In our passage, today, Paul talks about three occupations - soldiers, athletes and farmers. He says that these occupations provide great object lessons for the successful Christian. There are facets of these occupations that the Christian needs to mimic on a spiritual plane in order to be pleasing to God and victorious in obtaining our eternal inheritance in Heaven.
Let’s see what Paul has to say -
Vs. 3-4, “Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.”
When one enlists in the military, they had better not think they are about to enter a life of ease and self-promotion. A soldier lives a life of personal sacrifice and hardship. A soldier has to do without the comforts and pleasures of this world. It is a relatively austere life.
Anyone who thinks that the Christian life is without hardship and difficulty is sadly deluded. Jesus told people that before they start following Him, they better ‘count the cost’ because - as He said in Luke 9:23, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
When one becomes a “good soldier of Christ Jesus”, they must have one single solitary goal for each day - to “please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.” The “good soldier of Christ Jesus” must awake each day with the question - what would my Commander in Chief have me do today to please Him and meet with His approval? How can I win glory for Him today?
Now, Paul says in verse 4, that one thing a soldier must not do if he is to please His Commander is ’entangle himself in the affairs of everyday life.’ What is Paul saying here?
Paul is saying that a soldier does not occupy himself with civilian affairs or activities while he is enlisted. When you are a soldier, you are nothing but a soldier. When one enlists, they leave behind the plough, they leave behind the school book at University, they leave behind the shop or store, etc. They leave behind whatever civilian occupation that they had. They leave behind their civilian life and absorb themselves completely into military life.
Should a soldier engage in civilian affairs, he cannot fully devote himself to the will of his commanding officer. Should a soldier become distracted and lose focus, it could could spiritual kill him and his spiritual buddies.
Paul is saying that when we enlist to become a Christian, there is a way of life that we must leave behind. We must leave behind our old mind-set, activities and ambitions and totally absorb ourselves in the new way of life with its mind-set, activities and ambitions.
Too often, we have soldiers of Christ Jesus that think they do not have to change their way of thinking nor their lifestyle. They make a little room for Jesus but keep everything much as it was before they were baptized into Christ. They make room for Jesus during part of Sunday and maybe for an hour or two in the middle of the week, but reserve the rest of their time and energy for things that only pertain to this life and conform to this world.
Let me clarify the point. I am not saying that we necessarily engage in activities that are sinful and unrighteous. We know that it would be wrong to do the deeds of the enemy.
What I mean - and I believe what Paul is referring to is - that we give our time and energy to things that do not further the Cause of Christ in our own lives nor in the lives of others. We unnecessarily involve ourselves in pursuits of this world that will further us in this life or entertain our fleshly selves. It is amazing how much time we waste and opportunities we squander in activities that have no eternal significance. I am preaching at myself as much - if not more - as I am preaching to anyone else.
Ephesians 5:15-17, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
If we were to sit down and analyze our schedule, would it show that we are walking wisely and making the most of the time we have in doing things that would show that we are aiming to please our Commander in Chief? Would it show that we have the mind-set of spiritual soldiers or would it find us AWOL in worldly activities and pursuits wherein we are seeking to please ourselves? Are we enduring hardship in the kingdom or are we seeking a path that is soft and easy in the world?
Paul entreats us in Hebrews 12:1, “let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us.”
Colossians 3:1-2, “If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”
Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Yes, Paul is saying we need the singlemindedness of soldiers who are dedicated in pleasing the One Who enlisted us into the Army.
Vs. 5, “Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.”
Then, Paul says that the Christian can learn an important lesson from the athlete. An athlete can train for months and years developing his body and skills for the competition such as the Isthmian or Olympic games. On the day of competition, he can pour-forth every ounce of energy and use every bit of focus on achieving the prize. After the competition, he can be the first to arrive at the tape or have the most points….but all of these can be for nought - useless or worthless - if he didn’t follow the rules of the game.
In Paul’s day, when it came to the Isthmian games or Olympic games, playing by the rules, playing fairly was very important. In fact, if an athlete was found to have transgressed the rules in the least matter, not only did they fail to receive the prize - even though they were the apparent victor, they were disgraced and punished.
So it is with our Christian life. We can pour ourselves into our religion. We can practice great devotion and piety. We can sacrifice much and do marvelous things in the Name of Christ. But it will all be for nothing if we didn’t pay attention and obey the ordinances and commands found in the New Testament.
