Having Done All, To Stand
"Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and HAVING DONE ALL, TO STAND. (14) Stand therefore, having your loins girth about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) And above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God:" (Ephesians 6:11-17)
Why ?
Why? "Why" is the question that we so often hear! "Why" is at times the question we ourselves are made to ask. When a man experiences tribulation, "Why?", is the first question that is asked. Just a few days ago, a man asked, "Why ? Why do we have the problems that we do in the church?" Brethren, I believe that the Bible provides an answer to that, and to every other important question!
Paul's admonition in the above quoted passage is one of simplicity, expressive of wisdom, "not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and power." (I Cor. 2:4.) The answer to the question, "Why?" is known to those who wear the armor of God. Paul teaches that the armor of God is an effective knowledge of the truth; he further teaches those who wear the armor of God to STAND. One of Webster's definitions of the word stand is, "To act in resistance, as to an enemy." Paul say that our enemies are principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. Then, bearing boldly the armor of God, we are commanded to resist these enemies.
But, back to our question, "Why can't we live in peace?" As children of God we are constantly faced with the problem of resisting the enemies of truth. Indeed it is most painful and discouraging when those enemies turn out to be once-faithful children of God. At the present, it is not enough to be concerned with the old problems of sectarianism, worldliness, and sin in general; but we must also bear the armor of God boldly in resistance to institutionalism lest it should usurp the authority and work of the church in the fields of benevolence, edification, and evangelism. These are pressing and trying problems; but, they are not new! Institutionalism has been a problem to the church for at least 130 years and I know not how long before that. Brethren have been faced with problems in the church for nearly 2000 years! To the Corinthians Paul said, "For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you." (I Cor. 11:19.) "Be not dismayed what ere betide, God will take care of you", that is, so long as we will wear boldly the armor of God.
Why is there trouble in the church? There are those in the church from time to time who grow slack in their diligence of service; they begin to doubt the authority and finality of God's book; they "dote about questions and strifes of words" (I Tim. 6:4.) And so Paul says that there will be heresies; there will be divisions; these will take place ..., and, they will serve a good purpose, "that they which are approved may be made manifest among you." Again, the same thought is expressed by the apostle John. He says, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." (I Jno. 2:19.) Now the Calvinist insists that "they were not of us" shows that these were never really children of God. Such is not a correct understanding of the passage, for "they went out from us!" They could not have gone "out from us" if they had not been children of God. Here the preposition "ek" is used; Thayer says, "It denotes as well exit or emission out of, as separation from, something with which there has been close connection; opposite to the prepositions (eis) into and (en) in: from out of, out from, forth from, from." (Thayer's Lexicon, page 189, under "ek".) Now Thayer says that the word "ek" is opposite to the word "eis". In Galatians 3:27, we have individuals being baptized (eis) into the body of Christ. The antichrists, of whom John spake, went (ek) out from us. Thus, they left, they went out from among, they separated themselves from the children of God, the body of Christ.
The above thoughts briefly illustrate why there is sometimes "trouble" in the church. If members of the church of Christ since the Restoration Movement had endorsed every innovation (mechanical instrumental music, Sunday school societies, missionary societies, benevolent societies, ladies aids, church-supported colleges, etc.) which cropped up rather than to "split the church", the New Testament church of Jesus Christ in its purity and simplicity would virtually be a forgotten institution in this country today.