Striving with Holy Violence

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force." Matthew 11:12

I often find that I have days when I just feel as though I am making no progress forward, only going backwards spiritually. It usually takes me a day or two to realize that this is because my fingers have loosened their grip of that "measure of faith" that has been handed to me, and as my grip begins to fail, so does my faith. Then, by the grace and mercy of our precious Lord and Saviour, I realize it with a start! And take hold once more of "the shield of faith wherewith" I "shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" that so often come against me. (Ephesians 6:16)

The picture we are given in Ephesians 6 of armor is much more than a metaphor to us. It is life and death. For the opening scripture in Matthew is true and of vital importance for us to understand. There is violence on so many levels necessary for one to both have on one's own and also to endure while fighting against it, in order to enter into the kingdom. It is not the free ride that so many mistakenly think it is. The kingdom of God is not for the faint of heart. It is not for those who want the smooth and easy way. The gate through which we would enter to arrive inside the kingdom of God is strait and narrow: "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)

Those who take the kingdom by force are those who KNOW they are sinners, and not just sinners in their minds, but the vilest of the vile. They KNOW that they are lost and without hope….except for Jesus Christ. They KNOW that He is their only hope. They have done all that they know how to do and they see that it is all for nothing, for they are still lost. They feel the flames of hell licking at their heels and there is nothing that they can do about it within their own power, for they have tried and failed over and over again. They are desperate! They are violent in their cries for help. They are amongst the noisy multitudes of people who thronged around Jesus and they are crying out with loud voices : Jesus, save me! They are pressing in to touch even just the hem of His garment for they know who He is and they need GOD or they will die!

And once they have touched His garment and are healed, they press on still. For they know that what they have received now must be guarded and held onto, and that there are many who would violently fight against them to take this hope from them. And there is now much to be lost. They cannot risk it. They must fight!

It is called "holy violence" by one very famous preacher: Charles Haddon Spurgeon. His entire sermon is too long to post here, but I have included three excerpts from his sermon titled "Holy Violence" preached on May 15, 1859; the middle excerpt is his quoting of John Bunyan's book "Pilgrim's Progress."

1. Spurgeon: "But this violence does not end when a man finds Christ; it then begins to exercise itself in another way. The man who is pardoned, and who knows it, then becomes violently in love with Christ. He does not love him just a little, but he loves him with all his soul and all his might. He feels as if he could wish to die for Christ, and his heart pants to be able to live alone with his Redeemer, and serve him without interruption. Mark such a man who is a true Christian, mark his prayers, and you will see there is violence in all his supplications when he pleads for the souls of men. Mark his outward actions, and they are violently sincere, violently earnest. Mark him when he preaches: there is no dull droning out of a monotonous discourse, he speaks like a man who means what he says, and who must speak it, or else woe would be unto him if he preached not the gospel. As I look around on many of the churches, yea, on many members of my own church, I am apt to fear that they are not God's children at all, because they have nothing of this holy violence. Have ye ever read Coleridge's Ancient Mariner? I dare say you have thought it one of the strongest imaginations ever put together, especially that part where the old mariner represents the corpses of all the dead men rising up,—all of them dead, yet rising up to manage the ship; dead men pulling the ropes, dead men steering, dead men spreading the sails. I thought what a strange idea that was. But do you know I have lived to see that true: I have seen it done. I have gone into churches and I have seen a dead man in the pulpit, and a dead man as a deacon, and a dead man holding the plate at the door, and dead men sitting to hear. You say "Strange!" but I have. I have gone into societies, and I have seen it all going on so regularly. These dead men, you know, never overstep the bounds of prudence,—not they: they have not life enough to do that. They always pull the rope orderly, "as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end, Amen."
   
2. Bunyon: "I saw also, that the Interpreter took him by the hand, and led him into a pleasant place, where was built a stately palace, beautiful to behold; at the sight of which Christian was greatly delighted. He saw also upon the top thereof certain persons walking, who were clothed all in gold. Then said Christian, 'May we go in thither?' Then the Interpreter took him and led him up toward the door of the palace; and behold, at the door stood a great company of men, as desirous to go in, but durst not. There also sat a man at a little distance from the door, at a table-side, with a book and his ink-horn before him, to take the name of him that should enter therein; he saw also that in the doorway stood many men in armour to keep it, being resolved to do to the men that would enter what hurt and mischief they could. Now was Christian somewhat in amaze. At last, when every man started back for fear of the armed men, Christian saw a man of a very stout countenance come up to the man that sat there to write, saying, Set down my name, sir;' the which when he had done, he saw the man draw his sword, and put a helmet upon his head, and rush toward the door upon the armed men, who laid upon him with deadly force; but the man, not at all discouraged, fell to cutting and hacking most fiercely. So after he had received and given many wounds to those that attempted to keep him out, (Matt. xi. 12. Acts xiv. 22.) he cut his way through them all, and pressed forward into the palace; at which there was a pleasant voice heard from those that were within, even of those that walked upon the top of the palace, saying, 'Come in, come in, eternal glory thou shalt win.' So he went in, and was clothed with such garments as they." And surely the dreamer saw the truth in his dream. It is even so. If we would win eternal glory we must fight."
   
3. Spurgeon again: "There is one man here who says, "I don't know that I have done much amiss in my life: I am about as regular a man as there is living. Don't I attend a place of worship regularly? I believe that l shall most certainly be saved. But I don't take much trouble about it, it never disquiets me particularly. I don't like"—says this man "—that intrusive kind of religion that always seems to be thrusting itself in everybody's way. I think it is quite right that people should go to their place of worship, but why take any further trouble? I just believe that I shall fare as other people fare: I am a steady unpretending sort of man, and I have no reason to doubt that I shall be saved." Ah, friend, you have never seen the gate of heaven? It is obvious that you have never seen it, or else you would know better; for at the gate of heaven multitudes are struggling, the gates of heaven are thronged, and he that would enter there must press, and elbow, and push, or he may go away certain that he can never enter. No! your easy religion will just bring you in too late. It may carry you nine miles out of ten; but what is the good of that to a man who must perish unless he is carried the whole way?"
   

More tomorrow.