No Discharge In That War, Part One and Two

BY PGF
1 year, 7 months ago

Part 1

Ecclesiastes 8

Ecclesiastes can be somewhat disheartening, but we should know that reading it will set the proper perspective about our station in this world. Though good men should leave a legacy for their children’s children and teach the brethren about Christ while seeking the lost, Christians do this not for any expectation other than heaven. If this book bothers you, and at times it does me, though all may be vanity, ask yourselves, what is my purpose here, and what God do I serve? “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” – Matthew 6:21

“4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?”

Ecclesiastes 8 refers to a human king and his subject’s obligations. It may refer to Solomon and the king’s oath. Gifted with wisdom beyond any mortal man only eclipsed by that immortal One, Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:42), and from that position and wealth, the writer knows a thing or two about that which he speaks. But understand that the object of the lesson isn’t the king or his governmental decrees.

This is incredibly important in these times that grow alarmingly dark. As verse nine would indicate, there is a time when a man would rule over another to his own hurt: today, our leaders destroy trust at every turn, damaging the people; our rulers only sabotage themselves in the long run. All America is a people with an indignant frame toward the truths set before us in Ecclesiastes 8; its many warnings have roots in verse two.

“2 I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God.”

Keep the king’s commandment, and that, regarding the oath of God. A just government honors the word of God and not with its lips but in the execution of its laws. When government and the rule of God conflict, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” particularly in matters of evangelism by the body of Christ because the Almighty will prevail.

You could read verse two as a command to keep the laws of men where they are agreeable with God, knowing God’s law is higher. Or you could read it as keeping the king’s commands staying within the scope of God’s law. God’s law will prevail. The rulers of America swore an oath, apparently, beyond their understanding. God, in His wrath, will visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes (Psalm 89:31-32) to the ruin of our nation for its disobedience.

To us who are saved through the blood of Jesus Christ, He is the prince of the kings of the earth, our heart is always set “Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

We have a high King, Christ Jesus. Keeping our oaths to Him, for He will not repent of the blood He shed to make us His purchased possession, our allegiance and fidelity belongs solely to the Almighty; do all things according to the will of God, found in His writ. Where the word of our King is, there is power; no evil can stand against it.

God’s love toward us demands reciprocal love in obedience to follow Christ. “We love him, because he first loved us.” Salvation comes with responsibility. Wisdom is the fear of the Lord in outward manifestation as obedience to Christ; departing from evil, the wisest thing a man can do is to follow Jesus.

“3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. 4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?”

America is at a fall, and not even Christians know the degree of what’s transpiring because if they did, they would be shedding every unnecessary impediment to saving America. So few today comprehend that the God of the Bible is the God of covenants. He makes oaths that shall not be broken except on pain of destruction. Don’t go out of His sight chasing after some evil thing, for God will glorify Himself in Christ Jesus.

We have a duty to keep the King’s commandment concerning the oath of God that we took, which is the law by contract that we, all those chosen in Christ Jesus, must follow. Christians everywhere waste time and energy blaming the objects of our judgment instead of the source, which resides in the mirror.

If Christians were absolutely about the Father’s business, with love for Christ as their sole motive, believing that the word of our King is power, they would face down every evil. Accepting the truth that nobody can fix Western Civilization except Christians, by the oath of God, which is to keep all that Christ commands; if God in His grace would bless our effort, we, by the power of our King, can save America.

We say we love Him, but our hearts are far from Him. Before you object, Jesus says in John 14:15: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

I’m guilty too; cowardice, sloth, failure to go to the appointed place at the specified time. When I was on active duty in the Navy, you could do almost anything and get a comparative slap on the wrist, but if you missed the ship’s movement as it left port headed to sea, that was about the worst thing you could do to fellow crewmates who then were on the hook for your job. The number of men on a ship is finite, with jobs specific; some things just wouldn’t get done to the detriment of the entire mission. Failure to be where God commands us is rampant today, and the few serving with all effort in the Kingdom of God suffer as millions deny the work for Christ or do little at all; “Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?” But don’t wait for them; stand up; lead by following Jesus. If one man fails, the mission of Christ in this generation is in jeopardy.

Have you ever asked, ‘what is the appointed place, oh God, where I must tell of the great things you’ve done?’ At any rate, start right where you are today; we are without excuse;  Every Christian, man, woman, and child is to be a witness for Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God, a beacon of light and truth and hope, salt in the first place to prevent rotting and feted churches and country, and a righteous rebuker of the wicked. Too few are willing to pay the price to serve in truth and righteousness. Friends, there is no discharge in that war; you’re going to lose it all; you might as well lose it now for Christ instead of waiting for the power to go out, the food to get cut off, or the knock on the door for that last train ride.

