The Rules of Engagment

Introduction

Rules of Engagement- orders that soldiers fighting in a war are given about what they can and cannot do

Christians have for centuries been at war with the world and the culture from the time of Christ even until the present day.

Paul’s charge to Timothy came during the reign of the godless and vile reign of the emperor Nero.

There is no question that today we find ourselves in the midst of a battle for this nation and more broadly a battle for the souls of men around the world.

The warfare in which we are engage is not physical but a spiritual warfare which will not be won by physical might or power.

If we are to fight in this war it is vital that we learn the rules of engagement so that we may know what is required to war a good warfare.

In this passage of scripture we find Paul writing to young Timothy, his son in the faith, to give him a charge to “war a good warfare”

Timothy was also a soldier fighting in this same war for the souls of men.

2 Timothy 2:3–4 KJV 1900

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

The rules of engagement that Paul outlines for Timothy are still in place today if we are to “war a good warfare”

In order to “war a good warfare” we must:

Keep the Faith (Vs. 19a)

No matter what the future holds, we must covenant together to keep the faith and not to compromise the Word of God for convenience or expedience.

Under the pressure of society and a godless culture many have compromised the faith embracing false doctrine and turning away from the plain truth of the Word of God.

So many have compromised under the pressure to conform and have fallen away from the faith. But you and I must be determined to continue to defend the faith and to stand for the truth.

Jude 3–4 KJV 1900

Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

We must earnestly contend for the faith in the days ahead for it is likely that we shall see the attacks on our faith intensify and the enemies of Christ emboldened.

Now is not the time to compromise. Now is not the time to be silent. Now is not the time to lay aside your faith. Now is not the time to give up or give in.

Under the mounting pressures we face we must hold onto faith. We must hold to our convictions, we must determine to hold to right doctrine and right standards born from the study of the scriptures.

It is a tragedy that popular modern day “Christianity” bears little resemblance to the Christianity of the first century. We need to reclaim Christianity and again boldly stand for truth and righteousness.

Let us not make shipwreck as some who have turned away from the faith.

To “war a good warfare” we must also:

Maintain a Good Conscience (Vs. 19b)

This is vital for the Christian! You may be frustrated, angry, fearful, or filled with anxiety, all of which could cause you to do and to say things that would defile your conscience.

Paul knew what it was to be persecuted, to suffer wrongfully, to deal with opposition and false accusation, yet through it all Paul was intent to keep a pure conscience.

We may be tempted to do or to say things in a heated moment that would defile our conscience and destroy our testimony. We must be determined to keep a clear conscience. Don’t do or say something that you will later regret.

We must recognize what is at stake. Our behavior as Christians reflects upon Christ Jesus and if we are to have any hope of turning the tide in America we must not do or say things that would bring shame or reproach upon His name!

What a tragedy for believers to engage in petty arguments and name-calling and hateful rhetoric in the midst of trying times. We must recognize that we are where we are because a large portion of the American population needs Jesus!

A momentary lapse in judgement can greatly weaken our ability to reach them with the gospel.

We must be mindful of our testimony in our conversations with others. We ought to carefully consider our social media posts and comments. We must not do or say anything that would hinder our effectiveness or that might become a stumbling block to those who are yet lost.

We can certainly express our views and state our positions but we must do so with grace and compassion recognizing that those who may oppose the Christian faith are not our enemies but are sinners in need of redemption.

However we respond let us make certain that we do not do or say anything that would defile our conscience and leave us with regrets that we will have to live with.

If we are to “war a good warfare” we must also:

Pray (I Timothy 2:1-3)

One of the most vital ministries that you and I can participate in is the ministry of prayer. We have a responsibility to pray for our country and for all men.

Paul does not suggest that we should pray only for those who agree with us but for all men.

Matthew 5:44 KJV 1900

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Paul also charged Timothy with a special responsibility to pray for those who were in positions of power and great authority.

Paul again does not limit our praying to those that we agree with or approve of but to “all that are in authority”

If we desire to live a quiet and peaceable life we must pray for our leaders regardless of their political party affiliations and even in spite of their promotion of policies we may not agree with.

We could refuse to acknowledge or respect our leaders but in doing so we displease God. Instead, we should respect them and commit ourselves to praying for them regardless of their character or convictions.

We ought to pray for the salvation of those who are unsaved, we ought to pray for spiritual discernment for those who profess to know Christ.

Proverbs 21:1 KJV 1900

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever he will.

We must recognize that God has the power and ability to turn the heart of even the most wicked and corrupt rulers and that He can and will use wicked rulers to accomplish His purposes.

We must remember that the hope of any nation is not so much in its rulers but in the hand of God which controls their hearts!

The final rule of engagement that enables us to “war a good warfare” is that we:

Testify of Christ (I Timothy 2:4-6)

The outcome of the election does not have any impact on our ultimate mission to testify of Christ to the world.

It is God’s desire that all men would have the opportunity to hear the gospel message of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection!

The greatest weapon that we have for turning the tide of immorality and ungodliness in our nation and in our world is our testimony for Christ.

If our communities, our nation, and our world are to be changed it must be through the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We must penetrate the darkness of this world with the light of the glorious gospel of Christ. We must go to those who are on the opposite side of every issue and do our best to bring them to Christ and allow Him to transform them.

Imagine the transformation that would take place in our nation if those we may consider enemies were to place their faith in the savior and became new creatures in Christ.

Only God is capable of the wholesale transformation that is needed in this country and throughout nearly every nation across the globe.

This transformation is only possible through a concerted effort to proclaim the gospel and to win the lost to Christ. We need a revival in soul-winning across this country.

So long as only a small percentage of our churches participate in the proclamation of the gospel and in leading the lost to Christ our nation will continue its downward spiral.

Instead of attempting to convert democrats into republicans or vice versa, we must commit ourselves to converting unbelievers to disciples of Christ.

Conclusion

The greatest news of all regarding the war which you and I are fighting is that we know that we shall ultimately be victorious over the forces of evil and the enemies of Christ!

Yet this does not mean that we are released from the responsibility to “war a good warfare”. Are you committed to keeping the faith, to maintaining a pure conscience, to praying for all men (especially those in authority), and to testifying of Christ ?

Christ is the only hope for the world and Christ is also the only hope for you personally. Without Christ we are without hope and we shall be separated from God for all eternity in a place of torment and suffering, but it does not have to end this way. You can find forgiveness and hope in Chris today and He will place you on the winning side and will transform your life forever!