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theseldomscene
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Joined: 17 Mar 2005
Posts: 7817
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 Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 10:37 am Post subject: taking the fight to the enemy... |
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by: revjp...
In February I posted Onward Christian Soldiers in which I discussed the full armor of God, what it is and what it is used for; namely to fight the fight of faith and righteousness. I said:
So face the enemy in faith and righteousness my brothers and sisters, stand before your foe holding the shield of faith in one hand and wielding the sword of His Word in the other (2 Co 6:7 By [speaking] the word of truth, in the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand [to attack] and for the left hand [to defend]).
Do not falter, do not turn; do not flee. Stand strong and press onward in your battle for the Lord.
I wanted to take a moment to look deeper into the idea of this spiritual battle as I find that my life, and sadly the life of many Christians is, and has been, one of standing fast in our faith. Sadly, the key word here is ‘standing’. Not moving, not acting, not accomplishing, but simply standing.
Standing in faith is one thing, being steadfast in your conviction of God’s truth, love and grace is nothing to be ashamed of. It is actually a cornerstone of our reliance on Him. However, we must, as soldiers of God, as messengers of His Gospel and grace not be comfortable in our life in Him. To grow, to minister, to preach the Gospel and make disciples we must place ourselves in the uncomfortable position that many soldiers know – we must take the fight to the enemy.
The very first time the word ‘church’ is mentioned in the Bible comes from the mouth of Jesus. And what a description Jesus gives of this soon-to-be-born Church.
Matthew 16:18-19 AMP And I tell you, you are Peter [Greek, Petros–a large piece of rock], and on this rock [Greek, petra–a huge rock] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it]. (19) I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven. [Isa. 22:22.]
Jesus describes the Church as an irresistible force, undeterred even by the very gates of Hades itself. This verse is part of the charter of the Church’s mission. And as you read this verse, you will note the words that Jesus uses to describe the impact that the Church has upon “the rulers…the authorities…the powers of this dark world and…the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
He says:
“… the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
One of the first concepts that must be overturned, if you are to be effective in your role as a soldier of the Cross, is that of passivity. Many Christians believe in a passive overcoming of the world – in other words, no matter what Satan throws against us, we will still stand strong. While this is true, this is not the full picture. We are not simply waiting for Satan to attack us; we have been given a mandate to take the offensive into his camp.
When Jesus says that “the gates of Hades will not overcome” the Church, many Christians somehow have the mental picture of Satan picking up the heavy gates of Hades and ‘gate-bashing’ the Church. But this is not the picture Jesus is using. Christ is actually painting a picture of the Church on the offensive, taking the battle right up to the gates of the enemy himself.
In ancient times, an invading army would often surround and lay siege to a city, starving it of food and water. Then they would begin to assault the city gates with large battering rams, until finally the gates would crack and entry would be forced into the city. This is what it means by the phrase “the gates of Hades will not prevail…”
Few Christians realize that our enemy has a siege mentality. He is still a formidable foe, but he has hidden himself in pockets of spiritual resistance that the Bible calls ‘strongholds’. Although he is still active in the world, he is only as active as these pockets of resistance remain intact. We have been called to take the battle to the gates of Satan’s refuges, enforcing the victory won against him on the Cross.
The Message articulates Jesus’ description of the Church’s fighting style with these words:
‘This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out. And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door; no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.”
Spiritual warfare has become an ‘in’ term in many circles. Yet spiritual warfare is simply a recognition of the reality of spiritual conflict – the fact that the Gospel story is not simply about God and people, but that it involves a third party, an implacable enemy, who seeks to hinder the advance of the Gospel on every turn.
As Matthew Henry observes:
“The work of the ministry is a spiritual warfare with spiritual enemies, and for spiritual purposes.” |
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cballard
Grizzly Bear
Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 728
Location: WV
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| Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 1:06 pm Post subject: |
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This is good. RevJP saying we must work. 
But then comes the nitty-gritty stuff.
| Quote: | | And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door; no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.” |
As a Catholic, I have never heard the Protestant understanding of this verse. Does the YOU mean each and every Christian can say yes on earth and it is a yes in heaven? Yes to what? Yes, we agree it is no longer a sin even though it was in past times? Would heaven agree that something, like say abortion or homosexuality is right if an individual decides in their own conscience it is right for them? Do we have absolute freedom to follow our conscience? That just doesn't sound right to me. |
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RevJP
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Joined: 18 Apr 2003
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| Posted: Wed May 30, 2007 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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| cballard wrote: | | Yes, we agree it is no longer a sin even though it was in past times? Would heaven agree that something, like say abortion or homosexuality is right if an individual decides in their own conscience it is right for them? Do we have absolute freedom to follow our conscience? That just doesn't sound right to me. |
It shouldn't sound right to you because it is completely wrong. I think you've taken a rather large leap from meaning of scritpure to twisted application by man.
