2 Timothy 2:4 No man that wars entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier. (vers. 3, 4): — Soldiers read and scan attentively the military orders which are put forth from time to time by their commanding officers. Let us see what, in the articles of Christian warfare, are placed here for our instruction to-day. I. THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER IS TO ENDURE SUFFERING FOR CHRIST. This is the true rendering of the expression, "Endure hardness." It means, suffer or endure for Christ's sake. The faithful soldier never deserts his duty. The hardships on the battle-field are fearful, but never, in his thought, unendurable. Officers in the Crimean war (as they themselves have told me) had for weeks nothing else than the hard rock for their pillow, and the sky (often obscured by deluging rain clouds) for their ceiling. Yet they "endured" it, and the soldiers "endured" it with them, and thus they "suffered" or endured hardness together, as "good soldiers" under a gracious queen! 1. The good soldier of Jesus Christ will often "endure" suffering by reproaches for Christ's name. 2. And you must not wonder, if you have to endure persecution also, by taunts openly spoken in your hearing. II. THAT CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS ARE NOT TO "ENTANGLE THEMSELVES WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THIS LIFE." 1. The Christian is a warrior — is a "man that warreth." There is the daily watch to he kept over yourself, and to bar out Satan, and to keep out the world. Ay, and all is not done even then, for there are those occasional surprises, when the enemy would pounce upon us from an ambush; for the Christian knows that sometimes he is vigorously assaulted at the time, and from the point where he thought injury impossible, and when he deemed himself quite secure. Then, too, there is the well planned attack, when Satan brings all his legionaries to the fight, and the hosts of temptations are directed against you with unceasing violence. 2. Well, then, be mindful you do not entangle yourself. You need not be entangled — if you become so, you entangle yourself. (1) You may entangle yourself by a worldly spirit. (2) Or, you may become entangled by evil company. (3) Or, you may become en tangled by any business or any pleasure. How, then, are these dangers to be avoided?I answer — 1. By watchfulness against first dangers. You know in an army, "pickets" are sent to the very outskirts of the camp, who give signal of the earliest beginning of any attack. Be you always on your guard; let conscience have fidelity and watchfulness, ever on the alert to give notice of the least cause of danger. 2. Then, next, daily prayer is as needful to a Christian soldier as daily food is to the winner of the earthly fight. 3. And, lastly, you will do well to make a profession. A man is just as brave in fustian as in full regimentals, but it is a fact long ago established, that the ornament and distinctive dress are extremely useful. (Geo. Venables.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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