Soldiers of Jesus Christ
Zion's Advocate, Vol., No., September 1905.
"Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." 2 Tim. ii. 3.
The people of God are chosen and called to a warfare. Their great captain is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is also their king in the supreme sense of that term. By far the fiercest of the warfare has been accomplished by him, in which he has gained for them a victory which was necessary in order to make their warfare effectual, and without which they would have forever perished. The title of Lord, to which he had been appointed was fully confirmed and established by that victory. Satan was conquered in the fiercest struggle of his existence, and at the same time a full and complete purchase was made of all those whom the Father had given the Son in the divine covenant of redemption, their sins were all atoned for and infinite justice was forever satisfied in their behalf. Satan, though defeated in that terrible battle, is with all his allies, still opposed to Jesus and his cause, so that his children are required to fight as they march on their way to that heavenly country which is theirs as an inheritance.Soldiers need uniforms and weapons. These are all supplied to the soldiers of the cross by their great Leader. The dress prepared to adorn them is the white robe of his spotless righteousness, woven by him on the loom of his human and divine nature, and given to them by imputation. Their weapons are not carnal but spiritual, and are mighty to the pulling down of the strong holds of the enemy. No opposing power can stand before the sword of the Spiritthe word of God. The helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, the breast-plate of righteousness, these afford a protection that is proof against all the arrows and darts and spears of foes, while the preparation of the gospel of peace enables the feet to walk over the roughest places of the toilsome marches.
All soldiers, by their profession, are engaged to fight if called upon, but it depends upon the will of the general or king who shall be called to face the hottest service or be most frequently exposed upon the field of battle. While some are upon hard service in the field, others are guarding places and doing service at points less exposed to danger. These, however, are liable to be called to the front, but if they are never called upon to face danger in hard-fought battles, they may occupy with gratitude the more easy post assigned them. Thus our great Captain allots to his soldiers such stations as he thinks proper. Some seem pressed above measure, almost beyond strength, so that they despair almost of life, yet they are supported, and in the end made more than conquerors through him that loved them, while others are less tried by sharp conflicts. In this warfare, as in worldly wars, the post of danger and difficulty is the post of honor, and is assigned to such as the Lord has been pleased to favor with a peculiar measure of his grace. Paul's case is a good example of this. When we think we have to pass through great hardships, it would be well for us to think of his trials.
So many brave soldiers fall before deadly weapons in war; they fall to rise no more. But in the warfare we are considering not one soldier is allowed to drop with a deadly wound. They will be often cast down, but they will not be destroyed. They are compelled to suffer hardships and hardness, hardships from the trials to which they are subjected, and hardness from those around them who oppose them. The former is often more easily borne than the latter. Yet, however great these are, none ever fall under them to perish. Timothy is exhorted in our text to endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. What an honor it is to be called the soldier of such a leader, to fight under the banner of such a king! Endure hardness! Can we not afford to do that with all patience since the promises of Jehovah are given to encourage and strengthen us?
"Must I be carried to the skiies
On flowery beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sailed through bloody seas?"
The banner of our Leader is love. Its beautiful colors never fade. Happy are those who are able to keep it always in sight. Where it waved the army is certain to be victorious. It animated and cheers the fainting hearts of the weary soldiers as nothing else can. It has been unfurled by the hand of King Jesus, and floats upon the breeze at his direction. The hardness to be endured can be easily borne under its beautiful folds. Its cheerful presence fully compensates us for all fatigues and battle- scars. Let it float on and on, bringing peace to us here and leading us along to the land of final peace.
Paul endured much hardness, and found it profitable to him. Thus he wrote, "All things work together for good to them that love God." This he declared with unwavering confidence. The same profit reaped by him in enduring hardness will accrue to all the followers of the Lamb whose lot seems hard, when they are exercised by the patient endurance of the hardness of their journey. Then let us endure hardness as good soldiers, remembering that whatever trials we may be called upon to endure are far less severe than those which befell our victorious Captain.
Victory will be given to all the army, and consequently to every soldier. There is no possibility of failure in the final issue. One continuous shout of exulting praise will resound in heaven from all the chosen and redeemed army, the triumphant family of God. "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
"When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thine army shine,
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be Thine."
In that land of unending peace there will be no sin, no sorrow, no suffering, no death. To be forever undisturbed by sin and to be freed forever from its dreadful consequences, that will be glorious indeed. In the beautiful realms of the blest, that country so bright and so fair, whose grandeur is often confessed, oh! what must it be to be there? Heaven, pure, sweet heaven, how many a weary soldier has stood on Jordan's stormy bank and cast a wishful eye to thy peaceful shore! Multitudes have crossed over the violent current of death and gained that sunny clime, many are crossing now, and soon all will be forever there. Praise the Lord for such a prospect! Hardness can be patiently endured with such a hope as this.
The Captain of our salvation will have succeeded in bringing the many sons to glory whom his honor was pledged to save, when his sweet voice is heard to say, "Behold I and the children which God hath given me." All the children, all the army, without the loss of one, will be there to ascribe everlasting and undivided praise to the victorious Captain, to whom they were given in the covenant that was ordered in all things and sure, and in whom they were chosen before the foundation of the world. No other war has ever had so triumphant an ending as this, and no other army has ever been called to share so blissful a rest in such a home. March on, fight on, ye battle- scarred veterans of the cross. A few more weary marches, a few more conflicts, and peace will be forever declared.
J. R. D.
