Covenant keeping is much more than giving assent to the things of God. If we do not engage the claims of Christ in every area of our lives (including our thoughts), then we are being less than faithful.
Possibly because I grew up in the age of Rocky Balboa and the original Rocky movie and its sequels, that when I think of being a contender, I think of a fighter in the ring, not only willing to take punches, but to deliver as many back if not more. Yet, it has now been deemed better (or more righteous) in some Christian circles to consider that our main role this side of heaven is to take punches, with little to no defensive actions to counter them, let alone exhibit offensive action.
While it is true that pressing the claims of Christ, turning the other cheek, and praying for our enemies can appear to be contradictory, the reality is that we are called to do all of these things. How to sort them all out? It is the law of God which we have been given to help us through these maneuvers.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not merely a personal one, but one that encompasses our person and includes every square inch of the created realm. It is the Gospel of the Kingdom. If we are going to truly contend for the faith (see the epistle of Jude), which we are directed to do, then we must train and practice God’s Law on a daily basis, minute-by-minute.
Am I saying this is easy? It is enough to say that it is required. Whether or not anyone finds it difficult is beside the point. Since we have been called, we must proceed with the reality that in Christ we are equipped. Should we feel insecure or without confidence in this, it means we must up our training schedule and continue to advance even in the reality of taking a punch now and again.
The Kingdom-Driven Family 