A CHRISTIAN IS A SOLDIER
1. The New Testament has a number of descriptions for Christians.
2. For the next few weeks we want to look at some of the ways the people of God are portrayed.
3. Today’s picture is based upon the word soldier.
4. In recent weeks we have heard a lot about the military.
5.
Close to 100,000 troops are in the vicinity of
6.
If
7. Since soldiers are in the news, let’s see how this word is applied to Christians.
WE HEARD THE SCRIPTURE READING FROM 2 COR. 10:4-5
A. Paul said that Christians are people who are involved in a war.
B. Keeping this passage in mind, what else does the New Testament tell us about Christian soldiers?
2. Let’s first consider what the battle is all about.
3. When soldiers fight, there is usually a reason.
4. What is the basis for Christian warfare? Who is our enemy? What are we fighting for?
5. Peter answers these kinds of questions in 1 Pet. 2:11.
6. In 1 Pet. 2:9 we find that Christians are an “elect race.”
7. The people of God are “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for (God's) possession.”
8. Those who are saved have been called out of darkness and into the light.
9. The information at the end of verse 9 suggests that there are two very different armies.
10. There is an army that is described as dark and evil.
11. The second army is described with words like light and good.
12. There is an on-going battle with good and evil; righteous and unrighteousness.
13. Here is what Peter said in verse 11 – READ.
14. There is a war. It is a spiritual war because it is “against the soul.”
A. There is a commanding general at the heard of each spiritual army.
B. Satan is the captain of one side; Jesus is in charge on the other side.
C. Satan is head of the darkness; Jesus has command of the light.
15. The soldiers of Christ are told to fight.
16. In 1 Tim.
17. In 2 Tim. 2:3 Paul told a young man to be a good soldier, even if the times were hard.
18. In the physical world soldiers understand and apply what Paul wrote.
19. Good soldiers go into battle and fight as well as they can.
20. When battles become difficult, soldiers cannot go give away their guns and go home.
21. Soldiers are forbidden from saying, “I am tired of the war. I quit.”
22. Yet, in the spiritual realm this is exactly the approach that is sometimes taken.
23. There are Christians who reach a time when they become tired.
24. They want to trade in their battle attire for a softer life.
25. They become battle weary and give in to the enemy.
26. God says that this choice puts us back in the enemy’s camp.
27. The people of God are to “fight the good fight.”
28. How can we carry out this command?
29. ONE OF THE PLACES THAT INSTRUCTS US ABOUT SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS FOUND IN THE OLD TESTAMENT (1 SAM. 17).
A. This is the passage that we were asked to keep ready.
B. You may already know that this chapter describes the battle of David and Goliath.
C. This passage is important because it tells us that there are different types of soldiers.
D. Let’s take a look at verses 2-5 – READ.
E. Goliath was a soldier.
F. He was a big soldier. The description that is given means he was more than 9 feet tall.
G. He was also fully armed.
H. His armor weighed about 200 pounds.
I. Just the tip of his spear weighed about 25 pounds.
30. This man was ready for war and he was a terrifying enemy.
31. This man challenged the soldiers
of
32.
