that? With the Gospel, which is God’s power unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). It is the Word of God that is able to reach into a man’s heart and change his ways and his will.
The Lord’s army also is unique in that there are no paid leaves of vacations. In some armies you might get a furlough or weekend pass so that you can get away for a little while. In the Lord’s army there are no paid leaves. There is no vacation. We do not get “time off.” And we really would not want any anyway. In Acts 2:42 we read, “They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Those people did not give up, but “continued steadfastly.” That means they tried hard at every opportunity to stay faithful to God. In 1 Corinthians 15:58 we read, “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” In Galatians 6:7 we are told, “God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Thus, we are to work diligently in the cause of Christ. God knows if we are really doing our best in this army. You may fool those in charge of the army of which you are a part. If you are in a military force somewhere, you may fool your captain, or perhaps the soldiers with whom you serve. But you never will do that in the Lord’s army. If you are not doing what you ought to, I can assure you that God knows. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3). All things are naked and open before Him to Whom we must give an account.
This army also is unique because it has to be on its best game at all times because we have the most dangerous opponent—Satan himself. In 2 Corinthians 11:3 we are taught that he is a wily and conniving individual. In 1 Peter 5:8 he is described as “a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” We are told to be on guard against the wiles of the devil. According to 1 Corinthians 2:11, even his ministers can sometimes present themselves as angels of light. Think about the examples of the devil in the Bible. In Genesis 3, Satan appeared as a serpent that twisted the Word of God. Death and sin entered the world as a result. In Job, Satan tried to get Job to curse God. He entered into Judas through greed. He entered Peter because of the lusts of this world. Satan is still actively trying to cause people to be lost. We are engaged in the most important battle against the fiercest opponent—Satan himself.
Now let’s think about, not the nature of the army, but the nature of a good solider. What is a soldier in God’s army going to be like? What does God expect of him? A soldier in the Lord’s army must be well managed and well trained. Romans 6:16 teaches us, “To whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness.” To really please the Lord, we have to be “under new management.” In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we find an example of how, when we become Christians, we are under new management. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” It is “the same old shack,” but “under new management.” We now must live by the will of God and the way of God. If God is managing our lives through the Gospel, and if we are following His orders, we will be good fighters.
A good fighter also must train fervently. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” Here was a man who knew that there was a fight occurring everyday between the flesh and the spirit. He sought daily to win that battle. We must train ourselves fervently in spiritual matters if we hope to win the battle. Hebrews 12:1-2 gives us some insight about how to do this.
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Jesus set the example. We must look to Him, follow His example, lay aside sin, and fight with endurance the race that has been set before us. We must train fervently—as a fighter who is fighting for the title—and never give up. As good soldiers, we must build up endurance. We have to count the cost concerning what it will be like to be in the Lord’s army. We must see if we are committed to doing what God wants us to do. Do we have the endurance to stay faithful to the end (Rev. 2:10)? Will we go the last mile, and really be faithful to God all the way? There will be trials. Acts 14:22 says, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” There may be difficulties or troubles along the way. But we must endure and stay faithful. That is something we build every day. That endurance comes as we grow closer to God and His Word. In 2 Peter 3:18 we are told to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” What makes a good fighter? Jack Dempsey said, “A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.” A Christian is someone who never throws in the towel. He fights to the last second. He never gives up. And he always stays faithful to the cause of the Lord.
A good soldier also must develop an offense. Some people say, “I have not gotten drunk, and I have not smoked, and I have not committed adultery. So I’m a good Christian.” What a person has not done will not save him. It is what he is doing that also pleases God. For example, Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Paul did not say, “I haven’t done this,” or “I haven’t done that.” Paul said, “Here is what I have done. I have fought the food fight. I have finished the race.” It is not just that we must be on defense to guard against sin. We must actively be fighting against sin and Satan. James 4:17 says, “To him who knows to do good, but does it not, it is sin.” Knowing that we need to actively build up an offense in order to win the battle, yet not doing it, is against the will of God. We must take up “the whole armor of God” (Eph. 6:10-11). We must “bring every thought into captivity unto the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). Mohammed Ali was a great fighter. He developed a great offense against his opponents. Before one of his fights, he said regarding his opponent, “I will beat him so badly that he will need a shoe horn to put his hat on.” That’s the mentality of the offense we ought to have. I’m not talking about physically fighting, but having the mindset, “I’m going to do my best to fight this battle to the end. I’m never going to give up. And I’m going to beat the opponent. I’m going to win the battle that God has set before me.”
A soldier also must strengthen his defense if he expects to win the battle. Just because a fighter has a good upper cut or greater size does not mean that he will win. He also must be able to defend against whatever attacks may come his way. Be sure that such attacks will come. In 1 Peter 5:8 we are told that the devil is “like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” He has an offense, and he is trying to defeat us. We must be on the defense. In Luke 22:31 Jesus said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.” Satan is actively trying to cause each of us to be lost. Romans 6:23 tells us that the wages of sin is death. Satan wants to cause us to be lost. If we give in, we will die spiritually. But if we strengthen our defense by studying (2 Tim. 2:15), exercising our Christianity (Heb. 5:14), and are busy doing the work of God (Prov. 16:3ff.), we will not have time to give in to the devil and all that he throws at us.
A good solider also must take time for solitude so he can think out his plan and be ready before it is needed. Here is what Paul told the young evangelist Timothy in 1 Timothy 4: 15—“Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.” Paul was telling Timothy that he needs to stop, think, meditate, and make sure that he was doing what needed to be done. Sometimes Christians must mediate upon the Word of God (Ps. 119:15). We must think on things that are good, noble, just, and holy (Phil. 4:8). We must think about ways that are best for the propagation of the Gospel. We must think about how the devil might be trying to get into our lives. And we must do everything we can to resist him.
