Two Swords (6)

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God… Ephesians 6.17

Equipped with the Sword of the Spirit
In these days when the Kingdom of God has come on earth, the followers of Jesus Christ do not, as a Body, wield the political sword. They are not completely separated from this sword, but it is not their primary weapon for advancing the Kingdom purposes of God. Their assigned weapon for the struggle in which they are engaged is the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit.

For this reason, churches do not enact temporal punishments against members who transgress the Law of God. Spiritual and church discipline, and the practice of penance according to the Word, are the proper methods of correction available to believers within their communities. This does not exempt offenders from being liable to the political sword, should their transgressions require; it simply insists that the Church must not undertake the restoration of justice except according to its appointed means within its own community.

The Word of God is able to equip the followers of Jesus Christ for every good work (2 Tim. 3.15-17). Wherever the goodness of God may come to light in the land of the living, there it will do so only according to the teaching of Scripture and through the lives of those who submit to the Sword of the Spirit in all things. Wherever the followers of Christ do not engage the Sword of the Spirit, there the goodness of God cannot emerge and the darkness of unbelief and sin will prevail.

The Christian’s calling is thus to be equipped by the Word of God for the good works God has before ordained for every area of our lives (Eph. 2.10). The Scriptures – the Sword of the Spirit – are God’s Word for all of life, but they will only speak into all of life with transforming power when believers learn and live the teachings of Scripture.

Neglect of the Scriptures, therefore, is a most heinous and inexcusable offense against our King and His Kingdom. For apart from His Word, we have no weapon to advance the cause of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. The best we have is a Word-shaped life (1 Pet. 2.9-25).

For all of life
Believers must come under the Sword of the Spirit in all their thinking, affections, priorities, and practices (2 Cor. 10.3-5). By daily reading, study, and meditation on the Word of God, through faithful teaching and obedient learning, Christians may expect the inherent goodness and truth of Scripture to shape their souls and to show forth in their lives, in every aspect of their lives.

This Sword is the one we are to live by and to wield day by day in all our relationships, roles, and responsibilities. As we do, letting the Word of God cut deeply into our souls and through all the confusion and uncertainty of our culture, we bring the cauterizing and healing powers of the Sword of the Spirit for good into all of life, culture, and society.

When we fail to do this, we consign our neighbors to the capricious ways of the spirit of the age and corrupted edges of the sword of politics. And we fail in our primary calling in life, which is to seek and advance the Kingdom and glory of God (1 Thess. 2.12).

Not persuaded
The problem today is that, while the Scriptures claim that they are sufficient to equip us for every good work, the followers of Christ are not persuaded.

Or, we are not convinced that the responsibility for the good order and just working of our society falls squarely onto the shoulders of those who have the Sword of the Spirit and the mandate to “take” it.

Either way, we as believers disobey our Lord and King and fail to love our neighbors as ourselves. In many ways, the sad state of politics, government, society, and culture all over the world can be directly traced to the failure of Christians to “take” the Sword of the Spirit into every aspect and calling of life.

At the same time, because the Scriptures – the Sword of the Spirit – are sufficient to equip us for every good work, those good works include such as are necessary to ensure that government fulfills its own good calling and wields the political sword according to God’s good purposes and will.

Scripture does not teach us to avoid political activity, but to engage it actively and thoroughly, and to work by every legitimate means to help civil governments do their work to the glory of God.

But we will only be up to this important challenge to the extent that we are immersed in, submissive to, and adept at wielding the Sword of the Spirit of God.

Next Step: Meet with a church leader or pastor to share your approach to “taking” the Sword of the Spirit as you presently practice it. See if they have any ideas to help you improve your study and use of Scripture. Share the results of this conversation with your prayer partner.

T. M. Moore

This week’s study, Two Swords, is part 1 of a 5-part series on The King’s Heart, a Biblical view of government and politics, and is available as a free download by clicking here. We cannot understand God’s view of government, or how to function in a political environment apart from faith in King Jesus and His rule. Order T. M.’s book The Kingship of Jesusto supplement our studies of God and government.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.