Articles
Honor The Veterans
Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, signaling the end of World War I in Europe as of 11:00 a.m. in France on that day. One of the world's deadliest wars, in which an estimated 16 million people died, had finally come to an end, but it would change the world forever afterwards.
Long before that day, going back almost to the beginning of time itself, another battle began — one that is still raging and which will never cease until time itself ends. I'm talking about the spiritual battle for souls, of course. It began when the serpent lied to Eve and led her into temptation, where she sinned and then convinced her husband Adam to join with her in the sin (Gen. 3:1-13). It was that act of disobedience that brought sin and death into the world (Rom. 5:12), and turned the world from Paradise into something far less desirable.
Whether men realize it or not, all are involved in this battle, sometimes on a daily basis. Our spiritual enemy and adversary is constantly seeking victims (1 Pet. 5:8) and he will use even the most devious tactics to deceive others into thinking he is looking out for their good (cf. 2 Cor. 11:14). So powerful is our enemy that God's word even tells us “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). No one is untouched by his efforts and all except one have fallen to his work (Rom. 3:23).
So obvious is this a spiritual battle that the apostle Paul would write by Divine inspiration, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil…take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph. 6:11, 13), and then proceeds to describe the implements of our spiritual armor (Eph. 6:14-18). Indeed, many spiritual soldiers have taken up the armor and gone out to fight, with great battles won and lost throughout the last millennia.
Every November 11 in this country, we remember the ones from this nation who have served in the various wars around the world — the ones willing to lay their lives on the line for principles they believed were worth fighting for, either for themselves, their families, or even for complete strangers. Many were drafted into service whether they wanted to fight or not, but many others volunteered, willingly joining the fight against the named or, recently, unknown enemies.
Since we are involved in a longer running and more devastating battle — one that is a fight for souls — I believe it would not be out of place to stop and think about the veterans of the spiritual battles and the sacrifices they made to defend against error, deception, persecution, and sin.
Consider, first, those within Scripture recorded as having been soldiers in the spiritual warfare in which mankind is engaged. Jesus Christ stands foremost in the fight against our spiritual enemy as one who was willing to lay down His life to destroy “him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14), giving us the courage to stand against him (Jas. 4:7) and the ability to overcome his attacks (1 Cor. 10:13). We honor Jesus as the one who defeated every attack against Him (cf. 1 John 3:5) and strive to follow His example (1 John 2:6).
But we might also honor the earliest soldiers — the apostles and earliest disciples. They waged war against the spiritual forces and defended the truth, even at the cost of their own lives (cf. Acts 12:1, 2; Acts 7:54-60). These men and women were persecuted for their faith in Christ and driven out of their homes (Acts 8:1), but continued the fight elsewhere (Acts 8:4). Some, like the apostle Paul, suffered great hardship for the sake of the faith and work in the fight (2 Cor. 11:22-33), but who considered such merely “our light affliction, which is but for a moment” (2 Cor. 4:17). Though he must have been battle-weary at times, he could still exhort other soldiers to continue to “Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12), and he could say, at the end of his life, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7, 8). The work and example of these soldiers is worthy of remembrance, is it not?
And what of the soldiers we have personally known? What of those brave soldiers who were instrumental in persuading us to abandon the opposition and join the fight against spiritual destruction? What about those who have fought for us, with us, and beside us in this fight? What of those whom we have heard and seen fight the good fight, even when it was not popular, when the majority opposed them, when they were treated unfairly, when they were maligned as trouble-makers, and when no one else was willing to stand against the foe? Would it not be proper to speak “what is good for necessary edification” (Eph. 4:29), and to remind them occasionally, “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Rom. 8:31)?
I am sure we have all known some soldiers who did much to fight against and defeat error and sin; many of us have personally benefitted from their battles, though we may not even realize it. Such is the way things go for soldiers; many of them are anonymous to most of the population, but they benefit from their efforts, nonetheless. Many of them would not be recognized by their names or their faces, but we have been blessed by their struggles. Many soldiers have fought, and continue to fight, battles we know nothing about, but they persist in the fight because they know surrender or defeat would have consequences that reach far beyond their time on earth. Many soldiers have fought serious battles and suffered great personal injuries and setbacks, but they will never mention those things because they do not seek fame or praise.
Some soldiers are full-time soldiers, while others fight each and every time they are needed. But, sadly, some soldiers are like the Israelite army when Goliath challenged them in the Valley of Elah; whenever the challenge is made, they are merely “dismayed and greatly afraid” (1 Sam. 17:11), or flee from the challenge (1 Sam. 17:24) because they do not have the spiritual fortitude to face the enemy on the battlefield. Some forget, as did the entirety of the Israelites army, that one does not have to fight the enemy alone, and there is no reason to fear confronting the enemy because the Lord is on the side of truth and righteousness (1 Sam. 17:45-47). With God and His word, our sword, we will defeat the opposition — but we must run out to the fight and engage the enemy!
The apostle Paul once wrote, “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor” (Rom. 13:7). Surely, we can see that those who have fought and those who now fight in this spiritual battle are due honor! If the Lord is willing to give them a crown in the end, are they not worthy of acts and words of honor from their fellow soldiers now?
Take a look around at your fellow soldiers; encourage them, thank them, and let them know you see their work. Then, join with them in the fight! — Steven Harper
