Few themes are more emphasized in biblically oriented circles than that of effectively waging faith's battle by "putting on the full armor of God" - the "breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation, shield of faith, sword of the Spirit," etc. (Eph. 6:10-18; cf. II Cor. 10:4).
Combat, however, is never won by the mere possession of battle armament. One must first understand the nature of the conflict as well as that of the enemy. Paul accordingly warns of the adversary's manipulative schemes ("wiles," KJV) prior to detailing the required armor and weaponry (vs. 10). Simply stated, the battle will not be open and straightforward. We shall be attacked in ways and through avenues oftentimes unanticipated.
Given such, we tend at times to miss the fact that the enemy's first line of attack in relation to the believer does not typically lie in solicitations to drunkenness, immorality or even the jettisoning of doctrinal orthodoxy. The first line of assault will involve the primacy of Christ.
Perspective is easily lost at this point. Jesus himself stressed the Spirit's ministry as focusing on his (i.e., Christ's) centrality and exaltation (John 15:26-27; 16:13-15; cf. I Cor. 2:2; II Cor. 4:5; Col. 1:18). In consequence, true spirituality serves our Lord's promotional interests as opposed to our own. For reasons readily understood, this becomes the initial point of attack.
What then is the primary substitute with which the enemy seeks to replace Christ's primacy within the Church? Surprising as it may seem, it is we ourselves. The outworking of such replacement assumes many forms - sectarian pursuit with focus on "who and what we are" representing one common manifestation. Other distortions frequently attend. The minister caught up in personal "kingdom building" and egoist pursuit; the deacon viewing the local church a domain for dominance and control; the "sister" in the pew intent on being seen as deeply "spiritual," "into the Word," or a "great prayer warrior," are all into the same thing - using Christ as means to personal ends, recognition and/or authority.
"I wrote to the church," John recounts, "but Diotrephes loves to have the preeminence among them" (III John 9). Paul's words become fundamental here: "Christ is the head of the body, the church: he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence" (Col. 1:18). Such is the first priority of a divinely ordered life, church, or ministry.
Burl Ratzsch
