These are Paul words to Timothy, his son in the faith, not long before Paul’s execution.

2 Tim.2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And 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.

In the military there are those who are soldiers who never see the battlefield or engage in any type of warfare. But there are some that do, and there are the select few who not only engage in warfare, but are awarded the ‘metal of honor,’ or other ‘medallions’ because of their act of Valor and bravery in the military.

Our Father desires “faithful men” to be educated by the “strong” in the faith, but this to be by the doctrine which is according to godliness.  Paul operated based upon the Spiritual mind, and the selfless heart God desires that we too will operate upon. And to be a good soldier, the soldier must have his orders, and intel about the enemy, Those who are in Christ but only see ‘just justification unto eternal life’ as what we are given by God, will not only be ignorant of the objective and “devices” of the Adversary, they will not see that we are right amid a Spiritual warfare that our Father is engaged in with Satan.

2 Tim. 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this [brief] life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

Today’s military would never send anyone into battle without telling them who our enemy is and the objectives of combat, and most importantly, train them in the armor, and weaponry that they will be using to ‘war a good warfare.’

God desires faithful soldiers who are ‘committed’ unto the One “who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” And we too ought to know the adversary of our Father, because any adversary of our Father ought to be an adversary of ours as well. But some believers are content with only being “ambassadors” for Christ and preaching to the Lost. Even though there is great glory and honor in getting the lost saved out of Adam and now into Christ, this is not all God desires of the faithful in Christ. Even those who are military recruiters are not recruiting people to do their job, but to be soldiers! And our Father desires that we not only be just Justified and saved, but that we be strong in the faith, but not just that, but that we also “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” But to “endure” hardness, we must be able to ‘know’ what this hardness for Christ’s sake is all about.

2 Tim.2:9 Wherein I [Paul] suffer trouble, as [as if] an evil doer, even unto bonds [prison]; but the word of God is not bound. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory [in heaven, Eph. 1:3].

Furthermore, most of us have been taught the doctrine of being “a Living Sacrifice” by our Father in His Word (Rom. 12:2), and by that we are told that we can “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” First thing first is that we know His will, and His selfless love, and then we are to renew our minds to be transformed by Him and His Word. Then we “prove” the doctrine which is according to godliness.

As Paul says, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.” And for those in the military who have made a career in the military, they themselves know that they too could be ‘deployed’ at any time to ‘fight.’ But oftentimes we who are in Christ, we only see the salvation from the debt and penalty of sin, and our heavenly hope as the ‘all in all’ in Christ. But as we see in 2^nd Timothy chapter 2, our Father is “pleased” by faithful soldiers who warreth for His sake. And with war comes sufferings, but also glory, and not only that, as we prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God, our Father is pleased by us! This is how a son would live unto his father, he would not entangle himself with the things that be of this corrupt world, but he would see the “hardness” of the fight and be “more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 

Finally, enduring hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ is accomplished by those who “love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” And those who are operating based upon His selfless love and His purpose, knowing that it is an honor, privilege, and glory to endure hardness for Christ’s sake.

They also see the ‘gifts’ given to us “on the behalf of Christ” (Philippians 1:29) and rejoice in these gifts, but not ignore the “suffer for his sake” part. And when we see Paul say in Philippians 1:29, “for unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.”

This glorious privilege oftentimes is overlooked by many in Christ. This is not pleasing unto Him who hath chosen us to be a soldier. But there are those who can discern our Satanic adversary’s devices, and wiles [deceit], and know our Father’s “purpose,” and perfect will, and the objective to teach others also, this is where there will be hardness by this world against the “doctrine which is according to godliness.” He desires sons and daughters who desire to prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God as His good soldiers. This is well pleasing in His sight, and it ought to be well pleasing unto our souls as well.

2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer [endure], we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us [the opportunity to reign with Him]:

2Ti 4:7 I [Paul] have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 

2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 

Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in [heaven’s] glory.

Adapted from Rod Jones