I haven’t heard this hymn since I was a boy. “Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before. Christ the royal master leads against the foe. Onward into battle, see His banners go. At the sign of triumph Satan’s host doth flee. On then Christian soldiers. On to victory! Hell’s foundations quiver with the shout of praise. Brothers lift your voices. Loud your anthems raise. Like a mighty army moves the church of God. Brothers we are treading where the saints have trod. We are not divided. All one body we. One in hope and doctrine. One in charity. Onward then ye people. Join our happy throng. Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song. Glory, laud and honor unto Christ the king. This through countless ages, men and angels sing. Onward Christian soldiers marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before.”
Could it be that song is too masculine for Christian churches today, where so often men are either absent or quiet spectators? Or could it be that we are just more comfortable when the Shepherd leads us through green pastures and beside the still waters instead of into battle? I think we simply want to concentrate on the love, joy and inner peace our relationship with God through Christ Jesus brings into our life. But living a Christian life is often more like a battle field than a church social, as the enemy does everything he can to keep us from doing God’s will in our life. In his letter to the Ephesians (and us), Paul reminds us who it is that has declared war against us, “For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12-13)
Paul also points out that we are not defenseless or unarmed in that fight. For protection, God provides the breast plate of His righteousness to protect our heart and the helmet of salvation to protect our mind. He provides the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of Satan’s attack. But even more important, He arms us with the most powerful weapon in existence; the sword of His Spirit and His word.
I have experienced the mighty power of God at work as Christian men pray together, laugh together, break bread together, share burdens and blessings together and encourage and mentor one another. Truly, we become a “band of brothers” in the war against temptation, sin and evil.
In addition to church and worship, if you do not meet regularly with a group of Christian men or women, I highly recommend that you join a small group or better yet, form a group. I meet a small group of men every Saturday morning for breakfast and I cannot begin to tell you how much that Christian fellowship and those men mean to me.