Cover versus Concealment

The naval destroyer where I work has been running a lot of anti-terrorism drills lately. It’s a tad risky running drills on a warship, because in addition to all the fake reaction forces running around with fake guns and the fake bad guys running around with fake guns, you also have the real watchstanders going around with real guns prepared to shoot anyone who comes running at them with a real gun. So I spent a significant portion of my morning escorting the real watchstanders back and forth from their posts calling out “real guns!” to make sure no one ended up getting shot due to their acting abilities.

In the process of these drills, we went over refresher training on several concepts, including concealment and cover. As we were discussing them, I suddenly found myself thinking about Christianity.

Cover and Concealment

First, a practical note. What are cover and concealment?

“Concealment” means you are hidden from the bad guy’s view, but you have no real protection. If the bad guy points his weapon at you, the bullets will go through the concealment and still hit you. Concealment includes things like fake walls, tables and chairs (including aluminum ones), and most other things not made of thick wood and metal or rock.

“Cover,” on the other hand, means that you are behind something that will stop the bullet. The bad guy can shoot at you all he wants, but if you have cover in front of you, he won’t hit you. Cover includes things like metal, concrete, and brick walls; very large trees; any thick wooden or metal object; etc.

If someone is shooting at you, which would you rather have? Well, clearly, you’d rather have cover. As the Army manual puts it: “Concealment does not protect you from enemy fire. Do not think that you are protected from the enemy’s fire just because you are concealed.” Only cover offers real protection.

Rationalization and Justification

Now, with that in mind, let’s talk about rationalizing things versus justifying them. What are rationalization and justification?

Rationalization is where we try to explain away the truth to avoid looking our guilt in the face. We convince ourselves that it wasn’t really wrong, or that there’s no real right or wrong at all, or that we decide for ourselves what’s right and wrong. Why? Because we don’t want our guilt to catch up with us. But this is only concealment; in the face of a well-aimed accusation and a just judge, rationalization is no defense at all, any more than a sheet of paper could stop a bullet.

Justification, on the other hand, is like cover. When people start throwing accusations, justification gives a legitimate answer that stops them in their tracks. It doesn’t need to be clever; it’s just true. Much like cover versus concealment, justification is much harder to come by than rationalization. It restricts your movement more. But it works.

The Accuser

Why is this important? Because there is a bad guy out there, a bad guy shooting guilt at everyone he can get his hands on. He’s called “the accuser,” but you’ve probably heard him named in Greek, where the word translates to “dia-bolos,” literally meaning “to throw across.” We pronounce this “devil.” We are told he stalks about like a predator casting fiery darts and seeking people to devour; he “accuses them before our God day and night.”

This is why it is so important that we turn away from our society’s focus on rationalization and look our own guilt in the face. Because if we refuse real protection, preferring our easy concealment to the weightiness of true cover, then sooner or later we’re going to have to face our guilt – and God is a just judge. Do not think that you are protected from the enemy’s fire just because you’ve rationalized your actions.

But there is something that will cover us and stop the accusations in their tracks. How is the accuser defeated? “By the blood of the Lamb.” When we turn away from rationalization and accept true forgiveness (as I’ve explained before) we no longer have to worry about guilt. “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ” When the judge is the one justifying you, you don’t need to worry.

The End

But the ultimate answer to a bad guy is not cover. The ultimate answer is counterfire. We are told that one day, the accuser will be “hurled down” in defeat. One day the champion will come and strive with him, and the battle won’t be long. But the Commander of Armies is holding off, because the champion is also the just judge, and anyone who doesn’t take cover will be caught in the crossfire when he returns.

There’s only one place to take cover. But nothing in the universe can breach it.

“Take cover” by The U.S. Army is licensed under CC BY 2.0.