Church Militant

Psalm 122:5-9

Psalm 122:5–9 ESV

There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!” For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

Community built with Order

Psalm 122:5 ESV

There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.

Luther’s Works, Volume 11 Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Two

A most beautiful verse and most beautifully expressing the characteristic of the church militant, if only I could achieve it in explanation. But be active in us, Lord, and we shall dare to try it. This at any rate is a difference between the church militant and the church triumphant other than what was said earlier, that there are seats in it and that they are manifest (that is, the powers and principalities of bishops, priests, etc.) but the sitter Himself, namely, Christ, does not appear and is hidden through faith and in faith, and yet He sits and is present, yes, extremely present, in them, since they are His seats.

Luther’s Works, Volume 11 Psalm One Hundred Twenty-Two

Thus with these things that have been said, look at the church, and you will see that it has without doubt been thus arranged in orders and ranks, as this verse has described. I say, the church militant. It will be otherwise with the church triumphant. Now see that it expresses another beautiful mark of a peaceful king.

Love your leadership.

The Church is organized with order so that the body of believers might be called to action, trained dutifully, supported in their efforts, and joined in celebration at the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Leadership within the Church looks different than in the rest of the world as Jesus says,

Mark 10:42–43 ESV

And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

It is to your benefit to submit yourself to the leadership and authorities that have been given to you. For they have been called by Christ and will give an account.

Hebrews 13:17 ESV

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Seek what is best for one another.

Psalm 122:6–7 ESV

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!”

Live together Die Alone.

Psalm 122:8–9 ESV

For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, “Peace be within you!” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

We love each other because we love God.

1 John 4:7–12 ESV

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.