Matthew Henry:
Secondly, The other part of this charter is, to settle the order and government of the church, Mat_16:19. When a city or society is incorporated, officers are appointed and empowered to act for the common good. A city without government is a chaos. Now this constituting of the government of the church, is here expressed by the delivering of the keys, and, with them, a power to bind and loose. This is not to be understood of any peculiar power that Peter was invested with, as if he were sole door-keeper of the kingdom of heaven, and had that key of David which belongs only to the Son of David; no, this invests all the apostles and their successors with a ministerial power to guide and govern the church of Christ, as it exists in particular congregations or churches, according to the rules of the gospel. Claves regni caelorum in B. Petro apostolo cuncti suscepimus sacerdotes - All we that are priests, received, in the person of the blessed apostle Peter, the keys of the kingdom of heaven; so Ambrose De Dignit. Sacerd. Only the keys were first put into Peter's hand, because he was the first that opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, Act_10:28. As the king, in giving a charter to a corporation, empowers the magistrates to hold courts in his name, to try matters of fact, and determine therein according to law, confirming what is so done regularly as if done in any of the superior courts; so Christ, having incorporated his church, hath appointed the office of the ministry for the keeping up of order and government, and to see that his laws be duly served; I will give thee the keys. He doth not say, “I have given them,” or “I do now;” but “I will do it,” meaning after his resurrection; when he ascended on high, he gave those gifts, Eph_4:8; then this power was actually given, not to Peter only, but to all the rest, Mat_28:19, Mat_28:20; Joh_20:21. He doth not say, The keys shall be given, but, I will give them; for ministers derive their authority from Christ, and all their power is to be used in his name, 1Co_5:4.
Now, 1. The power here delegated is a spiritual power; it is a power pertaining to the kingdom of heaven, that is, to the church, that part of it which is militant here on earth, to the gospel dispensation; that is it about which the apostolical and ministerial power is wholly conversant. It is not any civil, secular power that is hereby conveyed, Christ's kingdom is not of this world; their instructions afterward were in things pertaining to the kingdom of God, Act_1:3.
2. It is the power of the keys that is given, alluding to the custom of investing men with authority in such a place, by delivering to them the keys of the place. Or as the master of the house gives the keys to the steward, the keys of the stores where the provisions are kept, that he may give to every one in the house his portion of meat in due season (Luk_12:42), and deny it as there is occasion, according to the rules of the family. Ministers are stewards, 1Co_4:1; Tit_1:7. Eliakim, who had the key of the house of David, was over the household, Isa_22:22.
3. It is a power to bind and loose, that is (following the metaphor of the keys), to shut and open. Joseph, who was lord of Pharaoh's house, and steward of the stores, had power to bind his princes, and to teach his senators wisdom, Psa_105:21, Psa_105:22. When the stores and treasures of the house are shut up from any, they are bound, interdico tibi aquâ et igne - I forbid thee the use of fire and water; when they are opened to them again, they are loosed from that bond, are discharged from the censure, and restored to their liberty.
4. It is a power which Christ has promised to own the due administration of; he will ratify the sentences of his stewards with his own approbation; It shall be bound in heaven, and loosed in heaven: not that Christ hath hereby obliged himself to confirm all church-censures, right or wrong; but such as are duly passed according to the word, clave non errante - the key turning the right way, such are sealed in heaven; that is, the word of the gospel, in the mouth of faithful ministers, is to be looked upon, not as the word of man, but as the word of God, and to be received accordingly, 1Th_2:13; Joh_12:20.
Now the keys of the kingdom of heaven are,
(1.) The key of doctrine, called the key of knowledge. “Your business shall be to explain to the world the will of God, both as to truth and duty; and for this you shall have your commissions, credentials, and full instructions to bind and loose:” these, in the common speech of the Jews, at that time, signified to prohibit and permit; to teach or declare a thing to be unlawful was to bind; to be lawful, was to loose. Now the apostles had an extraordinary power of this kind; some things forbidden by the law of Moses were now to be allowed, as the eating of such and such meats; some things allowed there were now to be forbidden, as divorce; and the apostles were empowered to declare this to the world, and men might take it upon their words. When Peter was first taught himself, and then taught others, to call nothing common or unclean, this power was exercised. There is also an ordinary power hereby conveyed to all ministers, to preach the gospel as appointed officers; to tell people, in God's name, and according to the scriptures, what is good, and what the Lord requires of them: and they who declare the whole counsel of God, use these keys well, Act_20:27.
