Difficult Days will Come -- In Fact, They are Here

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). The world was stunned last week at the news out of Ft. Hood that a lone gunman fired several rounds, killing at least 13, and wounding many more. The very next day, a similar news story was reported out of Orlando when a gunman entered his former workplace, firing several rounds, killing one and wounding several others. Add these two events to past events of a similar nature and a clear message begins to emerge. We are living in the last days—the very last of the last days—just prior to the return of Christ for His Church.

Paul wrote to Timothy, "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come." Why did the Holy Spirit inspire the Apostle to write these words? I’m sure the days in which Paul and Timothy lived could be described as difficult. After all, many were being persecuted and martyred for their faith. So what sets today’s "difficult times" apart from those of the first century? For the answer to that question, we need only look to the Greek word behind the English word, difficult. It is the Greek word, chalepos, meaning hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, and savage. It occurs only one other time in the New Testament. "When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way" (Matt. 8:28). The words translated "so extremely violent" is the same Greek word, chalepos, used in 2 Timothy 3:1. But Paul doesn’t have bad times in view here so much as he has evil people. In other words, he has the wicked, evil, and depraved ways of men in mind. And it all ties into men being "lovers of self." All the other sins he lists in this passage grow out of the sin of misplaced self-love. Furthermore, such savage, dangerous and evil men will increase in frequency and severity as the return of Christ draws near. Amazingly, many of these people will hold "to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power." In other words, many of them will be religious, as was the case with the Ft. Hood shooter. A few verses later he writes they are, "Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7). In his first letter to Timothy, Paul uses this same phrase to describe those who are being saved (see 1 Tim. 2:4). Paul’s message is clear—these difficult times will only grow worse. But it’s not the times so much as it is the people—evil people growing more evil by the day!

Our confused brethren who believe things are simply going to get better and better prior to Christ’s return would do well to read and believe these verses. Clearly, it’s only going to get worse. The rest of Paul’s second letter to Timothy underscores the fact that faithful believers will increasingly become targets of persecution and suffering at the hands of evil persons and a Christ-rejecting world (see 2 Tim. 3:12). All of this Paul indicates will increase until Jesus returns. Therefore, it is extremely crucial that as believers, we understand and embrace our hope—our future hope. Paul writes, "The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen" (2 Tim. 4:18). Regardless of what happens. Regardless of the ever increasing evil and wicked days in which we live. Regardless of the very evil people who will only grow more evil. God’s Word promises us that God will bring each of us who believes "safely to His heavenly kingdom." In other words, we are eternally secure in Him no matter what! Evil men may grow more evil. They may even succeed in persecuting and ultimately killing those of us who believe. But God will "bring [us] safely to His heavenly kingdom." In Luke 12:4, Jesus says, "I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do." If evil men succeed in killing me, that’s really all they can do. They cannot kill my soul as it belongs to the Lord and He has promised to bring me "safely to His heavenly kingdom." Therefore we need not fear! God is in control despite the ever increasing "difficult times" in which we live. And when necessary, the Holy Spirit will help you die. So keep on believing and praying for the soon return of Jesus Christ for His Church! "If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you" (1 Peter 4:14).

What is Christian Baptism?

"As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, 'Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?'" (Acts 8:36) One of my faithful readers submitted a question concerning Christian Baptism. If you ask three different ministers you might get three different answers. Some argue baptism takes place by sprinkling or pouring water over a person’s head. Others say baptism must be by immersion. Some practice infant baptism while others insist one should only be baptized following their profession of faith. It seems everyone has an opinion. For this reason, we cannot appeal to history, tradition or church authority. If we are to do what is pleasing to God we must be faithful to the Word of God. Martin Luther (who practiced infant baptism) had this in mind when he said, "The church needs to rid itself of all false glories that torture Scripture by inserting personal conceits into the Scripture which lend it to their own sense. Scripture, Scripture, Scripture for me constrain, press, and compel me with God’s Word." I think that’s good advice for us all. Although water baptism has no saving merit I believe it is crucially important that we get it right. I believe this, not because I want to be divisive, but because I want to honor the Word of God and the God of the Word! But it seems to be today that the climate is such that one simply is not allowed to disagree with anyone without being considered as divisive and unloving and unkind. This is sad but is a risk I take in order to be faithful to my great God and Savior—Jesus Christ!

