By Lamont H. Fuchs, Ed.D.
2 Timothy 2:1-4 – Thou therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.
I know you are not reading this for a history lesson on the life of a Roman soldier but now think about what Paul was saying when he wrote this. As soldiers for Christ, we must be willing and ready as dedicated and enlisted soldiers for His work 24/7 and not be distracted by our civilian life. We are to live “All In” as Christian soldiers in our civilian life. That is dedication, devotion, and surrender.
In consideration of everything Paul is saying, people should commit to that intensive kind of enlistment.
Consider what Jesus said to his disciples. In Mark 8, written in red letters beginning with verse 34, And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it. For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? For what should a man give in exchange for his life? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Now, the context and the meaning of what Paul writes about being a soldier get real. The people Jesus was speaking to knew exactly what it meant to follow Him.
Do you have that kind of commitment? Living a Christian life takes courage. It takes considerable fortitude to step up or step out and say – I will. I understand many cannot or will not make that decision for fear of what that kind of enlistment might do to the lives they love to live right now.
So, take the other road and surrender. Yeah, that is what I said; surrender to Jesus and let him stand you up to be His soldier. Give yourself over to the higher power – to Jesus, and let Him take your life. You may not be ready for battle. You may need to get in shape. You need to learn how to use spiritual weapons; you need to know and understand the battle plan. You may need to stop some civilian activities that hinder your relationship with God. He will guide you. Once accepted, the Spirit that dwells within you will train you and protect you. The Spirit will work on you over time and help you understand what you need to do to become more Holy. Have faith in God to clean you up and change the things you know are not right in your life.
The military takes civilians just as they are and makes them soldiers. Jesus and the Spirit do precisely the same thing. It is a lifetime commitment and a new way of life, but it is a life that is an eternal reward in Heaven. So, save your life; give it to Jesus today.
Find a hymnal and sing – Onward Christian Soldiers. It might bring back a few memories of what this discussion is all about.
God and Father, you alone are worthy to follow. Lead my life and be a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path. Shod my feet with the faith to follow you wherever you lead me. Give me whatever tools are needed to be your servant and soldier in battle. Please give me the courage to fight and stand firm for the gospel wherever and whenever allowed to witness.
