Endure Hardship as a Good Soldier

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1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
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#1
2 Timothy 2:3-5
[FONT=&quot]
3
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.[/FONT]
 

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
3,729
1,912
113
#2
I have two questions about this so if anyone knows the answer and can help me with it I would appreciate it very much.


  1. What does it take to be a good soldier and what are some things that we can or should do to be a good soldier?


  1. Also what does verse 5 mean…I really don’t understand what it is talking about…What is striving for masteries and what does it mean to strive lawfully?

I really don’t understand what verse 5 is talking about, and also would like to see some good suggestions on how to be a good soldier.

Thanks and God bless
 

Lucy-Pevensie

Senior Member
Dec 20, 2017
9,261
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#3
Perhaps the NIV might help?

4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.

5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.
 

Lucy-Pevensie

Senior Member
Dec 20, 2017
9,261
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#4
We have a saying when things are rough........ 'soldier on'

Soldiers are under attack but persevere. They endure hardship but fight on behalf of others.
 

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
3,729
1,912
113
#5
Perhaps the NIV might help?

4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.

5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules.
Yeah, thanks that is a little more clearer on that. I guess the whole striving for masteries thing kind of threw me off a little.
 

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
3,729
1,912
113
#6
We have a saying when things are rough........ 'soldier on'

Soldiers are under attack but persevere. They endure hardship but fight on behalf of others.
Amen...it also makes me think of the verses about putting on the whole armor of God to be able to fight sufficiently a soldier needs their armor. Just like we need our spiritual armor.
 

Lucy-Pevensie

Senior Member
Dec 20, 2017
9,261
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#7
For myself personally, I've had to work on my 'fleshy' tendency to complain about the hardships of life. "It's not fair!"
And sometimes life really isn't but that is what a soldier deals with. I've improved as I've gotten older and have learned by The Holy Spirit to have a better attitude. (Not perfect though!)
 
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1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
3,729
1,912
113
#8
For myself personally, I've had to work on my 'fleshy' tendency to complain about the hardships of life. "It's not fair!"
And sometimes life really isn't but that is what a soldier deals with. I've improved as I've gotten older and have learned by The Holy Spirit to have a better attitude. (Not perfect though!)
Thanks for bringing that up...I do that a lot too and then feel guilty when I look around and see how truly blessed I am.

Complaining is one thing that I really need to work on so thanks for bringing that up that is probably one of the main reasons God is putting that verse on my mind. Thanks and GBY:)
 
Nov 12, 2015
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#9
Ah dang, there's a verse I tried to find but couldn't that I think is good for this.

It says something like...the troubles and annoyances and trials we have here and now are light and temporary compared to the weight of glory that will be ours.

To me it means that all the things I find to complain about are the things He brings to me, daily and hourly, to prepare me to be like my Lord (patient and longsuffering for example) so I will be able to bear the weight of all that glory.
 
Sep 4, 2012
14,424
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#10
In verse 5, Paul's using the analogy of competing in an athletic game. A person won't win if he doesn't play by the rules, which I interpret as meaning a person can't successfully live a Christian life without following the correct doctrine (teaching).

And also if anyone competes he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:5
 
Sep 4, 2012
14,424
689
113
#11
In verse 5, Paul's using the analogy of competing in an athletic game. A person won't win if he doesn't play by the rules, which I interpret as meaning a person can't successfully live a Christian life without following the correct doctrine (teaching).

And also if anyone competes he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:5
I get the feeling that the Greek Timothy was into athletics before joining Paul, thus his analogy to competing. In another letter to Timothy Paul again mentions athletics.
 

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
3,729
1,912
113
#12
Ah dang, there's a verse I tried to find but couldn't that I think is good for this.

It says something like...the troubles and annoyances and trials we have here and now are light and temporary compared to the weight of glory that will be ours.

To me it means that all the things I find to complain about are the things He brings to me, daily and hourly, to prepare me to be like my Lord (patient and longsuffering for example) so I will be able to bear the weight of all that glory.
Amen...and thanks...I know the verse your talking about, but can't remember where it is right off hand either.
 

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
3,729
1,912
113
#13
In verse 5, Paul's using the analogy of competing in an athletic game. A person won't win if he doesn't play by the rules, which I interpret as meaning a person can't successfully live a Christian life without following the correct doctrine (teaching).
And also if anyone competes he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:5
Thanks, verse 5 is one that I was really struggling with the meaning with tonight. So thanks for the information... GBY...
 
A

Ariel82

Guest
#14
I have two questions about this so if anyone knows the answer and can help me with it I would appreciate it very much.


