When it comes to movies, there is nothing better than a good fight scene. This is especially true when the hero starts their story arch with very little ability. There’s just something incredibly invigorating about watching an improved protagonist display awesome skill … and kick a little tail!  Personally, I’m particularly fond of sword fighting scenes, and I think I recently figured out why.

If you grew up in church, then like me, you probably memorized Ephesians 6 in plenty of memory challenges. Oh the days of gold-stars and sticker charts, am I right? In case you’re not familiar, this is The Armor of God passage where various pieces of Roman armor are equated to spiritual realities like a shield and faith or a helmet and salvation. Ephesians 6:17 instructs Christians to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  

The sword of the Spirit.

Essentially, Christians are meant to be the best sword fighters, spiritually speaking that is. We are called to know and apply Scripture with the highest competence. 

So, what should we know about sword fighting?

It Takes Time and Practice

When I was in high school I went to a drama workshop on stage combat. We all wanted to pick up swords and be immediately proficient, but we were not. Oh we would slice them through the air like we were, but to actually engage well we had a lot to learn. When we come to God’s Word, as beginners there are areas that are simple and easy to read and understand, but to really comprehend and apply God’s word in totality, we have to know how to rightly handle it. To start, this means learning the importance of context. I once heard an apologist say, “Never read a Bible verse. Always read the whole passage.” Ripping verses out of context is one of the surest ways to end up with a wrong understanding of what God’s Word says. Additionally, while all of God’s Word is written for our benefit, not all Scripture is written directly to us. There is also historical context to what we are reading. Scripture cannot mean something to us now that it didn’t mean to the original audience. We have to first learn what it meant to them and then we can apply the principle to our lives today. There are lots of study tools available to help with this, checkout my resources page if you’re looking for somewhere to start, but know that the idea of studying Scripture is important. You cannot just pick it up and be an expert. It takes time and effort. 

Swords are Dangerous

It might not surprise you that in that stage combat class two teenage boys picked up the practice swords and immediately started fighting each other like they were Musketeers. In the course of their zeal, one accidently landed a blow where the other was holding his sword, and his hand immediately swelled, turning unnatural colors. Apparently, even practice swords can harm. Similarly, when God’s Word is wielded by people who are not trained, it can cause damage. This is true for all of us, but especially when someone claims to be a teacher, but has not been equipped for the task. There are many who are even called pastor who have no biblical training. There are a variety of paths that this training can take, both formal and informal, but what’s not acceptable is for someone to accept responsibility for a flock who does not possess the ability to feed it Scripturally (James 3:1, 1 Tim. 1:7 and 3:2). It happens far too often often too. With Christian TV, on social media, and in bookstores, so many have platforms and teach things the Bible doesn’t actually say. Don’t get me wrong though, this is not new in our day. If you read through the New Testament the apostles were often addressing wrong teachings. It’s a good reminder to make sure that the people who are teaching you God’s Word have been trained to do so. Don’t just trust yourself to any charismatic speaker, even if he calls himself a pastor – you may end up hurt.

Use it or Lose it

After that workshop my friends and I would practice our moves all the time. We didn’t want to lose our new skills, but over time life went on, and we practiced less and less. The same is true for many of us who grew up in church memorizing Scripture or practicing sword drills in Sunday School to see how quickly we could find a Bible verse. As we grew, we became comfortable with Scripture. We have such wide access to it, and have heard so much of the content repeatedly, that it is easy for familiarity to breed complacency. How many Christian adults do you know that still intentionally memorize Scripture? How many even regularly read it? A physical sword grows dull the more it is used. I think the opposite is true spiritually. Scripture remains sharp because it is God’s Word, but our swordsmanship can grow dull from lack of use.

Finals thoughts…

First, the best example is always Jesus, and in Matthew chapter four he experiences several temptations. Each time he is able to respond from his knowledge of Scripture. We also see in Mark 10:6-8, that when Jesus was questioned about cultural issues he drew from Old Testament Scripture. For Jesus, who was and is the Word (John 1:1), everything came back to Scripture. Perhaps this is why Paul encourages believers in Colossae to let the Word of Christ dwell in them richly (Col. 3:16). How might our lives look differently if we knew and depended on the Word this much? In every temptation and for every cultural question, the Word of God has an answer.

Second, in all those movie fight scenes I mentioned earlier, there’s always a montage where the main character grows in his or her skill. So, maybe it is time for us to cue the music and get to work.