Is he wearing heavy armor with a glorious helmet and shield
Is he slaying foe after foe as he gracefully swings his sword through his enemies
Does he show zero emotion in battle
Do you envision the enemy tripping over themselves as they run away in fear
He probably looks something like this.
I ask you this question because I have personally been referred to as a “warrior” several times in the past year. However, I weigh a total of 150 pounds (I hope), my biceps are the same size of my forearms, I probably have cried more than all of the women on my team, and I look nothing like these men. Yet, I am a “warrior.” Not only am I called a warrior, but recently Christians, especially among the youth, are more commonly being referred to and titled as “Warriors” or something similar that implies “One fighting with God for the advancement of the Kingdom.”
We read Paul telling Timothy to be a “good soldier of Christ” in 2 Timothy 2:3. Romans and Galatians illustrate how we should arm ourselves with the armor of light and the spirit, and 1 Corinthians talks about conquering sin. This concept of being a warrior of Christ is beautiful indeed, but let us be careful to remember what kingdom we are fighting for.
In Mark 10:35-45, we read the sons of thunder, James and John, expressing their desire to reign with Christ as one would with Caesar. However, Jesus made it clear that they didn’t know what they were talking about, that political power would not be the way of his Kingdom. Then in John 18:10-11 we read Peter violently cutting off the ear of one of the men arresting Jesus, but Jesus replies sternly as he says, “Put away your sword!” James, John, and Peter desired to be a warrior of Christ, but they desired to bring this heavenly kingdom the same way earthly kingdoms are brought- the sword! Christ knew His kingdom must come by love and not violence as he told Pilate, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting.”
Following this trial with Pilate we read the most beautiful paradox of all. That a man, who was also fully God, was stripped naked, beaten, whipped, crushed, abandoned by all, and then hung on a tree to die, and his response was FORGIVENESS FOR ALL! He went to death loving all, extending grace to all, to submitting to the injustice of a state sponsored execution…so much love. And we know that this response to persecution is the desire of God, for on the third day Christ rose from the grave and established the new heavenly kingdom of love! Utter defeat gave way to astonishing victory!
That’s a warrior of Christ! Not one who fights by the sword of war, political and economical power, etc (I’m not saying politics and money are evil). But by the cross of self-sacrificing love.
So as we call our brothers and sisters “Warriors” let us also emphasize and live a life of one who lays down the sword and picks up the cross. Yes, the Holy Spirit is considered a sword in Ephesians, but the fruit of the Spirit is, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” (Galatians 5:22). These are the divine weapons we read of in 2 Corinthians 10 that demolish strongholds of the enemy.
In a world fueled by money, sex, and power, we are to be a witness of a future motivated by love. When we are persecuted we are to respond, as a unified body of Christ, in love, peace, and holiness. We fight with the cross, period! Romans 12:17-21 simply says that we should never overcome evil with evil, but with love. I heard someone once say, “Christ didn’t die on the cross so we wouldn’t have to. No, he died so that we may know how to.”
With his arms outstretched on the cross Jesus made it known that it is all about love. So let us be warriors of the kingdom indeed! We do it here and now as a people motivated not by money, sex, and power, but by love. Wither you are at work, school, the store, or overseas, you are called to love all those around you. As my brother Sean Smith says, “Your love for the nations cannot exceed your love for your brothers. If it does then you are a hypocrite.”
This is not how the world fights, but we are not of this world (1 Peter 2:11-12). Let us lay down our swords brothers and become true warriors, let us reject the “us vs. them” mindset so many Christians have embraced and in return embrace the cross. The same cross that receives beatings, insults, and rejections, and in return recycles all that darkness and extends light in the form of love, forgiveness, grace, and more to all those around us. This is how we fight, even to death.
“Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way; in great endurance, in troubles, in hardships, and distress; in beatings, imprisonments, and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience, and kindness, in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, through bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”
