Endure Hardness as a Good Soldier 2 Timothy 2:3

Paul the apostle continued to instruct Timothy as he wrote his final words in this world. He encouraged Timothy to be “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”, and to “commit to faithful men” the “things he had heard” of him so they in turn would “be able to teach others also”. In chapter two and verse three of this letter to Timothy, Paul shared the first of three examples of the way a Christian should be. The first is as a “good soldier” who endures “hardness” where we read:

You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

The verse begins, “You therefore endure hardness,...” Because Timothy was to be “strong in grace” and “commit to faithful men” what he heard from Paul, Paul declared, “You therefore” which means “in conclusion, accordingly, consequently, these things being so, and in turn” “endure hardness” or “suffer and undergo afflictions and troubles”. Paul knew there were going to be “tough times” for Timothy, and because this was true, he was to “endure and outlast” them.

The verse goes on to say, “...as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Paul gave an example of the manner in which Timothy should “endure hardness” when he wrote, “as a good” or “excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable and admirable” “soldier” which literally means “a camper-out or warrior” and metaphorically means “a champion of the cause of Christ”. Though Timothy was going to face difficulties, he was to “suffer and undergo them” as a “champion for Jesus Christ”.

When we think through these words of Paul, we may or may not have ever thought of ourselves as being “soldiers” for the cause of Jesus Christ. We may certainly know what it means to go through “hardness”, but do we “endure” it in the manner in which Paul challenged Timothy? One of the greatest ways to understand the scripture is to place ourselves in the position of receiving or giving the words which are written. For example, let us imagine ourselves reading these words from Paul, “You”, now insert your name, “therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ”. How did we do, and how are we doing? Even as “soldiers” “endure” the “hardness” of training, equipping, and getting ready for battle in their “basic training”, so must we “endure” the “hardness” of this life. Let us remember, by God's grace we are “champions for the cause of Christ”, and any “hardness” we “endure” only becomes a testimony that there is no greater life than living as a “soldier” for Jesus Christ.

Next time Paul warns Timothy about “entangling himself with the affairs of this life”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at http://www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.