THE ENLISTMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER

Ephesians 6:10; 2 Timothy 2:1-3

One of the most common physical complaints is that which is commonly called, "being run down." Often this is manifested in an eruption of boils or abscesses in the body which indicates that we are physically below par. In the blood stream we have red corpuscles and white corpuscles. They are like an army. The red corpuscles are the ordinance troops which carrying supplies of oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body. The white cells are the defenders against infection, they militate against infection. When we are "run down" our bodies are under attack and the white corpuscles, which normally rush to our defense and quench the invading infection, fail to do their job efficiently. In the ensuing battle within the body many cells die and the eruption of the abscesses are an indication that the white cells are coping with their job. Abscesses and boils are the grave yards of dead tissue, dead cells and dead germs which are all victims of the physical war within.

As in the physical body, there is also a constant battle going on so also in the spiritual realm. The first mention of the word "church" in the New Testament implies that the church is under attack. "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Mt.16:18

Sadly, there are many Christian who are not only unaware of this constant conflict, but they also refuse to become involved. Just as the white cells of the "run down" body are not doing their job, so also in the "run down" church there are many Christians who fail to play their part.

When the Apostle penned the word's "Finally brethren, be strong in the Lord…" (Eph.6:10) he was not giving the "finally" of a concluding theme. Rather, it is the commencement of the climax to the letter. Like the pointed finger of the military figure in the familiar wartime poster with the caption, "Your country need you," so Paul calls for all to be on the Lord's side. Paul was writing from a prison cell in Rome where he was surrounded by four Roman soldiers. Undoubtedly as he looked at these men dressed in armour and ready for war, he was prompted to remind his readers in Ephusus of the spiritual conflict in which Christians are engaged.

Spiritual conflict was not a new phenomena in Paul's day. When Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt and toward the Red Sea they were pursued by the armies of Pharaoh. These Hebrews were not only liberated slaves, they were all immediately enlisted to be in the Lord's army. Hence the Lord declared, "The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name." (Ex.15:3) Moses challenged the people and asked "Who is on the LORD'S side ? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him…thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my Lord saith." (Exodus 32:26, 27)

This is battle is a war of the ages. It is the struggle between light and darkness, between heaven and hell, between truth and error, between the prince of Life and the Ruler of Darkness. We know that we are on the winning side, nevertheless, even though he is a defeated foe, the Devil is like a cornered animal and still rages against the Lord's people today. As Christians we are to be aware what we are in a battle.

This is not a physical nor a visible battle. The battle of the mind is a raging war where the devil seeks to reek havoc on the people of God by infiltrating and corrupting their minds. The battle of the home is another field where the Devil is having a heyday. Marriage is in crisis and parental control is almost a losing battle. There is the battle for the youth of our land and the children in our schools. We need to stand up, stand up for Jesus as Christian soldiers who are called to arms in spiritual warfare. We cannot afford to be ignorant of the Devil's devices. We dare not choose to be indifferent and not involved in the conflict. This is a clarion call to all Christians to arms against the adversary.

When Paul likened Christians to a soldier prepared for war we should understand that an imperial soldier and a military garrison were familiar scenes in the Roman and Greek world. Paul consistently drew the parallel to Christians as soldiers of King Jesus. Archippus is called a fellow soldier as was also Epaphraditus. (Philemon 2; Philippians 2:25)

The words "my brethren" suggest to us:

1. THE RECRUITMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER

(a) The Christian Soldier must be a citizen. It stands to sense that to be a soldier of a nation the person must not be an alien to that country. To be a soldier there must be loyalty to the King and the Kingdom. Paul already reminded the Ephesian believers that they were no more strangers, but fellow-citizens of the heavenly Kingdom.

Moses commanded the children of Israel, "Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies." (Numb.1:2,3) Every male slave delivered out of the Kingdom of Pharoah was enlisted as a recruit in the army of Jehovah.

(b) The Christian Soldier is chosen and commissioned. "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." 2Timothy 2:4; What a high honour it is to be enrolled among His soldiers.

Paul also posed the question, "Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?"(1 Corinthians 9:7) None of us have chosen this battle. We are chosen to battle. All of God's soldiers are hand picked., called by their name and allocated to their division in God's army.

(c) The Christian Soldier must be constant. King Solomon gave the directive, "And there is no discharge in that war;" (Ecclesiastes 8:8) Involvement in this battle has nothing to do with how long we have been on the Christian pathway. From the moment of our conversion until we are called home or caught up to be with Christ, there is no discharge from this fight.