Though He compels us to approach strangers with the Gospel, He will not physically force you to demand of your Christian brothers that we “…Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.” which is the beginning from the end and all that lands between, the conclusion to all righteous duty and holy living is to keep the commandment in regard of the oath of God.

The assurance of God for us is that Christ died for our sins to secure us unto Himself for a people to serve Him, which brings glory to the Father. Jesus kept His word under the will of the Father, fulfilling the Holy Scriptures, but too few of His disciples do.

———–

Part 2

“5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment.”

God made an oath, a covenant when His own Son was crowned with glory and honor, suffering death by the cross; He tasted death for every man by the grace of God. And He rose again to take His kingship, His station above all. Like it or not, it’s a covenant in blood, in the only immaculate blood that was or ever shall be, keeping the commandment of Jesus Christ, He will keep you from the evil. Keeping the commandment of God to heed the call of Jesus Christ unto eternal life, in death, you will feel no evil thing. You who are afar off, weary in sin, failing God almighty, your nation, your family, your children’s children, and wrecking your covenant by forsaking adherence to the Sovereign of all things, make your oath with Jesus Christ today.

Who shall stand for good in the day of evil? If not God’s people, then none at all.

Jesus warned, “…ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?” Where is wisdom but in the Holy Bible: have you not read in the prophets and the law what travails begin at the outset of civilizational destruction; the wise man’s heart can discern both time and judgment – look around – do you know what time it is?

“6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. 7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?”

Who can tell us anything but God, who gave us His word so that we can know Him and His love and hope toward us that keep His word? He has revealed to us what horrifying things befall the disobedient nation. It’s why history repeats or at least rhymes, as the saying goes. Time and judgment catch us all and, sadly, often unawares. But we don’t think America is unaware; it just doesn’t hurt enough yet. That’s what the judgment of God is upon a people, pain until they return to the oath, open His commandments, and do them, knowing the pain of death is otherwise in the offing, we must cry out, “Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.” Return ye unto God.

“8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.”

No man can keep his soul. Instantly at death, you pass to one of two final abodes; there’s no moment of decision upon departing, no interval to plea your case to the Judge. You are powerless over the moment as agency leaves you; a foreign force quite beyond your control effects your soul’s departure; the journey and the end thereof are in the hands of God alone. There’s no discharge, no escaping the draft of force; all men are appointed once to die, but you don’t have to die in hell. God owns the day “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” The day of death is coming for us all. The many efforts you make without Christ, any work of wickedness: not by force of arms, not by governments of men, not by works or wishful thoughts at all; no evil can deliver those given over to it: call upon His holy name, only Jesus Christ will save.

“12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him”

In His patience and longsuffering, the Almighty sends warnings, sometimes by men, sometimes by circumstances, but read His word; the hour is late, fear your King before the sinners of this world.

What is your desire toward Christ? Answer Him! Though you’ve sinned a hundred times or more, Jesus paid your sin debt on calvary’s hill, dying there and rising three days later, offering victory over hell to you. Don’t take your chances on tomorrow; Jesus Christ will save your soul, forgiving your sins, and setting you before His throne, a brand new son of the King: neither is there salvation in any other; it’s Jesus. He will save you from your sin, save your marriage, save your children, save your household if you seek Him carefully by the covenant He made at the start. And through those that are His, He can save our nation from eternal ruin. Undoubtedly, America is lost, but we have Christ: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” – Luke 19:10

Don’t hold fast to the wayward life; let Christ change you. Salvation is beautiful; it’s a restorative life-giving work of the Almighty to those who believe by faith, trust in His holy name, and pray for forgiveness. Then, as brothers in Christ, who is Lord of all, act upon every word of His sacred Scripture, which He commands. This, too, is an act of belief by faith, trusting God to restore our right standing.

“13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.”

This life is but a shadow, and when you come into the presence of the Light, there will be no more shadow, only truth laid bare. Ending here with a warning in verse 13, Ecclesiastes can be dark but don’t let the vanity of this world sow despair; praise the Father, determine in your heart toward the holy Redeemer to walk in the light, as he is in the light, seeking fellowship among the saints of God to build that which He desires; “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”  The day is short; fear God, knowing the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. Christ is King and does whatever pleases Him; who shall question?

No comments yet.

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Leave a comment


You are currently reading "No Discharge In That War, Part One and Two", entry #34500 on The Captain's Journal.

