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Chapter 78 - Life-Based Warfare |
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There are only two approaches to spiritual warfare: law-based or life-based (zoe). Only the life-based (zoe) approach enables the New Testament church to “stand firm” and “resist” the schemes of the devil in the “evil day.” Obviously then, Satan encourages the law-based approach.
Law The fall alienated the human race from God. As a result, humanity was separated from God and His kingdom in the realm of sin and death. The realm of sin and death is subject to the rule of law. The apostle stated, “… law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious.” (1 Timothy 1:9) The rule of law is variously described in the New Testament as “the law,” the “law of God,” the “oldness of the letter,” the “law of sin and of death,” the “law in the members of my body,” the “law of sin which is in my members,” the “law of sin,” and a “law of righteousness.” (Romans 7:6; 23; 25; 8:2; etc.) Although the author of Hebrews was specifically referring to the Mosaic Law, the general principle of law can also be described as the “law of physical requirement,” “weak and useless” and the “shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things.” (Hebrews 7:16, 18-19; 10:1) For benefit of the lawless and rebellious, the rule of law has a strict requirement. It demands righteousness. Therefore, the requirement of the rule of law can only be satisfied by perfect obedience. Anything less constitutes unrighteousness and thus, condemnation. Given its strict requirement, the rule of law has a specific motive for obedience. The lawless and rebellious are motivated to obey from fear of condemnation. Governance by the rule of law is characterized by misery, powerlessness, dead works, guilt, condemnation, bondage, fear, and faithlessness. It is the equivalent of working for God. God did not give the rule of law to guide the daily conduct of the New Testament church. It was established to reveal transgression (sin). The guilt and condemnation associated with the failure to obey the rule of law was designed to lead the transgressor (sinner) to the Savior, the giver of life (zoe). (Galatians 3:24-25) |
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Ignorance
The modern religious church is mostly ignorant of its justification from the transgression of the rule of law, its release from the jurisdiction of the rule of law, its rescue from satanic authority, the immediate presence of the indwelling Christ, and His gracious rule of life (zoe). As a result, it is susceptible to law-based practice. The influence of a mixed marriage also contributes to the ignorance. Some believe the “kingdom of heaven” parables in Matthew 13 indicate that the New Testament church is comprised of believer and unbeliever. It does not. As a result, however, the modern religious church typically allows for a mixture of congregants. Some share life with Jesus Christ and some do not. The unredeemed congregants of the modern religious church are naturally subject to the rule of law. Congruent with eternal plan, they are “… kept in custody under the law.” (Galatians 3:23) It is not a choice. Although ignorant of the fact, the redeemed congregants of the modern religious church have been “released from the law.” Unaware that they have been made alive to God and graciously obligated to Him according to the rule of life (zoe), they keep trying to serve God under rule of law. Their subjection to the rule of law is a choice made from ignorance. Whether redeemed or unredeemed, by choice or not, the congregants of the modern religious church remain subject to the rule of law. Consequently, the religious church bears mostly “fruit for death.” (Romans 7:5) For the unredeemed it is according to plan. For the redeemed, subjection to the rule of law is a choice of ignorance. Preoccupied with law rather than life (zoe), Satan has the modern religious church exactly where he wants it. Law-Based Warfare The law-based response of the modern religious church is not only the result of ignorance but satanic deception. Satan strongly encourages the church to submit to the rule of law. Rather than dependence on the living (zoe), indwelling Christ and His ministry of life (zoe), the practice of the law-based church is unwittingly fixated on the performance of law, its transgression, and as a result, duty, debt, death and darkness. The law-based church is consumed with doing things for Christ rather than with Him. Preoccupied with works of self-effort for God, it is characterized by the unending burden of transgression, guilt, condemnation, and confession. As a result, it does not have the awareness, time, energy, or power to address the deceptive schemes of Satan. Although rare, the law-based church does occasionally recognize satanic deception. When it does, however, it is incapable of responding with anything other than a powerless, law-based response. Satan’s law-based strategy for warfare is constructed on nothing more than deception and lies. For it to succeed, the living (zoe) church must be ignorantly complicit. |
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Life
The redemptive work of Jesus Christ provided fallen humanity with the opportunity for reconciliation with God. It offered restoration to life (zoe) shared with God and citizenship in the realm of the “Spirit of life (zoe) in Christ Jesus,” the kingdom of God. The realm of life (zoe) is governed by the rule of divine life (zoe). It is inhabited only by holy angels and human beings made righteous by the blood of the Eternal Covenant. The rule of life (zoe) is variously described in the New Testament as the “law of faith,” the “Spirit of life (zoe) in Christ Jesus,” the “law of Christ,” the “perfect law,” and the “law of liberty.” (Romans 3:27; 8:2; 1 Corinthians 9:21; Galatians 6:2; James 1:25; 2:12) It is often referred to in this book as the “rule of life.” The motive for living with God by shared life (zoe) is not fear but selfless love (agape). “God is love …” (1 John 4:8, 16) The Bible further explains, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:18-19) According