2 Timothy 2:1-13: A Good Soldier of the Lord

2 Timothy 2:1-13: A Good Soldier of the Lord

            Among many images the Apostle Paul gives to describe believers, he refers to us in scripture as soldiers of Christ Jesus. This is a vivid image to compare followers of Christ to, for we often think of soldiers as fighters, and this is certainly one function of a soldier. In Paul’s second letter to young Timothy, he finds himself imprisoned under Nero’s reign, and unlike his former confidence of being released, he does not present this hope in this particular letter. In fact, during this imprisonment, Paul was eventually martyred for his faith in Christ. It seems that Paul perhaps faced a concern that Timothy was in danger of weakening spiritually, a grave concern since he trusted Timothy to continue his ministry. Paul was Timothy’s mentor. We all have people in our lives who have helped us in so many respects and entrust us to continue their legacy. This was Paul to Timothy. Paul found it necessary then to encourage Timothy and spur him on in his faith.[1] For this reason, Paul refers to followers of Christ as soldiers or warriors if you will. It might not seem like the harshness of military drills could encourage someone, but the hard work eventually pays off if the soldier is willing to stick to the plan. My dad used to work with me daily on pitching when I played baseball, and although some days my arm felt like it was going to fall off, the hard work paid off when it came time for the game. Being a good soldier of the Lord requires hard work and perseverance. This is an aspect of our faith that we often hear and discuss, but very rarely do we allow this truth to penetrate our hearts and lives and cause us to live in such a manner. We do not like to think of the Christian faith as something we must fight through or toil with. We would prefer it to be happy-go-lucky, but the fact is that living an authentic Christian faith is difficult and often requires sacrifice and obedience in ways that we cannot comprehend and don’t make sense and in ways that are perhaps excruciatingly difficult. In this letter to Timothy, Paul is encouraging him to live a life as a worthy soldier of Jesus Christ. In the same way, we are called to live as worthy soldiers of the Christ, as good soldiers of the Lord. How does one do this? We know the commands of scripture; we know what we are called to do; so how then do we do it? What is the foundation upon which a good soldier must be built? Paul gives this prescription in 2 Timothy 2:1-13, and there are three imperatives that we must realize and internalize about a good soldier of the Lord.

2 Timothy 2:1-13 English Standard Version (ESV)

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus,² and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men^[a] who will be able to teach others also. ³ Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. ⁵ An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. ⁷ Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, ⁹ for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. ¹¹ The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
¹² if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he also will deny us;
¹³ if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

A Good Soldier Suffers for His Enlister (vv. 1-7)

            Paul writes this letter in the midst of suffering so it is appropriate that he focuses largely on the suffering of a soldier of the Lord. The mark of a Christian is not prosperity but suffering. This is contrary to the message of many churches today. Paul says, in verse 3, to share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ. We are to follow Christ to the ultimate suffering if necessary. In other words, if we are not willing to lay down our lives for his sake, we are not good soldiers. Often we associate being a soldier of the Lord with being a witness for the Lord. The Greek word for witness means martyr. This is what the early church understood about following Christ. It was not taken lightly. How many people in our country would still claim to be Christians if they knew that following Christ meant losing their lives? We might have a lot of empty pews. The acid test of following Christ is now how well we prosper but how well we suffer, and we suffer well in knowing that what we do is for his sake, not our own.

