Family and Warfare

The familial terms like “Father,” “brother” and “sister” which are used in the Bible to describe the Christian experience remind us of the importance of love, devotion and connectedness that ought characterize our congregation. But it is important that we are not led to believe that all our Christian expectations should settle on feelings of cozy, docile family room gatherings.

Remember that the Scriptures also utilize balancing analogies for the Christian life which employ terms like “Captain,” “fellow soldiers,” “Master,” “servants” and “athletes.” These images transport our minds and expectations from the family room to the battlefield, the harvest fields and fields of strenuous exertion. Add to that our understanding of the prophetic schedule which promises a future age of rest and reward preceded by the current age of kingdom advancement and struggle with the flesh and the devil.

While we all long for the days of relaxing together at the ultimate family reunion, for now we are brothers and sisters fighting to do what is right as we strategically assault the gates of hell with expansion of our Lord’s Church.