The Defense of Faith

There is no neutral ground in the battlefield of salvation.  In the war that wages in the mind, the heart, and the soul, there is no demilitarized zone.   In truth, no supposed neutrality exists in the battle over the eternal state of a person and it is a dangerous myth to assume that there is a neutral zone in spiritual matters, particularly when it comes to discussing these affairs.  Ultimately, because all of existence is made by, through, and for Him, the ground marked "neutral" belongs to God.

When believers engage, then, in any sort of dialogue with unbelievers, they need to do so from the standpoint that recognizes the reality: all common ground is God's ground.  Nothing is hidden from the eyes of the Lord, He peers into every crevice of humanity and all creation (2 Chro. 16:9; Job 34:21; Psa. 33:13-15; Pro. 20:27; Eze. 28:3; Heb. 4:13).

This is far from irrelevant.  We should, nay, need to engage the world with this understanding, not giving ground to so-called neutrality because we know that neutrality is but a ploy of the evil one to divert us form the truth and to lead us away from God.  Remember that all wisdom is dependent upon a foundation of fear and reverence of God.  This means that repentance is the gateway to all wisdom and knowledge.

Truly, as Paul indicates in Colossians, every shelf in the storehouses of knowledge are filled in. through, by, and for Christ (Col. 1:16-17, 2:3).  Therefore, there can be no hidden nor neutral ground in the battle over our souls.  It should, however, come as no surprise that the world would continually appeal to the need for "common ground" in the dialogues over faith.  Because in acquiescing to neutrality, Christians have all-too-quickly given valuable ground in the battle to unbelief.  But, as there is no such common ground that does not belong to God, any attempt to say otherwise is only veiled unbelief.

Instead, Christians should always commit the Scriptures that call for unequivocal obedience in every aspect of life, body, mind, heart, and soul (Matt. 22:37; Rom. 12:1).  Christians need to hold to their guns in this regard.  Although we may be labeled absolutist or dogmatic, we need to hold tightly to the truth of the Gospel and its particulars because it is true and the power of God.  Because of this, we should praise God who has revealed Himself to mankind through His Word!