The Word of God, perfectly and exclusively available in the Bible, is the Constitution of Christianity. It takes little imagination to foresee the fate of an army made up of soldiers who take the field debating the constitution of the country they claim to serve. What is worse, we too often judge our success or failure, whether as human beings or as the Church, by the standards of the world, by the private standards we choose for ourselves. But once we take this position, we are no longer a part of Christ's army. Victory is sweet, but victory is always bought at a price, chiefly at the price of doing those duties that go against our natural inclinations in a disciplined way.
Victory is never free.
Just ask those Christian soldiers, gathered now around the throne of God. They have won their victories over sin and self, giving their lives to God that they might receive them again at his hand, as the perfect, glorious tokens of their spiritual conquest. It is, moreover, the same salvation that we need, if we are to be saved at all. And so we must put on the whole armor of God at his command, and under his orders, we must stand by the brethren at our right and our left until the Lord returns and all our appointed battles are won. If you wish to use them for some other purpose or republish them, please credit St. Andrew's Church and Dr. Tarsitano.