A brief study of the doctrine of the Christian as Soldier using the antithetical method.
My intention is to explain what Stratiotology is by contrasting it with what it is not, so that we may obtain a clear understanding of both.
Stratiotology is not a doctrine that teaches that Christians are soldiers the same way that some U.S. citizens are U.S. military soldiers. It is an important distinction to make from the onset in order to obtain a biblical stratiotological view.
LITERAL VS. FIGURATIVE
Since the NT uses “stratiotes” translated “soldier” as a metaphor for the Christian’s attitude in battle, we must draw the line in the sand between the literal and the figurative. The doctrine of Stratiotology makes this distinction and teaches about the Christian as Soldier, not the Christian is Soldier. There is quite a difference between the two.
1. Literal soldiers serve physical empires. The kingdom of God is not of this world. John 18:36, Matt 6:10, Luke 17:20-21, 19:11, John 3:3, Rom 14:17, 1 Cor 4:20, Col 1:13, 2 Pet 1:11, Rev 1:6
2. Literal soldiers fight physical battles with physical weapons. Christians do not wage war according to the flesh, nor are the weapons we use. 2 Cor 10:3-6, Eph 6:12, Heb 4:12
3. Literal soldiers are generally comprised of men, and these men are generally physically qualified for battle, and exclude the women, children and the elderly. Election into God’s army is based solely according to His will, regardless of sex, race, age, class, and for that matter, anything at all that can be attributed to the individual soldier themselves. Eph 1:4-6, 1 Pet 2:9-10, Gal 3:28, Col 3:11, Rev 5:9, 7:4, Rom 9:16, 21-24
4. Literal soldiers are issued physical uniforms from the force that they serve. The Christian Soldier is not issued a physical uniform, rather a metaphoric one. Eph 6:10-20, Rom 14:12-14, Gal 3:27, Ps 119:114
5. Literal soldiers fight on a material battlefield. The Christian’s battlefield is an immaterial battlefield. 1 Pet 2:11, 1 John 2:15-17, 5:19, Jude 3
6. Literal soldiers can be discharged from their service either honorably or dishonorably, based on their quality of service. The Christian’s active duty is eternally secure and depends not on their own works or strength. John 3:16, 5:24, 6:37-40, 10:28-29, Rom 11:29, 1 Cor 1:4-9, Eph 1:4-9, Eph 2:8-9, Phil 1:6, Heb 13:5, 1 Pet 1:23
Many more distinctions can be made regarding the literal and the figurative. The most important distinction is the distinction itself. In other words, a mature and balanced stratiotological view is a sound view. If you do not make the distinctions as listed above, you run the risk of your initial error progressing into something very unbiblical. The teaching of an unbiblical concept, when left uncorrected by Scripture, can become a poisonous snake bite to the soul. Unbiblical concepts that are present in our day (hyper-pentecostalism, positive confession, salvation by works, Unitarianism, free-will, sinner’s prayer, legalism, baptismal regeneration, sinless perfection, TBNology, secret pre-trib rapture – to name a few) can all be traced back to the initial unbiblical concept, the point of error, that was left uncorrected. When more doctrine is built upon a foundational error, the greater the error will be. The danger moving forward would be the professing Christian church, teaching a defective Stratiotology, resulting in radical, worldwide jihadist-like behavior waving the banner of authentic Christianity. Stratiotology is not exempt from this type of abusive distortion. If Soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) and Eschatology (doctrine of the last days) can become so polluted with humanistic vomit, as is displayed in our day, then we must anticipate the savage wolves’ distortion of the biblical doctrine of Stratiotology. Sound teaching always undoes the knotted pretzel that is tied by the devil.
As we study this subject further, let us not forget the distinction between the literal and the figurative, lest we err and receive not the blessings that a biblical stratiotes is promised: The presence, power and strength of the Lord!
