ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

For Soldiers/Sailors/Marines and Airmen, the constructs of war and the Gospel of Christ are complete opposites.  It presents an even greater tension for us who are Military Chaplains.  This is not a new dilemna and this month's paper explores the earliest tensions of Soldiers in the Roman Legion.  This is a two part series written by Chaplain Bob Freiberg (USN) who has experience with the Naval Special Warfare (SEALs) and a tour in Iraq with the Marines.  Footnotes and the Bibliography will be included in part two
  For the second feature, Chaplain Ken Lawson has a sermon from Titus 2:6 named "An Exhortation to Young Men."  His positive and encouraging message is a must read.  Perhaps you may even want to preach it this Sunday!  God bless. 

ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS

                      Since the inception of the church, a big debate has raged about the ethics

of Christians being in the military.  In the book “WAR: Four Christian Views,” there are

four basic positions presented by Christian authors.  The positions stated are the 

following: (1) Total pacifism and opposition to anything physically violent and military;

(2) Christian nonresistance in that Christians support the fight against evil the prayers  

and engage in spiritual warfare; (3) The Just War, according to which there are certain 

causes against evil where the believer is justified in bearing arms and; (4) The Crusade or  

Preventive War, where a Christian engages against an evil foe to prevent later widespread

 destruction.

                       War is a fact of life.  It has shaped this nation and affects everything with

 which we come in contact.  U.S. tax dollars support a military and as a nation our citizens

 have fought on local and foreign soil against certain causes.  Monuments and holidays

 remind us of those who have fallen in battle and served our country with distinction¹. 

America has been a fighting nation with a tradition that is second to none in the history of  

the world.  However in spite of this belief, our nation consciousness allows the right for 

some not to fight.  In a free society some individuals or Christian groups have religious  

convictions which say that any type of war or military endeavor is wrong.

                      For instance, religious groups such as the Mennonites and Quakers have a

position that taking up arms is against the Gospel of Christ.  On the other hand, many  

faithful Christians have served in the military and were strong witnesses of faith to  

others.  These two opposite viewpoints pose a dilemma.  As Christians, the world of God  

should be the final rule of faith and practice in this discussion, but the answer is  

inconclusive as proven in the opening four views on Christian serving in the military.   

This begs the question: Should Christians serve in the military?

Introduction 

                      The conflict of Christians bearing arms is not a new one.  This is a  

difficult topic especially because military service seems so inconsistent with the Gospel  

of God’s love trough Christ.  On the other hand, Christians live in a real world where  

portions of scripture tells us to live as good citizens (Roman 13:2-8, Matthew 22:17-22, I  

Peter 2:13-17).  Some make the argument it is wrong to kill (Matt 26:52), while in other  

passages Christ told his disciples to carry a sword (Luke 22:36-38).  To make matters  

worse, even well read and respected Christian theologians cannot agree with what the

Scriptures say about the subject.  What is the answer for a believer before a Holy and Just

God?  Perhaps the solution is to search for the past and find out how Christians have  

handled this problem?  Perhaps it is here one can find a resolution or at least a more 

informed opinion to this dilemma!

Nicene and Medieval Period

                      After centuries of being persecuted, Christianity came into its own during  

the time of Constantine the Great.  As a worshiper of the “Conquering Sun,” Constantine 

that his enemy Maxentius relied on pagan magic.  Therefore he needed a stronger magic.  

 Years later, he told the church historian Eusebius: 

                      He said that about noon, when the day was already

                      beginning to decline, he saw with his own eyes the trophy of a cross of

                      light in the heavens, above the sun, and bearing the inscription, “CONQUER

                            BY THIS”.  At this sight he himself was struck with amazement, and his

                      whole army also, which followed him on this expedition, and witnessed

                      the miracle².

                      The sign was described as a “spear overlaid with gold, with a cross formed

by a transverse bar and a wreath of gold and precious stones enclosing the letter Chi and  

Rho for the name of Christ.”³ In the name of Christ, Constantine went on to conquer and  

kill his enemies.  Eventually Christianity became the state supported religion and people 

were taxed to support it.  From Constantine to our modern time, the Christian Church  

became the single most influential institution in the western world. 

