The spiritual battle

[Thomas_muntzer]

How it began:

– "I will put enmity between you (the serpent) and the Woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15).

How it continues to this day:

– "Then the dragon was enraged with the Woman and went out to make war with the remnant of her offspring—those who keep God's commandments and hold fast to the testimony of Jesus" (Revelation 12:17).

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Modernism's greatest deception is convincing Christians that they are in a purely political struggle between "right vs. left," "conservatives vs. liberals," "capitalists vs. communists." This dulls the mind, makes us short-sighted, and hinders spiritual discernment.

We are in a spiritual struggle that dates back to the Garden of Eden and will culminate with the return of our King, Christ Jesus the Lord.

Who, then, are the contenders?

1. On the one hand, the Seed of the Woman: this is the Church that has believed in the promised Redeemer of all humanity, the Son born of the woman (John 19:26), the Virgin Mary.

2. On the other hand, there is the race of serpents (Matthew 23:33), the children of the devil (John 8:44), those who killed the Prophets and Apostles and crucified the Promised Deliverer, and have persecuted the Church ever since (Galatians 4:29).

How will this struggle culminate for the ages?

– "He who is Holy and True, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens, says this: 'Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who call themselves Jews and are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them come and worship at your feet and let them know that I have loved you. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches'" (Revelation 3:8-13).

The children of the serpent will continue to be deceived and deceive the unbelieving world (including the false brethren who have infiltrated the church, Galatians 2:4). But God's true people, the Church, will persevere to the end, when the Crucified Christ returns with great glory and power, and He will cause the children of the serpent, who boasted of being something they are not, to bow down at the feet of the Church and acknowledge that she is the Beloved, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2).

For now, Christians must endure slander, betrayal, lies told about them and their history, and persecution of every kind, yet courageously resist and expose the liars and their lies, the seed of the serpent.

Christ did it, so must we!
In Christ we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).

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Jesus:

– "A disciple is not above the Teacher, nor a servant above his Master. It is enough for the disciple to become like his Teacher, and the servant like his Master. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household! Therefore do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, proclaim from the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, but fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:24-28).