His mission: To destroy - By Charley King

1 John 3:7-10

Do you ever get the picture that Jesus is just some weak guy who loves everybody and seeks peace and harmony? We talk a lot about the love of Christ but rarely do we understand the mission of Christ. 

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (3:8)” 

Destroy... what? Yea, that was his reason, his mission, to destroy. Rarely do I realize this wartime mission. Obviously we can’t deny the love of Christ but this verse makes me think of him more as a wartime commando, a Special Forces soldier, or maybe a Marine! His mission is to infiltrate and destroy the enemy with violence of action and to rescue those held captive. My savior and God has one mission: to free me from what is holding me captive and to destroy it. That feels good. 

It would be easy to read this passage as yet another Scripture telling you to stop lying, be a good person, obey your parents, or whatever, but that’s not what it is. It is a wartime plea warning us that the enemy has put on our uniforms and is pretending to be friendly. They are just

waiting for us to put our guard down before they strike and before we know it we are fighting for the enemy. The writer, John, knows this all too well. He was there when Judas turned from a friend of Jesus to the enemy, and he is warning you to be careful or it will happen to you.

So I get two things out of this passage. 

First, I am at war alongside my Lord Jesus Christ. We envy Marines and Special Forces guys because of the serious training they go through. I need to put myself through that kind of training to be prepared to serve. But also, I need to recognize that my enemy is everywhere. I have to be on my feet and ready, and I must not be deceived. The enemy will do whatever it takes to win me to their side, but I am a soldier and will never forsake my God! 

Second, I know if I get captured, if I am a Prisoner of War in this deadly battle, I have a God who will do whatever it takes to organize a rescue mission, save me from the enemy, and destroy that enemy. I can rest easy and fight hard, because my God will not abandon me!