Is it possible to live a life without sin?
Sun Tzu’s, The Art of War, believed to be written in 512 BC, is a long-standing exposition on leadership, asserting that the paramount objective in warfare is to ruin the adversary’s strategy.[1] This insight holds profound relevance, particularly within the context of the spiritual battles faced by Christians. My life coach recently reminded me that “One of the greatest deceptions of the devil is making the church believe it is in a time of peace when in reality, it is at war.”[2] Martin Lloyd Jones famously and supposedly said, “The Christian life is a battleground, not a playground.”[3] The war, as stated by the Apostle Paul, “is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”[4]
Aligning with Sun Tzu’s strategy, Paul’s warnings about the devil’s schemes serve both as a forewarning and a means of preparation for the Christian, as he writes, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind.[5] This acknowledgement may make resisting sin more plausible, as understanding the devil’s tactics provides a strategic advantage.
Sun Tzu’s teachings offer leadership principles that not only formulate the foundation of contemporary leadership theories but also retain significant applicability in the modern Western context. These principles continue to equip and empower discerning Christians, maintaining their relevance over two millennia since their inception.
Here are seven (of the many) leadership insights from The Art of War and correlations with modern leadership theory and Christian application.
Lesson 1: Know Yourself and Your Enemy:[6]
Modern Correlation: This aligns with the SWOT analysis in business strategy[7]. Understanding both internal capabilities and external competition is crucial for strategic planning.
Christian correlation: Perhaps a regular individual SWOT analysis undertaken by Christians as part of an annual discipleship review would better equip them for living a defensive-based morality, anticipating temptations and rejecting sinful advances?
Lesson 2: Importance of Adaptability:[8]
Modern Correlation: This resonates with adaptive [9]and situational[10] leadership theories. Leaders must be flexible and adjust their style to meet the needs of different situations and team dynamics.
Christian Correlation: Ecclesiastes 3 reminds the Christian of the recognition of seasons and learning adaptive techniques for living in each season, and applicable tactics to responding to the wiles of the devil
Lesson 3: Strategic Planning:[11]
Modern Correlation: Strategic management theories emphasise the importance of setting clear goals, devising plans, and aligning resources to achieve these objectives. Effective planning and forecasting are fundamental in modern leadership.
Christian Correlation: The bible delivers immense insight into strategic planning, whether it is Planning with Wisdom and Prudence Proverbs 21:5, Seeking God’s Guidance Proverbs 16:3, The Value of Counsel and Collaboration, Proverbs 15:22, Consideration and Preparation Luke 14:28-30. These passages suggest that while strategic planning is valued, it should be approached with diligence, wisdom, and a reliance on divine guidance and counsel.
Lesson 4: Effective Use of Resources:[12]
Modern Correlation: The resource-based view (RBV) in strategic management focuses on optimising the use of internal resources and capabilities to gain a competitive advantage.
Christian correlation: A Christian could integrate RBV by ethically optimising resources and capabilities, seeking God’s guidance (Proverbs 16:3), and serving others.
Lesson 5: Deception and Intelligence:[13]
Modern Correlation: Competitive intelligence and strategic use of information are key in business. Leaders use market research, data analytics, and sometimes strategic misdirection to stay ahead.
Christian correlation While Christians are called to be wise, relying on God’s strength and truth, rather than using deception. Jesus mandates the use of cunning in Matthew 10:16.
Lesson 6: Unity and Morale:[14]
Modern Correlation: Transformational leadership theory emphasises the importance of inspiring and motivating team members, fostering a strong organisational culture and unity.
Christian Correlation: The Bible emphasises the importance of unity and morale among Christians in standing strong against the devil’s schemes. As an example, Ephesians 4:3 says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Lesson 7: Choose Battles Wisely:[15]
Modern Correlation: This aligns with the concept of strategic prioritisation and focus. Leaders must decide which projects or initiatives to pursue based on potential ROI and strategic alignment.
Christian Correlation: The Bible offers several principles on choosing battles wisely, emphasising discernment, wisdom, and seeking God’s guidance. Here are key verses: Proverbs 26:4-5: “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” Proverbs 20:3: “It is to one’s honour to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”
There is no shortage of leadership revelation and Christian application from the pages of “The Art of War.” It begs the question, with proper application and strategic implementation of Sun Tzu’s wisdom, the Bible and the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, “Is it possible to live a life without sin?’
[1] Tzu, Sun. 2007. Art of War. Translated by Lionel Giles. BN Publishing. 9.
[2] Interview with a life coach, June 30th, 2024.
[3] The quote “The Christian life is a battleground, not a playground” is commonly attributed to Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones, a Welsh preacher and influential figure in the 20th century. While it encapsulates his teaching style and theological perspective, it is not directly from one of his books or sermons in an easily identifiable form. Instead, it seems to be a paraphrase or a distillation of the themes he often emphasized.