            Paul clarifies this though by making sure that our suffering is done for the sake of Christ. If we suffer because of our own stupidity, that is not being a good soldier. There is a godly way to deal with our own mistakes, but this is not the suffering Paul is speaking of here. He is speaking of suffering on behalf of Christ. Verse 4 tells us that a good soldier does not entangle himself in civilian pursuits but instead aims to please the one who enlisted him. In other words, Christ is our focus and our prize and nothing else. When our focus is taken off Christ and placed on worldly pursuits, we entangle ourselves in civilian pursuits. The battle is constant, and we cannot waver. What does this mean for us on a daily basis? This means that we make every decision based on the glory and honor of God, which may involve difficult actions. It could mean losing a job because of a stand for Christ. It could mean ridicule from those who do not understand the gospel. It could mean following God into something that does not make any sense to the world. When did following God become about making sense? When did it ever make sense in the Bible? Look at the examples we have. Abraham, go to a land I will show you. He had no idea where that was. Moses, lead an entire nation out of slavery against an Egyptian army. David, kill a giant with a sling and a stone. This is not to say that something is God’s will if it does not make sense, but these things did not make sense. We should not write something off simply because our human logic cannot fathom it. Being a soldier of Christ requires trusting him and following him wherever he leads. As the scripture says, an athlete must compete according to the rules and it is the hard-working farmer who reaps a harvest. God sets the rules, and following him requires hard work and endurance, particularly in times of difficulty. We are assured, in verse 7, that the Lord will give us understanding. We are not asked to understand but to trust because the understanding itself will not come from our own minds but instead from God. We are called to focus on and trust our enlister, namely Jesus Christ, and we are called to suffer for his sake. This is the mark of a good soldier.

A Good Soldier Remembers the Goal (vv. 8-10)

            We must also realize that a good soldier remembers the goal. The goal and prize in our lives is Jesus Christ. Romans 8:29 says that the purpose of our salvation is to be conformed into the image of Christ. Heaven is not the ultimate prize. Often we make the mistake of telling unbelievers that heaven is the goal when the reality is that our goal is becoming like Christ, and throughout the Christian life, we are being transformed into his image. Paul says, in 2 Corinthians 3:18, that we are being transformed from one degree of glory to another. I refer to this as progressive sanctification. Christ is the goal, and a good soldier remembers not only that this is the goal but remembers Christ and who he is period. If we see Christ for who he is, we will be changed. Paul says, in verse 8, to remember Jesus Christ. He does not say to remember what he has done, although this is absolutely crucial as well; he says to remember Jesus Christ. Here the Greek word for remember is active and implies continuation. In other words, we are not only to remember Christ but to keep on remembering him. He must be at the forefront of everything we do in a daily basis. He should not be number one on our priority list, but he must literally be our priority list. He must be the purpose and foundation of our work, school, family, relationships, and even our leisure activities. A good soldier remembers the goal; our goal is Jesus Christ. If we do not remember Jesus Christ, we will cave under pressure when trials come. Basing our lives on anything else such as education, financial stability, government, retirement, etc. will ultimately fail us. Paul was suffering when he wrote this to Timothy; yet he was encouraged and strong in his faith because he remembered Jesus Christ. He says, in verse 10, that he endures everything for the sake of the elect that they may obtain the salvation in Jesus Christ. When we remember Christ, we suffer well and are, therefore, good soldiers. This has a profound impact on the lives of those who do not yet know Christ. God uses our suffering to bring others to him. This is why our foundation must be Christ and Christ alone. The reformers often spoke of solus Christus or Christ alone. He alone must be our foundation. Anything else will fail. It is not a matter of if but when. A good soldier remembers the goal, namely Jesus Christ.

            I am not a very good golfer, but I enjoy playing at times. One thing I am certain of is that when I swing the club, if I do not keep my eye focused on the ball, I am very likely to miss-hit it or not hit it at all. My eye must remain fixed on the ball and my head steady. Even though the rest of my body may move, my head must remain directly focused on the goal. If I turn it in any direction, my chances of striking effectively are weakened significantly. In the same manner, if we remove our focus from the goal of Jesus Christ, we cannot be effective soldiers for his glory. Our eyes must be fixed on him at every moment of our lives, and we must never waver from that.

