Just how crazy is the battle against us brethren from the dark world? How vicious ought we be in our pursuits? In any battle, there is a villain who seeks to water down and downplay the warrior’s efforts so that he/she may not achieve the victory that will mean success for the locals of a particular city or even the world. Think about Batman and the Joker; Superman and otherworldly ‘heroes’. There is always a contrary force; they must fight to secure better days ahead. And as much as those are poor examples compared to eternal matters; we are to engage against a villain(s), in fact, in this spiritual journey. Every superhero has the weak link that they must always fight; a physical or psychological thing they must be wary about lest they give the enemy a chance to take advantage and weaken them.
We’re to make war in this journey against our members that also make war against us, striving to ensure that we don’t reach our goal. Christianity isn’t a lazy fellowship/ journey. It’s a battle that we must engage in. We’ve hit weak spots that the enemy will exploit and we must be wary of this lest it overtakes us. Are you aware of your weak points in matter spiritual? Do you know those areas in your life that you can easily fall into sin? If so, how are you plucking, cutting and chopping off members who are causing our fight to be useless? A few thoughts for our consideration:
We are fighting for the victory of others.
What’s the worst thing that could happen to you in this journey of faith? For some, it is not receiving a crown, and that’s critical. Others would fear not having things of this life that nowadays act as signs of Gods blessings, things like houses, cars and good health.
Jesus in Mark 9:42-50, paints a two-fold perspective of the battle to heaven. He starts by warning us against causing others to stumble and fall away. He says, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away— it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Have you ever thought about it? That of the things you should fear as a believer is making someone else fall away. Is it that critical that my walk with the Lord needs to be such that, I make it my aim not to make another child of God fall?
Christian liberty is among the most unsafe waters one can get caught up. Most of us love what we love. And that’s okay. However, Jesus talks to suggest that the love for my liberty shouldn’t be greater than my love for others to stand firm in the faith. Paul says in Romans 6:11– Consider yourselves therefore dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. As we make war against our flesh, in a way, we make war for our neighbour.
In this train of thought, what is it that God could be pointing in you that makes the little believers of Jesus fall away? Little, not because they’re children literally, but young in faith. Those that are yet grappling with building convictions and may not as yet be bold and styled as you are? Don’t make your liberty be a reason for another brother’s stumbling. This journey isn’t only about you, dear friend. It is about many others around you as well, therefore fight well. Fight in a manner that doesn’t cause one to stumble.
Fighting for your Victory
Now, having said little about Christian liberty, we find a more profound warning call from the Lord concerning how we are to fight. You see, every personal victory in the faith translates to joint victory among brethren. As I fight lust within me, it makes it harder for me to prompt lust in another. As I fight lying within me, it makes it harder to entertain it in another believer. My daily death to sin equals to daily victory for another.
Therefore, it is reasonable for me/ us to make war for the sake of our spiritual growth. Scripture tells us to consider ourselves dead to sin (Romans 6:11) and not allow sin to reign in our mortal bodies (Romans 6:12-13) by offering our body parts as instruments for unrighteousness. That is what Christ means when he commands us to pluck, cut and chop those parts that seem to be leading us to the grave than to life.
CONCLUSION
What is the end of the matter? There is never an excuse for indulgence in sin as individuals nor stumbling others. Do not let your hands, eyes or feet become an instrument of sin and destruction. Do not let them be a cause for stumbling to your brothers and sisters as well. It is better to have Jesus more than the passing and fleeting pleasures of sin. It is best not to cause any saint to fall into sin at all costs.