                      Later the church was to become an instrument of the sword.  For instance,  

during 1099-1289, leadership of the Crusades with the church’s blessing told professing  

Christians to take up arms and fight the “infidels.”  Bernard of Clairvaux even helped  

start a new monastic older called the “Knights Templar” in 1128.  These men were  

monks trained in the art of war.  However, the motivation here may have been skewed  

because the Church had guaranteed salvation for those who died in the “Holy Cause.”⁴  

This was a far cry from the original intent of the Scriptures for Christians to “live  

peaceable with all men if at all possible.”⁵ 

           All of these examples from history are not satisfactory because none of them ask  

the question “What is the Biblical response for a Christian to be in the military?”  Vision  

and dreams can be misinterpreted and misrepresented.  Constantine may have stopped the  

Roman government form persecuting Christians, but his legacy left plenty of other  

Christians victimized because the once persecuted became the persecutors.  

                      Perhaps the answer to this question was answered in the two previous  

centuries before Constantine!  How did the earliest Christians deal with this predicament?  

I propose that the best insight and information on this subject is found by going back to  

the beginning of the Church to find out how Soldiers who were also Christians dealt with  

this situation.  In other words: Is it acceptable for a Christian to serve in the military?  

This question will be examined in the context of the first two centuries after the birth of  

Christ.

Consideration 

                      In a historical paper, sometimes the spiritual aspect of a question is not  

brought in, but because the issue deals with personal convictions based on a spiritual 

construct this topic is germane to the subject.  As result, the Bible will be referred and 

appealed to in not only a theological sense, but also a historical sense.

                      The best way to approach the reading of scripture is in a context called the  

“Historical-Grammatical” method.  This means that there are no “hidden” or allegorical  

method of interpreting the text of scripture.  Biblical revelation is to be taken in a 5

“normal” reading of words using the event of history and rules of grammar and syntax.  

While the different viewpoints of theology can be taken different ways, there will be an  

attempt to demonstrate historically the positions of the Christians who were faced with a  

decision of bearing arms for Caesar or serving Christ or doing both. 

                      The scope of the project will encompass the evidence of the early Church  

starting in the Book of Acts and going until the close of the second century A.D.⁶  In the  

Roman society of the first two centuries, Christianity was not popular.  From the outset,  

Christ was not popular with the political and religious leaders of his day.  The same

feeling went for those who have followed him.  We have the record of some whom have  

been martyred for the faith.  Some soldiers died for believing in Christ rather then bend  

a knee to Caesar.  Others we can only surmise what they thought and did by what others  

have recorded about their actions.  Hopefully through this study of history method extra  

insight can be gathered as to what the correct Biblical position for a believer should be  

when confronted with the difficult task of being in the military. 

CHRISTIANS IN THE ROMAN LEGION 

                      In the Gospels and the book of Acts, Roman military officers called  

Centurions are mentioned.  In some cases, the centurions even became converts to  

Christianity.  While their devotion and love for  

Christ in commendable, there is not anything recorded in the texts which answers our  

question… or is there?  Even though it may be an argument from silence, perhaps this is a 

view which takes the position that it is acceptable to be a warrior and still be in the 

military.  Further exploration is necessary.

Military Christians in the New Testament 

                      In Matthew 8:5-13, Christians has a conversation with a Centurion about  

healing the Centurion’s servants.  Christ tells Centurions that He will “come and heal the  

servant (vs. 6).”  At this point though, the soldier mentions that it isn’t necessary for  

Jesus to come to his home because of his faith and trust in Jesus’ miracles.  One 

interesting aspect of the Centurion’s conversation is he first gives the illustration to Jesus  

of how he understands the chain of command in a military structure is supposed to work 

(vs. 8).  He gives a discourse on how as an officer, he has command of men.  However,  

he also knows that he is also under his superior officer’s authority.  He acknowledges the

 Superior rank of Christ over him by telling Jesus it isn’t necessary to come to his home.

                      This is a consistent statement for a Centurion to say because in the  

military structure at the time the Roman legion was made up large and small units.  A   

Roman legion at full strength was made of between 5 to 6,000 men.  This in turn was 7 

subdivided by 10 cohorts of 600 men.  Each cohort then had a subdivision of 6 groups. 

