How much do you love God? When it comes to living righteously before Him, can He see your zeal or lack of it in your daily service to His cause—the church. When the Lord comes, will you be found on the battlefield fighting evil? Will you be found seeking and saving lost souls? Is this not what serving God is all about? Brethren, we must have a spirit of obedience to God?
In order to soldier for Christ, preparedness is essential, for without training in His Word, how will one know how to live righteously and speak of the truth to souls in need of the blood of Christ? The apostle Paul taught Timothy the necessity of being “…approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). A knowledgeable, well trained, enthusiastic Christian soldier is ready to enter the fight against the forces of evil.
The apostle Paul, speaking of Epaphras, declared, “For I bear him record, that he has a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis” (Colossians 4:13). Do brethren know by our actions that we have zeal for them? Could the evil one testify in a positive way concerning our service and productivity for the church? Or would he testify that we no longer have any fight in us? That is to say, we have now become ex-soldiers who once fought well, but have given up.
Jesus was loyal to us! How so? Paul, speaking on His faithfulness, penned, “He gave himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). As a members of this band of peculiar people, we must give our energy and devotion to Jesus who died to redeem us from sin.
The apostle Paul, instructing the elders at Ephesus, admonished them to “Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Since Jesus died to purchase the church, Disciples of Christ must understand God expects true love, knowledge, sacrifice, devotion and zeal?
Encouraging the Colossian brethren, the apostle Paul penned “…and whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).
Knowing the price Jesus paid for the church, can He count on you to be a dedicated, determined soldier, zealous for His cause? Do you have a spirit of obedience?