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Soldiers of Christ, Arise!

Let me turn your attention to our military for a moment.  (It doesn't have to be American, although I am especially partial!)…any military will do for my illustration.  What are some characteristics you can think of?  Feel free to leave your comments!  Here are some I thought of:
  1. looks sharp
  2. disciplined
  3. works hard
  4. defends a cause
  5. not focused on selfish desires 

Now, there's no doubt a number of other characteristics that could be added to this; but this gives us a good start.  This is an excellent comparison for us, Christian!  There are so many countless people today who call themselves "Christians," and yet really have no desire to follow the Savior.  (perhaps I'll save that for another post!)  At any rate, God calls us to have all of those characteristics, and yet too many Christians today would rather just do their own thing.  What a shame!  I think our military today would call that going "AWOL," (meaning Absent Without Official Leave: A term used in the United States Military to describe a soldier or other military member who has left his or her post without permission--usually in disagreement with a particular order)...and somehow I think that's a pretty good definition of so many Christians today.     

Now let's turn to a couple verses in Scripture, 2 Timothy 2:3-4: "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."In this book of the Bible, Paul is writing to Timothy, a young pastor, trying to encourage him and instruct him.  Paul instructs Timothy to "endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."  He is encouraging him to be strong in the Lord, to "endure hardness," and to be careful not to be "entangled" with the "affairs of this life."  Some points we need to be careful to heed.Now lets turn to another well-known passage, Ephesians 6:10-18, speaking about the Christian warfare and in particular his armor: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

Now, in closing, think for a moment of the many songs in our hymnals about being a soldier of Christ:
Soldiers of Christ, Arise!
Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus
Sound the Battle Cry
The Banner of the Cross
Am I a Soldier of the Cross

And I'm sure there are many, many others you could list.  When you have a spare moment, take a few minutes and just look through the words of those precious songs.  What wonderful and convicting words they have!  Are we a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb?--or do we blush to speak His name??  Are we careful to put our armor on, stand strong in His strength alone?  Do we lift high the banner of the cross?  Do we rest our cause upon His Holy Word?       God has called us for a purpose--and that is to be a witness in this dark and sinful world.  We should no longer be attached to this world--nor our selfish desires.  We are not our own, Christian (1 Cor. 6:19-20)…we have been bought with a price: "therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
                    
            Soldiers of Christ, Arise!
            Merle
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