This subgroup was called “centuries” and made up of 80-100 men.  Their leader was an  

officer called a “Centurion.”  The Centurions were the backbone of a legion and were  

usually enlisted men who had worked their way up through the ranks because of their  

experience and talent.  They were responsible for the training, discipline and leadership.⁷ 

Among the 60 centurions of a legion there were degrees of experience 

and rank.  While how a Centurion was ranked among his peers is debated, it is known  

that the most experienced Centurions who were “Pilani” were above “Principes” and the  

junior or newer ones were called the “Hastati.”⁸  No doubt the Centurion at Capernaum  

was of the first group because he had independent duty away from the main cohort. 

                      This Centurion already had a reputation among the Jews because he had  

built them a synagogue and supported the community of Jews at Capernaum.  He was  

probably a Jewish proselyte known as a “God fearer,” which is a gentile who holds to the  

Torah, but does not become circumcised.  No doubt this Centurion was familiar with the

law and prophecies concerning Christ and upon hearing and knowing about His miracles,  

he believed in Him.

                      Another example of a Gentile soldier, who was a “God Fearer,” was the  

Centurion Cornelius of Caesarea in Acts 10.  In this passage, Luke tells us a little more  

about the military background of the centurion.  For instance, verse one tells us that 

Cornelius was from the “Italian Cohort.” Caesarea was the headquarters of the Roman  

Procurator who at that time was probably Pontius Pilate (he was there until 36 AD).   

While sometimes areas were garrisoned with local auxiliaries, Caesarea had Roman  

regulars.  Cornelius is a Latin name and it is noteworthy that he was a devout man (vs. 2).

                      Historically this is consistent because the Italian Cohort was known to  

have been in Judea around 59 AD according to an inscription found in the forum  

Sempronii.  According to the description, the Italian Cohort was either a part of the X or  

the XV legion.⁹  Both of these legions participated in the Jewish war and were stationed 

in either Syria or Judea.

                      While this information may seem inconsequential, it is given to convey the  

idea that Cornelius was a covert to Christianity while being part of the Roman regular  

army.  Unfortunately, the Bible does not tell what happened to either one of  these 

centurions after their conversion.  Did they give up their commission or renounce their  

vocation?  We don’t know.  However, it is very interesting that while we can speculate on  

their post conversion experience, we can assuredly say that there wasn’t any  

condemnation from either Christ or Peter concerning their military in involvement or  

mission.  This significant given that the Roman government at the time politically  

subjugate both Christ and Peter.  In the book of Acts, the author seems to be sympathetic 

to Rome because Paul uses his citizenship to appeal to Rome. 

                      In fact, the only real negative things ever spoken against soldiers in the  

Scripture occur during the time of John the Baptist and Paul.  In Luke 3:14, we have an   

admonition to the inquiring soldiers: Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying “And what  

shall we do?”  So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely and be  

content with your wages.”  Perhaps another negative aspect of soldiers in the New  

Testament was when Paul after being  rescued by the Roman soldiers in Acts 21, was  

going to be scourged by the Roman commander.  However, after appealing to the  

commander that it was illegal to scourge a Roman citizen without a trial he was not  

whipped.

                       Other then these two examples, there is not any openly hostile polemic in  

the New Testament against being a Soldier and a Christian.  These are hardly strong anti- 

military scriptural evidences for why a Christian should never be in the military.  In other  

words: There is no evidence that Jesus or any other New Testament author strictly  

forbade military service for believers. 

The Early Church and the Roman State 

                      The development of the Roman legion as a mobile fighting force was the  

most advanced of the day.  Before the reforms of Marius (c. 90 BC), only citizen of  

Rome fought in the Army.  Afterwards, ideally it was usually made up of volunteers, but 

in reality there were conscripts.  If a soldier had twenty-five years of service, he could be  

released with a promise of land or citizenship.  Life in a legion was harsh, but the soldier  

developed a real loyalty to their friends and superiors.  The chief commander was known  

as the legate.

