Pillars

The Armor of Truth: Standing Firm in a World of Deception

Tue, 27 May 2025 17:46:23 GMT

Ephesians 6:14

Ephesians 6:14

In a world where falsehoods often masquerade as truth, how can we as believers stand firm in our faith and integrity? The answer lies in understanding the spiritual battle we face and equipping ourselves with the right armor – specifically, the belt of truth.

Many Christians today fail to realize that the Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground. We have an enemy, Satan, who seeks to rob us of our joy, victory, and usefulness in Christ. While he cannot take away our salvation, he aims to wreak havoc in our lives and families. Sadly, many believers give in to his tactics without much resistance.

But God commands us not to give place to the devil. In James 4:7, we're instructed to "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." We're called to stand our ground, to refuse to give in because of our allegiance and love for Jesus Christ.

To stand firm against the enemy's schemes, we need the whole armor of God. This isn't something we put on and take off like football gear after a game. The armor of God is our lifelong companion, providing divine power for each moment.

Today, let's focus on the first piece of this armor – the belt of truth. In Ephesians 6:14, we're told to "Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth." This belt of truth is foundational to all other pieces of armor.

But what exactly does Paul mean by the "belt of truth"? While it certainly includes knowing God's Word, it goes beyond mere knowledge. The belt of truth represents a life of truthfulness, an attitude of total sincerity that forsakes hypocrisy and sham. It's about living out the truth of God's Word every day, not just knowing it intellectually.

Consider the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. This couple sold some land and brought part of the proceeds to the apostles, pretending they had given the full amount. They wanted to appear generous and pious, like others in the church who had made similar sacrifices. But their deception was a grave sin in God's eyes, stemming from a desire to appear more righteous than they actually were.

Peter's rebuke to Ananias is telling: "Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?" This incident shows us how Satan works – he tempts believers to act with duplicity, to be two-faced, to present themselves as something they're not. He whispers, "You don't have to be all that committed. You don't have to give your all."

The consequences for Ananias and Sapphira were severe, serving as a stark warning about the importance of honesty and integrity in the Christian life. Their story reminds us that our personal sin doesn't just affect us – it can impact the entire body of Christ.

So how do we apply this truth to our lives? Here are a few practical steps:

1. Ask God daily for discernment and strength to live in truth. Pray for guidance to walk in sincerity in all aspects of life.

2. Make a commitment to honesty and integrity in everything you do. Be truthful with God, with others, and with yourself.

3. Examine your life for areas of falsehood or hypocrisy. Are you presenting yourself one way on Sunday and living differently the rest of the week?

4. Remember that without the belt of truth, you cannot effectively use the other pieces of God's armor or wield the sword of the Spirit, which is God's Word.

5. Recognize that walking in truth is essential for maintaining fellowship with God and living a life that pleases Him.

The power of living with integrity cannot be overstated. Consider the story of a Christian father whose honesty made a lasting impression on both his son and a local shopkeeper. One morning, he accidentally took two newspapers instead of one from a small grocery store. Although his first thought was to pay for it the next day, he decided to immediately return the extra paper, not wanting the shopkeeper to think he was dishonest.

A week later, when money was stolen from the store, the grocer immediately dismissed the father as a suspect, saying, "That man is really honest. He came all the way back here just to return a newspaper he took by mistake." This man's integrity not only cleared him of suspicion but also served as a powerful testimony to his son and the non-Christian grocer.

Living out the truth in our daily lives can have a profound impact on those around us. It strengthens our witness and gives credibility to our words when we share the gospel. After all, how can we effectively speak God's truth if we're living in falsehood?

As we navigate this world filled with deception, let's commit to being like Daniel, who "purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself." Let's put on the belt of truth and leave it on, allowing it to hold all the other pieces of our spiritual armor in place.

Remember, God says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 1:4). May we bring joy to the heart of our Heavenly Father by living lives of unwavering truthfulness and integrity.

