THE necessity of protection for believers so long as they remain on earth is evident from the many allusions to danger in the Holy Scriptures. Very serious results follow the absence of it. Let us consider first,
Our dangers. The blessed Lord told of the ‘wolf scattering the sheep (John 10:12).
The apostle Peter wrote: “Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).
The apostle Paul, of grievous wolves entering in amongst the saints and not sparing the flock (Acts 20:29). We read of false teachers, and of many following their pernicious ways (2 Peter 2:2). Also of some young women who had turned aside alter Satan (1 Tim. 5:15); and in 1 John 3:7 the exhortation “Let no man deceive you.” These will serve to mark out some of the dangers from which we need to be protected.
In thinking of the dangers, let us be clear that on the Lord’s side there are none whatever. He has overcome Satan, and Satan can never overcome Him. His present position at the right hand of God is the guarantee that nothing can fail which He has undertaken to affect. He only waits the Father’s time, when “He will manifest Himself as the blessed and only Potentate” (1 Tim. 6:15).
But on the believer’s side there is danger, and therefore he needs protection, so that rather than be overcome with evil, he may overcome evil with good. Next let us consider
Our protection. For protection we are exhorted to cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light (Rom. 13:12). That is, to refuse everything in ourselves which is unsuitable to Christianity, and then to put on the armor of light― the light which God gives. His people through the holy writings and the indwelling Holy Spirit. There is no greater protection than light, because it enables those who have it to avoid the pits and traps of the enemy, which otherwise they would fall into.
The psalmist wrote (and Israel when restored. will confess): “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psa.119:105).
Surely a word suitable for our meditation today!
Men of business need light regarding the things they are engaged in, and so read the newspapers, which supply light as to the state of the various markets, and by attention to such light they avoid losses which those in the dark often make.
As believers the Lord’s business should be more important to us than our own daily calling, because the former is connected with eternity, the latter only with time.
The daily calling is indirectly the Lord’s work because He has enjoined us “with quietness to work and eat our own bread” (see 2 Thess. 3:12). God’s light helps us to keep each in the proper place. When Paul made tents (see Acts 18:3 and 20:34, 35) it did not interfere with the more direct work of caring for souls.
The “armor of light” has the first place in protecting us, but should be accompanied by “the breastplate of faith and love” (1 Thess. 5:8). If saints walk in the light, they will have to meet with much opposition to the truth, and will need the protection which faith and love afford. There will be firmness in faith, and gentleness in love. While “the helmet, the hope of salvation,” gives confidence that the Lord’s second coming will remove us from the scene of opposition, when He will reward every bit of faithfulness He has approved of.
In the present day, when the truth of the heavenly calling of all believers has been well-nigh lost sight of, and worldly religion has become popular, there is great danger of young believers becoming entangled in some of the many forms of corrupted Christianity.
Thus the need of each individual looking more to the Lord and to the Holy Scriptures which are His voice at the present time; while those who are strong are exhorted to bear the infirmities of the weak and not please themselves (see Rom. 15:1). G. W. GY.
Don’t dispute with infidels. ―William Grimshaw, of Haworth, in Yorkshire, was once in the company of an infidel nobleman, who had just before engaged in a long dispute with two eminent Christian men. William Grimshaw did not believe that any real good could be effected by such discussions, and when the nobleman tried to draw him into a similar dispute he declined, nearly in these words: “My lord, if you needed information, I would gladly do my utmost to assist you; but the fault is not in your head, but in your heart, which can only be reached by a divine power. I shall pray for you, but I cannot dispute with you.” ADAPTED.