                      Under Marius and after wards, each legion had a symbol called an  

“equila” in the form of a gold or silver eagle.  This standard was the sacred emblem  

which personified the active existence of the legion. In time of war it was kept in a chapel  

as a holy item along with lesser standards of the centurions (called signa) in the camp.¹⁰   

The ultimate disgrace for a legion was to lose their standard in battle or to be disbanded  

because of some dishonor such as cowardice or defeat in battle.  There were even  

religious ceremonies involved before a deployment with incense and adornment of  

wreaths around the eagles.¹¹ 

                      Before Marius, the soldiers were free citizens who fought in legions  

against a common foe.  The man were faithful not to the legion, but to the state.  Under  

the reforms of Marius, the legion became an entity unto itself.  Men were to become  

faithful to the other soldiers and the legion.  The standard gave the men pride in  

themselves and developed esprit de corps.  While it was not the original intent, loyalties  

became tantamount to the legion and not to the empire.  This over time took the place of  

loyalty to the state.

                      Eventually, this pride developed into actually giving oaths of allegiance to  

the legate, who after a victory would be hailed as an “Imperator” or commander par  

excellence.  As early as the first civil war against Caesar and Pompey, each man was to  

swear a “sacramentum,” which was a sworn statement by the soldier to their legional  

ruler.  This was repeated every year.  To break it was a serious thing.¹²  It was this oath of  

allegiance which some day would cause Christian conflict. 

                      After the death of Stephan (act 8), Christianity was spread in many areas.  

After Paul’s conversation he went to Asia Minor (Acts 13-14)on his first missionary 

journey.  The gospel was also spread to Africa (Act 8:26-40) and even to Caesarea (Act  

10).  Even though there were pockets of resistance to the Gospel of Christ from the Jews,  

there wasn’t any interference from Rome.  In fact, Paul appealed to Rome to save himself  

from the Jews (Acts 21-28).  Christians at this time were resisted primarily from the 

Jews, but this was not going to a significant problem in Judea after 67AD, when the  

Christians left Judea to go to Pella because of the impending destruction of the Jewish  

state in their war with Rome.

The Beginning of Christian Martyrs

                      Even though the Roman government did not interfere with the spread of  

the Gospel in the early church, there was still plenty of persecution.  The Book of Acts is 

replete with persecutions and beating at the hands of the people.  This all changed in 64  

AD with the Neroian Persecution in Rome.  It began when a devastating fire started near  

the Circus Maximus and destroy seven out of fourteen districts in the city.  Another four  

districts were also affected.  After the fire, Nero had the blame cast on the Christmas.  As  

a result, they were rounded up and placed in Nero’s circus on Vatican Hill to be killed.  

Tacitus writes:

 They died by methods of mockery, some were covered with skins of wild beasts and then torn by dongs, some were crucified, some were burned as torches to give light at night…, whence (after scenes of extreme cruelty) commiseration stirred for them, though guilty and deserving of the of the worst penalties, for men felt their destruction was not on account of the public welfare, but to satisfy the cruelty of one (meaning Nero).¹³

                      It should be mentioned that even though the Christians were not guilty of 

this crime, according to Tacitus, the general population did not like them.  This explains  

the sentence  in the above paragraph where it says “though guilty and deserving of the  

worst penalties.”  It is obvious that in one generation’s time from the crucifixion,  

Christianity was well entrenched in Rome, was district from Judaism and not well  

received by everyone.

                      It is interesting to note here that the Jews did not suffer in this persecution  

because they were already known to be a distinct group from the Christians.  One of the  

reasons Jews were not included in this persecution was because Nero’s wife at the time,  

Poppea Sabinus was pro Jew and had some influence over Nero.¹⁴  Another possibly for  

the animosity of Nero against the Christians could have come from his tutor Seneca.   

Seneca was the brother of Lucius Gallio the procurator of Achaia spoken of in Acts  

18:12-17.  It was here that the Christians upset the peace in Corinth and Gallio refused to  

participate in the religious affair of the Jews and Christians.¹⁵  While no letter between  

Gallio and Seneca has ever been found, it is well within the realm of possibility that this  

topic could have come up between the two brothers, especially when it affected the Pax  

Romana.

                      Even though there were not any empire wide persecutions of Christians  

until the end of Domitian’s reign (c.95 ad), Christians were not liked.  There were rumors 

that Christians participated in cannibalism and had incest love feasts.  These rumors were  

dismissed by the “Apologetics” of writes like Tertullian and Justin Martyr, but there 

writings didn’t do much to stem the rising tide of animosity against Christians.  