In a world that often celebrates cleverness over honesty and appearance over substance, let's be a people who stand out for our commitment to truth. Let's be known as those who walk in the light, whose yes means yes and whose no means no. As we do so, we'll find ourselves better equipped to face the enemy, more effective in our witness, and walking in closer fellowship with our God who is Truth itself.

So today, will you join me in putting on the belt of truth? Will you commit to living a life of integrity, no matter the cost? The battle is real, but so is our God. And with His truth as our foundation, we can stand firm against any scheme the enemy may devise.

The Importance of Expository Preaching

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 16:56:57 GMT

Preaching is always an interesting subject to pastors, and it is true that pastors have the burden of preaching well. In addition, because the influence of preaching cannot be ignored in ministry, it can be said that the success of pastoral ministry and preaching are intertwined. Edwin Dagan mentions the importance of preaching in Christian history, saying:

Preaching is an essential part and a distinguishing feature of Christianity, and accordingly the larger history of general religious movements includes that of preaching. Here, as before, a reciprocal influence must be reckoned with: the movement has sometimes produced the preaching, the preaching sometimes the movement, but most commonly they have each helped the other.¹

Dargan continues, “Decline of spiritual life and activity in the churches is commonly accompanied by a lifeless, formal, unfruitful preaching, and this partly as cause, partly as effect.”² He means that the great revival of the church in Christian history has always come from the pulpit of the powerful Word. In Christian history, Dagan’s assertion that the revival of the church originated from the pulpit of the Word shows how great the influence of the sermon on the existence of the church.

John Stott said this about preaching: “All Christian sermons are expository sermons. … In expository sermons, the text of the Bible is … the master who guides and controls what the text says.”³ Martyn Lloyd-Jones also makes this clear. According to Lloyd-Jones, “Every sermon should be expository. … Whatever the case, it is my contention that it should be clear to people that what we are about to say must come from the Bible. We are preaching the Bible and its message [through preaching].”⁴ These arguments can be understood as the meaning that the biblical text can lead to reveal its meaning only through expository sermons. In this respect, Haddon Robinson’s definition of expository preaching shows the core of preaching that all preachers should pursue while revealing the characteristics of preaching mentioned above. Robinson defines expository sermons as the following:

Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers. ⁵

Therefore, the preacher must first find out exactly what the author of the Bible is trying to convey to the believers through the Word of God. The meaning found from the text and the author’s intention must be applied to the preacher himself first through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and then conveyed to the congregation through his life and expository preaching.

In 2 Timothy 3:15-17, the apostle Paul mentions two purposes for writing the Bible. ⁶ The first reason is to gain wisdom unto salvation by believing in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15). The second reason is to teach those who have been saved through Jesus Christ to become perfect as men of God and to live by doing good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If the purpose of writing the Bible is to receive salvation and to teach the life of a saved Christian, preaching can also be seen as having the same purposes as the purpose of writing the Bible.⁷ Therefore, the church needs expository sermons faithfully delivered according to the meaning of the text and the intention of the author.⁸ The church will experience the revival given through expository sermons delivered in this way.

¹ Edwin C. Dargan, A History of. Preaching: From the Apostolic Fathers to the Great Reformers AD 70-1572, vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1968), 12.

² Dargan, Ibid., 13.

³ John R. W. Stott, Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982), 125-26.

⁴ Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching and Preachers (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971), 75-76.

⁵ Haddon Robinson, Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001), 21. Also see, Timothy S. Warren, “Definition, Purpose, and Process,” unpublished Class Notes for PM 103C Expository Preaching 1 (Dallas Theological Seminary, Spring 2006), Department of Pastoral Ministries defines it this way: Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical proposition discovered from a spirit-directed exegetical/ theological interpretation of a text and applied by the Holy Spirit through a preacher into a specific audience for the glory of God.

⁶ The Bible mentioned at 2 Timothy 3:15-17 is originally referred to the Old Testament. both the Old and New Testaments are, however, inspired by the Holy Spirit, so it is understood that the Bible at 2 Timothy 3:15-17 indicates the purposes of writing the Old Testament and the New Testament.

