The Christian Must be Prepared for Trial and Conflict
C. Garrett. 2 Timothy 2:3 You therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Some of God's people seem to forget this. They think they are soldiers on pay days and at reviews: but as soon as the fiery darts begin to fall around them, and the road gets rough and rugged, they fancy they are deserters. A strange mistake this. You are never so much a soldier as when you are marching or fighting. I fear the fault of this mistake lies very much with some of us who may be called recruiting sergeants. In persuading men to enlist we speak much more of the ribbons, the bounty money, and the rewards, than we do of the battle-field and the march. Hence, perhaps, the error. But if we are to blame in this respect our great King is not. The whole of His teaching is in the other direction. He puts all the difficulties fairly before us, and we are exhorted to count the cost, so that we may not be covered with shame at last. (C. Garrett.) Parallel Verses KJV: Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. WEB: You therefore must endure hardship, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.