In whom the God of this eon blinds the apprehensions of the unbelieving so that the illumination of the evangel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of the invisible God, does not irradiate them
Paul to the Corinthians (2) 4: 4, Concordant New Testament
My first introduction to the soldiers of Allah came on Sunday, November 4th, 1979. On that day, a mob of student protestors in Tehran, Iran climbed over the walls of the United States embassy in Tehran, taking 66 American hostages in the process. The students, led by the muslim cleric Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, had been protesting the exhiled former leader of Iran, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The Shah had been toppled in a revolution led by the student protests and backed by Khomeini, who had been exiled from Iran years earlier. For 444 days, the Americans were held hostage by these soldiers of Allah, and were not freed until the last hours of the administration of disgraced president James Earl Carter, who had been defeated by Ronald Reagan in the 1980 elections. For 444 days, the world watched as the radical students holding American citizens hostage followed the dictates of their spiritual leader Khomeini. To me, it seemed that these radicalized students had been blinded to everything except the instructions of Iran's new supreme leader of the muslim faith. It wasn't until years later that I would come to see this same blind devotion in those of the Christian faith as well. When I speak of the soldiers of Allah, I am referring to those who follow the instructions of their religious leaders blindly, no matter the costs. However, I could also be referring to those Christian soldiers who have taken to adhering to the theology of the mainstream church as well. In recent years, I have experienced more than a few believers who adhere to their old covenant beliefs while at the same time ignoring the saving grace of Christ Jesus. In the words of the apostle Paul, their eyes have been blinded by God from witnessing the truth which is in Christ Jesus {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 4:4}. I believe that although they follow a different religion, that the soldiers of Allah have also had their senses blinded to the truth which is in Christ Jesus. The truth that Jesus has given Himself to the death of the sins of man "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.
The practice of apologetics in the Christian faith has gained in popularity over the years. By definition, apologetics is the "Justification" of the Christian faith. Authors such as C.S. Lewis made a career out of justifying the Christian faith to others around the world. Yet when I think about it, does Jesus even need to be justified? Does Jesus even need our help in anything He does? Indeed, the words and works of Christ Jesus give testament to Who He is and what He has accomplished. It is Jesus through whom we have already been justified {Paul to the Romans 3:23-24}. Yes, all have sinned, but it is through the grace of Christ that we have now been found to be justified. Yet the die hard Christian soldiers will insist that the sin which Jesus gave Himself to forgive continues to be prominent in the lives of all believers. So much so, that man has been separated from God because of it. As Paul has spoken, their eyes have been blinded to the truth which is in Jesus. So it is that these modern Christian soldiers blindly follow whichever pastor or spiritual leader they deem to speak their version of the truth of the gospel. I have seen too many fellow believers switch churches routinely until such time as they find one which "Speaks" to their beliefs. Paul warned young Timothy of these followers, reminding him that they will "Heap up for themselves teachers in accord with their own desires" {Paul to Timothy (2) 4:3}. This is why I place so much emphasis on the words of the apostle John who proclaims that we are to "Test the spirits to see if they are of God" {First Epistle of John 4:1}. If His spirit within us spurs us to question a teaching, we should take notice of that.
For the era will be when they will not tolerate sound teaching, but, their hearing being tickled, they will heap up for themselves teachers in accord with their own desires
Paul to Timothy (2) 4: 3, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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