  1. What does it take to be a good soldier and what are some things that we can or should do to be a good soldier?


  1. Also what does verse 5 mean…I really don’t understand what it is talking about…What is striving for masteries and what does it mean to strive lawfully?

I really don’t understand what verse 5 is talking about, and also would like to see some good suggestions on how to be a good soldier.

Thanks and God bless
I believe it means the Law of the Spirit as Jesus preached on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)

God wants us to "SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD" and not worry about food and clothes, but trust God to provide.

I believe God tells us to forgive, turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, etc.

After we obtain salvation by Faith in what Jesus did, we are to add to our faith, virtue, knowledge, self control, perservance, brotherly kindness and agape love.

Running the race means not stopping at just faith but striving to be the person God created us to be and live good and holy lives with our bodies being His holy temple.

We should pray unceasingly, and speak as His Oracle's. Live our lives as His priests and be Ambassodors for Christ. A light in the darkness, speaking words that are life giving waters that point people to the Manna from heaven.
 

1ofthem

Senior Member
Mar 30, 2016
3,729
1,912
113
#15
I believe it means the Law of the Spirit as Jesus preached on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)

God wants us to "SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD" and not worry about food and clothes, but trust God to provide.

I believe God tells us to forgive, turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, etc.

After we obtain salvation by Faith in what Jesus did, we are to add to our faith, virtue, knowledge, self control, perservance, brotherly kindness and agape love.

Running the race means not stopping at just faith but striving to be the person God created us to be and live good and holy lives with our bodies being His holy temple.

We should pray unceasingly, and speak as His Oracle's. Live our lives as His priests and be Ambassodors for Christ. A light in the darkness, speaking words that are life giving waters that point people to the Manna from heaven.
Amen... and thanks your post has been very helpful and brought a lot of good points up for me.

GBY:)
 
Sep 4, 2012
14,424
689
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#16
Here's another set of verses that Paul talks about the same thing as verse 5.

Do you not know that those who run in the stadium all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes exercises self-control in all [things]. Thus those [do so] in order that they may receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable [one]. Therefore I run in this way, not as [running] aimlessly; I box in this way, not as beating the air. But I discipline my body and subjugate [it], lest somehow [after] preaching to others, myself should become disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
 

Lucy-Pevensie

Senior Member
Dec 20, 2017
9,261
5,618
113
#17
Ah dang, there's a verse I tried to find but couldn't that I think is good for this.

It says something like...the troubles and annoyances and trials we have here and now are light and temporary compared to the weight of glory that will be ours.

To me it means that all the things I find to complain about are the things He brings to me, daily and hourly, to prepare me to be like my Lord (patient and longsuffering for example) so I will be able to bear the weight of all that glory.
Amen...and thanks...I know the verse your talking about, but can't remember where it is right off hand either.
Is it Romans 8:18 ?

(NIV)
[FONT=&quot]I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.[/FONT]

(KJV)
[FONT=&quot]For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.[/FONT]
 

Angela53510

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
11,780
2,937
113
#18
Ah dang, there's a verse I tried to find but couldn't that I think is good for this.

It says something like...the troubles and annoyances and trials we have here and now are light and temporary compared to the weight of glory that will be ours.

To me it means that all the things I find to complain about are the things He brings to me, daily and hourly, to prepare me to be like my Lord (patient and longsuffering for example) so I will be able to bear the weight of all that glory.
"[FONT=&quot] For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT][FONT=&quot]18 because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal." 2 Cor. 4:17-18
[/FONT]

I just love 2 Cor. 4, especially these final verses.

I hope this is what you were looking for!
 
Nov 12, 2015
9,112
822
113
#19
2 Cor 4:17
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Found it FINALLY!
 

Angela53510

Senior Member
Jan 24, 2011
11,780
2,937
113
#20
In verse 5, Paul's using the analogy of competing in an athletic game. A person won't win if he doesn't play by the rules, which I interpret as meaning a person can't successfully live a Christian life without following the correct doctrine (teaching).
And also if anyone competes he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:5
Here's another set of verses that Paul talks about the same thing as verse 5.
Do you not know that those who run in the stadium all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. And everyone who competes exercises self-control in all [things]. Thus those [do so] in order that they may receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable [one]. Therefore I run in this way, not as [running] aimlessly; I box in this way, not as beating the air. But I discipline my body and subjugate [it], lest somehow [after] preaching to others, myself should become disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

I'm going to have to look at these verses a little closer. I don't think I remember seeing 2 Tim 2:5, although I have certainly READ the words! Much to think about!