Become untangled
Paul recognizes the corrosive effect civilian life can have on the soldier of Christ. In 2 Timothy 2:4, Paul tells the young pastor, “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” However, the problem is that Christian soldiers often abandon their posts. They have listened to the enemy's propaganda that tempts them to give up the suffering at the front lines for the comforts of the good life. Rather than standing fast as battlefield Christians, they have become civilian Christians. THE CALL TO BE SOLDIERS To understand what it means to be a civilian Christian, we must first understand the metaphor of the Christian soldier. The early church used soldier imagery to describe the call and conduct of the believer. They used the term miles Christianus (soldier of Christ) in contrast to paganus (heathen or civilian), those who lacked discipline. Paul uses the illustration of a soldier as an example of devotion, courage, and single-min...