33. Goliath was a great soldier but he was fighting for the wrong side.
34. Another type of soldier is found in verse 11 – READ
35. Saul was the battle commander but he was afraid.
36. His men were afraid.
37. Saul and his soldiers were on the right side but they lacked courage.
38. There was not a single man among them who was willing to face Goliath.
39. In this chapter we are told about another character.
40. This is a young man whose name is David.
41. David was not in the army but his brothers were.
42. When a son or daughter is away from home, especially in the military, parents are concerned.
43. David’s dad wanted to get a report about how his children were doing.
44. Since there was no postal service or e-mail, dad sent David to the war zone.
45. David went.
46. David saw how the soldiers acted.
47. He saw the pagan Goliath taunt and humiliate the people of God.
48. He saw the people of God cringe in terror.
49. This young man was willing to step forward and do what trained soldiers would not do.
50. Verse 32 – READ
51. In verse 33 Saul said that David could not win.
52. David was a young man. The giant was a professional warrior.
53. Goliath had been involved with war “since his youth.” He was big and skilled.
54. David claimed that he was not totally without experience and he could get the job done.
55. Verse 50 says that David prevailed against the Philistine.
56. Goliath died and the enemy army was put to flight.
57. THIS IS A GREAT STORY BUT IT IS NOT JUST A STORY. THIS PASSAGE HAS MEANING FOR US BECAUSE, IF WE ARE CHRISTIANS, WE TOO ARE SOLDIERS.
A. God says that we are soldiers.
B.
In 1 Tim.
C. In 2 Tim. 4:7 Paul said that he had “fought the good fight.”
D. Once we become a Christian, we are in the Lord’s army.
58. When I was in the military there were things know as APR’s and OER’s.
59. An APR was an Airman Performance Report.
60. An OER was an Officer’s Evaluation Report.
61. Enlisted people were checked in about 12 different areas.
62. Scores from 1-9 were given and additional comments were made on these rating sheets.
63. The reports for officers were a little more complicated.
A. Numbers and comments were given, but good officers received special treatment.
B. Let’s say that a Captain was being rated by a Lieutenant Colonel.
C. The Colonel knew that someone with more authority could make the report look a lot better.
D. Thus, the superior would ask someone like a 2 star general to make good comments about the Captain.
64. Each soldier in our military is rated. An evaluation report is filled out them from time to time.
65. A similar thing is true in the church.
66. If we are in the Lord’s army, God has an opinion of us.
67. We have, for the lack of a better expression, a rating.
68. What is it?
69. Are we like Saul and his men?
70. Are we the kind of soldier who is weak, afraid, cowardly, and sitting on the sidelines?
71. Or are we like David and Paul?
72. Are we a servant of God that is ready to fight for the Lord and His cause?
73. Jesus is our commanding officer. He has given us orders.
74. Listen to Tit.
75. Jesus has told us to do some things.
76. He has further instructed us to take this saving message to others.
77. Are we obedient soldiers?
78. Are we on the winning side, or are we on the side that Goliath fought for?
79. When we look at Christianity from the standpoint, we are faced with some probing questions.
80. Do we always acknowledge that Jesus is our commander and chief?
81. Do we know what are orders are, and are we following them?
82. Are we faithful to the mission that we have been given?
83. Are we aware of the fact that we have an enemy who wants to destroy us?
84. Do we do our best to support our fellow soldiers?
85. Are we willing to give our lives in support of the cause that we defend?
86. Are we using the spiritual weapons that Paul described in Eph. 6?
87. Have we enlisted in the Lord’s army for eternity?
88. Are we unwilling to sell out to the enemy?
89. In our military services soldiers do not need to be babied, coddled, and pampered.
90. Are we the kind of Christian (soldier) who also does not need these things?
91. There are Christians who practically need to be drug to the door of heaven.
92. What kind of Christian soldier are we?
93. It grieves me to find Christians who need cards, calls, visits, and reminders to stay faithful to God.
94. Soldiers do not require these things because they have made a commitment.
95. These items are nice, but they are certainly not required by the men and women in our military.
96. The same should be true for us.
97. Our soldiers battle bad weather, disease, threats of various kinds, and the aging process.
98. They sometimes endure horrible circumstances but they do not quit.
99. The same must be true for each one who is a Christian.
100. God used military image for Christianity because it is appropriate.
101. This way of life is hard, dangerous, and serious business.
102. If we are a soldier we need to know what our orders are and carry them out.
103. If we are a faithful child of God, a time will come when we will be promoted.
104. The battle ends and each one who is saved will reign with God.
105. Right now the charge to each Christian is to fight the good fight of faith.
106. Is this what we are doing and how we are living? If not, why not?