Welcome to Day 4 of The Challenge! Our verse to memorize today is II Timothy 2:4:
~
“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.”
~
As a Navy diver in Vietnam, I learned the difference between holding ground and taking ground. The common soldiers could hold the line, but it was the special forces that really made things happen. They were trained not to stand their own ground but to take away ground from the enemy.
“No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life.” In our day many Christians are indulging in the world. “Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12). Sometimes I see people posting things on their Facebook or blog that lets me know they are becoming entangled with the affairs of 
this life. It will only take them deeper and deeper into worldliness. Our Commander has left us with clear instructions, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (I John 2:15).
~ Bob Norvell
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January 4th, 2009 at 5:14 am
Thank you for sharing Mr. Norvell. I recognize in my own life how easy it is to make little compromises that lead to entanglement in things that don’t please God. May the Lord give us the grace to love and obey Him.
January 4th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Thank you for sharing this, Mr. Norvell! The message tonight in church was on warring a good warfare and your insights fit perfectly with what the speaker was preaching on. I enjoyed standing up afterwards and sharing them with the group!
January 4th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
I appreciate what you said about this Mr. Norvell, thank you!
I was thinking about how God applies this verse to my own life. I have always felt like God wanted me to be a missionary. Many times I war with my flesh which chooses worldly pleasure rather then a hard choice that would prepare me for the battle field (Or mission field)
In my own life I have found this battle not only to be against the bad, but also against anything that is not according to God’s perfect desire for my life. (the easy way out.) As you said Mr. Norvell, in Matt. 24:12, if I give in to these types of choices my relationship with Jesus Christ grows cold.
I have to be honest, though I have experienced a deeper relationship with Christ this past year; I have been neglecting to memorize scripture. I can not describe to you the fellowship and closeness I have felt to God in this past week while meditating on these verses. I am somewhat of a competitive person,
a challenge like this really helps me to stick to it. God Bless you. 
January 4th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
What stood out to me in this verse was “no man.” The difinition for this Greek word was “not even one.” Not even one man who is engaged in battle is to involve himself with the affairs of this life! NO MAN. It’s not even an option!
I have a few questions: 1) What is the difference between “soldier” in vs. 3 and “chosen soldier” in vs. 4? 2) Are there ever soldiers who are not chosen? I was looking up the Greek words for both verses and their definitions, but was not coming up with a satisfying answer. Interestingly, the Greek word for “soldier” in vs. 4 is not used anywhere else in the Bible.
January 5th, 2009 at 3:33 am
Good insight, Sarah!
And some excellent questions. I think anybody can try their hand at enlisting in the army and going through boot camp, whether or not they are drafted. I’m guessing the idea that verse 4 is referring more specifically to someone selected to be in the special forces comes from the Strong’s reading “select as a warrior.”
January 5th, 2009 at 9:50 am
The reading in Strong’s “select as a warrior” is talking about what the recruiters and commanding officers do. Every soldier has a recruiter and a commanding officer. (If you’ve read The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton, remember the man in the dark room.) And in God’s army, every soldier has been chosen before they were born, so no difference there. (Eph. 1:4)
The word for soldier (στρατιωτης) used in v. 3 is modified by “good” (καλος). This is opposed to a “bad soldier” and it puts them on level with someone who shares in all the apostles’ hardships and doesn’t just hold the line that was won in bringing the gospel to them.
Then the word for soldier (στρατευομενος) in v. 4 means someone who serves in a military campaign; who contends against evil; who executes the apostolate (the Great Commission). This is the same as a “good soldier”, but it is focusing on what he/she does.
The point is that good soldiers, ones who go to war, share in their comrades’ hardships and refuse to get involved in civilian affairs when they’re on duty. A prime example of this is Uriah the Hittite, who refused to go home or sleep with his wife while his buddies were out in on campaign. He was willing to fight on the most dangerous part of the battlefield, even though it cost him his life. (2 Sam. 11:6-17)
January 5th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Excellent study, Nathan! Thank you for correcting me and clarifying this.
Mr. Norvell’s computer crashed the other day so I typed up this post after he tried to explain to me over the phone what he was going to share. I must not have got it quite right. I am going to take the liberty to edit the post for better accuracy.
I really like your tie in with Ephesians 1:4 and I think it’s neat that both the word for chosen in this verse and that one can be traced back to the same root in the Greek (λέγω).
Thanks again!
January 5th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
No problem: eSword is handy for word studies like that. Thanks for correcting the post. Like Hannah and the rest of you, I’m excited about memorizing and studying these verses. It’s been a good kickstart for me, too.
January 5th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Wow! This has sure helped to clarify things.
Thank you so much for all your help and study and for taking the time to help answer my questions! I really appreciate all your work.
This chapter is going to take on a whole new and richer meaning to me by January 26! This is exciting! Isn’t it great when people get excited about God’s Word?