Let me say upfront that baptism by sprinkling or pouring is human in origin. There is simply no scriptural support for either practice. It appears these practices arose around A.D. 250. However, I should also add there is nowhere in the New Testament that explicitly commands or prohibits either practice. But the absence of a command or prohibition is not sufficient grounds for its practice, the reason being God’s Word clearly instructs us on Christian baptism. The word "baptism" in the New Testament is a transliteration of the Greek word "baptizo" (βαπτίζω), which very plainly means, "to dip, to immerse, to submerge." It was used to describe a ship that was sunk. I doubt pouring or sprinkling water onto a ship would result in its being sunk. Furthermore, forms of the word "baptizo" appear in various extra-biblical Greek writings where it consistently carries with it the idea of immersion. Another thing to note is that the Holy Spirit inspired the writers of the New Testament to use the word "baptizo" when referring to baptism. God does not have a speech impediment. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit had sprinkling or pouring in mind, there are Greek words He would have chosen to communicate such. Those who practice sprinkling and pouring have their "proof texts." However, none of the verses they site actually prove that sprinkling or pouring is a form of baptism. The baptism Jesus commands and the apostles and early church practiced is precisely what is indicated by the Greek word "baptizo": immersion! The book of Acts contains multiple accounts of baptism, and in every instance, the person being baptized was immersed. A thorough study of the New Testament reveals several important facts about the proper mode for Christian Baptism. John 3:23 tells us that baptism involved "much water." Acts 8:36 tells us "they came to some water." Verse 38 tells us, "They both went down into the water." Verse 39 says, "They came up out of the water." Colossians 2:12 declares, "Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith," indicating baptism is a picture of our identification with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. How in the world could sprinkling or pouring ever picture this? Every time I baptize someone, I will say (in addition to the Matthew 28:19 formula), "Buried with Christ in baptism; raised to walk in newness of life." Furthermore, in the first century church, baptism by immersion was obedience and obedience was the fruit of repentance. One’s first act of obedience following conversion was baptism by immersion. The new believer would stand before a watching world and declare their identification with Christ—His death, burial and resurrection—knowing that such identification might very well result in their martyrdom.

There are so many people who say, "Oh well. There are so many views of baptism. I don't want to make an issue out of it." Well, it is certainly not something over which we should divide. But it is important. It is important because we want to honor Christ and the Word of God. We want to be obedient to Christ’s command. The only way we can do that is through baptism by immersion according to the formula Jesus gave us in Matthew 28:19. Anything less is disobedience and disobedience is sin. James 4:17 says, "Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." In spite of the biblical command, in spite of the New Testament mandate and clarity on the issue of Christian baptism, there is still wide-spread disobedience. All I can do is lay this on your conscience from the Lord Himself and trust that you'll do what is right. "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"

You Can't Pray Away the Gay

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). “You can’t pray away the gay.” What a way to open a recent episode of the hit series, Grey’s Anatomy. In the aforementioned episode, the character known as Callie confronts her father about her sexuality when he, along with a pastor, pays a visit to the hospital where she is a patient. Most folks would be amazed to learn that I agree with this statement—you can’t pray away the gay. Those who are gay, more than likely didn’t choose to be gay. A host of factors over the course of one’s life—particularly childhood and adolescence—I’m sure play a key role in one’s sexual orientation. But—there’s always a but—although one doesn’t choose to be gay, when confronted with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the reality of God’s Holy Word on the matter, a choice has to be made. That choice is simple yet profound—will I believe God? If one chooses to believe the Gospel and God’s position on the matter then that one has taken a major step towards freedom from the sin known as homosexuality and any other sin for that matter! Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). A genuinely saved person will know divine truth and freedom from habitual sin. Such is the reality of a saving commitment to Christ. God never changes His position on this and He never will. Therefore, a person who may be gay doesn’t have to remain that way. This is God’s position on the matter regardless of what the APA or MCC says!

