Those who have a skewed view of Christianity find the words of Psalm 149:6 impossible. “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged sword in their hand.”
The apostle Paul clearly agrees with the image of a Christian soldier, for He instructs His brethren to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11).
In the Old Testament, Jehovah used those who sang His high praise to wield the sword as a minister of His vengeance and an executioner of His judgments (Psalm 149:7, 9). In the New Testament, it is the function of the civil government to serve as God’s minister for the punishment of evil and an avenger that executes His wrath upon evildoers (Romans 13:4).
The function of God’s people in the New Testament is to fight against the principalities, the powers, the rulers of the darkness of this age, and the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). We have been equipped with the whole spiritual armor of God—the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the footwear of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit—to fight and defeat these spiritual Goliaths. “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
Soldiers of Christ arise!