⁷ For the purpose of preaching, see Daniel L. Akin, “Applying a Text-Driven Sermon,” in Text-Driven Preaching: God’s Word at the Heart of Every Sermon, ed. Daniel Akin, David Allen, and Ned Mathews (Nashville: B & H, 2010): 269-93; Chapell, Christ-Centered Preaching, 26-33; Robinson, Biblical Preaching, 106-12; Sunukjian, Invitation to Biblical Preaching, 12; and York, Preaching with Bold Assurance, 10-11.

⁸ Peter Juhl, Interpretation: An Essay in the Philosophy of Literary Criticism (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2014), 13-15. Earl Radmacher, “A Response to Author’s Intention and Biblical Interpretation,” in Hermeneutics, Inerrancy, and the Bible, ed. Earl D. Radmacher and Robert D. Preus (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984): 433; Bruce Vawter, “The Fuller Sense: Some Considerations,” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 26, no. 1 (January 1964): 88, as quoted in Radmacher, “A Response to Author’s Intention and Biblical Interpretation,” 437; and Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., “A Response to Author’s Intention and Biblical Interpretation,” in Hermeneutics, Inerrancy, and the Bible, ed. Earl D. Radmacher and Robert D. Preus (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984), 442.

BIBLIOGRAPHY - Books:

Greidanus, Sidney. The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text: Interpreting and Preaching Biblical Literature. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.

Sola Scriptura: Problems and Principles in Preaching Historical Texts. Toronto: Wedge, 1970.

Hirsch, E. D. Validity in Interpretation. New Haven, CT: Yale University, 1967.

Juhl, Peter. Interpretation: An Essay in the Philosophy of Literary Criticism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton U., 2014.

Kaiser, Walter C. The Majesty of God in the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007.

Toward an Exegetical Theology: Biblical Exegesis for Preaching and Teaching. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981.

Kuruvilla, Abraham. Privilege the Text: A Theological Hermeneutic for Preaching. Chicago: Moody, 2013.

Lloyd-Jones, Martyn. Preaching and Preachers. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971.

Robinson, Haddon. Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1980.

Stott, John. Between Two Worlds: The Challenge of Preaching Today. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982.

Sunukjian, Donald R. Invitation to Biblical Preaching. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2007.

Quicke, Michael J. Preaching as Worship: An Integrative Approach to Formation in Your Church. Grand Rapids: BakerBooks, 2011.

York, Hershael W., and Bert Decker. Preaching with Bold Assurance: A Solid and Enduring Approach to Engaging Exposition. Nashville: B&H, 2003.

BIBLIOGRAPHY - Articles:

Akin, Daniel L. “Applying a Text-Driven Sermon.” In Text-Driven Preaching: God’s Word at the Heart of Every Sermon, edited by. Daniel Akin, David Allen, and Ned Mathews, 269-93. Nashville: B&H, 2010.

Johnson, S. Lewis. “Response to Patrick Fairbairn and Biblical Hermeneutics as Related to the Quotations of the Old Testament in the New,” in Hermeneutics, Inerrancy, & the Bible. Edited by Earl D. Radmacher and Robert D. Preus, 789-99. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984.

Kaiser, Walter C. “The Present State of Old Testament Studies.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 18 (1975): 69-79.

“A Principlizing Model.” In Four Views on Moving beyond the Bible to Theology, edited by Gundry, Stanley N. and Gary T. Meadors, 19-50. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.

Penny, Robert L. “An Examination of the Principles of Expository Preaching of David Martyn Lloyd-Jones.” D.Min diss., Harding Graduate School of Religion, 1980.

Robinson, Haddon. “Homiletics and Hermeneutics.” In Hermeneutics, Inerrancy, & the Bible, edited by Earl D. Radmacher and Robert D. Preus, 803-15. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984.

“The Relevance of Expository Preaching.” In Preaching to a Shifting Culture: 12 Perspectives on Communicating That Connects. Edited by Gibson, Scott M, 79-94. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004.