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?” Paul’s reference here to the kingdom of God is the sphere of salvation where Christ rules as Lord over all who belong to Him by faith. All true Christians are a part of this spiritual kingdom. Paul then issues a very strong warning to those who might think they are a part of this kingdom but really are not. He says, “Do not be deceived.” He then lists several sins, though not exhaustive, that represents the major types of moral sins that characterize the unsaved. The only correct conclusion regarding this list is that people who are characterized by these iniquities are not saved. Both verses 9 and 10 state this clearly: “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Personally, I find these verses very frightening, the reason being I know several people who are characterized by these sins. I pray daily for their salvation. Thankfully, this passage ends with some good news. Freedom is possible and it comes by grace through faith! Paul writes, “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” Apparently, the Church in Corinth was made up of individuals, who prior to their salvation, were fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, and swindlers. Notice again that Paul says, “Such were some of you.” The word, “were,” appears four times in verse 11. “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified.” The good news is this—if any number of these sins characterize you, you can be forgiven and set free! As long as you are breathing you are not beyond the reach of God’s grace. If you come to Him in faith, repenting of your sin and embracing Christ and His free gift of eternal life, God will save you and He will keep you saved—and you will go to heaven when you die. And it is all accomplished “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

Because God is holy He can never and will never accept these kinds of sins or any sin for that matter. Any pastor, church or group that says otherwise is lying. All these sins—homosexuality included—are against God’s nature and plan for mankind. Thank God He has provided all that is needed to be freed from the powerful grip of these kinds of sins. That provision is washing, sanctification, and justification made possible through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is powerful enough to break the hold of sin in a person’s life. It may not be easy. You may still struggle. You may even fail at times. You may have to surround yourself with mature Christians who can pray with you and hold you accountable, but you can be free. That is the witness of Scripture and the reality of new life in Christ (see 2 Cor. 5:17). I personally know several Christians who were once characterized by these sins. And God has not only saved them, He has set them free. And He’ll do the same for you. “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:22-23). This is good news!

Treasuring Christ -- He is My All in All

"Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places" (Habakkuk 3:17-19). Like this passage, Dennis Jernigan’s lyrics to "You are My All in All," capture the essence of what it means to treasure Christ above all. "You are my strength when I am weak, You are the treasure that I seek, You are my all in all. I’m seeking You like a precious jewel, Lord, to give up I’d be a fool. You are my all in all… Taking my cross, my sin, my shame, raising again I praise Your name; You are my all in all. When I fall down You pick me up, when I run dry you fill my cup; You are my all in all…" Sadly, many today treasure anything and everything rather than Christ. Equally as sad is the number of so called ministers who stand in pulpits across this land and preach a blasphemous message of health, wealth, and prosperity, rather than the greatest treasure of all—Jesus Christ. Jernigan says it well—I’d be a fool to seek anything other than Christ. Indeed, He is the treasure that I seek and pray you seek as well.

The prophet Habakkuk gives us one of many reasons found within Scripture to treasure Christ above all. He concludes his short book (only 3 chapters) with an "If everything goes south I will still trust in the Lord" scenario. This is a far cry from much of what we hear coming out of Christendom today. Much of what is being taught today says God wants you to be rich. He wants you to feel good about yourself. He wants you to live a life of ease, comfort, and pleasure. He wants you to own expensive cars, big houses, and maybe even a yacht and airplane. The problem with such thinking is twofold. First of all, it simply is not true. Secondly, when one treasures such temporal things and the bottom does drop out, their faith (if they even had any to start with) will spiral out of control, leaving them bitter and disillusioned. But when Christ is my treasure, "Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines…, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk’s point is this—Treasure Christ above all! If everything collapses and I lose it all, I will still rejoice in and desire Christ. This is true hope and security. Such is not based on temporal blessings—stuff—but on the Lord Himself. This is the essence of treasuring Christ. Indeed, He is My all in All! If my focus is living by faith in the crucified, risen, ascended, and soon returning Lord—treasuring Christ above all—then I can say, "The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places." My faith in the Lord will enable me to endure difficulty, suffering, and even loss—tremendous pain and loss at that.

