AUSTRALIAN BIBLE CHURCH

MAY 30, 2004

FAITH IN CHRIST

IS AT PEACE WITH GOD

BUT AT WAR

WITH THE DRAFTS AND DRAUGHTS OF THIS WORLD

Introduction

Take Ephesians 6. You are to put on the armour of God. Peace within, there is assuredly, but there is little on the outside in this present world, which has a leader or 'prince' who has NOTHING in Christ, as He Himself declared would be the case (John 14:30). For that matter, we are fighting, says Paul, not against mere 'flesh and blood', so many missiles, so many robotic devices trained on your country by man, and so forth, but

	“against principalities,
	against powers,
	against the rulers of the darkness of this age,
	against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

Contrast

By contrast, to take the heavenly spirit, imagine a world where the ways of Ephesians 6:1-9 were in operation. Earth could scarcely contain the blessedness and peace that would result. But it is not done. Greed and grasping of spirit, mind and heart intervene for sick man, to make his planet in the Intensive Spiritual Care Department, where it is the more perilous, since even there, he disdains co-operation!

No, the world is not like this either between nations or parts of them. Couples freely divorce, often provoking their children, or seek rather to be enjoying themselves, so bringing their children down, not up! Employes often seek to gain wealth in silly suits, while employers often seem to regard them as ingredients in the balance sheet, preferably profitably, to be dealt with in these terms, with 'whatever it takes'. To be sure, you need profits in business, just as you need hay if a horse; but this says nothing of HOW you get it! or whether it is the first motivation! For a rat, it might be... but then, are men to be rats ?

To the contrary, consider Job 29:14ff.. Even there, Job was perhaps too aware of his 'superiority' and learned that ALL of one's life is a gift of grace, and no cause whatever for self-congratulation.

Self-esteem, that gutter word of modern child psychology, is another form of empty pride, selfishness in the heart, and gracelessness in the spirit. It provokes, and it does not help. It is trust in God that is needed. That is realistic, and not a matter of manipulation of psychological impressions, as useful as a sand castle, and perhaps less so, since the castle can be at least a place for happy imagination.

In this world, it is not so, nor does it do even as Job did, though we ourselves should seek to contribute as we may: not to save it, for it is lost, but to seek sinners to be disjoined from it, and that they might enter into that blessed and holy kingdom of heaven. Le Tourneau, the famed earth moving equipment genius, gave a lead of the first order in this, as an employer, his factory being much desired by workers and his care remarkable. He would place huge funds into new projects because they seemed worthy, and often they were, and none wanted!

The Wonderful War

that has Only Good in It

– Eph. 6:11-18

It is in fact a war of light and darkness, but the darkness has only a created head, while the light is God's own. In it, you must find the relevant ARMOUR (not sentimental amour!) , and first of all use -

THE SHIELD of FAITH. As you use it, you must recall that it is not a languid and far less a listless holding of the shield. You must be "STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT!"

Indeed, you must put on the WHOLE ARMOUR of God! This allows you to STAND under fire, even in the critical situations, and then having rebuffed, repulsed the assaults of Satan, to continue on STANDING.

This apostolically provided list in Ephesians 6 then proceeds to other equipment.

There is THE BREAST PLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. HIS righteousness, Christ's, is your strength (II Cor. 5:17-21). IT has no dints, and leaves no parts vulnerable, unlike the gear of poor Goliath. Moreover, you should oil it with the deeds of a loyal and loving heart.

Then comes the TRUTH with which you gird your waist. In battle, you need support, and the truth is this. No lie, either in moral matters or in spiritual, in financial or social, in personal or other is to be yours. Truth is your friend, and it is the LORD (John 14:6), Himself, who needs no derogation in battle. Stand for His word, for His way, for His witness and disdain all that is dark, smothering in less than accuracy and reality. Live in it, speak in it, look like it, have your face shine with it, your spirit bathed in it. As Christ put it (John 14:21ff.), if you love Him you will keep His words: He and His Father will take up residence in you.

