2Ti 2:3-4 (KJV) [3] “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. [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.”
2Timothy 2:3-4 is Paul’s counsel to Timothy, his spiritual son, using the imagery of military life to describe the Christian Walk. According to Apostle Paul, we are soldiers of our Lord Jesus Christ. Good soldiers are tough, disciplined, and loyal, ready to obey commands and face danger for a higher cause. It is expected of a good soldier to endure hardness or toughness because the Christian life involves trials, sacrifices, discipline, and sometimes suffering.
Now, as soldiers of Jesus Christ, we are actively engaged in battles, therefore, we must stay focused. We must not entangle ourselves with the affairs of this life. The affairs of this world refers to worldly pleasures, distractions, or unnecessary burdens that can hinder us in walking in our God-given victory in Christ Jesus. Any sinful behaviour entangles or ensnares us. In other words, any sin is a trap. It may give you a pleasure for a moment but it is a potential destroyer. The affairs of this life is what the Bible refers to as “every weight” we must lay aside (Heb. 12:1).
Written by: Pastor Andrew A. Esemudje