Zeal for freedom pulsates in America’s DNA. The establishment of America’s independency from England was built upon the foundations of zealous men, men whom bled and died having believed that the price of their blood for freedom was a worthy, priceless vocation.
Now we look down the corridors of American history, and stare into a dark abyss, namely, Islam. The American Church has all too confided her U.S. military with the burden of Islam. Yet, King Jesus is of inexhaustible worth, and because He is inexhaustibly worthy, the Church should not relent in zealous advancements of the Gospel, just as our nation does not relent in zealous defense of its nationalistic freedoms. “The number of Unreached People Group missionaries compared to the total 2 billion Christians in the world equals the same probability of being in a plane accident (.0005%)” (1). I believe there are three primary realities the Church must learn from the zealousness of our military, if we are to advance the gospel in the darkest regions of Islam: Zeal for Jesus’ worth; zeal for fearless obedience; and, zeal to love our lives not unto death.
ZEAL FOR JESUS’ WORTH
Though there is a certain appeal to join the military for career and lively-hood, there is a stronger appeal to join out of zeal for America. Zeal must be alive in a person whom would lay down their civilian life, travel to hostile territories, and engage in life threatening conflict. This zeal is born out of worth.
As one is not zealous for a thing unless they find that thing to be of extraordinary worth, the Church will lack zeal for frontier mission to the Muslim world until her eyes are opened to the worth of Jesus in loving her life NOT unto death. 2.2 million Americans currently serve in the U.S. Military (2), whom believe that serving in the armed forces is a worth while cause. Zeal abounds in them because worth has consumed them. As worthy of a cause as this is, the greatest injustice the earth faces today is not terrorism, it is withholding the Gospel of Christ from people whom have never heard Jesus name. The American Church has become all too satisfied in letting our military handle Islamic terrorism without a Gospel witness. Zeal for the worth of Christ for the Muslim world is a necessity if we are to be a light to a dark and dying world. Simply put, the American Church needs to be just as zealous for the Gospel to reach Islam, as her military is zealous to eradicate terrorism.
ZEAL FOR FEARLESS OBEDIENCE
The U.S. Military is full of zeal for fearless obedience. Every military man and woman knows that the Chain of Command is the law of the land. For the combat soldier, many of these commands lead to debilitating injury or death. The soldier has starred death in the face, put one foot in front of the other and fearlessly carried out obedience; he has loved his life not unto death.
The narcissistic American Church cries legalism at every corner. The bible has with loud redundancy proclaimed His worth, and the joy found in love based obedience. The flesh and the Devil give warrant to fear obedience. There is a great need in the body of Christ for fearless obedience to God’s Word. The emerging generation has been so drenched with “do what feels good” philosophical cultural mindsets, obedience to the Gospel is met with strong cries of “legalism,” and accusations of “spiritual abuse” whenever a leader emphasizes biblical obedience. We have reduced biblical calling and biblical obedience to “do what you want to do” and “do what makes sense to you!” Like our military, the Church needs restored to her men and women of the fearless breed. Where are the Hudson Taylor’s and Amy Carmichael’s? Where are those fiery zealous forgers of the Gospel? Where are those the groaning earth recognizes as “the Sons of God” (3)?
ZEAL TO LOVE OUR LIVES NOT UNTO DEATH
My brother and his unit, while in Afghanistan, found themselves often kicking in the doors of strangers on the testimonies of others whom declared that these strangers were either working with the enemy, or, they had weapons being stored for the enemy. Some were guilty of these accusations, some were not. During theses house to house raids, lives were lost. Every time my brother and his unit raided one of these homes, death was highly likely. They loved their lives not unto death for the sake of the worth of freedom.
If the Church is to be a people whom care about the cause of Christ in our generation, we must be a people, like saints of past generations, that zealously loved their lives not unto death. The American Church must again believe that Christ is worth the price of death. Christ is worthy of His Church going door to door with His Gospel, for the sake of His name, at the expense of one’s own life. Zeal must consume the heart of the American Church for the Muslim world. Until she possesses zeal to love her life not unto death, she will not reach the Muslim world with the Gospel.
CONCLUSION
According to Jesus Christ, the Muslim world was worth hanging on the cross. According to Jesus Christ, the Muslim world is worth us bearing a cross, even unto death. Come now oh American Christian, come and die with Jesus for the sake of His name. Replace your slippers with steel toed boots. Replace your soft “American dream” for pioneering glories. Come now oh American Church, let us endeavor in the joyful task of hand delivering more bibles to our Muslim neighbors than our soldiers can carry guns, bullets and bombs. Christ is worthy of missionary zeal to the Islamic world; even unto death.
CITATIONS
1. "Missions Stats: The Current State of the World." www.thetravelingteam.org. The Traveling Team, 2015. Web. 6 Dec. 2015. <http://www.thetravelingteam.org/stats>.
2. Hurt, Alyson, Erica Ryan, and JoElla Straley. "By the Numbers: Today's Military." Www.npr.org. Npr, 3 July 2011. Web. 6 Dec. 2015. <http://www.npr.org/2011/07/03/137536111/by-the-numbers-todays-military>.
3. "Romans 8:22-24." ESV Holy Bible. I-Phone Application ed. Wheaton: Crossway, 2015. Print.