Onward Christian Soldiers!
It is surprising to me that many people cannot distinguish between carnal warfare and spiritual warfare. To understand the difference I dedicate the contents of this article.
Now, carnal warfare is the kind of physical battles that is taking place in Afganastinan between the terrorist (i.e. those responsible for the bombing of the world trade center towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and the crashing of a jumbo jet in Pennsylvania),. Carnal warfare is the physical affront of an opposing force with the hope and expectation of conquering them and beating them into physical surrender, at which point the war ends perhaps with thousands of physical casualties (i.e. dead & injured).
Secondly, spiritual warfare is the warfare that is taking place between Satan and God. The conflict is not physical in nature but is waged with words and with manner of life (i.e. “salt of the earth” – “light of the world”). The weapons of this warfare are described in Scripture, note the following references:
Ephesians 6:10-18: Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual (hosts) of wickedness in the heavenly (places). Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil (one). And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,” ASV
CONSIDER THIS: Apparently, each person is involved in the spiritual conflict. The alien and the faithful Christian alike are struggling with the forces of evil, The Devil (i.e. Satan) desires to confuse and confound the alien so that he/she will never turn to God and seek salvation from sin, the alien is bombarded with the sensual, the glitter of the world by the Devil, this is how the Devil distracts the sinner so that they are blinded to the truth. The Devil also lies or has others lie about the truth so that the alien is suspicious of true religion having heard only lies about it from Satan’s agents, cf.,
John 8:44, “Ye are of (your) father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof.” (ASV)
Romans 3:3-4, “3 For what if some were without faith? Shall their want of faith make of none affect the faithfulness of God? 4 God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment.” (ASV)
NEVER RESORT TO PHYSICAL VIOLENCE IN DEFENSE OF SPIRITUAL TRUTH