But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22.
In order to be true soldiers of Jesus Christ we must meet the requirements of His Word as loyal subjects of the heavenly kingdom... Those who claim to believe the truth must appreciate the great warfare before us and what is comprehended in being a faithful soldier of Jesus Christ... The Saviour’s army invites voluntary enlistment. There must be a complete surrender of the passions, will, and ways to the will of the Master. Our work is to obey the orders of the mighty General of armies. A strong and active bodily organization is to be maintained. The senses must be enlightened as to perfect obedience; duties are to be done which cannot always be seen as essential; but now comes in the necessity of faith in a higher wisdom and power than your own. Have faith in God, unshaken faith in the skill and ability and fidelity of your Commander, who knows the plan of the battle.
The Lord Jesus does not deceive His soldiers. He opens before them the conflict, presents the plan of the battle, points out the hazardous undertaking, and exhorts everyone to count the cost. He does not leave them in ignorance. He tells everyone before enlistment to count the cost before they enlist as soldiers in His army, for a soldier’s life is a life of duty.
To every man in service is given his work, and no excuse can be accepted why that God-given work is not done. Some are negligent and indolent. Some are slothful servants like the man who had one talent entrusted to use and improve, but... buried it in the earth and made no use of it. When his talent was called for, to be rendered back to God, the Owner, he had only the one unused talent. No one was improved by his entrusted gift. The least he could have done was to use it to the best of his ability, but he handed it back with a complaint against God: “I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine” (Matthew 25:24, 25). The Lord repeated His words, “Thou knewest.” The fact was he had not a knowledge of God and His works and His ways and His mercy and His kindness in giving an opportunity to improve the entrusted gift. The word is, “Take... the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath ten talents. For unto everyone that hath shall be given... but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath” (Verses 28, 29).—Manuscript 98, August 4, 1900, “True Soldiers of Christ.”
Reference: E.G. White, "The Upward Look," p. 230.
