Call To Arms

CALL TO ARMS THE BATTLE DEFENDING TRUTH

As a Christian, we are soldiers called into a war, into a battle like no other. We are called into a battle to defend the TRUTH.

The battle is not easy; the enemy is very tough, strong and cunning. They know our weaknesses and know how to use them at every chance the get.

This week the Pope has come out with some “draw the line in the sand” statements saying, “ non-catholic communities are either defective or not true churches, and the Roman Catholic Church provides the only true path to salvation.” He goes on to say, “ Christ established here on earth only one church”.

He is ½ right, Christ did only establish one church and it is not the Catholic Church or religion. So we see here a ½ truth. And there is no such thing as a ½ truth. There is no ½ truth, because if there is ½ truth, if something is ½ right then it is still ½ wrong (untruth) ½ wrong is still wrong.

We have so many so called preachers preaching a NEW GOSPEL, preaching tolerance, acceptance of alternative choices or lifestyles, telling people what they want to hear and not the true gospel.

We are warned time after time in the Bible about false teachers, heretics, wolves in sheep clothing. We have been given the gift of discernment to be able to identify those wolves. Even in our Baptist churches there are several preachers preaching what people want to hear. They are afraid to preach the New Testament Gospel and not wanting to offend anybody, or should I say the money givers of the congregation.

1.We must first define what TRUTH is.

Scripture tells what TRUTH really is.

*In John 17:17-19 The Lords prayer in the garden we see that he is praying for His disciples.

*John 1:1 the Word was, then in vs14 the Word full of grace and TRUTH

*John 18:36-37 Jesus was on trial before Pilate and says:

Then vs.38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"

Here we see the King of the universe is standing before a ruler of the earth.

The very issue of truth is very important.

Truth was and is on trial.

2.What does the TRUTH do?

Truth divides

TRUTH UNTRUTH

Unity vs Division

God puts together Satan tears apart

Diversity vs Unification

God separated World wants together

Responsibility vs Blame

Authority vs Rebellion

Freedom vs Bondage

Truth releases you from the bondage of sin

*John 8:32 -36

Truth exposes our sinful nature

*2Tim 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Truth shows you the narrow gate, the way of salvation

*John 14:4-7

3.What do we really do with the TRUTH?

Suppress the truth

Distort the truth

Reject the truth and follow evil

Exchange the truth of God for a lie

*2Tim 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

John 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

4.What TRUTH requires of us.

Truth calls for absolute conviction.

Truth demands that we submit to God and resist the devil. Jam4:7

Truth demands the mind of Christ: Phil 2:6

Truth requires us to be good soldiers of Jesus. 2 Tim 2:3

Remember John 8:32. Free from the slavery of sin. As long as a person is in bondage to sin, they are captive of the enemy. You are not fighting the people you see, but you are fighting the evil that has them bound. You are trying to set them free.

Satan has disguised sin a being fun and pleasurable. He made it look good, made it look harmless. Knowing all the time how destructive sin is.

Satan told Eve in the garden Genesis 3:4 “Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.”

vs5 "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

Being absolutely and totally convicted of Truth, you will see how even the littlest sin eats away at the soul like cancer eats at the body.

5.How do we fight for the TRUTH?

Truth demands we fight against principalities, against powers and the rulers of the darkness, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.