Castles dot the landscape in Europe: France, Germany, Italy, Hungary, The United Kingdom, Switzerland. Virtually everywhere, their presence is a stately, haunting reminder of ancient wars, cultures in crisis, and fear.
But today they defend no one. Most of them are tourist spots, museums, bed-and-breakfasts, or just heaps of decaying glory. Amazing. Stand in one today and you feel invincible; build one today and you qualify for a thorough mental exam.
So what happened? It’s simple. The old enemies just aren’t there anymore, and thick stone walls don’t defend against high altitude bombers, missiles, and digital hacks. They were state of the art defense when they were built, but the feudal culture that produced them is as outdated as their architecture.
We might remember that battle lines change for the church, too. We no longer face precisely the same issues as the first and fifteenth centuries churches. Our battles seem less about the inspiration of Scripture and the Virgin Birth than whether God matters at all. The old battle lines were clearly drawn around interpreting Scripture; today’s are more about its authority and relevance.
While the Enemy remains the same, his tactics are diverse and deceptive. Are we really engaging the spiritual forces of darkness with relevant spiritual armor (Ephesians 6), or are defending outmoded castles against phantom attacks?
It’s easy to develop a false sense of security. Granted, the castle may help you “feel” safe, but it no longer keeps you safe. Is our faith purely defensive, or is it taking the battle to those spiritual forces, armed with the Sword of the Spirit and the Shield of Faith? Are we really dialoguing with the next generations, or wistfully recalling days gone by, manning the ramparts with crossbows?
The battles are many, the war costly, and the casualties high. But let’s make sure we’re facing today’s issues, and answering the world’s questions. Let’s not rely upon obsolete defensive strategies when the victory is ours by faith in God’s creative and powerful Son.
His is the victory, but He did not command castle-building.
He said, “Go. . .”
“For our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Ephesians 6:13