© 21 Colin Melbourne
Tract images © Chick Publns. Used by permission
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.Holy Bible, Psalms 91:1-4 KJV
(A buckler is a small round shield used in hand-to-hand combat, about the size of a dinner plate, so is more manoeuvrable than a full-size body shield.)
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Flying as a Profession?
Q: Can a Christian become an airplane pilot for a career? I have heard some people say that a Christian cannot, because Christians have to get married to be saved, and being an airplane pilot is not good for marriage.
A: That’s an interesting question, and you are wise to seek God’s will in the matter of your career. The Holy Spirit of God longs for you to invite Him to lead you in all the details of your brief time on Earth.
God’s plan for our lives is infinitely better than we can imagine, or fulfil without His guidance and power in our hearts.
That is why the LORD Jesus Christ taught His very first followers in John 15:3-5 KJV;
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Almighty God wants to live in you, by His Spirit, so that you can abide in Christ always, then you will know God’s will for yourself, and He will supply the power and ability to fulfil His will.
Without Him Ye Can Do Nothing
Apart from Christ, your life will have zero eternal value, it will be a fruitless, unsatisfying, waste of time and opportunity.
That is why Jesus said to a very religious man called Nicodemus, diligently trying to honour God, John. 3:3-7 KJV;
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Becoming God’s Child…
…Is the most wonderful experience it is possible to have on Earth.
It’s receiving the eternal life of God into the core of our beings, and it happens the instant a sinner truly repents and believes on Christ Jesus as LORD and their Saviour.
Salvation is NOT Religion
It has nothing to do with religion, or church routines: It is far more real, intimate, and powerful than that. It’s literally life-changing. You switch from being a sinful child of the Devil, born in sin, and condemned to die a sinner’s death, to being spiritually born from above, born of God to become His child, made righteous by the faith of Christ.
So make sure you have that experience first and foremost, then the rest of your life on Earth will be of eternal value and bring glory, praise, and honour to your Creator.
Here’s how to be born again and saved the Holy Bible way.
God Wants Your Life
Understand that God wants you more than you want Him, and He proved it by dying to purchase your redemption, Romans 5:8 KJV;
God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Why did God in The Flesh die for us? Rom. 4:25-5:1 KJV;
Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
To bring believers into right-standing with Him by paying for our guilt, and give us His Spirit & His peace always.
I’ve explained this first so that you will see the answer to your question from God’s perspective.
The One who made you knows what is best for you, He loves you more than anybody on Earth loves you.
It was He who led you to ask me about your career because He knew I would point you to Him.
He cares about you more than anybody.
His plan for your life is far better than any man or woman on Earth can know.
How You Can Meet God Today
Ask Him to reveal Himself to you through His written word, The Holy Bible KJV, read the Gospel of John with a sincere heart, and God will speak to you as never before: Just as He did to me.
Then you’ll be have The Answer to your question.
When Christ comes into a person’s heart He sets them free from sin, religion, and all of Satan’s power: The Bible calls it being saved.
Whoever said you need to be married to be saved was flat-wrong, listen to Jesus teaching on how to be saved in John 3:14-18 KJV;
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Whosoever Believeth
Marital status has nothing to do with the matter: Salvation is for whosoever believeth, single or married, young or old, rich or poor, sick or healthy, black, brown, or white skinned, Jew or Gentile… whosoever believeth!
The book of Romans sums it up like this, Romans 10:9-13 KJV;
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Call on Christ to save you and you will be saved. Then you will know, hear, and follow Him because you love Him.
Now to answer your question about flying.
Can a Christian become an airplane pilot for a career?
Yes, of course you can be a professional pilot if that is what the LORD calls you to be, but you will only know after you become born again, and diligently seek Him.
Christians are free to choose whether they obey the One they claim as LORD… or not.
Those who obey are blessed and fruitful, those who go their own way; fall into sin, are convicted, disciplined, and chastened.
Unless they repent they wither and perish prematurely. (See 1 Cor. 11:28-30)
Flying as a Profession
Ask yourself why you want to be a professional pilot.
The godly answer will be, “Because the LORD told me to be a pilot.”
If your answer is; “Because it looks exciting, glamorous, and is well paid.” : You will be dismayed.
General aviation flying for pleasure is indeed great fun, and very liberating, however flying as a professional airline pilot is the opposite; it is stressful, very demanding, and strictly confines pilots to company and aeronautical rules and regulations.
Furthermore, as you hint in your question, that is far from ideal if the LORD wants you to marry and build a Christ-centred family.
I suggest you befriend, and examine the lives of heavy-jet pilots, ask them if they enjoy flying, then watch their faces closely as they respond.
They actually do very little real flying, most of their trips are on autopilot from take-off to landing.
Monitoring instruments, flicking switches, pressing buttons, tapping coordinates into a flight-control computer, and obeying instructions from air-traffic control is not my idea of pleasurable piloting.
Military aviation is out of the question for a Christian because all earthly governments are directly under Satan’s control (2 Cor. 4:4), consequently you’d be yielding to the Devil’s authority every day of your working life, and resisting the LORD.
Christians are called to submit to God and resist the Devil (Jas. 4:7).
Flying military aircraft, or drones, and firing missiles at your government’s enemies is the antithesis of what the LORD wants His children doing.
Other forms of aviation career may suit a Christian, and give more opportunity to manually fly aircraft. I’m thinking of Christian mission flying organisations such as; Missionary Aviation Fellowship, Kingdom Air Corps, and SEND International.
You could also consider; ferrying aircraft, agricultural aviation, aerial surveying, helicopter taxi and ambulance, medevac flying-doctor services, and flight school teachers.
But your priority is to ensure you are born of God the way Christ described, and then let Him lead you step by step, and day by day.
Heavenly Father, show yourself in mercy to every reader, and guide each of them into your Everlasting Arms. Thank you that you hear me because of the Name and precious Blood of The LORD Jesus Christ. Amen
© 21 Colin Melbourne
You may also wish to read;
How to be Led by God’s Holy Spirit