It Starts Small

I have been studying Philippians and took a pause to look over an interesting way that Paul speaks of others throughout all his letters. He speaks that some were brothers or sisters, some were coworkers in the ministry of the gospel, and then we read some were soldiers.

²⁵ But I considered it necessary to send you Epaphroditus—my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier, as well as your messenger and minister to my need— Philippians 2:25 CSB

¹ Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother:

To Philemon our dear friend and coworker, ² to Apphia our sister,^[a] to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your home. Philemon 1:1-2

²³ Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings, and so do ²⁴ Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my coworkers. Philemon 1:23-24

³ Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus, Romans 16:3

In Philemon, we see Paul use these three characteristics to describe people specifically. He calls Archippus a soldier. The Hebrew word here means “fellow soldier.” This was a military term used in general of those who fight side by side. Paul says that Epaphroditus and Archippus were soldiers fighting alongside Paul against those who were adversaries of the Gospel. Paul writes in 2 Timothy:

³ Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 2 TImothy 2:3

What is Paul saying here? What is a soldier of Christ?

Just a few weekends ago we honored the fallen soldiers for Memorial Day. We gave honor to those who sacrificed their lives for the country we live in. When we think of a soldier we think in terms of the military, but God calls us to be a different sort of soldier. The military takes men and women and trains them to make them ready for the call to battle. In God’s army, there are soldiers, then there are GOOD soldiers. There is a huge difference between the two. All Christians are enlisted in God’s army. There is no individual branch assignment. All soldiers are soldiers of the cross and opperate under the blood of Christ. All soldiers fight under one banner: Christ.

There are good soldiers and just soldiers. The same is true for GOOD brothers and sisters and just brothers and sisters. There are GOOD coworkers and just coworkers. I hope to share what I have learned about the difference from just is to GOOD.

Not all of us are good representatives of the army that we serve in or the cross and Christ who died there and gave us new life. Many have left there post and some all together are absent without leave. A soldier of Christ is not defined by how they look, how they talk, their actions, or Biblical knowledge. Many people join the military today because of the outward appearance of soldiers, they love the uniform. But an outward appearance is just what it is an appearance. A good soldiers is not defined by what they are wearing. God does not want these sort of soldiers.

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 CSB

A good soldier is made by their commitment to the cause in which they are enlisted. A lot of people look good at church, but looks are just as fickle as feelings. There are many tares in the wheat. SOme even call themselves wheat, but they are just tares among the wheat. It is almost impossible to distinguish the two, but God can see the heart and he knows the difference between them.

A good soldiers dresses up in the Holy Spirit. The wake up and put on all of Christ each day. They dress up in the fruit of the Spirit. The best looking uniform is the richness of love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, and self control (Galatians 5:22-23). That is what soldiers dress in. Their uniform comes from the Holy Spirit. A so-called soldier can look good, but act ugly.

The commitment of a soldier is to the cause of Christ. Their lives are laid at Jesus’ feet daily and they are completely surrendered to His will and purpose. The take up their cross and say, Lord your will be done, not mine. A good soldier puts the uniform of the Holy Spirit on and the full armor of God and reports for duty every morning. A good soldier remains loyal and is not divided in their loyalty to Christ. They stay focused, alert, and keep their heart, mind, eyes, and ears open to the Christ.

A good soldier is Satan’s favorite target. He will take potshots at you.

You will be criticized for everything you do and say.

You will not have many true friends.

Sometimes you will have to walk alone without humanly companionship.

People will stab you in the back, send you away, spread rumors, lies and cast your name out.

BUt a good soldier remains loyal to Christ through it all. They grow spiritually strong to take each licking and keep on ticking in time with Jesus. The key to a good soldiers is what you wake up and arm yourself with. What armor you put on, and who you loyally report to.

A good Soldiers knows:

There is a spiritual war going on

Is enlisted on the right side

Obedience to the Captain

Has a deep God love for his cause

Has alertness to spiritual danger

Seeks training from seasoned soldiers

Seeks and works to down every enemy stronghold in his own life

Is awake and vigilant against the enemy

Has courage for the fight

Has compassion for those under the enemy’s tyranny

Has a deep commitment to the orders

Arms themselves with weapons for the war

Has willingness to sacrifice

Fills their supplies of grace and power from headquarters 

Knos they need fellow soldiers to fight alongside

Has great mercy for those who are wounded and casualties in the fight 

Has focus and discipline to keep from distractions

Listens for orders and God’s plan to advance into enemy territory

Has Faith for the victory

Has hope of going home

This is quite the list of requirements for being a good soldier. When I look over this list, I know I still have a long ways to go, but I’m a long ways from where I came from. I not only want to be a good sister, a like-minded and good coworker, I want to be a good soldier of Christ. Do you have someone who is a good soldier in your life?

What from this list can you bring to God today and seek him for help with?

Soldiers of Christ are those who come to the help of those too demoralized to fight off darkness or the opposition of others. Soldiers of Christ are those who come to the aid of those drained of strength and weary. Soldiers of Christ are those who come beside other soldiers who are lost, feel alone, and debilitated by the darkness.

Are you enlisted or have you dropped out of Christ’s army? Are you AWOL or presently accounted for?

Isaac Watts, at the age of 35 devoted his life to studying scripture and writing hymns wrote:

1. Am I a soldier of the cross,
   A follow’r of the Lamb?
   And shall I fear to own His cause,
   Or blush to speak His name?
2. Must I be carried to the skies
   On flow’ry beds of ease,
   While others fought to win the prize,
   And sailed through bloody seas?
3. Are there no foes for me to face?
   Must I not stem the flood?
   Is this vile world a friend to grace,
   To help me on to God?
4. Sure I must fight if I would reign;
   Increase my courage, Lord;
   I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
   Supported by Thy Word.
5. Thy saints in all this glorious war
   Shall conquer, though they die;
   They see the triumph from afar,
   By faith’s discerning eye.
6. When that illustrious day shall rise,
   And all Thy armies shine
   In robes of vict’ry through the skies,
   The glory shall be Thine.

²² strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”
Acts 14:22 CSB

¹³ Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13 CSB