Some make the giving of the keys to allude to the custom of the Jews in creating a doctor of the law, which was to put into his hand the keys of the chest where the book of the law was kept, denoting his being authorized to take and read it; and the binding and loosing, to allude to the fashion about their books, which were in rolls; they shut them by binding them up with a string, which they untied when they opened them. Christ gives his apostles power to shut or open the book of the gospel to people, as the case required. See the exercise of this power, Act_13:46; Act_18:6. When ministers preach pardon and peace to the penitent, wrath and the curse to the impenitent, in Christ's name, they act then pursuant to this authority of binding and loosing.
Albert Barnes:
Whatsoever thou shalt bind ... - The phrase “to bind” and “to loose” was often used by the Jews. It meant to prohibit and to permit. To bind a thing was to forbid it; to loose it, to allow it to be done. Thus, they said about gathering wood on the Sabbath day, “The school of Shammei binds it” - i. e., forbids it; “the school of Hillel looses it” - i. e., allows it. When Jesus gave this power to the apostles, he meant that whatsoever they forbade in the church should have divine authority; whatever they permitted, or commanded, should also have divine authority - that is, should be bound or loosed in heaven, or meet the approbation of God. They were to be guided infallibly in the organization of the church:
1. by the teaching of Christ, and,
2. by the teaching of the Holy Spirit.
This does not refer to persons, but to things - “whatsoever,” not whosoever. It refers to rites and ceremonies in the church. Such of the Jewish customs as they should forbid were to be forbidden, and such as they thought proper to permit were to be allowed. Such rites as they should appoint in the church were to have the force of divine authority. Accordingly, they commanded the Gentile converts to “abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood” Act_15:20; and, in general, they organized the church, and directed what was to be observed and what was to be avoided. The rules laid down by them in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles, in connection with the teachings of the Saviour as recorded in the evangelists, constitute the only law binding on Christians in regard to the order of the church, and the rites and ceremonies to be observed in it
Adam Clarke:
The disciples of our Lord, from having the keys, i.e. the true knowledge of the doctrine of the kingdom of heaven, should be able at all times to distinguish between the clean and the unclean, and pronounce infallible judgment; and this binding and loosing, or pronouncing fit or unfit for fellowship with the members of Christ, being always according to the doctrine of the Gospel of God, should be considered as proceeding immediately from heaven, and consequently as Divinely ratified.
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Psa 118:8 It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. |
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cballard
Grizzly Bear
Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 728
Location: WV
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| Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 2:22 pm Post subject: |
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RevJP quoted Matthew Henry:
| Quote: | | When a city or society is incorporated, officers are appointed and empowered to act for the common good. A city without government is a chaos. Now this constituting of the government of the church, is here expressed by the delivering of the keys, and, with them, a power to bind and loose. This is not to be understood of any peculiar power that Peter was invested with, as if he were sole door-keeper of the kingdom of heaven, and had that key of David which belongs only to the Son of David; no, this invests all the apostles and their successors with a ministerial power to guide and govern the church of Christ, as it exists in particular congregations or churches, according to the rules of the gospel. |
The bold part is what I don't accept. How can each individual church or congregation be a guide to the rules of the gospel if they don't all agree? Surely each individual church or congregation didn't get the keys. This is hardly any different than each individual getting the keys. Christianity becomes, as Matthew Henry says, a city in chaos. So where do Protestants look to decide on divorce, abortion, birth control, stem-cell research and a host of other moral issues not mentioned in scripture? It seems to me they are left to decide in their own consciousness and then go looking for a congregation that believes like they do. But what about God? Does He loose and bind according the the various congregations?
When I was young, I didn't understand the Church's decrees on these issues. I would have made landed on the opposite side of the stream. I have been taught that when the Church and I disagree, I'm the one who has made an error in judgement. Now, of course, I see the wisdom of the Church's teaching, but if I wouldn't have been guided by sound teaching, I don't know if I would be. How do Protestant's decide? These are issues I wish all Christians agreed on and worked together to fight because these are the works of Satan. As it is with Christianity today, we fight and squabble so much among ourselves as to who's right and who's wrong, we have let our country become a moral cesspool.