"I’m seeking You like a precious jewel, Lord, to give up I’d be a fool." I see a lot of fools these days and I’m not talking about "fools for Christ’s sake" (1 Cor. 4:10). I’m talking about those who seek earthly treasures over Christ. What treasure do you seek? Paul wrote, "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Phil. 3:8). Do you consider all things loss, your sin included, for the sake of knowing and treasuring Christ? Is Christ more important to you than life itself? "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phil. 1:21). The Psalmist wrote, "Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise you" (Ps. 63:3). What’s the point of all this? It is simple, really. Jesus is the goal. He is the prize. He is the treasure that we seek. Sadly however, many seek after that which will not satisfy. My heart grieves for those who follow after false prophets, false religious systems, and pseudo-Christianity thinking such things will bring them joy and guarantee eternal life. Furthermore, my heart breaks over those whom I know and care about who are seeking happiness by embracing sin rather than Christ. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34). If you treasure things your heart will be in things. If you treasure sin, your heart will be consumed with sin. If you treasure wealth, your heart will long for more and more. But if you treasure Christ, your heart will be satisfied with nothing less than Christ and Christ alone. Treasuring Christ guarantees satisfaction here and an eternal joy that simply cannot be described this side of heaven—"But just as it is written, things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who [treasure] Him" (1 Cor. 2:9). "You are the treasure that I seek, You are my all in all…to give up I’d be a fool."

Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy

“For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty… So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2 Peter 1:16, 19-21). Many people believe that Bible prophecy is far too complicated to understand. Therefore, we should just leave it to the “experts.” Of course, these same people are often critical of the “experts,” insisting there’s plenty of work to be done for the Lord that one should not busy oneself with the study of prophecy. How stupid is that? Peter wrote, “So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention.” How can one “pay attention” to the “prophetic word made more sure,” if one refuses to consider it at all? It is sin and shortsightedness to neglect the study of prophecy! God has revealed His prophetic plan “to show His bondservants, the things which must soon take place” (Rev. 1:1). Furthermore, the Scripture declares, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:10). These are not “cleverly devised tales,” but the clear revelation of Jesus Christ given by God so that we may know “the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” God expects us to study and understand prophecy because He is the author of prophecy and Jesus Christ “is the spirit of prophecy.”

The false teachers of Peter’s day tried their best to oppose him and debunk the clear biblical teaching of the Second Coming of Christ. We see the same thing today from within the professing church. “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation’” (2 Pet. 3:3-4). The world’s rejection of the coming Messiah should not surprise us. But when we see such foolish thinking from within the ranks of those who profess Christ, it is alarming. I was informed recently about some people who have been reading my blog. I was told these people, although they profess Christ, took offense at the idea that Jesus is coming again. I use the phrase, “profess Christ,” loosely, as I believe these people have been deceived into believing a false hope because they think their false religious system is the one true church on earth. They scoff at God’s future plans, pretending to know the truth while denying judgment will ever come. The fact that Jesus is coming again—a lot sooner than most are willing to believe—is not “cleverly devised tales,” but the “prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention.” As the last days draw to a close the darkness of sin and blindness to the truth of God’s Word will increase. It is the “prophetic word made more sure,” that acts as “a lamp shining in a dark place.” It provides us with a security and hope that can never be taken away because this security and hope is the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. This “prophetic word” refers to the entire Old Testament, all of which was written by prophets. They spoke the Word of the Lord and all looked forward to the coming Messiah. By referring back to the entirety of the Old Testament prophets, Peter is asserting the Word of God over experience. Our experience may lead us to conclude Jesus isn’t coming back anytime soon. After all, “all continues just as it was from the beginning,” or does it? You see, when one asserts such foolishness, “it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water” (2 Pet. 3:5-6). In other words, God has already directly intervened in human history twice—once at the Creation and another in judgment at the Flood of Noah (and a third time at Christ’s first coming). The conclusion is He will intervene yet another time at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

