Articles
Tools of Warfare
“Sun Tzu is a legendary military strategist who revolutionized war and combat as we know it. He is most famously known for his book “The Art of War”, a guide on how to successfully engage in conflict and battle” (https://thedecisionlab.com/thinkers/philosophy/sun-tzu).
Concerning warfare, Sun Tzu said, “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near” (Sun Tzu, Art of War).
The philosophy of Sun Tzu, i.e., “All warfare is based on deception,” is exactly the philosophy of the devil and his angels: 1) Gen. 3:13 - "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." 2) 2 Cor. 11:3 – “I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” 3) 1 Tim. 2:14 – “And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” 4) 2 Cor. 11:13-15 – “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”
Although secular wars are “based on deception,” and spiritually false prophets and the servants of Satan are in like manner deceitful workers, the child of God must be straight forward in life, and deeds. Paul, said he uttered “words of sober truth” (Acts 26:25), and to the brethren in Thessalonica “For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness— nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority” (1 Thess. 2:5-6). Thus, whether with the world, and most especially brethren, “we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Eph. 4:14-16).
There are many in the religious realm who by “speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved” (2 Pet. 2:18-19), and thus, “with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved” (2 Thess. 2:10).
Jesus told those “Jews who had believed Him, If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” (Jn. 8:31-32). The truth is what will set men free and the soldiers of the cause of Christ must be true to the Master, true to themselves, and true to those they teach.
- Tools_of_Warfare.pdf (39.01 kB)
