2024-05-19 A Meditation on the War Within

“11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. 17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Eph 2:11-22 ESV)

Laborious days and persistent nights, the realm home and base of the soldier is a realm personally able to be mastered, yet then why the war, why the belligerence, why the external state of affairs so unfortunate? No matter, to soldier is to shoulder much responsibility, even responsibility for the war of someone else, of another generation or era, of a sadly absent summit or coming together moment: to war is to interpret, what exactly is the opponent up to; and Bible says, even to know a sin is to be in part guilty of that same sin; we scarcely can comprehend some of the evil that is found even in our own borders, in our midst, because it simply never occurred to the fresh-faced recruit thus to deliberate, thus sinfully to commandeer or boast, thus weakly to compromise, thus greedily to hoard.

Personally our home base therefore is thought over, judiciously peace-walked, patiently surrendered to a broader group-theoretical. And personally life advents war on some far horizon, a wider setup, a farther-away state of affairs. No matter, we can identify, self-recognize, the state of affairs as akin to our personal routine. The status of bellicose begins in our own personal aims and precociousness. We are precocious around sticking up for the right team, for the thought-over horizon, for the commiserating fellowship: somehow, here we made for a measure of Peace. Somehow, here we made for an endless reunion or coming together or patient alliance. Somehow, here we simultaneously forgave those “Others” whose daily battle walked us into this fight, while also being bold and proud to announce our own battles as tamed, as coping, as lancing forth bright as dawn. We do not get proud at our peace gestures, only do stay focused on the army of one, on the personal acquaintance with a war, in order to be ready for that distant horizon.

Of another’s sad falling apart. Of another’s agreement with the enemy: something of Man’s sinful nature is on both our plates, and let us together not be shy around the status of Fighting. Around the status of Principled. Around the status of Conversant: we are conversant to a point, because much is rejected as so much sinful ambition or pride or staked claims illicit and sinful. Somehow, the State of Affairs is a mystery, yet our own internal battles help point out no apologies to the fight.

Therefore the Christian is uniquely able to Cope and Face Up To Man’s fallen nature, whilst also not giving in. The Christian has a doctrine that enables “Both-And” thinking: we are both calmed and defensive; we are both guilty and forgiven; we are both bellicose and patient. In all these things it is a smarter set we are indeed up against, who do not fall for the tempter’s perception of disagreement, who do not simply blindly sign up for any and all who dissent. No, our dissent is a home-brewed cauldron and fire pit, in which we must extend the patient forgiving hand. In which we must peacefully take war-like seriousness around what compromises and hindrances are invented, sin inventing itself anew each hour. So to the Christian’s theology once more: Man is addicted and trapped in hell-holes and enmities too fallen and sad, and we would be patient were it not that these enmities explode any and all approach, hating the peaceful gesture, escaping the self-insight and reckoning. We are submissive insofar as we invite prayer time to help to see the forest despite the trees. We are submissive insofar as we laugh a bit at the false dichotomies: submitted souls who at the same time boast in platforms of hate. In all this, we are self-reckoning and self-assessing, knowing to recognize an Evil is in part to be personally wrestling with that same Evil. To the victor go the Ideas, not just the magisterial estate, but the Ideas and the Principles, and each dying Man’s, Woman’s Vision or Reasons for Fighting. Something Understanding, Forgiving, Broadly Overseeing, does apply not just to our neighbor and kin, but to external Enmities.

On that last hour, we will have heard a pastoral scene that triumphs over the mechanized auto-destruction of war on all sides; we will walk patient and true, unto the elysian fields and in an experienced and not forgotten Preparatory Time. When something Eternal did infiltrate our daily routines. When something Persistent did knock at our coping door. When something worth living for, did Introduce Itself in fine form. And we shall have learned a certain composure and confidence, that our basic training or life experiences to the present stage all qualified us enormously and eternally simply to contribute and serve and boldly to let our Saved Soul patiently peek out a bit.