By: Obed Pineda
“I am a companion of all who fear You, and of those who keep Your precepts.” (Psalm 119:63)
History is filled with volumes upon volumes about the might of the Roman empire. It is recognized as the longest lasting empire ever in history, spanning a grand total of 1,480 years (27 B.C – 1453 A.D.). There are a plethora of reasons for Rome’s lengthy reign, but there is no question that their military strength was one of the primary reasons their iron grip on power lasted as long as it did. Rome’s tactics and strategies of war are still studied and emulated by many of today’s most powerful countries (the US included), serving as a testament to the brilliance of how well organized Rome’s armies were. When the Roman eagle appeared at the border of a country, the frigid hand of fear would run her fingers down any ruler’s spine with the realization that the threat of being conquered by Rome, was now an inevitable reality because Rome’s army had arrived. The veracity of how devastating the Roman empire would be to the rest of the world was revealed to Daniel as he “saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns” (Daniel 7:7). Astonished by this hideous beast that had left him afraid in perplexity, Daniel’s inquiry about the meaning of the vision of the foul creature led to the revelation that the Roman empire was being foretold by it (cf. Daniel 7:15-23). Their weapons and ingenuity on the battlefield undeniably made the Roman army a force that would not be denied its glory, but the essence of their success was the nexus of solidarity among the Roman soldiers. The chronicles of Rome’s past attest that the bond between soldiers was often times mightier than the one they shared with their own biological siblings. Being engaged in a fierce battle with an enemy, where there is no other option other than to trust with your life (literally) your brothers-in-arms, there is no doubt why that would be the case. The unity forged in the trenches on the front lines is perhaps best exemplified by the Roman soldiers locking their shields together. Each soldier would brace his shield with the shield of his companion to the left, to the right, and even above, creating a solid wall of protection for one another. Furthermore, their footsteps needed to be in perfect synchrony with each other as they marched together as one while in this formation. When Roman soldiers locked their shields together and marched as one man into combat, it is frequently compared as the equivalent of a modern day tank driving on to the scene for war. The level of confidence that these men of war had in each other has left its indelible mark on the annals of world history. Even though we were not in a physical war like the ones referred to, we were irrefutably engaged in a spiritual warfare against the influences of sin and the wicked one while in Peru (cf. Ephesians 6:10-12). Our Bible studies were rescue missions seeking to sever the webs of false teaching entangling lost souls, keeping them away from redemption. Yet, in order for our mission to be successful, we needed to be sure that “if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1st John 1:7). What began as a group of approximately sixty strangers linked by our common salvation, evolved into a tight-knit circle of friendship and camaraderie. Day after day, we learned more about each other by laboring side-by-side in the whitened harvest of the Arequipa’s spiritual fields. After long days of sowing the seed of the Gospel, we would gather with great joy and share “war stories” about the different adventures we had undergone on that day. We would converse about what went wrong, and what went right, with certain individuals, giving and taking advice from one another on how to improve for the following day. Once all twelve groups had returned from the field, we would join our voices in spiritual songs praising our Almighty God, manifesting our joy of being there together, as well. The curiosity of those living in the houses near the Church building was often aroused by the loud, cheerful sound outpouring from that location, similar to what took place during the first century (cf. Acts 2:41-47, 5:12-13). Indeed, I admit that one of my favorite parts of the day was returning “home” from a long day’s work, to reunite with my fellow soldiers, friends, and brethren to relish in the bonds of fellowship joined by partaking in the Great Commission. Like in the days of our Master, so was the case that every evening we “returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name’” (Luke 10:17). It is true that in our current age we no longer have the ability to literally cast out demons as they did during the miraculous age (cf. 1st Corinthians 13:8), but we were blessed to tear down fortresses of false doctrine and man-made religions (influenced by Satan’s ministers of deceitfulness, cf. 2nd Corinthians 11:12-15) by using all of God’s holy truth (cf. 2nd Corinthians 10:3-6). During the process of teaching non-Christians the whole Gospel of Truth, those of us with a little more experience were able to teach those who had never done it before how to do it faithfully (cf. 2nd Timothy 2:1-2). I witnessed firsthand how following Christ’s paradigm of sending His disciples in pairs not only increased the chances of saving a soul but it, too, served as a training ground to brace the faith of those teaching the glad tidings of salvation. It granted me the pleasure to have a deeper understanding of the proverb that affirms, “a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born FOR adversity” (Proverbs 17:17, emphasis OP). Koheleth wisely surmises that “two are better than one” when one considers the benefits of friendship and fellowship forged on the spiritual battlefield (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). As previously stated, not everything went smoothly on this trip and yet it was in those moments of trial where I was blessed to perceive how quickly the ties that bound us had formed through the dispensation of God’s grace. Having in mind the relationships I was blessed to attain during this campaign amplified the importance of being grateful to our Father. To be continued…