What Kind of Soldiers for Christ Are We?  

As I drove down the road, I noticed a large toy soldier as part of a Christmas display in one yard. What especially got my attention was the movement of the figure’s arms in a regular up and down direction, making it appear as if he was marching. The size and motion combined to make this character appear rather impressive and intimidating. However, the next day as I went past that same location, I noticed that the soldier had toppled over backwards. His arms were still going, but now it communicated a very different picture. He seemed weak, helpless, with arms flailing as if to say in harmony with the elderly lady in an old TV commercial, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

Which picture more realistically portrays us as soldiers of Christ? We pointed out last week that Jesus didn’t come into this world in order to gather a military army with the purpose of setting up an earthly kingdom, as the Jews were mistakenly expecting. Nevertheless, He was raising up an army of followers who were to have spiritual power, divine authority, and a transformative influence on those around them. Jesus pictured His church as being such a formidable force that the gates of hell would not be able to stand up against it. So, what has happened to us? Where are the mighty soldiers turning the world upside down for Christ? It seems more like we have been toppled – still wearing our uniforms and going through motions but not accomplishing the mission entrusted to us.

Maybe we are displaying what Paul described as being one of the characteristics of the last days – people who will have “a form of godliness but denying its power” (II Timothy 3:5). Many who profess to follow Jesus have forsaken the clear truth of His Word. Therefore, they are finding themselves blown over by every wind of false doctrine, half-truth, and deceptive teaching. Or they find themselves defenseless against the attacks of a world that lashes out at those who don’t bow down to its unbiblical values and practices.

Additionally, many of us in the church have ignored or refused to accept the idea that we can actually be more than conquerors through Christ in this life. We claim the victory of having our sins forgiven and having the assurance of a home in heaven, but we don’t make use of the ability Jesus gives us to live triumphantly for Him in the meantime. We seek forgiveness when we do wrong, but not the cleansing to keep us from straying in the first place. We want Jesus to be part of our lives, but not to be the center and the One in control. We want the Holy Spirit to live in us, but we don’t seek His fullness and His empowering that Jesus promised was available to us. We worship God while still letting our love and loyalty of other things in this world surpass our devotion to Him.

There may be areas of our world today where the church is marching forward as it should. However, we should be concerned about what we see around us in our society and in many other places today. We are called to be the light of the world, but we seem to be flickering and growing dim. We are called to be salt of the earth, but we appear to be losing our flavor.

Let’s seek the power Christ promised His followers. Let’s pray for the Lord to help us become that mighty, overcoming army He envisioned His church to be. May we be the soldiers who march forward with truth and love to impact our world for good and for God.