The Christian is never to feel himself at ease so long as he is on this side of Jordan. This is an enemy’s land. Expect a foe behind every bush, look to hear the shot come whistling by, and each night adore almighty grace that you have not fallen a prey to your cruel and remorseless foes.
The Christian is engaged throughout his whole life as a soldier - he is so called in Scripture- “A good soldier of Jesus Christ”; and if any of you take the trouble to write out the passages of Scripture in which the Christian is described as a soldier, and provision is made for his being armed, and directions given for his warfare, you will be surprised to find there are more of this character than concerning any other metaphor by which the Christian is described in the Word of God. His chief and main business seems to be, like his Master, to bear witness for the truth; “For this purpose was I born and sent into the world”; and though in himself a man of peace, yet he can say with his Master, “I came not to send peace but a sword”; for wherever he goes, he finds that his presence is the signal for war - war within him and war without him: he is a man of peace, and yet a man of war because a man of peace.
The Christian is engaged in warfare with sin, Satan, error, and falsehood, and sometimes he is called to fight for erring friends.
From a sermon entitled "Jesus Meeting His Warriors," delivered September 11, 1864. Image by Kevin Dooley under Creative Commons license.
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