Fight the Good Fight

Matthew 14: 13-14 “Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.”

Matthew 14: 22-25 “Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.”

How many times has someone come to tax my time and patience, and I send them away with a bug in their ear? How many times have I rightly seen my problems so much larger than those who are following my leadership? Too many times to admit before the world wide web. So many times I become enraptured in my own problems and concerns, even legitimate ones, at the expense of my ability to help others. Christians across the board have come to hold this perspective which they consider reasonable Godly behavior. This perspective would suggest that when Christian individuals have legitimately pressing problems, it is okay to become isolated from the concerns others have, so that one can focus on dealing with with what ever problems are pressing.

This perspective is is almost cliché given the tendency the modern church has to reason rather than read when looking for an answer. The progression of thought and confidence in that thought is morally neutral, neither good nor bad. However, when thought and confidence therein supplants scripture and confidence therein, the issue of thought and reason becomes morally charged, and it is charged negatively. While it is ignorant and backward to say we shouldn't rely on reasoning and thought, it is morally ignorant and backward to supplant scripture with thought. The modern church has done exactly that and applied this morally backward perspective across the board. Morally ignorant Christians have reasoned that if a woman becomes pregnant through rape the execution through abortion of her child should be legal. Morally ignorant Christians have reasoned that God cannot have designed someone to sin because that would not be fair. Morally ignorant Christians have even reasoned that hell doesn't in fact exist. Pastor Rob Bell, and it pains me to have to say pastor, In his book, Love Wins, reasons that since God loves all man He could never condemn them to Hell. These reasoning Christians who think themselves so reasonable, have exchanged faith and truth for reason and thought. Note that these lines of reasoning and thought mentioned all stem from a human premise. If they found these lines of reason and though found their premise in scripture, their conclusions would be radically different.

I have, like many Christians before me, reasoned my way into doing the wrong thing many times. My principle flaw which I reason myself into is thinking that I have a right to time by myself. Now this right might seem reasonable. Especially if that time I spend by myself is between me and God in prayer. However that conclusion I, and many other Christians, have arrived at is not rooted in scripture. Christ's life on earth not only disproves this perspective, but unmasks the spiritually corrupt mindset behind it.

When we are in a time of grief, or just desire a little quiet time with God, we so often tell everyone that, I'm locking this door, don't bug me until I come out. We reason that this is right because we are placing God above all others. But are we? In chapter 14 of the book of Matthew, John the Baptist is executed by king Herod. It is not disputed that Christ and John were very close, so when the news of John's death reaches Jesus, Jesus does what a normal Christian man would to when facing grief. “Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself...” He went to where he could be alone. Thinking about my best friend Cody Stevens, and imagining him being killed for the sake of the casually sensual indulgence of some foreign king, I don't think I'd be able to do much more than seclude myself. We would all reason that the time I was spending alone to think and to pray is only fair. However, Christ does not recognize what is fair, He recognizes what is right. After Christ left to be alone, His followers were not far behind. “When the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.” Again if my best friend had just died, and a large crowd was following me around with requests and needs, I would probably tell them to deal with their problems for now because I need this time to deal with mine. However reasonable this sounds, it is not reasonable according to Christ. He not only felt compassion on them and healed their sick, but the passage goes on to detail how He fed the five thousand followers, even though it would be reasonable if He had healed them and told them to go home to eat. Christ's example doesn't end here. After having fed the five thousand, scripture continues the story. “Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.” Finally some well earned time alone for Christ to spend with God to deal with the grief of having lost John. However, verse 24 begins with the most disheartening of words. “But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.” Here Christ has lost one of the most devoted followers He had. A man who most fully grasped who Christ was. A man who had given up everything, living like an animal for Christ. A man who spent every moment of his life preparing the way for Christ. This man died for the sensual whim of a foreign king, and Christ seeks time alone to deal with the grief of this loss. He tries to escape by boat, but five thousand people follow Him with their needs. Christ feels compassion and not only heals them, but feeds them as well. After this he seeks solitude in the mountains. No sooner does He finally get some solitude but His apostles sail their way into a storm which is about to sink them. Christ returns to work, having taken little or no time to deal with His own grief, and like a loving parent comes walking across the ocean to His disciples.

How many of reasonable Christians would have said at every step of the way, Christ, You've earned yourself a moment alone, it is only reasonable that You be given time to deal with Your loss. I would hazard a guess every single Christian who espouses themselves reasonable would have said so. Yet Christ showed Christians how they should act. Many Christians might contend that Christ was super human, that we are not called to do everything He did. But how wrong this is! Christ came and took on flesh, took on the weaknesses of man for the express purpose of showing Christians what they are to strive for. Again Christians contend that it is not fair or reasonable of God to ask us to meet the standard set by Christ. They are right, it is not reasonable or fair, but God is neither reasonable nor is He fair. God is just. In His justice God demands that we pursue victory. He demands we make standing in Christ's shoes our goal, and that we fight every day to attain that goal. That is God's justice, God's forgiveness is what blots out our failure to meet our goal.

Christians are not called by God to attain victory in this life. They are called to fight for victory. The problem with the modern church is they have lowered their goal to what is attainable. If Christians set their goal at flawlessly emulating Christ, they might find themselves as successful as John the Baptist. If they do what the modern church currently does, and set their goal at what is reasonable, they will find themselves in the state they are currently in. A state of immorality, complacency, and ignorance.

I am setting my goal at perfectly emulating Christ's character and faith. And yes, by doing so I condemn myself to a perpetual ever lasting battle which I can never win. But if I follow the example set by the modern church, I would be fighting to attain failure. I will be joining the U.S. Army soon, I will become a true soldier, and if deployed I fully intend to fight and die for my country. If I do not die, I will be able to say before the American people that I did my all, I fought as hard and as long as I could... then I will deploy again. The battle God asks me to fight for Him is much the same. He asks me to fight for victory, and let His forgiveness blot out my failure.

I will fight the good fight. I will bow my knee before God, and I will hear him say with as much love as Christ showed when he stepped out onto stormy waves, well done thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy master...