A Good Soldier Remains Faithful (vv. 11-13)

            Once our foundation is built upon Christ, we must follow through and remain faithful. A good soldier remains faithful and does not waver when the test comes. Paul encourages us by pointing out that death is not the end for those in Christ, for if we die with him, we will also live with him and if we endure, we will also reign with him. Philippians 1:21 tells us that to live is Christ and to die is gain. This is backwards from what the world tells us. Again following Christ does not make sense except in the economy of God, not the world. If we are dead to this world and all its pleasures and profits, we will forever receive and eternal blessing with Christ. If we are faithful, we will ultimately persevere. However, if we deny Christ, he will deny us, according to verse 12. Paul then says, in verse 13, that if we are faithless, he remains faithful. The faithlessness spoken of here is referring to a lack of saving faith, not to weak or struggling faith. Unbelievers will ultimately deny Christ, and “as faithful as Jesus is to save those who believe in him, he is equally faithful to judge those who do not. To act any other way would be inconsistent with his holy, unchangeable nature.”[2] This is why it is crucial for us as the church to live as good soldiers of the Lord, allowing God to work in and through us in bringing the lost to him. Our battle is not against the lost but for Christ to make himself known to them through us. Yes, we will face difficulties. If we are not facing difficulties, something is wrong; all believers are guaranteed to face trials. Yes, we will have to fight and struggles and toil. Is it worth it though? Absolutely because it is not for us but for a greater cause. We are living for something bigger than ourselves, and his name is Jesus Christ whom we must remember and serve as faithful soldiers. A good soldier remains faithful no matter how difficult the road is. Remain faithful, and remember his glory.

            My dog is faithful to me. It could easily be seen as a very unhealthy relationship. Yes, I love my dog very much, but her love for me is what is amazing. In fact, I often think that God desires our hearts toward him to be what a dog’s is toward us. My dog lives to please me. Every waking moment for her is to make sure she knows I am loved by her. Someone else could offer her the entire world, and she would not care because she is faithful to me. She doesn’t care what kind of house I live in, how much money I make, or what kind of car I drive as long as I come home to her every day and give her a little affection. We must be faithful to God no matter what the world offers us or does to us, no matter how difficult things get, and no matter what the cost. Being a good soldier of the Lord requires faithfulness.

Conclusion

            We have seen three imperatives of a good soldier: 1) suffering for the glory of God, 2) remembering the goal in Christ Jesus, and 3) remaining faithful. We must each ask ourselves if we fit this description of a good soldier. If not, we must ask the Lord himself to work in our hearts and lives in making us more like him and in making us good sufferers, people who remember him and run with steadfastness toward the prize in him, and people who remain faithful to his cause. As the hymn says, “I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold…I’d rather be faithful to his dear cause.” When that is our heart’s cry, then and only then will we be good soldiers of the Lord.

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[1] 2 Timothy 1:6.

[2] MacArthur Study Bible ESV note on v. 13.

Fun in Austin

I had a great time in the Austin area this week with Christina Delgado. We went swimming in the San Marcos River, saw the state capital, ate some amazing gourmet Ramen noodles, and met up with some old friends and mentors. Here are some great pictures from the trip.

Simplicity or Complexity: what Does It Mean to Give God Our Best?

Here is a recent article I had published.

Uninhibited Worship

Here is an article I wrote for Experiencing Worship on uninhibited worship.

Excellence in Church Music Ministry

Here is my article on excellence in church music ministry.

Thoughts on Police Corruption and How Christians Should Respond

Thoughts on Police Corruption and How Christians Should Respond

There has been much made of police corruption in recent days with, much of it spawned by reactions to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO as well as the death of Eric Garner in New York. One should not underestimate the tragedy of these events. Lives were lost, and it is certainly possible for one to grieve the countless lives of police officers who have died in the line of duty while still also grieving the lives of men and women in situations such as these two. Human life is valuable no matter who it is. No one is subhuman as many would proclaim. We should all grieve the loss of life. As Christians though, how are we to respond to these incidents? How are we to respond to the notion of police corruption, and how are we to respond to the actions of those who break the law? I have some personal thoughts on the matter that I would like to express, but realize that the bottom line is not just police corruption but the corruption and sinfulness of man in general.