January 6th, 2009 at 9:03 am
If we are to keep ourselves unspotted from the world we must take Pauls’ advice to Timothy to heart…
January 8th, 2009 at 8:04 am
A close look at the word soldier in 2 Timothy 2:3 is taken from the word “stratiotes” which is interpreted “enlisted.” A study of the word soldier in vs. 4 is taken from the word “stratologeo” which can be interpreted “chosen soldier.”
All of us are enlisted in the army of the Lord according to vs. 3 when we become a Christian. Verse 4 speaks of a chosen soldier or one who is a warrior. In verse 3 the soldier is enlisted. In verse 4 the soldier becomes a mighty man. The difference is the enlisted is part of the army, the chosen is a leader. When meditating upon this, I discovered that God wants us to be a warrior (mighty man) doing damage to the god of this world and not just an enlisted man.
January 8th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Thanks for clarifying your study, Mr. Norvell!
January 8th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
I see your analogy, Mr. Norvell, but I don’t see the difference in the text between a warrior and a soldier. Can you tell me what commentary or dictionary you were studying? Also, “stratologeo” is a verb, not a noun, so how can it describe another kind of soldier? On what basis does God choose some of us to be “special forces”? On the basis of our potential and our wise choices, or of his free grace?
I realize there is an idea of “cleansing oneself” in vv. 21-22, but to say you can be chosen for the “special forces” by disentangling yourself from civilian pursuits, given the context in v. 4 would be putting the cart before the horse. You abstain because you’re a soldier, not in order to be a soldier.
Which of these does being chosen as a warrior imply: an increased level of maturity, a specific mission, awakening of one’s spiritual gift, or some kind of “second blessing” to make you a super-apostle?
I appreciate the analogy, I just don’t see the warrant for it in the context of vv. 3-4 and it brings to mind a perfectionistic philosophy of sanctification. (See Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology 749-50)
Hope I’m not splitting hairs too much here… looking forward to your clarification.
January 8th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
I do not believe it is an act of perfection but rather an act of surrender. When I became a Christian I wasn’t a warrior, but rather one just learning to be a soldier. As the Holy Spirit taught me, I learned that to surrender my life totally to Christ wasn’t about doing but rather resting.
A baby Christian is no less loved by the Lord than a seasoned Christian. However, some just continue to be babes and not mature in the Lord. Why? Because they are not in relationship with Him! Dr. Jerry Benjamin and Dr. Joe Norvell have said, “It is not what you’re
separated from but rather who your separated to.” I have found those that abide in Christ (the true Vine) quit acting like a Christian and become a SOLDIER (noun) giving them more influence on the lost around them than all the witnessing a babe in Christ will
ever have.
January 9th, 2009 at 9:10 am
We are instructed in Ephesians 6:11-18 To take upon us the Whole Armour of God.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therfore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench aa the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all Prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all all perseverance, and supplication for all saints.
In this letter from Paul to the Ephesians we find Paul preparing the followers of Jesus Christ in his day to prepare themselves for battle. He instructs them on the gear which would be essential in waging this battle against the Kingdom that Satan has set up in opposition to the Kingdom that Christ will ultimately usher in. These implements of war that will protect us are:
1 Truth. We must embrace all truth and bear testimony of it to the world. All Truth comes from our creator and can be found in the Holy Scriptures.
2 Righteousness. We must be obedient to the commandments to God and live the laws he has set forth for our progress and happiness. You must walk the talk and set an example of obedience even as the Christ did, as he was obedient in all things. We must strive for the same level of obedience. We have repentance and course corrections when we stumble.
3 Preparation of the Gospel of Peace. We need to prepare ourselves with God’s word. We need to teach it. Most important we must live it by example.
4 Faith, we must develop faith by keeping the commandments, studying the word, and fellow shipping with those who would hear the word of our Lord. We must endure all things. 2Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight: God reveals himself to us as we keep our hearts opened and our minds fixed upon Jesus Christ and his teachings. When the secular world presents it’s falsehoods and philosophies of men to us we can fall back on our faith which shields us from the harmful effects of this world.
The helmet of our salvation is Jesus Christ. He is our head. Knowledge is power. We confess his hand in all things. He is our Lord, our Savior, our King.
The word was with God in the beginning. The word was his only begotten Son Jesus Christ. His word is powerful and is carried into the hearts of the children of men by the power of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost testifies to the truth of all things. It is sharper than the edges of a two edged sword and is wielded by the righteous in confounding false doctrines. We are to arm ourselves with this defense.
Finally prayer, we must continually call upon the powers of heaven for deliverance for we cannot fight this battle alone. We need God to hear our pleas and to answer our righteous desires to build his kingdom.
Indeed; all who have take upon them the name of Christ and seek to uphold his word and to build his kingdom are Soldiers in his mighty army. When Satan was cast out of Heaven as revealed in: Revelation 12:7-11
7 And there was war in heaven:Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels.
8 And prevailed not; neither was there place found anymore in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before God day and night.
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Satan was cast out by the word of testimony and by faith in Jesus Christ. This is the way and there is no other way except through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the principles of his holy gospel found in the holy scriptures. In his sacred name I say these things, Amen…
January 10th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Good comment, Clark. We can’t beat the Bible as our reference.