Swords are for Killn'

This week's blog comes courtesy of John Piper. What a fantastic post!

Swords Are for Killing

(Author: John Piper)

In New Testament times swords were not for digging, shaving, or whittling. They were for killing. The only reason Peter cut off Malchus's ear was that he missed (John 18:10).

But Herod didn't miss: "He killed James the brother of John with the sword" (Acts 12:2).

Many saints have felt the full force of the sword: "They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword" (Hebrews 11:37). So it was and will be: "If anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain" (Revelation 13:10).

That's what swords are for. So when Paul calls the word of God the "sword of the Spirit" in Ephesians 6:17, he is serious—something must be put to death. And it is not people. Christians don't kill people to spread our faith; we die to spread our faith.

The link in Paul's mind is given in Romans 8:13.

If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. The Sword is for putting to death. And by the Spirit we put to death our sinful deeds. So I conclude that the way we kill our sins is with the Spirit's sword, the word of God.

All temptations to sin have power by lying. The are "deceitful desires" (Ephesians 4:22). They tell us that the pleasure of the sin is worth it. The killing blow against these lies is the power of God's truth. Hence the sword of the Spirit, God's word, is the weapon to use.

As John Owen said, "Be killing sin, or it will be killing you." That is what swords are for, especially the Bible.

I Saw Nancy Reagan in Church Last Sunday

I saw Nancy Reagan in Church on Sunday

The other day in church I’m pretty positive I saw our former first lady, Nancy Reagan. Okay, not really, but man did she look like the real deal. In fact, as great as our worship time was, I couldn't help but have my attention drawn to her throughout the entire hour. As I drove home from church the thought occurred to me…”When people look at me, what do they see? What are THEY drawn to? What do they think of?"

Hebrews 1:3 tells us that “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God”. When people saw Jesus, they saw God. Crazy! As a follower of "The Way" do people see Jesus when the see me? Am I carrying the qualities of the “radiant Son”? Or...do I carry the image of something else, someone else?

Consider Paul’s thoughts to the Corinthian church…

2 Corinthians 3:1-4 “Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our[a] hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.”

What would the world be like if people saw Jesus in you, on the streets, or even in church?