FEET need to be well presented. It is not high heels, or armour plated boots that are needed so much as the GOSPEL of PEACE. How would you make war with a gospel of peace in your hand ?

It is not WITH it as a weapon to hurt, but with it as a solace to cure, that you fight! You defend it when it is attacked, use it likewise, just as a doctor is not keen for you to break the needle of his syringe, and likewise is keen to insert it! (Jude).

This Gospel CARRIES YOU on, not your desires for old age security, or wealth past fear, or o be impressive or even accepted, or whatever other thing may seek to become your god. Of gods, have but One, the One who is there, and follow Him alone IN PRACTICE. You are drafted, if a Christian, into His army for His beneficent 'war', so avoid being drafted in anything for any contrary or merely superfluous war; and avoid the draughts of poison which would dull your mind to arrest your insight and spoil your work for Christ.

Two more pieces of gear come. The SHIELD OF FAITH. This lets you parry without hurt, the fiery darts, the swift and devious efforts of the devil to trouble and confuse you. God is and is to be followed, and is with you as you with Him, so FEAR NOTHING, and continue fearless in faith. Live it, and you find power to do it. What is prescribes, you then find arrives.

The HELMET OF SALVATION protects your head. You KNOW whom you “have believed and are assured that He is able to keep what you have “committed to Him against that day” of judgment (II Timothy 1:12). Then PRAY with all kinds of prayer for all saints, urgent, careful, watchful, alert (Eph. 6:18). Pray for the preaching of the Gospel with boldness (6:19) by your Pastor and all God’s called for this office, just as they were to pray for the apostle. Expect and seek the consequences of this word of God. Do not be deceived by appearances, for even Paul was an “ambassador in bonds”!

Seek to be equipped yourself, from the Lord, and continue without cease, till He comes or you are called to be with Him as in Philippians 1:20-21, surely one of the greatest short accounts of living for Christ! You do it ? Do it then fully! May God bless you as you proceed, in the fullness of His might.

THE SHIELD of FAITH. As you use it, you must recall that it is not a languid and far less a listless holding of the shield. You must be "STRONG IN THE LORD AND IN THE POWER OF HIS MIGHT!"

This then proceeds to other equipment. There is THE BREAST PLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. HIS righteousness, Christ's, is your strength (II Cor. 5:17-21). IT has no dints, and leaves no parts vulnerable, unlike the gear of poor Goliath. Moreover, you should oil it with the deeds of a loyal and loving heart.

Then comes the TRUTH with which you gird your waist. In battle, you need support, and the truth is this. No lie, either in moral matters or in spiritual, in financial or social, in personal or other is to be yours. Truth is your friend, and it is the LORD (John 14:6), Himself, who needs no derogation in battle. Stand for His word, for His way, for His witness and disdain all that is dark, smothering in less than accuracy and reality. Live in it, speak in it, look like it, have your face shine with it, your spirit bathed in it. As Christ put it, if you love Him you will keep His words: He and His Father will take up residence in you.

FEET need to be well presented. It is not high heels, or armour plated boots that are needed so much as the GOSPEL of PEACE. How would you make war with a gospel of peace ? It is not WITH it as a weapon to hurt, but with it as a solace to cure, that you fight! You defend it when it is attacked, use it likewise, just as a doctor is not keen for you to break the needle of his syringe, and likewise is keen to insert it!

This Gospel CARRIES YOU on, not your desires for old age security, or wealth past fear, or whatever other thing is your god. Of gods, have but One, the One who is there, and follow Him alone IN PRACTICE.

The HELMET OF SALVATION protects your head. You KNOW whom you have believed and are assured that He is able to keep what you have committed to Him against that day of judgment (II Timothy 1:12).

Then PRAY with all kinds of prayer for all saints, urgent, careful, watchful, alert.