[4] Ephesians 6:12.
[5] 1 Corinthians 10:13.
[6] Tzu, 15.
[7] Tsipursky, G. (2019). Your SWOT Analysis is Broken (Here’s How You Can Fix It). Accessed 12 July 2024, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/intentional-insights/201911/your-swot-analysis-is-broken-here-s-how-you-can-fix-it
[8] Tzu, 26.
[9] Heifetz, Ronald A., Marty Linsky, and Alexander Grashow. Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World: A Field Book for Practitioners. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business Review Press, 2009.
[10] Hersey, Paul. The Situational Leader. Escondido, Ca: Centre for Leadership Studies, 1992. 27.
[11] Tzu, 15.
[12] Ibid, 32.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Ibid. 52.
[15] Ibid, 37.
10 responses to “Is it possible to live a life without sin?”
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Glyn,
Good job relating the principles to both leadership practices and Christian perspectives. Which one of the lessons do you think you have learned the best? Which do you do well?
Hey Adam, the lesson I use most from the list is #6, “Unity and Morale.” I apply this by fostering collaborative decision-making and accountability within the executive teams I work with. There are team members with whom I share everything, and they do the same with me. We stand together with transparency and unity, leaving no shadows or secrets that could give the enemy a foothold.
Hi Glynn,
I want to compliment you as how you connected the book, The Art of War with modern leadership theory and Christian application. The text is divided into 13 chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of warfare. Which of the chapter(s) do you personally relate to and how would you apply it.
P.S. How was your trip to KL?
Hi Shela,
KL was incredible, as always. The people, the hospitality, the food, and the amazing churches were all wonderful.
Reflecting on the blog and the 13 chapters of The Art of War, I compare Chapter 12, “Attack with fire” with the fire to the Holy Spirit’s power in Christianity. Both fire and the Holy Spirit transform, purify, and disrupt. Just as fire in battle weakens the enemy, the Holy Spirit empowers believers, breaks spiritual strongholds, and refines lives according to God’s timing, bringing renewal and victory. After all, I am a Pentecostal 🙂
Hi Glyn, You brought up some thought provoking comments. Specifically, your lesson 7 Christian correlation section got me thinking. Someone needs to be very grounded in faith to know how to respond to a fool or perhaps in today’s world, someone who is obviously off the mark and causing havoc but is “certain” they are completely right. Not sure my thought process is what you were thinking but the thought I had was responding to someone who is so stuck in their ways is foolish because they do not want to change and if you aren’s careful and grounded in faith you could get caught up into it or inflame the situation in an unending debate. At the same time, it is important to draw attention to the ramifications the foolishness of the person so that the person doesn’t continue on that path thinking they are “right”without ever had anyone challenge the wrong assumptions, giving them the opportunity to reflect and perhaps change. Am I reading your use of Proverbs 26:4-5 the way your example intended?
Hi Diane. Yes, that’s how I see it. I believe that a fool is someone who deliberately ignores all good wisdom and ultimately rejects the advice that comes with sound judgment. In the words of Kenny Rogers, sometimes you just have to know when to “WALK AWAY!!”
Hi Glyn great post.
Regarding your mentor and the enemy convincing us that we are at peacetime when we are really at war reminds me of John Piper’s sermon on prayer as a war-time walkie talkie: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/prayer-the-work-of-missions
As we know from Sun Tzu, it’s critical that we know our enemy. Do you think Christians know our enemy well enough? In some western Christian contexts, the presence of an evil force is minimized. Based on your learnings from Sun Tzu, how would you encourage a Christian to know the enemy?
Thanks for the link Christy! I love John Piper’s preaching. I don’t think many Christians fully understand the devil’s tactics. If, as 1 Corinthians 10:13 suggests, he only uses tried and tested methods, we shouldn’t be losing Christians to the famous three G’s: Girls/Guys, Gold, and Glory. Yet, time and again, men and women of God fall because of these temptations.
One of the best ways to understand how the enemy works, apart from the Bible, is by reading books like The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis or The Bait of Satan by John Bevere. While these books aren’t infallible like Scripture, they offer valuable insight into the enemy’s strategies and help Christians grow in their understanding.
Glyn. What an interesting correlation to both leadership practices and spiritual life, warring against the enemy of God, and the evil in the human heart / “flesh”.
Can you please unpack your title and last sentence a bit deeper? What do you mean by applying this philosophical wisdom in asking the question of how to live a life without sin?
Thanks, Joel. Building on the 1 Corinthians 10:13 passage I mentioned earlier, the devil consistently tempts us with his usual tactics. If sin means yielding to his ways, then understanding his strategies and knowing how to respond could help us avoid letting sin interfere and ruin our lives. I’m not referring to the sinful nature we’re born with or dismissing the reality that we are sinners by nature, but as we mature in Christ and learn to resist the enemy’s attacks, perhaps we can—and should—sin less. Hope that makes sense.