A Biblical Description of a Christian I. A Son (2Ti 2:1). II. A Soldier (2Ti 2:4). III. A Wrestler (Eph 6:12, 2Ti 2:5). IV. A Workman (2Ti 2:15). V. A Vessel (2Ti 2:20-21). VI. A Servant (2Ti 2:24). VII. A Husbandman (2Ti 2:6).

1. A Description of a
Christian
I. A Son (2Ti 2:1).
2Tim 2:1
1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that
is in Christ Jesus.
1. How Do We Become "Sons of God"?
 From the human side: (Joh 1:12).
John 1:12
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on
his name:
 From the Divine side: (Joh 3:6-7).
John 3:6-7
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which
is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born
again.

2. John 3:8
…so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
2. What Should "Sons" Do?
Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Sonship is one thing, fellowship is quite another. We
cannot lose sonship; we may lose fellowship. When sons
sin, they break fellowship.
1Cor 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit
you like men, be strong.
2Cor 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities,
in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then
am I strong.
Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might.
We Are Sons--and should be strong in His grace
II. A Soldier (2Ti 2:4).
2Tim 2:4

3. 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.
1Cor 9:7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own
charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of
the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth
not of the milk of the flock?
2Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do
not war after the flesh:
1Tim 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son
Timothy, according to the prophecies which went
before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a
good warfare;
1Pet 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as
strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts,
which war against the soul;
1. The things Paul himself endured as a good soldier of
Jesus Christ
1Cor 15:32
32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts
at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not?
let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

4. 2Tim 4:17
17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and
strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully
known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was
delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
2. The armor that is given to Christian soldiers for their
fight against Satan and his hosts.
Eph 6:13-17
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and
having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, 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 all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God:

5. 3. All of us are to suffer for Christ: that is to endure
hardness as good soldiers.
Phil 1:29
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only
to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
4. The glory, when the battle and its sufferings are past,
will by far outweigh the anguish of the conflict.
Rom 8:18
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall
be revealed in us.
We Are Soldiers--and should endure hardness
III. A Wrestler (Eph 6:12, 2Ti 2:5).
Eph 6:12
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in
high places.
2Tim 2:5
5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not
crowned, except he strive lawfully.

6. 1. The successful runner, of the Roman amphitheater
race, was compelled to go in training. Everything in
eating and drinking and in living that might hinder his
being "fit for the race" had to be laid aside. So we
should lay aside every weight and the sin (perhaps
referring to "unbelief") and run our Heavenly race. A
few words might also be said about the witnesses,
whose race has been run and whose valor should
inspire us; and a final word on Christ Jesus as the
Princely Leader in our race, upon whom we should
always fix our gaze.
Heb 12:1-2
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God.
2. Note, first, the need of keeping under the flesh; and
second, the glory of the incorruptible crown to the
successful runner.

7. 1Cor 9:24-27
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but
one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is
temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a
corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as
one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached
to others, I myself should be a castaway.
We Are Wrestlers--and should strive lawfully
IV. A Workman (2Ti 2:15).
2Tim 2:15
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.
Eccl 12:12 And further, by these, my son, be
admonished: of making many books there is no end;
and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

8. Luke 10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest
truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye
therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send
forth labourers into his harvest.
The workman must know his tools--that is, the believer
must know the Book.
1. The need of daily Bible study.
Josh 1:8
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth;
but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou
mayest observe to do according to all that is written
therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous,
and then thou shalt have good success.
2. God will honor His Word.
Jer 23:29
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like
a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
3. Whatever is not built on the Word is sure to fall.
Matt 7:24-25
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine,
and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which
built his house upon a rock:

9. 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the
winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for
it was founded upon a rock.
4. The power of the Word of God.
Heb 4:12
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and
sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the
dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart.
5. The vital need of the Word for growth.
1Pet 2:2
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby:
We Are Workmen--and should know our tools
V. A Vessel (2Ti 2:20-21).
2Tim 2:20-21
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold
and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to
honour, and some to dishonour.

10. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall
be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the
master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
2Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen
vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of
God, and not of us.
1Thess 4:4 That every one of you should know how
to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1. God's great demand is for His servants to be clean:
Education, talents, influence--nothing takes
precedence over the clean life.
Isa 52:11
11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch
no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye
clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.
2. Deuteronomy 34. To be unclean is to lose God's
presence and approval. David said: "Create in me a
clean heart, * * then will I teach transgressors Thy
ways". God can only use clean vessels in His service.

11. We Are Vessels--and should be clean
VI. A Servant (2Ti 2:24).
2Tim 2:24
24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be
gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
Jesus Christ girded Himself with a towel and served. We
too are to serve.
"Saved to Serve" is a good motto for believers.
If servants we should act as servants.
Paul continually wrote of himself as "The servant of Jesus
Christ".
The servant is one first of all yielded to the Master.
 The Surrendered Life.
Ps 40:6-8
6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears
hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast
thou not required.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is
written of me,

12. 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within
my heart.
Rom 12:1
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of
God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
The servant is one who is:
serving
ready to help
patiently assisting
gently teaching.
We Are Servants--and should be patient, gentle
VII. A Husbandman (2Ti 2:6).
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the
husbandman.
Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the
coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth

13. for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long
patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
2Tim 2:6
6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker
of the fruits.
Here we have the glory of the harvest. This is our reward
for service. Paul wrote, of the Thessalonian converts:
1Thess 2:19-20
19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are
not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his
coming?
20 For ye are our glory and joy.
1. Our present toil is nothing comparable to coming
glory.
Rom 8:17
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-
heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we
may be also glorified together.
2. The present call for reapers, and the coming wages
our Lord will pay.

14. John 4:35-36
35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then
cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes,
and look on the fields; for they are white already to
harvest.
36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth
fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he
that reapeth may rejoice together.
3. The real rewards for our labors await the Second
Coming of Christ. There the crowns are given; there
the full fruition of our labor is received.
Rev 22:12
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with
me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
We Are Husbandmen--and shall be partakers of the
fruits
A Description of a Christian
I. A Son (2Ti 2:1).
II. A Soldier (2Ti2:4).
III. A Wrestler (2Ti2:5).
IV. A Workman (2Ti 2:15).
V. A Vessel (2Ti 2:20-21).
VI. A Servant (2Ti 2:24).
VII. A Husbandman (2Ti 2:6).