From Rebels of God to Soldiers for Christ

Last summer, the Denton County area groups gathered together to study 2 Timothy and throughout this study we began to see a common theme: God has changed our God-hating rebellious heart and turned us into soldiers for Christ. The analogy of a soldier comes from 2 Timothy 2:3-4 which says,

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs, he wants to please his commanding officer.

Throughout this letter, Paul lays out the key characteristics of a soldier of Christ. Paul says that soldiers of Christ are strong (2:1-2), singleminded (2:3-4), strict (2:5-10), secure (2:11-13), sound of faith (2:14-19), sanctified (2:20-23), and servant-hearted (2:24-26). These are things that soldiers of Christ should display to prove the authenticity of their faith, but the key is realizing that these things are unattainable without the saving work of Christ. Paul Washer says, 

“We’re not lost sheep looking for a shepherd, we’re God-hating rebels running with all our life to get away from Him because we want to be sovereign lord over our own universe”.

In order to understand the great love of Christ lavished upon us, we must realize our desperate need for him. Too often we believe that we must earn the love of Christ through good works, but that is not the case at all. In fact according to Jonathan Edwards,

“You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary”.

And because of Adam’s sin, all humans are born into sin. In fact Ephesians 2:1 says, 

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins.

Due to this we are unable to earn the love of Christ through our good works because we have sinned and missed the mark, but the good news is that the gospel doesn’t call us to do anything to earn our salvation except respond in faith. In verses 3-5 Paul goes on to say, 

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desire and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions, it is by grace you have been saved.

The beauty of the gospel is revealed in this passage as the weight is lifted off of our shoulders. The gospel does not revolve around us performing good works to appease a wrathful god, but it is solely focused on the grace of God that softens the sinners heart and transforms the rebel of God into a soldier for Christ. The key words in that passage are “But God.” This is the hope found in the gospel. It is God’s grace that draws us and leads us to repentance.