Hardship

I begin this post with a note of thanks to our pastor for the Memorial Day service this past Sunday morning. To begin the service,  Rev. Greg Wahlberg, of Calvary Baptist Church, York, PA  used the introduction to the “whole armour” passage of Ephesians as the call to worship.

 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour 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 armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13, KJV)

The scripture reading for the day was one of Paul’s most powerful exhortations to his protege Timothy. In the first five verses of the second chapter of his second letter to Timothy, Paul, as a father figure and mentor, delivers a persuasive message to the young pastor.

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.  And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. (II Timothy 2:1-5, KJV) 

In this short, grand, thought provoking passage of just 5 verses, Paul teaches us at least 4 potent lessons. Pastor Wahlberg used the lesson from II Timothy 2:3 & 4 as the theme of his message, entitled “The Good Soldier.” In these verses, we are told that the good soldier must endure hardness and avoid entanglements:

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. (II Timothy 2: 3 & 4, KJV)

This principle goes to the core of training and standard operating procedures for soldiers through out history. Paul certainly endured hardship in his life as a soldier for Christ. In the 11th chapter of II Corinthians, he recounted many of the hardships he faced.

Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (II Corinthians 11:25-27, KJV)

Why is it necessary for a soldier of the cross to train so hard? It is difficult enough to face an enemy across a battle line from your own forces’ entrenchments. However, today we find ourselves in enemy territory. When you are behind enemies lines, you must fight a war of resistance. We must be part of the resistance facing three formidable foes: the world (outside forces), the flesh (inner influences) and the devil (a stubborn adversary).

Christians are constantly fighting the world and its prevailing cultural current. These outside forces would like to dominate and mold our thoughts. Christians must stand firm for what is right and be guided by a set of principles that is higher than those of the society about them.  “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world..”  (I John 2:15a, KJV)

Because of Adam, sin entered into the world. The sinful nature is passed down from generation to generation. Each of us is born with an inner foe, a heart that is inclined to sin, or rebel from God. The flesh has bent to reject authority, especially the authority of an all-righteous God. The answer to fighting this inner foe is to rely on God’s Spirit which He has given Christians.  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16, KJV)

Since Satan fell, he has continually battled for the hearts and minds of humanity. Scripture paints two very different pictures of Satan. One is that of a frighting, roaring lion. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8, KJV). If this were the only version of Satan that we saw, most of us would be scared straight. However, the devil also goes around as an angel of light.  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light  (II Corinthians 11:13&14, KJV).

This collection of enemies is impressive and daunting. How can we possibly overcome them? Only by hard training and reliance on the power of God. After the third temptation by Satan, Jesus admonished him with this rebuke:  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (Matthew 4:10, KJV)

I began this post with the claim that there were four lessons in these five verses from the second chapter of II Timothy. We don’t have the time or room to fully develop the other three lessons in this post. I will just give you a hint at what’s coming in future posts. The second lesson is found in II Timothy 2:2, “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.”  This is God’s four-tier pyramid plan for the “edification of the saints.”^.

The third lesson is found in II Timothy 2:5, “And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.”  We can only “win” if we do it within the rules. For the fourth lesson we return to II Timothy 2:1, “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”  There is definitely a lesson dealing with it means to being “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

Please stay tuned for more powerful and insight lessons on Christian life from II Timothy.