2. THE REQUIREMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER

(a) The Christian soldier must be Strong in the Lord. - "Be strong in the Lord." Paul's epistle to the Ephesians was majoring on the "riches" that we have in Christ. We must endeavor to be constantly strong in Him. This means we recognize our own weakness and His wealth. When we are weak, He is strong. When we admit our poverty we realize His power. When we recognize we cannot then we begin to see that God can. Hudson Taylor explained that to be strong in the Lord it was a matter of "exchanging our weakness for His strength."

What is this strength of the Lord? The strength in the Lord has nothing to do with the length of our experience. Maturity of Christian experience is much more than the measure of years. In the first chapter Paul indicated what that power and strength is. It is "the greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places," (Ephesians 1:18-20) We have resurrection strength in the Lord - that is the strength that defeated Satan and death.

We have the power of the precious blood of the Lamb. "The accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Revelation 12:11

We have the power of the Word of God. "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

(b) He must stand in Christ against Satan. Four times in this section Paul uses the word "against." Paul had a vivid conception of the powerful forces that are arrayed against the Church of Jesus Christ.

To be able to contend against these forces the Christian needs to be aware of his standing "in Christ." This standing denotes our union with Him and He with us. According to Paul in the first two chapters of Ephesians we are sitting with Christ. In the chapters four and five we are walking with Him. Now we are standing for Him. (Ephesians 6:10) Three times Paul tells the Christian to stand and withstand against the devil. (See Ephesians 6:13,14.)

Christians need to stand up against the trend of the times. What does it mean to stand and withstand?

It is God who is able to make us stand. (Rom. 14:4)

We are to stand in grace. (Rom. 5:2)

We are to stand fast in the faith. (1 Cor. 16:13)

We are to stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free. (Gal. 5:1)

We are to stand fast in unity (Phil. 1:27)

(c) The Christian soldier must suffer hardness. 2Tim.2:3; Paul's picture of the Christian soldier is that of a soldier at war and not on parade - not yet. The day of the victory parade will come. At present the Christian should be dressed in battle fatigue and galvanized for action. He should be ready for sacrifice in what he must endure, by what he must avoid and for Whom he must obey.

(d) The Christian soldier must be separated to his task. "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." (Timothy 2:4) Paul has in mind the picture of a military garrison where the solider is barracked. He is ready to be called away at any moment and therefore, he does not get entangled in local matters.

The Christian soldier does not run with the devil's crowd not engage in the enemies work. It was said of Lord Nelson, "He was a man of one arm, one eye and one aim -the enemy." The Christian soldier is not only called to fight. He is called to focus on one aim - to please Him.

3. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER

(a) The Christian Soldier is called to be a good Soldier What is a good soldier?

A good Soldier is one who obeys his commander. Loyalty is best expressed by obedience.

A good soldier is one who knows his objectives. - The reason why the soldier of Christ chooses to obey Christ is to please Him"

A good soldier is an opponent of the enemy There should be no traitors in Christ's army.

(b)  The Christian Soldier is called to Fight a good Fight 1 Tim.6:12 2 Tim.4:7; Not just to fight well but that it is a worthwhile fight. We are on the victory side. That's what makes it a good fight.

4. THE READINESS OF THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER

Paul had in view the Christian soldier standing in the strength of His Commander, facing the enemy and standing alongside the brethren and in the Lord. As we shall see in our study, it is not only important that the Christian put on the whole armour of God, but he must also be in the right posture.

5. THE REWARD OF THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER

When Paul wrote to Timothy he wrote as a father to a son, as a master to a student and as a captain writing to a new recruit. As the Christian soldier Paul encouraged Timothy to serve in Christ's army "to please Him." He continued in the same letter to Timothy remind the younger man of the crown that followed for those who completed the good race and fought in the good fight. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:7,8)

Paul contemplated the victor's crown to be worn on the day of victory. However, we should be aware that where there is no cross there will be no crown.

There will be the crown of rejoicing for those who reach the lost. 1 Thess. 2:19

There will be the crown of life for those who resist temptation. James 1:12

There will be the crown of glory for those responsible for the flock of God. 1 Peter 5:4

There will be the crown of righteousness for those who rally to the fight. 2Timothy 4:,7,8