Waltke, Bruce K. “A Canonical Process Approach to the Psalms.” In Tradition and Testament: Essays in Honor of Charles Lee Feinberg. Edited by Feinberg, John S. and Paul D. Feinberg, 3-18. Chicago: Moody Press, 1981.

Warren, Timothy S. “Definition, Purpose & Process.” Unpublished Class Note for PM 103 Expository Preaching 1. Dallas Theological Seminary. Spring 2006.

“The Developmental Questions,” unpublished Class Notes for PM 103 Expository Preaching 1. Dallas Theological Seminary. Spring 2006.

“The Theological Process.” Unpublished Class Note for PM 104 Expository Preaching 2. Dallas Theological Seminary. Fall 2006.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Hongkil Lee is the Pastor of Maryland Christian Church in Timonium MD. Lee is a bilingual professor and Assistant Dean of Korean Program at FTS. Lee has graduated with BA from Yonsei University in Seoul Korea, MDiv Hapdong Presbyterian Theological Seminary, STM Dallas Theological Seminary, ThM Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and PhD Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Lee is married with 2 children, and resides in Maryland.

The Theology of Stewardship

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 16:35:51 GMT

What is meant by a Theology of Stewardship? Let’s define both words separately.

THEOLOGY: The study of God and God’s relationship to the world. The art and science of knowing what we can know and understand about God in an organized and understandable manner.

STEWARDSHIP: The utilization and management of all the resources God provides for His glory and the advancement of His creation. A biblical teaching that defines a person’s relationship to God. It identifies God as owner and the individual as manager. A theology of stewardship for the local church articulates first, what the individual church understands and believes about the character and nature of God as revealed in scripture with respect to God’s entrustments to his people. And second, a biblical response on the part of people back to God in the context of that understanding and beliefs.

4 Reasons Every Church Should Have A Theology Of Stewardship:

1. It will provide confidence for the preaching and teaching on stewardship, giving, and generosity. Preaching and teaching on stewardship is challenging for most pastors. And, truthfully, it should be. It is deeply spiritual. It is intimately relational. It is at the core of what the church is called to do, which is to make disciples. It is a part of a disciple’s path toward becoming more like Jesus. It is probably the one area of biblical teaching that sparks the greatest emotion and debate! Stewardship is the thread that weaves throughout all ministries within the local church. Stewardship touches everything the church does. It is critical to the survival of every church. Always remember—you will never hear a generous Christian complain about a preaching and teaching on stewardship.

2. It will facilitate a common language of stewardship. In the book Authentic Conversations: Moving from Manipulation to Truth and Commitment, authors Jamie and Maren Showkeir state that if you want to change a culture, you start by changing the conversation and you change the conversation by changing the language. What do the conversations about stewardship sound like in your church? How do you as a leader talk about stewardship? What words do you use? Having a biblical foundation of stewardship facilitates a conversation change that talks about giving through the church as opposed to giving to the church. It shifts the conversation from “what the church wants from me” to “what the church wants for me.”

3. Words mean different things to different people. A theology of stewardship will provide a consistency in messaging from the pastor and leaders. Remember - if you want to change a culture, you start by changing the language. It will move a church from a numbers-driven budgeting process only to a vision-driven, ministry focused strategy for funding. A theology of stewardship focused on biblical teachings will naturally move a church from approaching the budgeting process strictly from a numbers perspective to thinking about stewardship from a vision, ministry, and people viewpoint. It changes the perspective of a leaders from merely managing to looking at deeper matters around calling, mission, ministry, and values. It places greater focus and responsibility on where, why, and how the money is allocated and spent. A theology of stewardship challenges church leadership to seek to know where God is leading and calling the church to grow ministry and share His love. People will give more generously to spending plans that are focused on vision, ministry, and life-change than to a numbers-driven spreadsheet called a budget!

4. It will create a platform for embracing the concept of holistic stewardship. It is not uncommon to hear churches use the word stewardship only as it refers to the financial needs of the church. Stewardship is equated with “fundraising.” It is all too common to hear churches talk about giving to the “stewardship” needs of the church or giving to the “capital” needs of the church. As if one was stewardship and the other was something different. A biblical theology of stewardship becomes a springboard to teach about stewardship holistically in a way that includes all conversations around giving, resources, and blessings. Planned giving is about stewardship. Personal money management is about stewardship.

