Burning the Bridge at Both Ends

In the midst of the Vietnam War AP correspondent Peter Arnett wrote about the destruction of Bến Tre City during a battle on February 7^th 1968.  He cited an unidentified U.S. military official response to the question of why the village was destroyed. His answer was simple, 'It became necessary to destroy the town in order to save it'.

The paradox of this statement is only explainable in the fog of war. It seems sometimes in the heat of battle the real sense of purpose gets lost. I see this happen in our efforts to keep false doctrine out of the church. In the battles against false teachers and in the modern culture war, our desire to win overcomes the purpose of Christ. As the battle grows, it becomes more about winning than teaching. The tactics, language and attitudes become as odious as what we stand against.

 Some while “contending for the faith” (Jude 1:3), have simply become contentious for the faith. They seek out arguments and viciously tear apart those they find disagreement with. In their zealousness, they lost the perspective of Jesus’ mission “to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). They may win the argument, but their victory harms the church, and pushes the lost further into the world.

That kind of behavior is not what God has in mind for his children. In 1^st  Peter 3:15 we read, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”.  Standing for the truth doesn’t mean we have to knock down our opponents. We need to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).