Hitting the Target
This past week was a tremendously beneficial week for those of us blessed to attend the gospel meeting with brother David Dodd preaching. His lessons were fervently delivered, and filled with book, chapter, and verse supporting every facet of the subject he presented. Personally, it was a very encouraging week for me as David and I have a friendship that spans twenty-five years of study and reasoning together within the sacred pages of God’s word. But what you might not know about last week is the following:
It had been more than thirty years since I last held a pistol in my hand to shoot it. Those who know David Dodd know he is an avid gunman, owning an arsenal that, well, is “indescribable” in my mind! When we began planning for this effort, David kept asking for some to time to “burn some powder,” as he says. We found that time and after more than two hundred rounds fired from seven different pistols, both of us felt satisfied with the activity. He amazed me with the accuracy of his shooting, and admittedly both of us were surprised at the times I hit the target. He very kindly told me, “This last target is all yours,” and let me fire two different pistols to see how I would do! I hit the target every time … only twice outside the markers!
No, I have no desire to elevate my experience as if it is some amazing accomplishment. It was through his guidance and patience with me that I learned how to aim, experience the recoil of the pistol, and regain my line of sight before firing again. I’m certainly no marksman: I just had an enjoyable time with a good friend. But I do want to write a bit about hitting a different kind of target; one with which all Christians must improve their accuracy!
The apostle John uses the word “transgress” in his first two general letters. (1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 2 John 1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.) In both passages, the word means to “miss the mark.” Sin is “missing the mark” of obedience with God. It requires instruction from one who knows how to hit the mark of righteousness, and it requires the student to listen carefully and follow those instructions without compromise to hit the target! We must remember the instructions are only repeated by gospel preachers; for the initial instructions came from God the Father, and were delivered to His Son, who in turn delivered them to His apostles, who were guided by the Holy Spirit after the Lord’s return to heaven (Hebrews 1:1-2; 2:1-4). No one can change those instructions without endangering the receiver of those instructions; for there are simply no other instructions assuring our eternal safety and avoidance of sin’s damnation (Acts 4:12; Romans 1:16-17; et al). If we are to “hit the target” of eternity with God the Father, we cannot just point and shoot: we must hold His word carefully, take careful aim at the enemy of sin, and destroy it – ALL according to the instructions from GOD’S word, neither adding to nor subtracting from those instructions (Revelation 22:18 – 19).
Too many are afraid to shoot the enemy of sin and think somehow, they might “persuade” sin to change into something acceptable in God’s sight. That’s another lesson I learned well from David Dodd. It doesn’t matter what caliber the gun might be. If it is not handled correctly a .22 is just as deadly as a .45! Further, you can’t just step up, point the word of God at some sin, and say, “Bang, you’re dead.” You must see what you’re aiming at! Those sites on the gun are there for a reason. Likewise, God’s word must be aimed correctly. On Pentecost Day, that message was aimed at sinful hearts, and the message hit the target with each who gladly received that word (Acts 2:41). When past sin is destroyed by obedience (including being immersed in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins – Acts 2:38) the careful marksman will continue to carefully aim at sin and not allow it to rule in his life (Romans 6:16). Hitting that mark requires daily practice in the proficient use of God’s word as we cause it to dwell in us richly in all wisdom, allowing it to grow daily (Colossians 3:16; 2 Peter 3:18).
I’ve no idea if I’ll ever fire another pistol, let alone know when that might happen. I also know that unless I find a way to practice and devote both time and money to that practice, I will never improve from the meager performance I rendered this past week. The same is true with using the weapon known as a “sharp two-edged sword.” (Hebrews 4:12) It doesn’t cost you any money to read, study, learn, and obey the word of God like it would to become proficient in target shooting. But it does take diligence and devotion! Being a child of God, a Christian has nothing akin to the temporal delights of the flesh. It is far greater than the greatest of things under the sun! Yet, it is not achieved with the casual participation of a few hours a week as we gather for bible study or worship (which should be considered equal as in both we are giving honor and praise to God as we learn more and more of His will and how to live it!) Indeed, being a child of God is a life we live, not membership to some organization of mankind! As Christians, our lives are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3: 1- 17), demanding our compliance with His authority in all we say and do! (ibid.) Therefore, let me take this God-given weapon and daily learn to use it wisely against the powers of sin! Let us all increase our abilities in handling aright the word of God (2 Timothy 2:15) so that with unwavering accuracy we can and will defeat every encroachment of sin!