An athlete can’t make up the rules as he pleases; he must compete according to the rules if he wants to receive the crown.
Too many Christians think they are "competing" for God, but they make up their own rules, thinking they have a special arrangement with God. For some people, their special arrangement goes something like this: "I know this is sin, but God understands, so I’ll just keep going in this sin." Or, for some people, their special arrangement goes something like this: “This ordinance is such a small matter to get bogged down about; God isn’t concerned about such minor details.” Or, for some people, their special arrangment goes something like this: “God focuses more on my faith in and love for Him rather than in obeying every jot and tittle of the Word. He knows my heart and that is enough.”
My friends, God does not make special arrangements. Romans 2:5-10, “God, who WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God.”
Hebrews 5:9, “He [Jesus] became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.”
1 John 2:3-4, “And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 3:24, “And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him.”
No one can say that they have a personal relationship with the Lord and yet disobey the Lord’s commandments. You cannot even say that you have come to know Him unless you have kept His commandments; that is, properly obeyed the Gospel.
No one can say that they love God and yet ignore God’s commandments. 1 JOHN 5:3, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.”
No one can say that they love Jesus and yet do not do what He has commanded. Jesus said, in John 14:21, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him."
Persevering for God with an athlete’s attitude is persevering according to the rules of God. Revelation 14:12, “Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
Vs. 6, “The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.”
Finally, Paul says that we can learn a valuable lesson from the farmer.
I find that many translations make that lesson a bit hard to understand. Some of these translations give us the idea that Paul is telling us that the farmer has the right to enjoy the harvested crops before anyone else. In other words, the hard-working farmer gets first dibs on what he has grown.
I do not feel that is the thought that Paul is wishing to convey.
The Greek text would have us position the word “first” in front of the farmer’s hard work. The lesson to be gained is that the farmer who first labors or works hard will receive his harvest. In other words, only the farmer who patiently perseveres in his hard work will enjoy a good harvest of crops. A farmer that becomes impatient and lax will not see a harvest.
This reminds me of the verse found in James 5:7-8, “Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
I have a close friend who is a farmer. He owns a couple hundred acres on which he produces corn and/or soy beans. He raises some cattle, pigs and chickens too. One thing that I have found is that it is awfully hard to spend much time with him. If I visit him or attempt to call him on the phone, unless I give him forewarning, more often than he is simply not available because he is hard at work. From sun-up to well past sundowm he is occupied with work that must be done on that farm. Even during the winter season, he is having to work hard tending to the farm machinery and taking care of the animals.
One thing that I have noticed is that not only is a farmer required to work hard but most of his work is quite unexciting. There is nothing glamorous about the farmer’s work. It is often tedious and boring.
Even though it is hard work….even though it is often tedious and boring work….yet he knows he must do it in order to get a good harvest.
The Lord calls us to do various works. The Lord calls us to labor. It is hard work to be a light in this world. Its hard work being an example in our community. Its hard work being a Christian neighbor. Its hard work being a Christian at our schools and jobs. Its hard work being a Christian husband and a Christian wife. Its hard work being a Christian parent. Its hard work to comfort the sick, provide for the needy and visit the imprisoned. Its hard work to effectively share the Gospel with others. Its hard work helping a new disciple develop and mature.
Being a responsible servant of Christ is hard work.
And fulfilling our everyday Christian responsibilities is not all that glamorous. Its not all excitement either. In truth, there are times when working to be a faithful Christian can be tedious and monotonous.
On top of all that…..just like the farmer, you don’t always see an immediate pay-off. My friend is working hard in December and won’t see a pay-off until the following November. He has to wait almost a year to get his paycheck.
Sometimes, when we do the Lord’s work, we can see the fruits of our labors. Those occasions are encouraging. But, for the most part, we will not receive any reward for our labors until Judgment Day. There is a lot of effort we must do and we cannot expect to get even a ‘pat on the back’ until Jesus Himself says at the Last Day, “Well done, my faithful servant.”
We must be like the farmer - willing to work hard each day and be patient for the ultimate payback. We have to use self-discipline and great perseverance in doing the works we know we should do and keep the faith that God will richly reward us one Day.
Galatians 6:7, 9-10, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap…And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”
1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”
Hebrews 10:35-37, “Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.”
From this study, Paul has shown us that we can learn important lessons from soldiers, athletes and farmers. Let’stry to keep these lessons in mind so that we can please our Master, get the most out of our Christian lives and ensure a blessed eternity in Heaven.