It is good to be neutral on matters like this, to take a step back and evaluate the reality of the situation as difficult as this may be. I do not want to jump to conclusions and simply assume that police officers are always right in what they do; nor do I want to assume that those who have supposedly committed a crime are absolutely wrong. The fact is that it is not always black and white. A crucial item related to these situations is the fact that mankind is fallen and sinful. This goes for everyone including our authorities. Police officers and politicians are just as swayed by sin as one who commits a crime. Even our “good guys” are prone to make decisions based out of selfishness, vain conceit, pride, and sinful ambition. We cannot overlook this fact. To assume that someone needs more or less grace than another person is absolutely incorrect, and to assume that someone is beyond any grace at all is horribly wrong as well. We are all in need of grace, namely grace from the Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of that though, we must also give grace. Those who have been given the most grace often seem to be the ones who give it most. I can certainly relate to Paul in that I consider myself among the worst of sinners, and I do not take grace lightly. Civilians make mistakes, and so do authorities. In light of this, we as Christians must be people of grace realizing that no one deserves God’s grace, but we are all offered it.

Romans 13 tells us to be subject to the governing authorities. One might ask, “What about authorities who are corrupt?” I will not deny that many of our authorities including police officers are corrupt. Again this is the nature of sinful man. However, consider the fact that governing authorities could likely not be more corrupt than when Paul wrote Romans 13. This was written during the reign of Nero who was known to participate in infamous activities such as burning Christians on crosses in order to light his pathway at night. Yet Paul still tells us to be subject to the governing authorities. We have no excuse. How could this be though? This isn’t justice. Paul also tells us in Romans 13 that God has appointed these leaders. This goes for politicians, police officers, governors, and anyone else in authority. It does not matter how they came to their position. What matters is that God, in his sovereignty, has placed them there, and we are to respect that order.

What does being subject to the governing authorities imply for Christians then? This answer can actually be quite complicated. It certainly does not mean a lack of stance against corruption or injustice. Christians should be outspoken and bold about their political beliefs, which are hopefully rooted in a Christ-centered worldview. When injustice occurs (and it certainly will among a fallen mankind), we must be quick to take notice of it and stand against it. This could mean consequences, but it is the right thing to do. As I mentioned earlier, things are not always black and white. Many police officers, for example, are required to enforce laws that they do not necessarily agree with. Often the tragedy of a situation is that it should have never happened but did because of an overreached law that a legislature passed. We should not always pass off blame on the person or people it is often being placed on. Often people do not take time to examine the facts of the situation. Again the governing authorities are not always right. However, we must also realize that the purpose of authorities is to prevent injustice. We live in a nation where this is largely true. There may very-well come a day when our authorities do not exist to prevent injustice but rather participate in it. In fact, I strongly believe that day is certainly coming. However, that day is not here yet. God has appointed authorities to fight against injustice, and we must respect them for it. Respect does not mean being walked upon or treated unfairly. It simply means acknowledging the position one holds with dignity and submitting to the rules set out whether we agree with them or not. If we are honest, there are many laws and rules we strongly disagree with. In fact, in many instances, our law-makers continue to push legislation which makes little sense and has no value or purpose. We should take a stand against these types of laws but also respect and obey them as long as they do not violate our biblical mandate to serve and honor Christ.

We are called to be a holy people. Realize, however, that not all of our governing authorities are Christians. Therefore, they have not yet been called to be holy. Even those who are Christians are still tugged and swayed by the power of sin. The fact is that everyone is in need of grace including our authorities and police officers. Mistakes will happen. It is guaranteed whether it is a civilian or an officer. We must take those instances and use them as learning and growing opportunities with the goal of restoring the one who made the mistake. God has more than enough grace to give, and we as believers should be instruments of his grace and peace. We should not automatically think that police officers are wrong. Nor should we automatically think that civilians are wrong. We should instead seek the truth and seek the Lord in restoring this broken world. Do we have corrupt authorities? Yes. Do we have corrupt civilians? Yes. We are still called to be subject to our governing authorities though, and to do anything less is sin. If we respond in love and grace, we cannot respond in the wrong way. Love must be shown, not hatred. Let us love and respect.

A Christmas Gift from Me and Gracie

To say Merry Christmas, here is a gift from me and Gracie to you. Have a great one!