New Warhorn Media post by Joseph Bayly:
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Both errors exist. True that. Whether small and large numbers in church are ground zero of this error, though, is the question. Maybe a better way to see the danger is to ask whether the rhetoric of socials’ popularity and influence in our present climate favors the triumphalists or defeatists? Love,
Well, my goal here was not so much to show the other error, but to point out the temptation of a reactionary response to the constant triumphalism, or maybe to get pushed into defending a bad position.
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This past Lord’s Day, I preached from Ephesians 4:26, and happened to spend much time talking about righteous anger: the necessity of it, how it’s missing in the world today, as well as its dangers.
One text that came to mind while preparing was David’s righteous indignation when he came to right Goliath.
"What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” - 1 Sam. 17:26
In effect, he says, “Who does this guy think he is, and why haven’t you guys dealt with him? Is not the Lord on our side?” He speaks out of a faith-filled defiance, which should have had the effect of encouraging his brothers.
Interestingly, his brother, Eliab, then gets angry with him.
"Now Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spoke to the men. And Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, “Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” 1 Sam. 17:28
It reminded me right away of the conflict you’re referring to, and the infighting I see online these days.
We ought be exhorted from this story to not be like the men of Israel, cowering in our camp against the Philistines. And when God puts it into the heart of godly men around us to have the faith like David, we must not be like Eliab, assuaging our own conscience by taking shots at David instead of the enemy.
There are some men out there who subscribe to the triumphalist vein, and the fruit of that triumphalism is a boldness to be all the more forthright with the preaching of the gospel and good ole’ nuts and bolts discipleship. While I may not share the triumphalism of these men, I can’t find it in my heart to be an Eliab toward them.
At the same time, a lot of the triumphalism that parades around social media is only a caricature of David-like faith—men who don’t actually understand where the real battle is. Living to own the secularists is not the same thing as fearing God.
It’s important to discern the difference.
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The usual issue: every Christian truth is accompanied by two equal-and-opposite errors.
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