YOU THEREFORE MUST ENDURE… HARDSHIP.. AS A GOOD SOLDIER OF JESUS CHRIST.. NO ONE ENGAGED IN WARFARE ENTANGLES HIMSELF WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THIS LIFE THAT HE MAY PLEASE HIM WHO ENLISTED HIM AS A SOLDIER ………………………. 2 TIMOTHY 2:3,4.

Key word here being… soldier.. and the apostle makes it ever so clear that it is the good soldier who has separated himself from the affairs of this miserable world.

Hardship.. is what Paul told his son in the faith that he was going to encounter. He said .. you must endure hardship…

Most people who come to the Christ today by way of radio, t.v… crusade, local church meets or otherwise are very seldom told that true Christianity is a hard road…. Acts 14:22b.

Once again we have those in our pulpit and in the pews who like to try and water down the dusty hard yards of the soldier of the Christ with such statements as…

  • Oh, the road is narrow but not difficult, I read the proper bible the KJV and it says narrow is the way but not difficult.

    You have the wrong bible if it says difficult is the way.

  • NKJV/MATTHEW 7:14 …..
    BECAUSE NARROW IS THE GATE AND DIFFICULT IS THE WAY WHICH LEADS TO LIFE AND THERE ARE FEW WHO FIND IT.

  • KJV/MATTHEW 7:14 …..
    BECAUSE STRAIGHT IS THE GATE AND NARROW IS THE WAY WHICH LEADETH UNTO LIFE AND FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT.

Apparently the KJV use of the word narrow is translated in the Greek to mean difficult leaving us with a …straight and difficult road which few care to find. I have always believed that cheap jack salvation calls along with extravagant presentations in churches will be the doorway to hell.

St Paul related soldiering to the Christian life and not luxury, this in itself is sure enough explanation to the most unlearned of the church goers that there is a battle up ahead along with sorrows, heartache, loss, pain, separation and sometimes death… are we hearing this from the pulpits of the mega churches today?

As a ex-serviceman/infantry, I can by experience tell you first hand that it is much harder to be a soldier of the Christ than it is to be a soldier in the natural army.

The truth needs to come from the pulpits, the full counsel of God lest we neglect so great a salvation and not escape the wrath to come or hell fire eternal….. Hebrews 2:3.

Soldiers are to be fit, fitness is a must and it is no different in the army of the Lord, Jesus said ….

  • NO ONE HAVING PUT HIS HAND TO THE PLOUGH AND LOOKING BACK IS FIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD… LUKE 9:62.

To look back is to have one foot in the world and one foot in the church, a double minded man, a compromiser, a luke warm Christian, a sin loving Christian, a covetous Christian or a man pleasing Christian and probably the worst of all a worldling Christian or hypocrite… one whose not fit.

Do you want to be a soldier that pleases the one who enlisted you?.. well live holy and speak the truth come what may… Psalm 15.

Soldier and servant
Paul Sheehan
Hebrews 11:5.
2002
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