to plan, selfless love (agape) was designed to be nurtured from an intimate environment of shared life. Governance by the indwelling Spirit of life (zoe) is fulfilled with God. It is characterized by grace, infinite love, incomparable power, living (zoe) works, freedom, and faith. (cf. Matthew 11:28-30; Romans 6:14; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 John 5:3) Law cannot hinder satanic schemes leveled against the New Testament church. In fact, Satan encourages the church to respond to his schemes according to law. It provides him with an advantage. In contrast, Satan fears the living (zoe) Christ. He alone defeated the devil and He alone is able to terminate every scheme of the devil. Thus, the life-based (zoe) approach to spiritual warfare transfers the advantage to the New Testament church. The life-based (zoe) church has a vastly different outlook than the law-based church. It is not consumed with law, transgression, duty, debt, death, and darkness. Instead, the life-based (zoe) church is intentionally fixated on the presence of the victorious, living (zoe) Christ. Life-Based Warfare By the unconditional benefit of the Eternal Covenant, the New Testament church was justified from all transgression of divine law (sin), released from the jurisdiction of law, and rescued from satanic authority. As a result, it became legally suitable to share life with Jesus Christ, the mediator of the covenant. Joined by union of shared life, the New Testament church is seated with the victorious Christ at the right hand of the Father. From its lofty position, it is privileged to look down from above and witness the gracious application of Christ’s victory in time through the faithfulness of the New Testament church on earth. Life-based (zoe) warfare necessitates dependence on the living (zoe), indwelling Christ. It requires the dependent church to faithfully “stand firm” and “resist” as He fights its battles. Consequently, life-based (zoe) warfare is characterized by divine action, vindication, incomparable power, and dependence. Divine Action Life-based warfare is a divine act for benefit of the New Testament church. Concordant with the will of God, it is His war. God does not manifest His incomparable power within the New Testament church so that it can fight the enemy for Him independently. The Bible does not teach the practice of exorcism, “deliverance ministry,” or the use of any other type of offensive weaponry against the devil and his angels. The origin of fighting for God is religion. The practice of religion is consumed with legalistic performance for God. However, religion is powerless against the schemes of the devil. Instead, the will of God for the New Testament church during spiritual battle is to trust in His indwelling presence and incomparable power, “stand firm,” and “resist” the devil and his schemes. Therefore, the Apostle Paul indicated the New Testament church must “… be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might.” It cooperates with the strength of God by grace through faith alone. The New Testament church does not need to fight to gain victory. The brothers and sisters of the church share life with Christ. Therefore, they are utterly privileged to faithfully “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” together, the “full armor of God” and trust Him to fight on their behalf. Fully armored, the brothers and sisters of the New Testament church must only “stand firm” and “resist” the schemes of the devil. It was designed to occur through instrumentation of Christ empowered, small group community prayer and dependent faith. Vindication Life-based warfare is characterized by divine vindication. God designed His creation with the potential to vindicate His nature from satanic accusation. It is no surprise that Satan opposed the plan of God. Its fulfillment would make his rebellious attempt to usurp the throne of God appear even more foolish. Satan countered God by influencing the fall of mankind. He believed it would demonstrate that human beings were also incapable of obedience to God. As a result, Satan would appear less culpable for his own rebellion. In hindsight, it is rather obvious that he underestimated the wisdom of God. Despite the fall of mankind and its earthly habitat, God chose to provide a demonstration of His attributes on earth. It was designed to occur in time through the willing obedience of mankind. Through the redemptive work of Christ, God foreknew that a number of human beings would willingly submit to His authority despite their fallen condition. It would demonstrate that created beings were indeed capable of obedience. In Christ, fallen mankind has the opportunity to become legally suitable and organically compatible with God. Restored to shared life (zoe), the redeemed become “obedient from the heart” and therefore, willing to cooperate with God through the “obedience of faith.” (Romans 1:5; 6:18; 16:26) The redemptive transformation of the fallen provides a concurrent demonstration of the attributes of God, inclusive of but not limited to His selfless love, unfailing mercy, and absolute justice. The willing obedience of the redeemed serves to vindicate the nature of God from satanic accusation. As indicated, life-based (zoe) spiritual warfare is evidenced by obedience to God. It demonstrates that even in the midst of war the creatures of God are capable of obedience. Life-based (zoe) warfare is characterized by faithfully and obediently standing firm and resisting the schemes of the devil according to the will and indwelling life (zoe) of God. Most effectively accomplished through the support of life-based (zoe) community, it serves to vindicate His nature from satanic accusation. Incomparable Power Life-based (zoe) warfare is characterized by incomparable power. The incomparable power of divine life (zoe) within the church is a consistent theme in the New Testament. For example, the Apostle Paul prayed that the ancient church at Ephesus would know, among other things, “what is the surpassing greatness of His power.” (Ephesians 1:19a) He then explained that the power of God toward the believer is “in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 1:19b-21) |
