We are at war.
But it’s not that kind of war.
Find out what Scripture says by watching our Truth in Two (full text below).
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FULL TEXT
We are at war. Some will hear those words as some kind of nationalistic jingoism where a group lusts for domination. Others will hear that phrase and immediately head out to the gun range. Still more will conjure a “culture war,” with an us-against-them mentality. What I mean when I say, “we are at war” is what the apostle Paul meant in 2 Corinthians 10, “Our weapons of warfare destroy arguments, taking every thought captive to Christ.” Our enemies are not first political or national, our enemies first and foremost are the principalities and powers. Hebraic-Christian believers have known our principal adversary since Eden whom Revelation 12 calls “the old serpent.” St. Cyril of Jerusalem, one of the early Church fathers, said it this way, “The Dragon is by the side of the road, watching those who pass. Beware lest he devour you. We go to the Father of Souls, but it is necessary to pass by the dragon.”[1]
One of the major themes in Scripture – and I would add, books of any kind – is the war between “good” and “evil.” People all over the world write about this struggle because the Truth of principalities and power has affected everything and everyone from the beginning of time. The biblical record about evil, which you can read at the end of this Truth in Two, includes at least three important principles: (1) “Evil” is real, historical, and personal; (2) There is no possibility that “evil” will win in the end; (3) There are “evil” people who follow the principles of “the evil one.” Yes, we are at war. And in this world we will indeed, “pass by the dragon.” For Truth in Two, this is Dr. Mark Eckel, president of the Comenius Institute, personally seeking Truth wherever it’s found.
Afterword
Some may immediately take offense that “evil” would be ascribed to anyone. The truth of the matter, however, is that even popular streaming programs identify perpetrators as “evil.” And for those who take Scripture at its word, the Bible is full of specific statements about “evildoers” and their “abominations” (Ps 37.1; Prov 6.16-19; Luke 16.15; John 8.44; Rev 21.8).
- “Evil” is real, historical, and personal (Gen 3:1-6; 1 John 3:8; Rev 12:7-9)
- There is no possibility that “evil” will win (Ps 2; Col 2:13-15; Rev 19:11-21)
- “Evil” people follow the principles of “the evil one” (2 Cor 11:13-15; 1 Jn 3:10)
A “war” indeed, coming from the “principalities and powers” (Ephesians 1:21; 2:2; 3:10; 5:11; 6:12).
[1] Saint Cyril of Jerusalem quoted by Flannery O’Connor in Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose (Macmillan, 1969): 35.