Rules for Reformers

by Douglas Wilson

Principles that govern every form of conflict are constant in all possible scenarios.

Those who comprehend the principles involved are effective leaders. I would go so far as to say that this is one of the fundamental characteristics of effective leadership.

The distinction between principles and “methods” is an objective one.

principles do not fight by themselves. Principles are always incarnate in a particular method.

principles being what they are, remember that they apply whenever there is any kind of conflict or competition.

Principles do not apply themselves. They must be studied, understood, grasped, and applied.

it is also possible for someone to apply the right principle at the wrong time.

Everything has its time and place, including these principles.

One of the first things a reformer has got to get used to is the experience of being despised and unpopular.

Societies do awful things (that which needs to be reformed) because they want to, and the reformer is the one beckoning them to a state of affairs that they don’t much want.

The man of integrity decides according to the law, and not according to whether the plaintiff has had a hard life.

A true reformer gives the PR department fits.

Jesus teaches us to expect slander, to expect misrepresentation. Further, He teaches us to believe that when this happens, it is a sign that we are gaining on it.

being heavenly-minded is not an opiate—being heavenly-minded brings real earthly perspective.

In a battle of accusations and counter-accusations, they will always have the advantage. Let them have it. Devils make better accusers, always, and we are not in this to create right-wing devils. No, we have a better game to play than that.

When they cheat, and we get angry, this is nothing less than us enabling their cheating to work, to have its intended effect. The appropriate response is for them to cheat, and for us to grin.

A decisive point is a place that is significant enough to matter to the enemy if you successfully take it, and insignificant enough to actually take.

To identify and go after a decisive point is the way to have a disproportionate impact.

If our goal is to advance the kingdom, then we will be able to think clearly as we meditate on what will actually help to accomplish that.

When we lose the appropriate measurement of victory, one of the first things that happens is that false measurements appear almost immediately.

the first principle answers the question—what are we trying to achieve?

it is not enough to acknowledge this in a perfunctory way that affirms the ultimate objective while failing to work toward that ultimate objective by means of intelligently ascertained subordinate objectives.

every principle must be clothed in a particular method.

The objective must be pursued by particular actions,

The “clothing” of the action does not reveal the objective:

the inhabitants of said house divide into three main groups, distinguished by the different approaches they take to what we should do about this sad reality. Three different groups have three differing objectives. One group has simply accommodated itself to the way it all is.

their vision for the house as a whole is nonexistent.

The second group belongs to the revolution.

it is an article of faith with them (held with a religious fervor) that the only thing we can do is burn it down and start over.

duplicitous

the issue is never the issue. The real issue is power,

gasoline. The third group, among whom I happily number myself, sees the house as a fixer-upper.

detritus.

Christians need to cultivate a robust biblical eschatology, which will direct us on what we are supposed to be doing with the house.

it is not enough to know which group to identify with. If you pick the group with the tools, as I hope you do, it is still necessary to learn how to use them.

Objective Takeaway Point: The objective needs to be clear, and rightly nested within other, larger objectives. When the bugle blows indistinctly, no one gets ready for battle.

These principles of war are principles of effective fighting, showing us how to engage in conflict. They are not the same as moral principles.

They tell you how to fight effectively; they do not tell you whether you should be fighting.

Evil authorities are first to have the word preached to them,

Secondly, it is permissible to flee persecution,

third, it is permissible to take up arms against a ty...

the wise are those who take the initiative whenever they have the opportunity.

if ethical considerations do not prevent one from taking the offensive, all thought and energy should be employed either in taking the offensive, or planning on how to move from defense to offense. Survival should never be the goal, stalemate is not the goal, absence of collision is not the goal.

Offensive Takeaway Point: We should look for a way to stop responding to initiatives of the adversary and start behaving in such a way that they have to figure out how to respond to us. Take the initiative.

Concentration will be most effective when applied to a decisive point—a place where it is likely that your concentration will work, and where it will matter a great deal to the enemy if it does work.

Concentration means taking coordinated aim—applying an artificial and additional force to create an “outnumbered” situation in one place along the line.

Cooperation is accomplished by means of unity of command.

Because cooperation involves the doing, it is one of the most difficult principles to observe.

The word provide comes from two Latin words, meaning to see beforehand. You can give the provision because you saw it coming.

Winning an argument, with documents and everything, is not what brings repentance. This is because cultural damnation is denial of God, denial of the truth, denial of reason, denial of what is obvious, and it is denial of all these things, no matter what.