IN THE RECENT MOVIE, “ KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ,” WE FOLLOW THE TRUE STORY OF A YOUNG EUROPEAN MAN, NAMED BALIAN, TO THE CRUSADES IN THE MIDDLE EAST; BALIAN’S WIFE HAS COMMITTED SUICIDE, THE CHURCH HAS FORSAKEN HIM, AND HE DECIDES TO GO TO FIGHT IN JERUSALEM , AND HOPEFULLY FIND REDEMPTION THERE.

ON THE JOURNEY, A WARRIOR/PRIEST BEFRIENDS HIM AND WHEN BALIAN EXPRESSES AMAZEMENT THAT SO MANY EVIL MINDED FIGHTERS HAVE COME ON THE CRUSADE TO FOLLOW THEIR OWN LUSTS FOR POWER AND POSSESSIONS, THE PRIEST TELLS HIM THAT “TRUE RELIGION IS NOT WEARING A CROSS ON YOUR ARMOR; IT’S WHAT IS IN YOUR HEAD AND IN YOUR HEART; AND THEN ACTING ACCORDINGLY.”

LATER, WHEN ALL THE WARRIORS HAVE ABANDONED JERUSALEM, AND BALIAN IS THE ONLY KNIGHT LEFT TO ORGANIZE THE DEFENSE OF THE CITY AGAINST THE SIEGE OF A MUSLIM ARMY, THE BISHOP OF JERUSALEM SUGGESTS THEY ALL SURRENDER AND CONVERT TO ISLAM TO SAVE THEIR LIVES (“WE CAN REPENT TO GOD LATER”). BALIAN LOOKS AT HIM WITH DISGUST AND SAYS, “YOU AND YOUR KIND HAVE TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ‘RELIGION’.”

CONVINCED THAT GOD HAS FINALLY ABANDONED HIM COMPLETELY, HE THEN PROCEEDS TO ORGANIZE AND TEACH THE EVERYDAY CITIZENS OF THE CITY TO FIGHT, AND MOUNT AN INCREDIBLE DEFENSE AGAINST UNSPEAKABLE ODDS. AND DAYS LATER, WHEN HE MEETS THE MUSLIM KING UNDER A FLAG OF TRUCE, THE ENEMY KING TELLS HIM, “HOW CAN GOD NOT BE WITH YOU, IF YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED ALL THESE THINGS.”

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THE BOOK OF JAMES TELLS US WE’VE BEEN GIVEN INCREDIBLE KNOWLEDGE, INCREDIBLE WISDOM, AND INCREDIBLE FREEDOM BY THE WORD OF GOD.

BUT IT’S FREEDOM TO ACT, NOT A FREEDOM TO SELF INDULGE! (JAMES 1:26)

LET'S BE "DOERS" OF THE WORD, NOT JUST "HEARERS."

--Rick Trice,  9/27/06