Giving is what God wants for you, not from you. Our need to give is greater than the church’s need to receive. Think about it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Tom Melzoni is the Senior VP of Horizons Stewardship working with more than 300 clients. Melzoni has personally raised $1 Billion dollars in his career. Melzoni is the President of the Melzoni Foundation. Melzoni is the former Executive Pastor at FBC Dallas under Dr. WA Criswell & Executive Pastor for Jerry Vines. Melzoni has Pastored large churches in TN, KY, & NC and has served at the Executive Level within the Southern Baptist Convention. Melzoni graduated with BS Wright State University, MA Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and PhD Columbia University. Melzoni is married to Trina.

Sermon Notebook: The Local Church

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 16:06:51 GMT

The Local Church is God’s vehicle to transport the Gospel to the world. The NT writers employed 3 metaphors to compare the Church.

According to Peter & Paul The Local Church is …

1. A Building for Community (1 Peter 2: 4-8)

Apostle Peter refers to the Church as a Building. In the OT, the prophets referred to the Temple as the House of God. The portable Tent and permanent Temple housed the symbolic presence of God.

According to Peter, Jesus is the Designer of the Church (1 Peter 2:4-8) Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone. “Cornerstone” is a masonry term used to describe the main stone in a building. Masons laid the cornerstone first to provide precision for measurements & alignments for construction.

The Cornerstone was the “Building Block” of the building project. Jesus is our Building Block and He is building his Church with “Living Stones.”

“Stones” here is the Greek “lithos” which refers to a generic stone found everywhere in Palestine. Inexpensive stone was used for construction.

Jesus is Designing a Building with ordinary common stones - people.

Jesus is the Developer of the Church. (Matt.16:18a) Jesus is the GM of His Church. He owns the blueprints. He is the architect & Divine Developer.

Jesus is the Defender of the Church. (Matt.16:18b)

Death will claim all forms of animal, plant & human life. Renown churches will cycle into death but the NT church will never die. Why? Because Jesus is eternal and He is defending His church from all forms of lethal attacks. Jesus and His Temple of Living Stones will never die.

2. A Body with Diversity (1 Cor. 12:20-26)

The Apostle Paul compares the church to the human body. The body is singular with only one, but the members are plural with multiple members.

The human body consists of 1 tongue, 1 heart, 1 nose, 2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 hands, 5 vital organs, 10 fingers, 32 teeth, 79 major organs, 206 bones, and 7 trillion nerves, The body is diversified. A local church is a living, breathing organism comprised of hundreds of diversified members.

The church is one body with people from every nation, race, gender, and status. The Apostle Paul observed the body as the church, and its organs as the members.

Within the body, the members are:

A. Connected to Each Other (1 Cor 12:20-24)

Each member of the human body is connected together. The body does not function independently of its members. Hands do not smell. Lungs do not chew. Ears do not talk. The eye is for vision. Hands are for touching & grasping. Each are connected to the other. You can see with your eyes what you’re touching with your hands.

B. Affected by Each Other (1 Cor 12:25-26)

When there is division in the body, the whole body suffers. When your tooth aches it affects your whole body - throat, jawbone, ears, sinuses, heart & lungs.

An untreated abscessed tooth could cause a life threatening infection! The church cannot be divided or have a split personality, for divisions affect everyone in the body.

Application: The Church must be of:

1. One Spirit - The Holy Spirit.

2. One Gospel - The Good News.

3. One Mission - The Great Commission.

C. Selected for Each Other (1 Cor 12:18)

God has “set” each person in the Church. The image of physician Setting a broken Bone or placing the bone in its “creative position.” God Himself selects the people. He places them knowing their gifts, skills, experiences & capabilities.

3. A Bride with Purity (Eph 5:26-27)

Apostle Paul uses a marital metaphor to refer to the church. Christ is the Groom and the church is the bride. Jesus is returning for a pure bride, not an impure prostitute.

