People are not our enemy

J Todd Martinsen, Co-Chair of the Rappahannock Libertarians shared his personal conviction as to why he is a strong advocate of Libertarianism. 

"For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” -Ephesians 6:12

Libertarians strongly believe in freedom of religion and welcome with open arms citizens of all faith. It is not our intention to preach, or to force any particular religious views onto another human being. However, the above is the Co-Chair’s personal sentiment as to how his religion has instilled in him a deep-setted conviction to believe in supporting the Rappahannock Libertarians. 

When I read the above verse, I can not help but have my own convictions strengthened. Regardless of my personal faith, I can not help but the see truth and wisdom that is applicable to to our modern day life. In the first line it mentions we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. 

This frame of thought is what led me to discover the Libertarian political party in the first place. When I look to the right, I see citizens who are moved by their religion and in doing so, fight against anyone who opposes their beliefs. Too often when your arguing with a member of the right, your accused of being a non-christian. Maybe this is true. However, in my particular case, it could’t be further from the truth. I am a devout southern baptist and have been since my early days back in the foothills of NC. Why must the right tend to overlook the phrase  “love thy neighbor” and go right into alienating individuals based on their personal sins (your homosexual, you had an abortion, your of a different faith, etc)? 

On the left I see people who truly do attempt to care for everyone regardless of personal affiliations. It is no secret that the left is responsible for most of the social reforms our country has undergone. From fighting for the right of every citizen to have a vote to providing for those who are less fortunate. Yet in their beliefs, they leave the enforcement part up to the government. This is a fatal mistake. To care for others, it is government programs that are created to take from some and give to others. On the face, that is ideal. However when you add in the middle man, the government in this case, the majority of the intended aid never actually makes it or helps the people it is intended to help. Instead, we have a government that rolls out program after program intending to make citizen’s lives better, but in actuality, we are creating a tremendous debt that our grandchildren are still going to be paying for. 

So what do you do when you view both sides as fatally flawed? I can tell you from experience, when you remove yourself from either side and begin to question both sides, question the main stream belief in you must be left or right, you are in a lonely place my friend. Thus I find comfort in strength in the words shared by the Co-Chair of the Rappahannock Libertarians. It reminds me that my enemy is not the people on the left or the right. My enemy is evil in which forces them to take arms against one another and perpetuate the never-ending battle of neighbor vs neighbor. 

Wayne Barber explains who our real enemy is writing that…

Our enemy is not flesh and blood. Our enemy is not people! They are not our true enemy. Now I don’t know about you, but that kind of confuses me sometimes when I get out in the real world. When I get out there I realize I can see people. I just can’t see the unseen enemy. How quickly I am suckered into the trap of thinking that people are my enemy. I have said many times, "If it were not for people, I could live the Christian life." You’ve done it, too. In your prayer time you have said, "God, if You will just get rid of this person who is bothering me, it will be alright." We have this paranoia when it comes to people. We think people are our enemies. It is what controls the person that is my true enemy. People are not my enemy. That is why God consistently says in Ephesians, "Be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bonds of peace." He is saying, "People, you are not each other’s enemy. We mistakenly think people are our enemies; our boss, our husband, our wife, our children, people we work with, whoever. What do we do? We think if we can defeat them in some way, if we can get rid of them, we can have peace and victory. That is all upside down. We end up fighting each other. That is what Paul said, "Flesh and blood are not our enemy." They are not our enemy. We use hateful words, critical things. We have to tear somebody else down to build ourselves up as if we are in some kind of competition with one another. We forget we are on the same team. If we fight we lose. The war was won at Calvary. We are not to be each other’s enemy...(You may be saying now wait a minute) Flesh and blood are the ones bringing me all the harm. Flesh and blood are the ones injuring me. I don’t understand. Paul is trying to say, "Hey, folks, you need to realize the war zone you are in is not the people. Our enemy is what controls the people. We don’t war against flesh and blood.

 Paul is saying, "We war not against flesh and blood." Behind every person who harms and injures us and deceives us is a spiritual enemy. Now I think that is the confusing part to me. Though we don’t war against flesh and blood, flesh and blood are the pawns that he uses to come against us. That is what bothers me. Because you see, I can see flesh and blood. I can’t see what is behind them when somebody writes a letter, when somebody says something to you, when somebody tears you apart, when somebody disappoints you. That hurts you and you want to go after them. But you have to remember he is using them. Love them but hate what is using them.

Evidently this person is coming against you and his mind is totally upside down. He doesn’t have a clue what he is doing. What is going on in your life right now? Who is it that is threatening you? Who is it that is bothering you right now? What is it that is bothering you? Track it back. You will find deception of some kind at the root of that whole thing. The only thing we have in this world to stand on that is the truth, besides the Lord Jesus, is His Word. When you start believing a lie, it will flip you over and you won’t even realize it. You will end up fighting the wrong thing and not even know that there was a spiritual enemy behind it. There is deceit in this world we live in today.