A couple of days ago a 14 year old boy took his own life. I did not know him but he was best friends with several of my daughter’s friends. It, understandably, has a whole family, friend set, and entire community shaken to its core. Some are even asking the hard questions: How can a 14 year old be that desperate? Can a Christian commit suicide? How can a Christian give up hope? Don’t we have THE Hope? How can we just go on and have hope, joy and victory when such things happen?
Legitimate questions. Can’t say that any of us can give full, complete, and, well, satisfying answers to every question asked in these instances. But I think we, as coddled Americans living in the twenty-first century, are shaken way too easily when bad things happen….when good people go bad…when Christians fall or when they just go AWOL or when they pull a trigger in a desperate moment.
My daughter and I were talking about this the day after the news. We discussed that, while Christians should never lose hope…ever, that in this fallen world with an expert deceiver prowling around and some being weaker Christians there IS the possibility that some might be pulled away from the truth. Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean pulled away from THE TRUTH. I mean temporarily believe a lie and commit a major sin that messes up their life. We’ve seen it in different forms. A pastor (ummm or King David?), in a weak moment, tells himself no one will know if he has that one night stand and forever weakens or ruins his witness. That upstanding Christian businessman now turning politician listened to the whispers of the deceiver who says that cheating on his taxes isn’t really a sin…who will know?....and trashes his Christian witness as it becomes painfully public. In fact, who of us has not in a weaker moment believed one of Satan’s lies? The only difference being, when you pull that trigger, you are not there to experience the consequences…no…you leave your “consequences” for all your family, friends, church, and community. And the ripples go a lot further than you could ever imagine.
Satan can make the incredibly selfish act of a Christian pulling that trigger (to send himself/herself to heaven early? To not be a burden anymore? To escape the pain? You choose…Satan has a hundred more.) seem very tempting for a moment. Most Christians recover their senses, pick their armor back up, and fight with renewed vigor. But some succumb….such is war.
And that I think is the biggest problem with today’s American Christians floundering around after any horrible incident or scandal…we have forgotten that this IS war. We sing songs about victory and have laid down our swords. We rarely even sing hymns about fighting the battles anymore! (Onward Christian Soldier anyone?) We sit back in our comfy churches and go home to our comfy houses and ask God for more wealth and blessings on us. We don’t ask to be sent to the front, or strength for the coming battle, or courage to fight. While Christ has won the FINAL Battle (We’ve read The Book…we know how it ends…He wins the entire war!), we are still in battles now. We’ve been left on this earth for a reason and it’s not to just go to church on Sunday morning and sing songs, listen to the sermon, and watch the show. WE are His army here and now! The struggle of good versus evil is still present with us. It is a spiritual war and the battles are brutal. There will be casualties. When one of our own falls we should not sit down in defeat, we should yell “A comrade went down! Fight harder! Everyone's armor on?! Call reinforcements!” Thank God that the reinforcements are His angels and Christ Himself! We could never do it!
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints….
Go forward, Christian soldier,
Beneath His banner true:
The Lord Himself, thy Leader,
Shall all thy foes subdue.
His love foretells thy trials;
He knows thine hourly need;
He can with bread of Heaven
Thy fainting spirit feed.
Go forward, Christian soldier,
Fear not the secret foe;
Far more o’er thee are watching
Than human eyes can know:
Trust only Christ, thy Captain;
Cease not to watch and pray;
Heed not the treacherous voices
That lure thy soul astray.
Go forward, Christian soldier,
Nor dream of peaceful rest,
Till Satan’s host is vanquished
And Heav’n is all possessed;
Till Christ Himself shall call thee
To lay thine armor by,
And wear in endless glory
The crown of victory.
Go forward, Christian soldier,
Fear not the gath’ring night:
The Lord has been thy Shelter;
The Lord will be thy Light.
When morn His face revealeth,
Thy dangers are all past:
O pray that faith and virtue
May keep thee to the last!
Words: Lawrence Tuttiett, 1861
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