The fact that Israel is in existence today and increasing in stature indicates the last of the last days have begun. Daniel’s Seventieth Week is on the horizon, which means the Rapture of the Church is even closer! Furthermore, the alignment of nations, the anticipation for peace, the arrangements being made for the Jewish Temple, and the argument over Jerusalem are further evidences the Bible is God’s Word, its prophecies are true and literally coming to pass. “We have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place.” Therefore, it is crucial you be ready. Are you ready? If Jesus shouted from heaven today would you be caught up to meet Him in the air? Time is quickly running out. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).

The Love of Christ Controls Us

“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died… Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come… Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:14-20). As Christians, we have the greatest message anyone will ever hear. Unfortunately, most of those who hear it will reject it. "We are ambassadors for Christ," meaning we represent the King of heaven with the His glorious Gospel. In his first letter to the Corinthian believers, Paul referred to this glorious Gospel as "the word of the cross," a foolish message to those who remain lost, yet the power of God to those of us who are being saved (see 1 Cor. 1:18). It is this foolish message we proclaim, "as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." Every time I share the Gospel with another, every time I stand in the pulpit to preach, every time I open the Bible to teach, I have this message in mind and my goal is always the same—to clearly and concisely preach Jesus, "namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself."

Why do I do this? "For the love of Christ controls [me]." The word translated "controls" is the Greek word, συνέχω (synechō), which basically means "to hold together, confine, secure, to hold fast." Its use throughout the New Testament is interesting. For example, it is used to describe the effect of the Word of God upon Paul in Acts 18:5: "Paul began devoting [synechō] himself completely to the word, solemnly testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ." In Acts 7:57, it is used to describe the response of those who refused to listen to the truth of the Gospel message preached by Stephen: "But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered [synechō] their ears and rushed at him with one impulse." In 2 Cor. 5:14, it refers to the effect the love of God has on those of us who believe, meaning the love of Christ keeps us within bounds and compels us to preach the Gospel. This is the "ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 7:18) and it sums up the Gospel message in that "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). This statement is the heart of the Gospel—Jesus Christ, the sinless Savior has taken our sins that through Him we might be forgiven and have His righteousness. God accomplished this "in Christ" and offers this righteousness to all those who will ever be saved. This is the "ministry of reconciliation" whereby believers proclaim the Gospel, God speaks through them ("as though God were making an appeal through us, we beg of you…be reconciled to God") thus urging unbelievers to come to Christ in faith and believe the Gospel. This means repent of your sins and believe on Jesus! This is the essence of reconciliation—a changed relationship where our sins are no longer counted against us. No religion in the world offers this. It comes only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and is offered freely to everyone who believes. This "belief" isn’t mere head knowledge but a heart knowledge that results in a changed life!

So my question to you is this: Which use of the word "controls" will you choose for yourself? Will it be the positive use whereby you allow the Word of God and the love of Christ to control you, thus resulting in salvation by grace through faith and a compelling desire to preach Jesus to others? Or, will it be the negative use, whereby you hear the Gospel message yet refuse to listen to it, turning a deaf ear to the one message that can change your life for all eternity? Paul wrote, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." To be "in Christ" means that I was at one time without Christ. In other words, I was lost and by nature a sinner. But thanks to God’s grace I am now "in Christ," forgiven of my sin, and the recipient of a new nature, one of being a saint—a radical change wrought by the Gospel . It also means I have the promise of being with Christ in glory when He returns for His saints or calls me home to be with Him. All of this the Bible says is made a reality by faith. I must believe God—"And without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Heb. 11:6). Therefore, "[I] beg you, be reconciled to God."

