Why Do Something? The Enemy Obviously Isn't Here!

Slightly sarcastic title. Very troubling topic.

I'm currently watching Friends of God, a documentary special on HBO. The documentary involves Alexandra Pelosi, the speaker of the house's daughter, traveling through the Bible belt, interviewing evangelicals, and asking about their views on American politics.
I'm over halfway through the documentary now and one thing is stayting consistent. Every Christian being interviewed believes there is a war in America right now. No, not the War on Terror. A culture war. A war between Bible-believing Christians and the secular society.

I understand that this is a documentary, and that things can be edited and cut, but being in this Christian society and coming from this Christian culture, I find more times than not that the mentality really is an "Us vs. Them" mindset.

I know that not all of my friends are church goers much less followers of Jesus; however, I don't believe that it is simply people that are the enemy. Let me explain.

For all my self-professing evangelicals out there imagine this: What if tomorrow we got rid of all things you would consider an evil detriment to society. Go wild! Everything is your call. Eliminate abortion. Eliminate gay marriage. Heck, eliminate all forms of homosexuality all together! Get rid of all alcohol and drugs. Throw out every liberal democrat in Washington. You can even put Hillary Clinton in a dark jail cell if you want! Have every science text book promoting evolution burned on the spot. I think I covered most of the hot topics, but if I forgot any by all means throw them in too. Now after you have done that, ask yourself these questions: Did it really change anything? Will all Americans now live an upstanding moral lifestyle?

I ask this because not long ago I asked myself the same question, and my answer to the questions is, "No." If someone were to disagree, then think of it in this way, "Does changing just the outward appearance ever truly change the soul?"

I believe the problems of this world are much deeper than cosmetic. I do believe in a spiritual world. I do believe in moral absolutes. There is truth and falsehood. There is right and wrong. But is the enemy really just in Hollywood and Washington, or is he in our houses, our churches, and our own back yards?

Going with the "warfare analogy" consider this: If I was a conquering general, would I battle for territory I had already conquered? If I planted my flag on a hilltop and declared it my own would I still fight over it? Probably not. I would defend it, but still fight to obtain it, no. If I'm that same general, what if I had the opportunity to infultrate the enemy camp? What if I had the chance to destroy them from the inside out? Would I take that opening? You better believe it! Even more, what if I could fool those people to believing I wasn't even in their camp? I could get them to fight all these other things while I slowly and painfully destroyed them from the inside.

I believe there is a devil, and though his forces may be in Hollywood and Washington, he and his forces are right here too. The problems are not simply solved by passing a new law or producing a new movie. The problem can only be solved by a power so great that it can renew the soul of a human being and not just change their actions. I'm referring to Jesus, and, yes, I believe God is loving enough, honest enough, and powerful enough to do that for anyone who simply believes and asks. He saved me, and I'm probably the worst of the worst.

Paul, a Christian leader in the Bible, used a warfare analogy when he said, "Put on the armor of God" (Ephesians 6). Basically, he encourages believers to do several things such as being faithful and doing what is right. Though Paul lived in a world with Corinth and Rome, he didn't live a world of Hollywood and Washington. Why "put on armor" when the enemy is so far away? Perhaps the command to do those things meant something more important than the evil thousands of miles away, but the temptations we face in our own lives from day to day.

I agree, we Christians are facing a war, but the war isn't against people. Paul in that same passage about armor wrote about who/what we fight. I think Paul may have been on to something.

As Americans, we should exercise the rights we have been given. Vote for who you think is best for the job. Worship freely. Speak freely. However, as Christians, recognize the real enemy is not far away, but he is closer than we may think. If you still don't believe me, just ask Ted Haggard.