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2 Timothy 2:4

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  • 2 Timothy 2:4

    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. (NASB)

    What does this mean for us as Christians and our involvement in things like politics, secular careers, volunteer work, and others?
    "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

  • #2
    I'll take a "top of my head" run at this....

    Starting with context....
    2 Tim 2:1 [ESV] You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

    The emphasis is on the "one who enlisted him" being pleased. If the 'civilian pursuits' "entangle" the soldier such that it hampers his effectiveness as a solider, there's obviously a problem. If, however, the soldier can discharge his other duties while still being an effective soldier, and realizing that "being a soldier" is his main calling, it's much less problematic.

    I believe Steven Covey is credited with coining the phrase "The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing"
    The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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    • #3
      Luther ascribed as much validity to a Christian called to make shoes as he did to a Christian called to minister in a church. Nor did he see a problem with a Christian being part of the government. We each have special skills. Some may be manifested through involvement in government others may be more specifically focused on internal church operations.

      At the same time though, I think the church often has to back off some political issues (laws on homosexuality, immigration, welfare, divorce, promiscuity) that might make the church appear off limits to people who need to be reached with the gospel. Maybe things get complex between making an evangelistic appeal to widespread people and, at the same time, holding to an idealism about how the world and governments should operate.

      I try to restrict my political discussions because I have theological topics that I want to develop and present. So I don't want to have political threads that aren't well developed -- which might interfere with reputation in the scholarly realm.

      Regarding church life ... I think many church localities need to improve their demonstration of love to each other -- in caring for each others needs. Such love needs more attention within the church ... but such love-based actions are interspersed with the normal activities of family life, work and civic duties. (Didn't Luther reject the monastic life for its demonstration of false religious devotion? This was not the way to demonstrate godly living.)

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      • #4
        Another factor here is that this is personal advice to Timothy. Along the same lines the recommendation to drink wine in there might not be good advice for everybody.
        "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

        Comment


        • #5
          I think this more talking about our Christian walk. When we walk with Christ we keep our eyes on Christ as opposed to polluting our walk with matters of the world. As in we don't become Christians to become better criminals. Or we don't become Christians to become better buddhists, etc. Soldiers who enlist are concerned with the affairs of their country, So as Christians we should be concerned with well behaving and acting like good Christians. Not entaingling ourselves with worldly things. (You don't have an issue with this dear)
          A happy family is but an earlier heaven.
          George Bernard Shaw

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