To Fight Foremost in the Ranks of the PrinceFrom:
THE QUOTABLE SPURGEONFight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this commandment without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of Lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever.
1 Timothy 6:12-16
When the Spartan king advanced against the enemy, he always had with him someone that had been crowned in the public games of Greece. And they tell us that a Lacedaemonian, when large sums were offered him on condition that he would not enter the Olympic lists, refused them. Having with much difficulty thrown his antagonists in wrestling, one put this question to him, “Spartan, what will you gain by this victory?”
He answered with a smile, “I shall have the honor to fight foremost in the ranks of my prince.”
The honor that appertains to office in the church of God lies mainly in this: that the person who is set apart for such service has the privilege of being first in holiness of example, abundance of liberality, patience of longsuffering, zeal in effort, and self-sacrifice in service. Gracious King of kings, if you have made me a minister or deacon in your church, enable me to be first in every good word and work, shunning no sacrifice, and shrinking from no suffering.
