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The prominent idea of spiritual life given in the New Testament is that of conflict. There is hardly one of the epistles of Paul in which the thought is not presented in some form. The same feature is found in the Epistles to the churches of Asia.

I. SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHRISTIAN STRIFE.

1. Its individuality. It is the personal struggle of each man against the enemies of his salvation. Of the ultimate issue of the great strife of all time there is no doubt. In other warfares each soldier receives a certain amount of glory from the success of the host — but not so here. Each man for himself must fight the good fight, and by God's grace lay hold on everlasting life.

2. Its reality. There was a time when the Christians were "everywhere spoken against" — when Paul knew that in every city bonds and imprisonment awaited him; and in the altered state of the times, and the change in feelings of men towards the gospel. Now the flesh is not less carnal, the world less alluring, the devil less Satanic.

3. Its variety. It is manifold in power but one in purpose. So is it —

(1) With the outward and visible conflict. Sometimes it is a mere strife of opinion, or it is a struggle for the assertion of the rights of conscience, or it is the resistance of virtue to some form of iniquity, or the manly effort in the cause of right to break the chains of tyranny.

(2) With the inner conflict of individuals. Some have to contend only against intellectual difficulties — in others it is the insidious growth of the world-spirit which they have to watch and resist. Others, again, have to contend against the self-righteous temper, or the mean, envious spirit, or the fierce passion. But, whatever phase the conflict assumes, we are contending against an enemy, who adapts his attacks to meet our individual cases, and the issue at stake is exactly the same.

4. Its bitterness.

(1) There is an intensity in the opposition directed against the gospel, which at first is not easy to explain. If the Bible be not true, our faith inflicts no injury to others. It is true that Christianity pronounces a certain doom on unbelief, but if it be, as infidels would have us think, a human invention, these threatenings need awaken no anxiety, and provoke no opposition, Yet there is no weapon that can be employed against the gospel that is not put in requisition.

(2) So with regard to Christian practice. If Christians are striving after too high an ideal, they are the sufferers. Why employ against them the weapons of ridicule and calumny — why not treat them as weak enthusiasts to be pitied rather than seriously opposed? Yet it has never been so. The light will ever be hateful to those who love the darkness.

(3) As in the world, so in the Christian's heart. Here is a battle of life and for life, where no quarter will be given, and no compromise can be attempted. This is, of all kinds of contests, the most fearful. It is not one of those mock encounters of the tourneys of chivalry, where knights sought to prove their prowess, without receiving or inflicting deadly injury. But it is a deadly wrestle with the foe in which we must conquer or die.

II. SOME QUALITIES OF THE CHRISTIAN SOLDIER.

1. Perfect consecration. A whole-hearted service is what the "Captain of our salvation" expects from all who follow Him. This warfare must be the one business of his life who would "fight a good fight, and lay hold on everlasting life."

2. Simple faith. This is emphatically the "good fight of faith." It is the struggle between the love of "the things that are seen and temporal and the things which are unseen and eternal," and only through faith can the spiritual principle be victorious. Faith in the leader, not in the excellence of the cause — in a person, not in a principle — in Christ Himself and not in any creed, will give us the victory. Even in earthly conflicts nothing seems to breathe such spirit into a host as the presence of a favourite captain. Have faith in Christ, and neither earth nor hell can prevail against you.

3. Undoubting assurance as to the issue. This is the grand distinction between this and all earthly toils. There a man may be faithful and diligent and yet fail. But here we "run not as uncertainly, we fight not as one that beateth the air." "He who hath begun a good work in us will perform the same until the day of Jesus Christ." Conclusion: This is a conflict in which no man can be a mere spectator. We are all fighting under the banners of the King of kings or of the Prince of darkness; to which host do you belong? The question is surely not to he lightly dismissed, since on it hang the issues of life and death.

(J. Guinness Rogers, B. A.)

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KJV: I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

WEB: I therefore run like that, as not uncertainly. I fight like that, as not beating the air,