16th October 2025 Question box

OK question box tonight:

As Christians, what should we fight for? With an elevated amount of conflict in the world, what should Christian fights spiritually, relationally and physically look like?

Good question, because we live in a time of turmoil and warfare. Our world is full of geo-political conflicts with guns and bombs, and also we hear a lot about the “culture war” between right and left. It seems that, as humans we have this longing for a cause worth fighting for: So many computer games, so many dramatic movies, so many stories-worth-telling involve a character who risks his or her life for some cause which is greater than themself.

The New Testament does describe the Christian life as a “fight.” This coming week, I’ll be reading this verse at a funeral: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7). There’s is something about the Christian life which calls for the dedication of a soldier, the discipline of a soldier and the courage of a soldier.

And yet there’s two important disclaimers that we should add to this:

• First, we fight, but notice who the enemies are: “Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:11-12). America is being torn apart and people are trying to smackdown their enemies: whether “progressives” of “conservative.” But we are called to have compassion on those who make themselves our enemies, because we want to rescue them from Satan, who is our real enemy.
• And secondly, “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.” 2 Corinthians 10:4. In context Paul says we fight our battle not with force, not with power games, not with manipulation, but humbly and gently seeking to persuade people about Christ. Because the gospel has the power to turn apparent enemies into friends. And so the mission of the gospel, that’s worth fighting for;
  the kingdom of God, that’s worth laying down your life for.

There’s all sorts of variations on this question that you might have, but which I won’t answer today like: should Christian serve in the armed forces? Or should Christians use force in self-defence or defence of the innocent? If you want an answer to those, feel free to put a question in the box.

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This question was originally answered in our evening service on 15 June 2025. I’ll aim to post another question and answer next week. You can read about how our question box works here.