?Are you the King of the Jews?? asked Pilate (John
authority while this bloodied Jew unsteadily stood there. Jesus asked if this
was an original idea or if he heard others talking about Him (John
against or with His people: ?Your own nation and the chief priests gave you
up?what have you done??
Why was the King of the Jews standing there, bloodied and defenseless? And
how would He answer? Would He shower theological fire to prove the man?s
futility? Would He summon a legion of fighting angels? And if we are His
servants, what does this tell us about the way we are to defend Christ in this
world?
?My kingdom is not of this world.? In
a short phrase He wipes out that false thinking that as a king He wouldn?t be subjected
to the current situation. True, if His kingdom was of this world His servants
would be fighting in His defense. They would draw their swords and claim the
world as His. This (currently) not being the case, His servants would not have
the need to use physical weapons.
One minute, didn?t Peter draw a sword? There he went, likely going for
Malchus? head and wound up cutting off the poor man?s ear (John
that His kingdom would not be fought for by physical arsenal.
How would this Kingdom be established if not by the physical sword? All the
kingdoms I know of down here have been established with some sort of
fighting?but not Jesus?? How can He come proclaiming that God loved the world
(John
establish His kingdom? As His servants, we should be basing our methods on His
example, shouldn?t we?
As He was pinned to the cross, nails driven into His hands by those who
scorned Him, he prayed to the Father?not for release but for those who were
crucifying Him (Luke 23:33,34). Such love in the man that one of the two
criminals, which reviled Him would repent, turn to Him in faith and ask to be
remembered when He comes into His kingdom (Luke
This awesome expression of love, performed in the very nick of time while men
were helpless ungodly sinners (Rom 5:6-8).
This man, who didn?t think that equality with God was something to be
grasped at (because He had it already) took that equality and the joy that was
set before Him (Heb 12:2), and lay it all aside, obediently humbling Himself as
a servant. This servant became obedient to death?but not just any death, death
on the Cross (Phil 2:5-7).
Paul reminds us that Christ offered Himself as a public propitiation (Rom
and simultaneously covered God?s righteous requirement. John would explain that
this was done for our sins and for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2).
Remember that Propitiatory of the Old Testament? This Mercy Seat with the
Cherubim on it, would be placed as a covering over the ark where the Law was
kept. This would be kept behind the veil, the Holiest of Holies. Once a year
the High Priest would enter in with blood, then pouring the blood on the
propitiatory he would make a way possible for the Holy God could to dwell in
the same house as these wrath-worthy people. (Lev 16; Heb 9)
The Lord was not defenseless, but rather establishing a defense for God?a
way that God could justify the sinners and still remain just. A battle fought
in the spiritual realm with eventual physical ramifications in the beating a
pathway for unrighteous men to be with The Righteous God forever more.
I?ve spoken on Ahab?s
compromise of his special status but now I ask for the audience of those
active brothers and sisters who take the battle to the enemy. Paul speaking
about personal sanctification asks the believers if they were so foolish to
think that having begun in the Spirit they can now be made perfect in the flesh
(Gal 3:1-3). Is there application then in the carnal methods we employ use?
I mean, sure God was able to save little ol? Rey Reynoso?but I was small
potatoes next to the darkness in the world. God may have been able to save me
with spiritual power?but the battlefield in this world is heavier?requiring
practical weapons?right? Apparently we tend to forget that we were enemies just
as those around us and God saved us by the power of His might and mercy alone.
It is a wonder then when Christians, warriors of the Kingdom of the God in
the Son, would pick up the weapons of this world. Politics, the law, financial
muscle, compromise, treaties, picket signs and rampant behavior. We get on the
news and defame the culture, stamping out opposition with our logic or
politicizing. Peter used a sword to cut off a man?s hearing?what weapons do
Christians use to cut of the hearing of those who need the message the most?
Our battle, brothers and sisters, is not with flesh and blood but with
principalities and powers (Eph
and our weapons are able to cast down arguments (2 Cor 10:5)?but they are not
carnal but mighty in God (2 Cor
Sure we?re co-workers in the harvest with God (1 Cor 3) but does that mean we
forget the very weapons He?s given us to fight this battle? We tend to look at
2 Cor 10:5 as if ?Yes! Christian Arguing is the answer!? or Isaiah
that each of those verses underscore the power of God?one tearing down arguments
by the power of God and the other the reason of sins being turned from bright
red to white by God.
Eph 6 gives us a list of our weapons. Our waist girded about with truth Paul
would say. What is truth?, asks Pilate and stalks away not waiting for an
answer (John
Christ?s answer to that question? Truth isn?t your doctrine or a method of
evangelizing that raises the heat of a battle?truth is a person (John 14:6)!
Your feed shod with the gospel?ready to go running with the message of
salvation that Christ died to save sinners. Your chest protected by the
breastplate of righteousness?your righteousness? Your head, your thoughts, your
eyes protected by the fact of your salvation. Wielding the shield of
faith?faith in a method? Carrying the sword of the spirit, that double sided
blade to cut through the enemy forces?and never dealing with ourselves in the
process? Do we forget that we carry in our flesh a great enemy? Note that one
of the greatest weapons in that list is prayer and supplication?asking God to
intervene, to do, to work!
Oh brothers and sisters, this is not an endorsement to leave behind
apologetics, or politics, or reasoning, or speaking out against hypocrisy?not
at all. This is encouragement to look at those methods honestly and see that
our power is not found in the wisdom of men but in the power of the Spirit, the
very one who has vested interest in the battle around us. We, as co-workers (1
Cor 3:9) in this battle should have the same mind as Christ looking to Him as
our head as we do the duty of a hand, or a foot, or whatever it is He has
called us to do.
Christ was lowly, we are to be lowly. Christ humbled Himself, we are to be
humble. We are called to speak, yes, and point out the hypocrisy of what is
around us?but let us not forget that this war is the Lord?s, the final victor.
So then, in this cruel world, let us so shine before men (Matt
world (John
theories?but in the power of the Lord.
-r-
After I wrote this I noticed that it could work in the Vox Apologia.