Military figures are very common in the Scriptures. The Christian is described as a soldier (2 Timothy 2:3) and the Christian life as a warfare with Satan (Ephesians 6:10-20; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Corinthians 10:4). Christians are likewise taught to use wisdom in their battle with sin and Satan. Anticipating the Christian warfare, our Lord said, "Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" Matthew 10:16). Paul exhorts: "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time" (Colossians 4:5).
Some with a distorted concept of that which loyalty to Christ, His Word, and His church requires, feel that a violent, frontal attack on any and every species and degree of error in practice or teaching is the only course consistent with truth and righteousness.
The reminds us of a story we read in The Encyclopedia of Prose -- Illustrations. It seems that in ancient times the lead of an army was pressed by his enemy. A close friend advised him to protract the fight as long as possible, because the enemy was suffering for provisions. The leader of the besieged army failed to heed the advice of his friend and threw his army into conflict with his attacker. As a result, he lost both the battle and his empire. He killed himself because of the disgrace and was laid in an unhonored grave. If he had taken the advice of his friend and avoided head-on conflict, hunger would have route the enemy. Think of the waste of life, the loss of battle, and the sacrifice of an empire which could have been avoided if this man had not felt that valor demanded violent, frontal contact with the enemy.
Victory over sin and Satan, for truth and over error, is the object of the Christian's warfare. Loyalty to Christ does not demand a foolish, frontal, violent assault upon every species and degree of error. The tactics of battle should be determined by the circumstances which prevail and the prospects for victory. Due consideration should be given to securing victory with the least loss to the forces of truth. We are dealing with immortal souls. Let us not win a doctrinal victory and lose the object of our warfare, the souls of dying men. No rule can be successfully discovered that will cover every situation. Let us be slow, therefore, to criticize the methods of another in pressing the battle for truth.
~In Gospel Power, Anderson, Alabama, 4/11/99.