A soldier also must never underestimate his opponent. Satan will do anything possible to cause us to be lost. Look at what He did to Jesus. In Matthew 4 he tempted Jesus through food by saying, “Turn these stones into bread; You’re hungry, aren’t You?” He then said, “I’ll take You upon a high mountain and will give You all the things You see.” He also said, “Cast Yourself off, because God said He will take care of You.” He tempted Jesus in the best ways he knew how. But Jesus defeated him by saying, “It is written…,” “It is written…,” “It is written….”
The one unique thing about Satan is that he never gives up. Just because we may beat him once does not mean that he will not come back for more. In Luke 4:13 we are told, “Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” Satan did not give up. He will not give up on us, either. Thus, we have to realize the kind of enemy he is. Revelation 12 teaches us that he is “the serpent of old.” In the Book of Job, he is actively trying to pursue Job by every means possible. He attacks his health, his family, and his wealth. He uses anything he can throw at him. We must never underestimate our opponent. We must make sure that we stay faithful unto God.
Can we win the battle against Satan? Here’s the good news. Ultimately, the battle has already been decided. Jesus, through death, overcame him who had the power over death, and has freed those who all their lifetimes were subject to bondage (Heb. 2:14). Jesus has won the battle! When you hear the words of Christ, “It is finished!” (Mt. 27), what do they mean? They mean that Jesus completely fulfilled the will of God. He brought salvation to mankind. The church is going to be victorious (1 Cor. 15:24). It will go back to the Father, and those in it will go to Heaven. Can we win the battle? Ultimately, the battle has already been won. But can we win the battle in our own lives? Yes—but only if we obey the Gospel and become Christians. If you have never obeyed the Gospel, then you are on the losing side. Sin separates people from God (Rom. 3:23). The Bible tells us that there is no one who is righteous in and of himself. Thus, if you have never obeyed the Gospel, you are already on the losing side.
But here’s the good news. You can change, be on the side of Christ, and win the victory. How does a person do that? As the people did in Acts 2, a person must hear the Word of God. Peter stood up with the eleven and proclaimed the Gospel. A person then must be willing to believe in Jesus. Peter proclaimed, “This Jesus whom you crucified is Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). A person then must repent (Acts 2:38). A person must confess the good name of Christ before men (Acts 8:36-39). And a person must do exactly what the people did in Acts 2. They cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” The answer went out, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit“ (Acts 2:38). Are you on the Lord’s side? Are you in His army? If you have never obeyed the Gospel, you desperately need to do that today.
But perhaps as a Christian you have not been living faithfully as a soldier. Perhaps you have defected and have gone back to the world. Oh, how you desperately need to get right with God! Simon did that. In Acts 8 Simon tried to buy the Holy Spirit with money, and Peter told him, “You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!” (vss. 20-21). If people stay unfaithful to the Lord, they will be lost. But there is good news here, too. Simon was told, “Repent and pray, that the evil thought of your heart might be forgiven you” (vs. 22). Simon then said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me” (vs. 24). A person can repent, change his old ways, turn back to God, pray, and ask for forgiveness. He then can be a faithful servant of the Lord once more. It is never too late. Some people say, “I’ve lived outside the Lord for too long. I’m too evil. God will never take me back.” But that is not true. God is willing and able to forgive anyone who will repent. In Hebrews 8:12 God said, “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
When we think about the nature of God’s army and what a true soldier is like, let’s look to ourselves and ask if we are in that army and if we are living faithfully. Are we fighting the good fight of faith every day? I can guarantee you that the devil is doing everything possible to get you to go to Hell. God has done everything possible to save you. It now lies in your hands. Will you fight the good fight of faith?
Narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
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1. In Ephesians 6:10-11 the apostle Paul urges Christians to “put on the whole armor of God” so they may “stand against” something. What is that “something”?
2. According to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Christians are engaged in a battle. What type of battle is it?
3. In John 18:36, what did Jesus tell Pilate about His kingdom?
4. According to 1 Peter 5:8, who is our adversary, and what does he want to do to us?
5. According to Hebrews 2:10, what position does Christ hold in our battle against Satan?
6. According to Hebrews 4:15, what makes Christ uniquely qualified to hold such a position?
7. In Ephesians 6:17, Paul listed only one weapon that Christians are to use in their battle against the devil. What is it?
8. What kind of power, according to Hebrews 4:12, does that single weapon possess?
9. What does 1 Corinthians 15:58 tell us about our efforts in the battle we are to wage against the devil?
10. What piece of information is contained in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that explains why Christians are to be active every day in the battle against Satan?
11. In 1 Corinthians 9:27, what did the apostle Paul say that he did in order to be a good soldier in Christ’s army?
12. What does Hebrews 12:1-2 admonish Christians to do to be successful in their warfare against Satan?
13. What does 2 Corinthians 10:5 admonish Christians to do to be successful in their warfare against Satan?
14. According to Acts 14:22, will our efforts on behalf of Christ generally be effortless or painless?
15. What did Paul say in 2 Timothy 4:7, and how does that passage apply to us today?
16. What does 2 Peter 3:18 admonish each Christian to do?
17. According to 2 Timothy 2:15, what is one good way that every Christian can strengthen his or her defense against the adversary?
18. What does Revelation 2:10 teach Christians to do if they want to eventually be successful in defeating their adversary and joining Christ in victory?
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, 607 McLish Ave., Ardmore, OK 73401; (580) 223-3289; www.thegospelofchrist.com