Paul refers to the:

A. Submissiveness of the Bride (Eph 5:22-24)

The bride/church must submit to her Groom/Christ. Paul is illustrating biblical headship here. The bride must submit to the: 1. Sovereignty of God not the rulers 2. Authority of Scripture not the culture. 3. Conformity to Christ not the world.

B. Attentiveness of the Bride (Matt 25:1-13)

The Bride must attentively wait for her Groom to Return at anytime. The church must be rapture-ready!

C. Exclusiveness of the Bride (Rev 21:2) The Bride/Church of Christ is Exclusively owned by Him. Jesus is exclusively returning for His bride/church, not for religions or denominations. Jesus purchased the Church with his blood. The church belongs to Jesus and Him alone!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rev. Tom Schuj is the Director of Development for FTS. Schuj has been in ministry for nearly 30 years as a vocational evangelist and pastor in New Mexico and Tennessee. Schuj has self-published 2 books. He and his wife Tina have two daughters and reside in Memphis, TN.

The Ephesian Ekklesia

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 15:57:37 GMT

Ephesians has often been referred to as the Grand Canyon of the New Testament. This designation is due to its depth and profundity, particularly in reference to the doctrine of the church.

In the fourth chapter the apostle Paul gives us a critical insight into several key dynamics of the church and its functions. First, Paul addresses the plan for its spiritual structure and organization. Verses 9-11 make clear that the Lord Jesus Christ himself is the overseer, guide, and director for the life of His spiritual body - the people of God. But He exercises that leadership through God’s called and gifted servants - apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.

• Apostles - missionary church planters

• Prophets - preachers who proclaim the Word of God - forth-tellers more than foretellers

• Evangelists - to call people to faith In Christ

• Pastors - to shepherd those who are brought to faith

• Teachers - who may be grouped with pastors to disciple and shepherd the saved people of God To what end are they called?

Evangelism and discipleship for all the saints to do the work of the ministry (that’s what is revealed in verses 12 and 13). So all the church is to be engaged in ministry under Godgifted and called leaders as delineated above!

The whole church, the entire body of the people of God doing the work of the ministry is how the church ideally should function. That is when the church is at its best. But when it’s not - and we must admit that much of the time and in many, if not most, places, it is not - there are problems and greater spiritual challenges in the church as well as in the culture.

That is why Paul points out these issues in verse 15: Children tossed about by every wind of doctrine and deception on every hand. Sound familiar? Does is sound too much like the modern western church? The church in America?

We must get back to the basics. God called and spiritually gifted leadership, training and equipping all the people of God to do the work of the ministry - all of it for the upbuilding of the Kingdom of our Lord.

Continuing then on a positive note, Paul writes “but speaking the truth in love [we] may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ.” (v. 15) That is the church at its best, its fullest, to most fruitful and productive in every respect.

May it be so for all of God’s people as we obediently serve Christ, evangelize the lost, and make disciples!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Phil Roberts is a Southern Baptist titan. Roberts is the former President of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Former VP of North American Mission Board. Roberts has held distinguished professorships on Missions & Theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Roberts pastored 3 churches in Europe and was Dean of Emmanuel Baptist Seminary in Romania. Roberts graduated BA Georgetown College, MDiv Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and PhD Free University Amsterdam. He is a published Author and Theologian. He and his wife Anna have 2 children & grandchildren.

Spiritual Warfare in the Church

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 15:39:32 GMT

Located at the foothills of Mount Hermon, just thirty miles north of the Sea of Galilee is the once impressive Greco-Roman city of Caesarea Philippi. The city was named after Philip, the son of Herod the Great. In Jesus’ day, it was a worldwide gathering place of worship to numerous false gods. One of the main gods worshipped there was the fertility god named Pan, a half human, half goat looking creature. One can visit the city today and still see a cave at the base of the cliff that the ancient citizens called the “Gates of Hades.” There was a huge spring that ran from the mouth of that cave and was one of the main sources of the Jordan river. To the pagan mind, the cave and the spring water was the gate that led to the underworld where fertility gods lived during the winter and returned at spring. The people believed their city was literally at the gates of hell. Herod the Great built a temple right at the mouth of the cave in honor to Caesar Augustus. The temple area including a courtyard dedicated to the worship of Pan along with five other areas of worship to false gods.¹

