The Church and the individual Christian are faced with much opposition. Some of that opposition is overt and blatant right from the get go. Their voices are loud and boisterous, their movements obvious and threatening. Some of that opposition is quiet and some of it is quite sly, its movements hidden in plain sight within the church itself.
Beyond the ever-present temptations and trials, there are those outside of the church that seek the destruction of the church and the people of God. They will campaign to limit Christian activity, seeing prayer at a flagpole, or a Bible study at the workplace, as an assault on their sensibility and way of life. They will shout you down, throw rocks through your windows and spray paint the church’s walls in efforts to intimidate God’s people. They will threaten physical harm and then carry out that threat in efforts to shut down the Gospel and stamp out the move of God.
But even worse, there are also those who seek to destroy the fabric of the church and God’s people from within. Those who pretend to be believers, but have not actually been changed by a personal encounter with the Spirit of Christ, or they’ve so grieved the Spirit of God that they can no longer hear His appeals for surrender. These are the sleeper cells of the enemy. They do not contribute in meaningful ways, but they are loaded with criticism of those who do.
Both groups are dangerous to the unity of the church, the life of the immature believer and the nascent seeker of God. Both groups are also inevitable. They will be encountered by every believer at some point, and by every church at some point. All the more so when the believer goes out into the world to spread the Gospel! Fortunately, Jesus has some words of wisdom for us in this regard, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
Some might think that the Lord means for us to be shrewd among the wolves, and innocent among the doves. Certainly from a human standard that makes sense. But He is actually encouraging us the opposite, and for good reason. The apostle Paul put it this way, “I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.”
To the wicked we must be blameless and pure. This is a testimony to them of God’s perfection, and a judgment on them for not acting likewise in the presence of those who reflect His character. One commentator put it, “The innocence called for will involve a consistent integrity that is prepared to suffer rather than compromise and which is careful to give no grounds for legitimate legal objection.” When we act so, the Spirit of God convicts those who persecute us of the evil they are doing. And they cannot shout down His conviction, for it is a conviction in their hearts, not their ears.
It is among the good that we must be shrewd and wise. Constantly seeking for their betterment, intentional about their discipleship and pure in our use of the Word of God. By this the people of God are encouraged toward Him in praise, and by our silence the people of our enemy the devil are encouraged toward God in repentance. Let everything we do draw people to God.
Amen.
Christians need hard heads as well as soft hearts.
Pete Kreeft and Ronald K. Tacelli
APPLICATION: Intentionality
Pray for and practice wisdom among the pure, and grace among the wicked.