Of Weapons and Sinners

  Have you ever forced yourself to observe the destruction that we human beings levy upon ourselves?  I'm not talking about watching a well dressed lady on FOX news musing about terrorists while clips of men dressed in white bathrobes fire RPG's at one another.  I'm talking about looking directly at the heart of the issue.  That is (forgive the intended pun) the heart of man.  Ever since Adam fell and dragged mankind into the relentless slavery of sin, man has sought out destruction wherever he can find it.  From the day when Cain's brutal blows fell upon his brother Abel to the ringing shots in Newton, CT where Adam Lanza mercilessly gunned down helpless children, man has demonstrated his skills as a killer.  Man has become such an efficient killer, that he categorized certain "tools" to aide him in his endeavors.  What are these tools?  Weapons.


Merriam-Webster defines the word "weapon" as:

"Something used to injure, defeat or destroy."


 Weapons are a reality.  They exist in all forms to serve the purposes of destruction.  It is true that weapons can be used both defensively and offensively, but in both cases weapons are used to destroy.  But I am here to tell you about a different weapon, one that has the ability to destroy, but also to rebuild and regenerate.

  My name is Andrew P. Esping and I am living proof of this weapon's strength.  I can tell you that the man you see made transparant through this article is not the man I once was.  I was formerly enslaved to the depravity of my own heart, and being chained to my wicked desires, I had no other desired course but to follow them.  This is indeed a grim story and would be so today if it was not for the intervention of a higher power.  These chains were cut and demolished by the Holy Spirit Himself as he regenerated my heart and gave to me the sword that bears His name, the Sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17).   While most swords only have the power to bring death, this one has the power to bring life.  After all, this Sword is the very Word of God.

  Composed in the form of words on paper, written by men under the influence of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet 1:21), categorized in the Old and New Testament, having in it the power of the Gospel of Grace and given to wicked, mortal man as the second greatest gift ever given.  Once again I repeat, this is the Word of God.  It is the standard weapon carried by all believers in Christ and I am no exception to that rule.

  I believe that the Bible is the Word of God and as such I believe it contains God's truth.  And in light of the Bible's description of man as a fallen and corrupted creature who hates God's truth, I know that man will try to malign it.  That is the reason for my writing this blog.  As my brother Alex pointed out in his introduction, the epistle of Jude commands christians to "contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints."  It is our job as followers of Christ to contend for God's truth in this fallen world.  This is a huge task, one that we cannot complete on our own; but God has not left us empty handed.  We have been given the Sword of the Spirit with which to do battle against opposing teachers, worldviews, and doctrines.

  It is this weapon that I now take in my hands with the hopes of using it to build up my brothers and sisters in Christ and tear down the works of human depravity.  I know that in end God's truth will prevail not due to anything that I add to it, but simply because it is the Word of the Lord. But still, I am honored to serve as a servant of the King and to proclaim His word to everyone who will listen.  I am a Knight in the order of Solus Christus.  Formerly a servant to darkness, but now made to stand by the power of God and given His Word with which to do battle.  Although I am weak in the flesh, I am strong in Christ, and I have been made, and am being made ready to stand and fight for truth.


  I leave you with one simple question.

  In this fight which encompasses all of humanity, which side will you fight on?  The side that opposes or wields the Blade of Truth?