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In his prayer for the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul used four different Greek words to describe the power of God within the New Testament church: |
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It is of interest to note Paul’s other usage of the four words in the rest of his letter to the Ephesians:
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The four Greek words can be defined as follows:
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As indicated by Paul’s prayer, the incomparable power of the Father, demonstrated through His resurrection of the Son, was made accessible to the New Testament church by means of shared life (Ephesians 1:3-14 delineates some of the blessings of shared life). He indicates that life shared between God and His ecclesia became available when it was “made…alive together with Christ…and raised…up with Him, and seated…with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:5-6)
In Ephesians chapter 3, Paul again prayed for the church in ancient Ephesus. He specifically prayed that the Father would grant believers “to be strengthened (kratous) with power (dunamis) through His Spirit in the inner man.” The inner strengthening would allow Christ to dwell comfortably within the believer. Strengthened from within by divine life (zoe), the believer is “rooted and grounded in love.” Secured in the love of God, he is privileged to “comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth” of His living (zoe), indwelling presence and thereby, “know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.” The ultimate purpose of the inner strengthening is so that the believer “may be filled up to all the fullness of the living (zoe) God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19) While the love of God for His children indeed “surpasses knowledge,” the subject of the phrase “breadth and length and height and depth” is not, as often presumed, the love of God in Christ. Contextually, it was used by Paul regarding the power of the Spirit of Christ in the inner man and thus, Christ dwelling in the inner man. The intent of his prayer was for the believer to be “filled up to all the fullness of God.” According to context of usage then, the subject of reference was the indwelling Christ. Consequently, the apostle prayed that the Ephesians would comprehend the “breadth and length and height and depth” of the indwelling life (zoe) of Christ, characterized not only by incomparable power but love that “surpasses knowledge.” Indeed, the apostle’s blessing that immediately followed emphasized the incomparable power of indwelling life (zoe). “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21) The power of the living (zoe) God “that works within” the New Testament church is the same power by which Christ was resurrected and seated at the right hand of the Father far above all opposition. Therefore, it is “able to do far… beyond all that we ask or think.” The power of God manifested through life-based (zoe) warfare is incomparable. The law-based strategy of the devil and his angels is insignificant by comparison. Dependence Life-based (zoe) warfare is characterized by dependent faith. Jesus provided the perfect example. He emptied Himself of His own authority and lived on earth in unwavering dependence on His indwelling Father. (cf. Matthew 4:1; 12:28; Luke 4:1) It was an act of faith. The faithful, dependence of the incarnate Christ was evidenced by His practice of intimate, prayerful fellowship with the Father. (Matthew 14:23; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:28; John 17:1-26) It was frequent and intentional. The New Testament church, representational of Christ by His indwelling life (zoe), was designed to follow the example of the incarnate Christ. Its representational status is not satisfied by legalistic performance for Him but by His immediate, living (zoe) presence within. In life-based (zoe) warfare, it is a continual necessity for the New Testament church to live in radical dependence on the indwelling life (zoe) of Christ. It is evidenced by prayerful dependence on the indwelling Christ, cooperative faith, and God fighting on behalf of His ecclesia. During an “evil day,” it is especially important to faithfully depend on the indwelling Christ. The New Testament church is called to yield to His authority and by the Spirit “take up” the shield of faith” and “stand firm.” Conclusion The devil strongly encourages the New Testament church to respond to his schemes according to law. It fuels his deceptive rage against the ecclesia of God by providing him with an appearance of authority and power. In reality, however, the devil and his angels have no actual authority or power over the New Testament church. By the unconditional benefit of the Eternal Covenant, the church has been justified from all transgression of divine law (sin), released from the jurisdiction of divine law, and rescued from the domain of satanic authority. God has provided everything necessary for the New Testament church to “stand firm” against devilish schemes. First, it was raised with Christ to a position far superior to the devil and his angels. Second, the New Testament church was joined to God by a union of shared life with Jesus Christ. Therefore, the New Testament church is seated with Him in a heavenly position of victory at the right hand of the Father. Thus, it has access to the incomparable power of the living (zoe) God by grace through faith alone. True victory in spiritual warfare requires the New Testament church to understand and emphasize its life is shared with Jesus Christ. His indwelling life provides the means by which the church is equipped to “stand firm” against the schemes of the devil during the “evil day.” It provides the assurance of divine action, divine vindication, and divine power. The New Testament church cooperates with the living (zoe), indwelling Christ only by faithful dependence. © 2023 James Hiatt |
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