Half-Armed Christians

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 1, 1857

Half-Armed Christians

Some people undertake a very hard task in matters of religion. The christian life is likened to a warfare, in which the combatant must be well armed; but not a few undertake to fight with only about half their armor on, which renders them liable to many wounds and discomfitures. The christian life is likened again to a race, in which he who runs must lay aside every weight; but these attempt to perform it, and lug the world with them. We often hear them praying, as though it was the end and object of every christian effort, that they may have on the whole armor; as though the work then would be all accomplished as soon as they get the armor on; whereas then they are but just prepared to commence their warfare in the cause of their Master—but just prepared to begin their work. We hear them praying for advancement in the heavenly race, forgetting that those who contended anciently in the game of racing, from whom the figure is taken, never made it an object of study to see how much luggage they could take with them on such occasions.