It seems that everywhere we turn there is one squabble after another. This is evident in the United States today as there are more fights than can be repeated here. There are fights against and for homosexuality, abortion, capital punishment, immigration and many more subjects. A major fight taking place even as these words are being penned is taking place in the United States Capital in respect to the financing of the country. There are some that that argue that the Affordable Healthcare Act is anything but affordable while it heavily taxes the people while intruding into their personal lives. These are the ones that are standing and fighting for what they see as right and lawful.

     But fighting is no new thing in this country. Recall, for instance, the Revolutionary War. After that was the Civil war and then the fight for the rights of the Constitution to be equally applied to all citizens without regard to skin tone. Each of these fights was hard and many lives were lost because the fight was not for mere ideology rather the fights were for freedom. That freedom was to be recognized in the unabridged worship of God, the right to be free in a free land and the right to be free in the fundamental democratic processes. Of course there were objections yet the tireless fighting of those that stood for right prevailed over oppressive governments and Godless people.

     Such is the case for Christians today. We are being attacked from every angle for every reason. Christians are told that they are bigots and hate mongers merely because they have chosen to stand on the Word of God without compromise. Even worse some Christians are being killed and otherwise abused and tortured throughout the world for no other reason than the fact that they are Christians. Despite this Christians are not called to a life of apathetic acquiescing rather we are called to stand in the face of the petulant oppressors that seek only the demise of the righteous.  

     Paul had similar problems. He had to fight and contend with some that chose to ignore the Word of God and oppress not only Paul but also others that chose to follow God. In this vein Paul found reason to encourage Timothy. There was unrighteousness going on at every hand pulling from the faithful teachings of Christ. With this Paul encouraged Timothy in I Timothy 6:12 with the words “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” This fight meant that Timothy was not to give in to the immorality of the day rather he was to stand and hold up the blood-stained banner with all boldness and confidence.

     As such I argue strongly that those of us that name the Name of Jesus to strap on our instruments of war as described in Ephesians 6:12-17 which reads, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

     Nobody said the fight would be easy neither is there any indication that there will be no casualties. Still the fight is for freedom for by freedom we live and without freedom we die. We must fight because freedom, on many fronts, is on the brink of collapse. This is something that is the antitheses to the Constitution and more importantly the Word of God. Yes, we must lay down the clothing of apathetic acquiescing and put on war clothes so that we can be prepared to fight the fight.