The Enemy of Humanity
One of the more popular verses in the Bible is Ephesians 6:12, which states:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 NASB)
I realized today that I have always mistaken this verse. We currently live in a world where we wage battles not against spiritual forces but against flesh and blood. We live in a world where we are constantly blowing each other up, killing, raping, pillaging, each other. Many of us, myself included, can be very pro-war at times, but the mistake is that we are fighting the wrong enemy. For you see, even though the battle is NOT against flesh and blood, that is precisely where it always takes place. It is in each other that we go to war over power, greed, envy, jealousy, rage, hate, bitterness, etc. Sometimes we destroy each other literally and sometimes we tear each other down in other ways though slander and deprecation.
Our enemy is an elusive one, he is invisible which makes him hard to detect, yet he dwells within us all. We mistake each other for the problem when really, it is something far different. When I go to war with you and try to kill or tear you down, I am not really killing my enemy, I am simply destroying its dwelling place, leaving it free to live on the the hearts of others while a wake of pain and suffering is left behind.
I cannot fight the enemy in you because he lives in your heart, a place I cannot reach. So when I attempt to do so, all I do is destroy you, accomplishing nothing. You see, it is when I truly recognize that my battle REALLY ISN'T against flesh and blood and that it is flesh and blood that makes you my brother rather than my enemy, then I will understand how to win this fight. It is when I turn the focus of the battle from outward to inward and begin to strike down the enemy in me that progress will be made.
If as a world we were ever to recognize that our battle is not with each other but with ourselves, we will begin to eradicate all of the things that drive us apart and cause us to wound one another. It is when we begin to defeat the hate and rage within using the weapon of love that we will begin to strike the enemy of humanity it's death blow. If the day ever comes that we all recognize this, it will be the day we are able to see past our differences and our beliefs and finally............... the world will know peace.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 NASB)
I realized today that I have always mistaken this verse. We currently live in a world where we wage battles not against spiritual forces but against flesh and blood. We live in a world where we are constantly blowing each other up, killing, raping, pillaging, each other. Many of us, myself included, can be very pro-war at times, but the mistake is that we are fighting the wrong enemy. For you see, even though the battle is NOT against flesh and blood, that is precisely where it always takes place. It is in each other that we go to war over power, greed, envy, jealousy, rage, hate, bitterness, etc. Sometimes we destroy each other literally and sometimes we tear each other down in other ways though slander and deprecation.
Our enemy is an elusive one, he is invisible which makes him hard to detect, yet he dwells within us all. We mistake each other for the problem when really, it is something far different. When I go to war with you and try to kill or tear you down, I am not really killing my enemy, I am simply destroying its dwelling place, leaving it free to live on the the hearts of others while a wake of pain and suffering is left behind.
I cannot fight the enemy in you because he lives in your heart, a place I cannot reach. So when I attempt to do so, all I do is destroy you, accomplishing nothing. You see, it is when I truly recognize that my battle REALLY ISN'T against flesh and blood and that it is flesh and blood that makes you my brother rather than my enemy, then I will understand how to win this fight. It is when I turn the focus of the battle from outward to inward and begin to strike down the enemy in me that progress will be made.
If as a world we were ever to recognize that our battle is not with each other but with ourselves, we will begin to eradicate all of the things that drive us apart and cause us to wound one another. It is when we begin to defeat the hate and rage within using the weapon of love that we will begin to strike the enemy of humanity it's death blow. If the day ever comes that we all recognize this, it will be the day we are able to see past our differences and our beliefs and finally............... the world will know peace.
I would agree with you when talk about us killing each other and destroying each other. We are not supposed to do so. Our enemy is Satan and his minions. All of humanity is deceived until their eyes are enlightened to God's Word, Jesus. Humans are merely slaves of sin waiting to be freed. They are the hostages in which we need to rescue, yet we go about our everyday lives like there is nothing wrong.
ReplyDeleteGood piece Will. When we kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people in our "wars", I can not help but wonder where our logic, and compassion have gone as a nation and as Christians. I wonder what Jesus would do?...is an old phrase, but needs to be brought back into our hearts and minds. Einstein said it best..." It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing back an act of murder".
ReplyDeleteEinstein was an interesting guy both the atheists and the christians accept him as one of their own.
DeleteEinstein said it best..." It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder". (Spelling error above)
ReplyDeleteAs the kingdom of God is within the "enemy" is within.
ReplyDelete