The Battle for the Soul

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). As we near the end of the age and the soon return of Christ for His Church, it is clear that Satan is ramping up his battle for the souls of unbelievers. This is especially true in the area of moral purity. No one is exempt from the battle. Satan’s number one goal is to so suppress God’s truth that wrong becomes right and right becomes wrong. This is clearly happening today. Although the evidence from conscience, creation, and God’s Word is clear, men continue to choose to resist and oppose God’s truth by holding fast to their sin. The words of Jesus ring true: “Men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). When God’s truth is rejected, the darkness of spiritual falsehood replaces it. Therefore, Paul admonishes us to fight this war, not “according to the flesh,” but with the “divinely powerful weapons of our warfare.” What are these divinely powerful weapons? It is actually a singular weapon—the “sword of the Spirit” (Eph. 6:17). We fight the battle with truth—God’s Word. We cannot successfully oppose satanic assaults on the gospel nor can we defeat satanic falsehoods without this “divinely powerful” weapon. We are not called upon to bind Satan or demons (see Jude 9), nor are we called upon to debate truth and error, but to attack error with truth. When it comes down to it, this battle for God’s truth is really a battle for the human soul—perhaps your soul.

This is not an easy battle. Our enemy is clever, crafty, cunning, and a master deceiver. He is able to promulgate his evil schemes through his evil world system over which he rules (see Eph. 6:11). These “schemes,” according to John MacArthur are, “all-inclusive, encompassing every sin, immoral practice, false theology, false religion, and worldly enticement.” He is a master at using trickery and deception, therefore believers must respond with truth and righteousness. When we consider these “fortresses, … speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God,” we must understand this includes the most depraved abominations, including such things as extreme sexual immorality (adultery, fornications, homosexuality and the like), occultism, Satan worship, thoughts, ideas, reasonings, philosophies, and false religions. These are the “fortresses” with which men wall themselves in against God and the truth of the Gospel. Only the truth of God’s Word can destroy these fortresses! This is why we must preach Jesus! This is why we must continually proclaim the truth—unpopular truth at that—to a world that is hell-bent on suppressing the truth. One recent example of a satanic fortress “raised up against the knowledge of God” is the so called Hate Crime legislation that recently became law. Despite all the rhetoric to the contrary, the primary purpose of this legislation is to silence Christians who would dare to tell the truth about certain sins. If you don’t believe me, simply look to our neighbor to the north—Canada—where similar laws have been enacted and are being used to threaten and intimidate Christians—conservative Bible believing Christians in particular. Satan will stop at nothing to silence the truth so that darkness can prevail and souls can be enslaved and damned for all eternity. However, I will not be silenced!

Hear me and hear me well—there is a battle raging for the soul—your soul—and only the truth of God’s Word and the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ can free a soul from the grips of satanic darkness and eternal damnation. “We are taking every thought captive,” Paul says. This accentuates the total destruction of the fortresses of satanic deception and the rescuing of those enslaved to Satan. And one doesn’t have to be a Satan worshipper to be enslaved to Satan. One can be sitting in the pews of the local church and be enslaved to satanic darkness. Who is winning the battle for your soul—God or Satan? Remember, Satan doesn’t care what it takes or how long it takes. His goal is always the same—to win the battle for your soul. There is only one way to ensure victory over this enemy—faith in the crucified, risen, ascended, and soon returning King of kings and Lord of lords—the Lord Jesus Christ! It may not be easy. You may still struggle and fail at times. But the rewards of faith in the Son of God are well worth the struggle. “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, ‘God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:6-8). Believe God and you will be victorious!