This article is filed under the category(s) Religion and was published April 1st, 2023 by PGF.

If you're interested in what else the The Captain's Journal has to say, you might try thumbing through the archives and visiting the main index, or; perhaps you would like to learn more about TCJ.

26th MEU (10)
Abu Muqawama (12)
ACOG (2)
ACOGs (1)
Afghan National Army (36)
Afghan National Police (17)
Afghanistan (704)
Afghanistan SOFA (4)
Agriculture in COIN (3)
AGW (1)
Air Force (40)
Air Power (10)
al Qaeda (83)
Ali al-Sistani (1)
America (22)
Ammunition (285)
Animals (297)
Ansar al Sunna (15)
Anthropology (3)
Antonin Scalia (1)
AR-15s (379)
Arghandab River Valley (1)
Arlington Cemetery (2)
Army (87)
Assassinations (2)
Assault Weapon Ban (29)
Australian Army (7)
Azerbaijan (4)
Backpacking (3)
Badr Organization (8)
Baitullah Mehsud (21)
Basra (17)
BATFE (229)
Battle of Bari Alai (2)
Battle of Wanat (18)
Battle Space Weight (3)
Bin Laden (7)
Blogroll (3)
Blogs (24)
Body Armor (23)
Books (3)
Border War (18)
Brady Campaign (1)
Britain (38)
British Army (35)
Camping (5)
Canada (17)
Castle Doctrine (1)
Caucasus (6)
CENTCOM (7)
Center For a New American Security (8)
Charity (3)
China (16)
Christmas (16)
CIA (30)
Civilian National Security Force (3)
Col. Gian Gentile (9)
Combat Outposts (3)
Combat Video (2)
Concerned Citizens (6)
Constabulary Actions (3)
Coolness Factor (3)
COP Keating (4)
Corruption in COIN (4)
Council on Foreign Relations (1)
Counterinsurgency (218)
DADT (2)
David Rohde (1)
Defense Contractors (2)
Department of Defense (210)
Department of Homeland Security (26)
Disaster Preparedness (5)
Distributed Operations (5)
Dogs (15)
Donald Trump (27)
Drone Campaign (4)
EFV (3)
Egypt (12)
El Salvador (1)
Embassy Security (1)
Enemy Spotters (1)
Expeditionary Warfare (17)
F-22 (2)
F-35 (1)
Fallujah (17)
Far East (3)
Fathers and Sons (2)
Favorite (1)
Fazlullah (3)
FBI (39)
Featured (190)
Federal Firearms Laws (18)
Financing the Taliban (2)
Firearms (1,800)
Football (1)
Force Projection (35)
Force Protection (4)
Force Transformation (1)
Foreign Policy (27)
Fukushima Reactor Accident (6)
Ganjgal (1)
Garmsir (1)
general (15)
General Amos (1)
General James Mattis (1)
General McChrystal (44)
General McKiernan (6)
General Rodriguez (3)
General Suleimani (9)
Georgia (19)
GITMO (2)
Google (1)
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar (1)
Gun Control (1,674)
Guns (2,340)
Guns In National Parks (3)
Haditha Roundup (10)
Haiti (2)
HAMAS (7)
Haqqani Network (9)
Hate Mail (8)
Hekmatyar (1)
Heroism (5)
Hezbollah (12)
High Capacity Magazines (16)
High Value Targets (9)
Homecoming (1)
Homeland Security (3)
Horses (2)
Humor (72)
Hunting (41)
ICOS (1)
IEDs (7)
Immigration (114)
India (10)
Infantry (4)
Information Warfare (4)
Infrastructure (4)
Intelligence (23)
Intelligence Bulletin (6)
Iran (171)
Iraq (379)
Iraq SOFA (23)
Islamic Facism (64)
Islamists (98)
Israel (19)
Jaish al Mahdi (21)
Jalalabad (1)
Japan (3)
Jihadists (81)
John Nagl (5)
Joint Intelligence Centers (1)
JRTN (1)
Kabul (1)
Kajaki Dam (1)
Kamdesh (9)
Kandahar (12)
Karachi (7)
Kashmir (2)
Khost Province (1)
Khyber (11)
Knife Blogging (7)
Korea (4)
Korengal Valley (3)
Kunar Province (20)
Kurdistan (3)
Language in COIN (5)
Language in Statecraft (1)
Language Interpreters (2)
Lashkar-e-Taiba (2)
