In the late 1950s, David Wilkerson, a young country preacher, entered the violent streets of New York City to share the gospel with teenage gang members. There he encountered Nicky Cruz, the hardened leader of the notorious Mau Maus.
Cruz cursed Wilkerson, spat in his face, struck him, and threatened to kill him. Wilkerson did not retaliate, answer with an insult, or retreat in fear. Instead, he looked at Cruz and calmly replied: “You could cut me into a thousand pieces, and every piece would still love you.”
Those words penetrated a stronghold that no fist, knife, threat, or prison sentence could conquer. Cruz later attended one of Wilkerson’s evangelistic meetings, surrendered his life to Christ, and eventually became an evangelist himself. The gang leader who once carried weapons of violence began carrying the message of the gospel.
Wilkerson’s story from The Cross and the Switchblade expresses a truth the apostle Paul revealed centuries earlier: The Christian is engaged in a war—but it is a different kind of war, fought with different weapons.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
This passage teaches us several important truths.
(1) Christians are to be active, not passive.
We are not to sit on the sidelines, oblivious to Satan’s assaults. We must not ignore error, submit to it, or engage in compromise. We must understand that we are at war.
Daily, the “enlightened philosophies” of the world tell us that truth is relative, that there are no absolutes, that abortion is a woman’s right, that homosexuality is an alternative lifestyle, and that gender is determined not by birth but by individual choice.
We must oppose error. Rebuke sin. Resist the works of darkness. And stand courageously and valiantly for the truth of God’s Word.
(2) Our warfare is spiritual, not carnal.
We “fight the good fight of faith,” not with fleshly weapons, but with godly means and methods. We employ the teaching of the gospel to convert people. We realize the battleground is for the hearts of men, women, boys, and girls.
Our battle is against error, not against the people deceived by it. They are not enemies to be destroyed, but souls to be won.
There is no place for Christians to become physically aggressive or emotionally enraged while confronting those who oppose the truth. Spewing angry epithets, spouting unkind words, and “slinging mud” at our opponents are carnal, fleshly tactics. They do a disservice to Christ’s cause. We would all do well to remember that the next time we engage in a Facebook discussion.
(3) The subjects of Christ are converted, not coerced.
And so we appeal to the intellect with reasonable arguments while seeking to touch the emotions with the love of God. Like those on Pentecost in Acts 2, when honest people hear the message of Jesus Christ, they may be “cut to the heart” and moved to obey.
Their obedience is voluntary. We cannot make people become Christians. That is not God’s will. Just as in Bible times, some will hear the Word and obey. Others will reject it. And some will respond with scorn and sarcasm.
(4) The ultimate answer to the world’s problems is not political change, but spiritual conversion.
Our country is very polarized politically right now. Unfortunately, that spirit has infiltrated many Christians. While everyone has the right to make personal choices about candidates for political office, let’s not become so enamored with “our guy” or our position that we think it answers our ills.
Political action may restrain certain evils, promote justice, and protect freedom. But it cannot change the human heart. The problem of humankind is still sin. And the answer is Jesus Christ. We ultimately pull down Satan’s strongholds, not through political power, but through the transforming gospel of Christ.
The world may brandish its switchblades, but we must keep proclaiming the cross.
Onward, Christian soldiers. Keep marching, and hold high the blood-stained banner of our Lord.
—Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
