“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 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” —2 Tim. 2:1-4.
THE believer is not only a child of God, redeemed by the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18, 19), but he is called to do valiant soldier-service, contending earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). This figure is frequently used in the Epistles. Note specially 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:8, as well as our present text. The Christian life is a constant warfare. We have three subtle and cruel enemies ever arrayed against us—the world, the flesh, and the Devil—and against all these we are called to make a resolute stand. We do not fight in our own strength but as we are empowered by Him whose soldiers we are.
“He giveth more grace as the shadows grow deeper:
His love seems more tender as trials increase;
Each day as I trust Him I and He is able
To keep me secure in His infinite peace.
Oh, marvelous grace of my wonderful Saviour!
No measure can tell me how wide or how deep:
But in every trial and heartache and sorrow,
I know He has kept me; I know He will keep.”
—Lillian M. Weeks.