Law Enforcement (6)
Lawfare (14)
Leadership (6)
Lebanon (6)
Leon Panetta (2)
Let Them Fight (2)
Libya (14)
Lines of Effort (3)
Littoral Combat (8)
Logistics (50)
Long Guns (1)
Lt. Col. Allen West (2)
Marine Corps (280)
Marines in Bakwa (1)
Marines in Helmand (67)
Marjah (4)
MEDEVAC (2)
Media (68)
Medical (146)
Memorial Day (6)
Mexican Cartels (41)
Mexico (61)
Michael Yon (6)
Micromanaging the Military (7)
Middle East (1)
Military Blogging (26)
Military Contractors (5)
Military Equipment (25)
Militia (9)
Mitt Romney (3)
Monetary Policy (1)
Moqtada al Sadr (2)
Mosul (4)
Mountains (25)
MRAPs (1)
Mullah Baradar (1)
Mullah Fazlullah (1)
Mullah Omar (3)
Musa Qala (4)
Music (25)
Muslim Brotherhood (6)
Nation Building (2)
National Internet IDs (1)
National Rifle Association (97)
NATO (15)
Navy (30)
Navy Corpsman (1)
NCOs (3)
News (1)
NGOs (3)
Nicholas Schmidle (2)
Now Zad (19)
NSA (3)
NSA James L. Jones (6)
Nuclear (63)
Nuristan (8)
Obama Administration (221)
Offshore Balancing (1)
Operation Alljah (7)
Operation Khanjar (14)
Ossetia (7)
Pakistan (165)
Paktya Province (1)
Palestine (5)
Patriotism (7)
Patrolling (1)
Pech River Valley (11)
Personal (73)
Petraeus (14)
Pictures (1)
Piracy (13)
Pistol (4)
Pizzagate (21)
Police (656)
Police in COIN (3)
Policy (15)
Politics (981)
Poppy (2)
PPEs (1)
Prisons in Counterinsurgency (12)
Project Gunrunner (20)
PRTs (1)
Qatar (1)
Quadrennial Defense Review (2)
Quds Force (13)
Quetta Shura (1)
RAND (3)
Recommended Reading (14)
Refueling Tanker (1)
Religion (495)
Religion and Insurgency (19)
Reuters (1)
Rick Perry (4)
Rifles (1)
Roads (4)
Rolling Stone (1)
Ron Paul (1)
ROTC (1)
Rules of Engagement (75)
Rumsfeld (1)
Russia (37)
Sabbatical (1)
Sangin (1)
Saqlawiyah (1)
Satellite Patrols (2)
Saudi Arabia (4)
Scenes from Iraq (1)
Second Amendment (687)
Second Amendment Quick Hits (2)
Secretary Gates (9)
Sharia Law (3)
Shura Ittehad-ul-Mujahiden (1)
SIIC (2)
Sirajuddin Haqqani (1)
Small Wars (72)
Snipers (9)
Sniveling Lackeys (2)
Soft Power (4)
Somalia (8)
Sons of Afghanistan (1)
Sons of Iraq (2)
Special Forces (28)
Squad Rushes (1)
State Department (23)
Statistics (1)
Sunni Insurgency (10)
Support to Infantry Ratio (1)
Supreme Court (62)
Survival (201)
SWAT Raids (57)
Syria (38)
Tactical Drills (38)
Tactical Gear (15)
Taliban (168)
Taliban Massing of Forces (4)
Tarmiyah (1)
TBI (1)
Technology (21)
Tehrik-i-Taliban (78)
Terrain in Combat (1)
Terrorism (96)
Thanksgiving (13)
The Anbar Narrative (23)
The Art of War (5)
The Fallen (1)
The Long War (20)
The Surge (3)
The Wounded (13)
Thomas Barnett (1)
Transnational Insurgencies (5)
Tribes (5)
TSA (25)
TSA Ineptitude (14)
TTPs (4)
U.S. Border Patrol (6)
U.S. Border Security (19)
U.S. Sovereignty (24)
UAVs (2)
UBL (4)
Ukraine (10)
Uncategorized (99)
Universal Background Check (3)
Unrestricted Warfare (4)
USS Iwo Jima (2)
USS San Antonio (1)
Uzbekistan (1)
V-22 Osprey (4)
Veterans (3)
Vietnam (1)
War & Warfare (419)
War & Warfare (41)
War Movies (4)
War Reporting (21)
Wardak Province (1)
Warriors (6)
Waziristan (1)
Weapons and Tactics (79)
West Point (1)
Winter Operations (1)
Women in Combat (21)
WTF? (1)
Yemen (1)

November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006

about · archives · contact · register

Copyright © 2006-2024 Captain's Journal. All rights reserved.