I guess that's my biggest problem with Protestants. They don't stand up as a group and defend human dignity and morality. They argue endlessly about the necessity of baptism, statues, communion, etc., etc., and the moral issues remained unanswered. Protestants decide by personal conviction and if they disagree with one church's teaching, they can just go to another. Chaos results. |
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RevJP
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| Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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| cballard wrote: | | The bold part is what I don't accept. How can each individual church or congregation be a guide to the rules of the gospel if they don't all agree? |
Henry didn't say that. He did not say each individual church is a guide to the rules of the gospel, he said:
| Quote: | | this invests all the apostles and their successors with a ministerial power to guide and govern the church of Christ, as it exists in particular congregations or churches, according to the rules of the gospel. |
| cballard wrote: |
So where do Protestants look to decide on divorce, abortion, birth control, stem-cell research and a host of other moral issues not mentioned in scripture? It seems to me they are left to decide in their own consciousness and then go looking for a congregation that believes like they do. But what about God? Does He loose and bind according the the various congregations? |
What do these 'moral' issues have to do with the rules of the Gospel?
Morality, for the most part, is a construct of man. More often than not it is mankind that determines what is or is not moral, and then they try to pick pieces of the bible to support their conclusions. None of that has to do with the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith, which is what Henry refers to.
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Psa 118:8 It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. |
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cballard
Grizzly Bear
Joined: 16 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 10:41 am Post subject: |
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What I want to know is who speaks for the Protestants on what exactly are the rules of the gospel?If your neighbor's rules are different than yours who decides between you? Where do you go for the decision?
Again we're discussing this Matthew Henry quote:
| Quote: | | this invests all the apostles and their successors with a ministerial power to guide and govern the church of Christ, as it exists in particular congregations or churches, according to the rules of the gospel. |
We know all of the apostles are dead so we can only be concerned with their successors. How do you know if you are a successor of the apostles? The church started by Jesus was incapable of teaching error because it was The Bride of Christ and led by the Holy Spirit. Where do you say this church is in the Protestant world? |
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MoJo
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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Where do you see the church was incapable of teaching error? Seems to me Peter made at least one in dissembling about eating with the Gentiles.
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matt 6: 34 "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." |
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RevJP
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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The answer is simply: God's Word.
The understanding of and interpretation of God's Word: The Holy Spirit.
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JP's Mind - my blog
Psa 118:8 It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. |
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regnvejr
Big Goldfish
Joined: 12 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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| RevJP wrote: | The answer is simply: God's Word.
The understanding of and interpretation of God's Word: The Holy Spirit. |
So whose Holy Spirit is the right one, when it tells two different people two different things? |
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RevJP
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| Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 6:17 am Post subject: |
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There is only one Holy Spirit and it doesn't speak separate 'truths' to separate people.
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Psa 118:8 It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. |
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regnvejr
Big Goldfish
Joined: 12 May 2007
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| Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 8:46 am Post subject: |
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| RevJP wrote: | | There is only one Holy Spirit and it doesn't speak separate 'truths' to separate people. |
So two people feel the Holy Spirit guides tham and come to opposite conclusions about a subject. Is one of them lying?
How do you know which one is right? Both feel guidance of the Holy Spirit, both see justification for their views and beliefs in the Bible. How do you tell? |
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Nobby
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| Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 8:57 am Post subject: |
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Hi regnvejr, maybe my needs would not be the same as the next person. 
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regnvejr
Big Goldfish
Joined: 12 May 2007
Posts: 73
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| Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:14 am Post subject: |
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| Nobby wrote: | | Hi regnvejr, maybe my needs would not be the same as the next person. |
Very true. But then the next person would accuse you of not being guided by the Holy Spirit because you don't express the exact same beliefs. And so we see religious wars and whatnot, people busy judging others as not being exactly like themselves, and people starting selective quote-mining of the Bible to now serve the POLITICAL agenda of pushing their views over that of the other person.
So the issue of how valid the differing views are, that has high relevance in today's world when people are being vilified for not having the "right" Faith. |
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cballard
Grizzly Bear
Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 728
Location: WV
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| Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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regnvejr said:
| Quote: | | and people starting selective quote-mining of the Bible to now serve the POLITICAL agenda of pushing their views over that of the other person. |
In a democracy, the political agenda is the mind of the people. Secular thinkers try to push their views on other people too.
Mojo said:
| Quote: | | Where do you see the church was incapable of teaching error? Seems to me Peter made at least one in dissembling about eating with the Gentiles. |
Peter is not the church by himself, he is just the speaker for what the church decides is correct teaching. The words are from the The Holy Spirit who is incapable of speaking lies. My question is still, who speaks for the Protestants? They say, "The Holy Spirit", but as I see it, they each speak for themselves. |
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regnvejr
Big Goldfish
Joined: 12 May 2007
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| Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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| cballard wrote: | regnvejr said: | Quote: | | and people starting selective quote-mining of the Bible to now serve the POLITICAL agenda of pushing their views over that of the other person. |
In a democracy, the political agenda is the mind of the people. Secular thinkers try to push their views on other people too.
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Indeed. But the question here was how to deal with different people both feeling them being lead by the Holy Spirit and coming to opposite conclusions. |
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