People visited this temple complex from all over the ancient world. Children would be thrown alive into the entrance of the cave as a sacrifice to the god Pan. They believed this would satisfy the gods and bring fertility to their crops. Some even believe that men would mate with goats in the courtyard of Pan in ritualistic fertility acts believing this also would help their impending harvest. It was a cesspool of evil and represented the worst that Satan and sinful humanity could offer.² It was a place that devout Jews would avoid at all costs because of the despicable acts committed there.³ This begs the question, why would Jesus bring His disciples to this loathsome place? The fact that they stopped there just before Jesus began His final pilgrimage southward into Judea and Jerusalem to die on the cross for the sin of the world was no accident. Caesarea Philippi would provide the perfect backdrop for one of the greatest declarations in the gospels. It was here that Jesus elicited a response from His disciples that would summarize their mission and the mission of the church worldwide for ages to come. Matthew records:

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:13-16 (ESV)

In contrast to all the false being worshipped at this site, Christ established through the declaration of one of His disciples, Simon Peter, that He was the only true and living God that should be worshipped. Peter’s confession was the result of a direct revelation from God. Jesus responded to Peter by saying:

17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:17–18 (ESV)

Despite the erroneous interpretation of the Roman Catholic Church regarding Peter being the rock upon which the church is built, the Rock is Christ. Peter himself clearly understood Jesus’ affirmation of his confession. He would later refer to Christ as the Cornerstone upon which the church is being built (cf. 1 Peter 2:4-8).

When Jesus said the gates of Hell will not prevail against the church, He was using the metaphor of siege warfare. Gates were used for defensive purposes. They were designed to keep the enemy from entering a city. When an army wanted to capture a city, they would storm the gates. Contrary to what some might believe, the church is not on the defense in stationary mode standing its ground. Jesus’ response to Peter forcefully conveys military language that the church, built upon the Rock, the Living Son of God, is on the offensive and the gates of Hell will not be able to withstand its force and power. Standing there in Caesarea Philippi, as they were, at a literal “Gate of Hades,” Jesus presented this clear challenge to His disciples, and to the church as a whole throughout generations to come. He doesn’t want His people hiding from evil. He wants them to storm the gates of Hell. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth (cf. 1 Timothy 3:15). It has the only message that truly changes lives. The pure and powerful gospel is the message that we use to storm the gates of Hell. Paul would later write:

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:4–5 (ESV)

Paul is using the same kind of siege warfare language to describe his battle against the false apostles that were dividing the church at Corinth. The strongholds that need to be destroyed are the fortress of false doctrine, ungodly ideas, and philosophies that keep people in spiritual prison. The only weapon that can demolish them is the truth of God’s Word. Nothing else will do the job. That is why we must be committed to the preaching and teaching of the Word. Each time we proclaim the gospel and sound theology we are attacking the gates of Hell. That is what spiritual warfare is all about. May God help us to remain committed to this challenge given to us by the Captain of our Salvation.

¹ Brian Algie, “Caesarea Philippi,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

² DeVries, LaMoine F. Cities of the Biblical World. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1997.

³ Schurer, Emil. The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ (175 bc–ad 135). Rev. and exp. ed. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1979.

Dr. Harmon at The Rock, Caesarea Philippi

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Jerry Harmon is the president of Faith Theological Seminary and Senior Pastor of Grace Bible Baptist Church in Catonsville, Maryland. Harmon graduated BS from Hyles Anderson College, MDiv and PhD from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, and studied Hebrew at Johns Hopkins University. Harmon has pastored Baptist churches for over 30 years in Louisiana, New York, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Maryland. He has self-published two books and travels extensively for mission work. He and his wife Carolyn have four children and four grandchildren.