Alright, welcome to Thursday at Outlaw Faith — time to talk about the fight.
Paine didn’t write Common Sense so people could sit in a candlelit coffeehouse, sip tea, and say “Hmm, he makes a fine point.” No — he was trying to drag them off the fence and into the fight. The whole point of freedom is building something better — and that’s work. Hard work. Bloody knuckles work.
Why the Fight Always Comes
Paine knew what we forget: Freedom is never handed down. It’s either fought for, or taken away. There’s no peaceful middle ground where everyone sings kumbaya and agrees to leave you alone. Evil doesn’t retire. Lies don’t take a day off. Bureaucrats don’t suddenly decide they have too much power.
“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”
That’s straight from Paine — and it’s Bible-level true too:
“Fight the good fight of faith.” — 1 Timothy 6:12
This fight isn’t optional. It’s baked into the deal. If you want a future that’s worth living — one where your kids aren’t apologizing for believing in Jesus or thinking freedom is cool — you gotta fight for it.
What Fighting Looks Like in 2025
Here’s the thing: Most of us aren’t called to muskets and bayonets (though if you own a flintlock, respect). Today’s fight looks like:
- Knowing the truth well enough to spot the lie.
- Raising kids who can argue without crying.
- Refusing to treat the Bible like a self-help app.
- Having the guts to say “no” — to sin, to propaganda, to comfort.
Fighting as a Christian: Spoiler, It’s Weird
The Bible’s version of fighting is upside down. Jesus says stuff like:
“Love your enemies.” (Matthew 5:44)
Which sounds insane until you realize — loving your enemies doesn’t mean letting them walk all over you. It means fighting for their soul even while you fight against their lies.
That’s next-level outlaw stuff. That’s what makes the world tilt its head like a confused golden retriever. They expect hate — they get truth and love in the same breath. That’s the fight we’re in.
The Cost of Sitting It Out
Paine warned the people of his time that if they didn’t fight, they’d deserve whatever came next. Same here. If we’re too distracted, too soft, or too scared to stand up, our kids inherit the mess — and they’ll look at us the way we look at people who thought disco was a good idea.
You don’t have to be a preacher or a politician — but you do have to show up. In your home. At your job. In your community. Even just knowing your own rights — your real rights — makes you dangerous in a world that thrives on ignorance.
Tomorrow: Building It Now — Where We Start, What We Build, and Who We Build It With.