Suetonius records that Domitian banished his niece Domitilla for being a Christian.¹⁶  

Melito, Bishop of Sardis, writes about fifty years later that Domitian persecuted  

Christians on a regular basis.¹⁷ 

                      Once the precedent was established, it became easy to put into practice the  

systematic persecution of Christians.  Around 111 AD, a procurator in the area of  

Bithynia named Pliny the or the younger wrote to the emperor Trajan about a problem he  

was having with Christian.  He writes:

                      Having never been present at any trials of the Christians, I am

unacquainted with the method and limits to be observed either in examining or punishing them.  Whether any difference is to be made on account of age or no distinction allowed between the youngest and the adult; whether repentance admits to a pardon, or if a man has been once a Christian it avails him to recant; albeit without crimes or only the crimes associated therewith are punishable-in all these points, I am greatly doubtful.¹⁸ 

                      Pliny tells us from this letter that: (1) Christians are in his area and he does  

not know what to do with them; (2) They are of all ages and;  (3) some are stronger in  

their faith than other because some are willing to recant at the possibility of punishment. 

                      The first quote talks about punishment for Christian “crimes,” but the

second part of the letter deals with the particulars of what the crimes are:

Those who denied they were or ever had been Christians, who repeated after me an invocation to the gods, and offered adoration with wine and frankincense, to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for that purpose, together with those of the gods, and who finally cursed Christ-none of which acts, it is said those who are really Christians can be forced into performing. … Persons of all ranks and ages, and of both sexes are, and will be involved in the prosecution. For this contagious superstition in not confined to the cities only, but has spread to the villages and rural districts to check and cure it.  Tis certain that the temples, which have been deserted, begin now to be frequent; and the sacred festival are again revived.¹⁹

                      According to Pliny, the main problem with Christians are that they are  

abandoning the traditional pagan practices and will not offer incense to the image of the  

emperor.  Their attitude and actions are affecting the business of those involved in 

religious rituals.  This account does not seem far-fetched because a similar phenomenon  

occurred to Paul in Ephesus when his preaching of the Gospel hurt the image trade in the 

city.²⁰

                      In his reply to Pliny, Trojan’s basically stated that Christians are not to be 

pursued.  But if people renounce their faith, they can go free.  An accusation must have  

evidence or else the one thing accused in not to be tried.²¹  There was no law judicial law  

established by the Roman Senate or Imperial decree by the emperor which ever forbid  

Christianity.  In the Roman system, believers were to be killed merely for being a  

Christian!  This does not make sense nor does it follow the laws of logic.  There were no  

given by the Roman authorities, but still Christians were to be killed. 

                      Perhaps if we understand one thing about ancient Roman culture, it would  

help us.  One could believe whatever one wanted as long as it was kept quiet and didn’t  

upset the status quo.   The Pax Romano, was the overriding fact of any good ruler.  This  

went up all the way to the emperor.  Gary Bisbee said it best; “The overriding concern of

the Roman Government was to preserve the “pax et tranquillitos” of the empire, and it  

was when this was threatened that criminals were arrested, persecuted and punished.”²²   

It was the right of every citizen of Rome to accuse someone of a crime and make an  

accusation in front of the civil magistrate.  This was the part of the Roman law where  

individual rights were overruled and Christians could be put to death. Now there was a  

precedent, Christians could be killed legally.  This was to become the process whereby  

both civilian and military martyrs would be put to death.

                                                    Roman Animosity to Christians 

                      The writing of Eusebius give one a sense for the hatred of the Romans  

against Christians in the early second century.  His detailed account of the martyrdom of  

Polycarp of Smyrna is insightful.  When Trajan came through Asia Minor on Minor on  

his way to the Parthian Wars, Polycarp was betrayed by an apostate believer, 

apprehended, tried and condemned to die just for being a Christian.  When brought to  

trial and asked if he was a Christian, Polycarp was faithful to the end.²³  He neither  

sought martyrdom, nor wanted to die, but neither denied his faith in Christ.  In fact 

Eusebius writes:

Now one named Quintus a Phrygian, who was but lately come from Phrygia, when he saw the wild beasts, became afraid.  This was the man who forced himself and some others to come forward voluntarily [for trial].  Him the proconsul, after many entreaties, persuaded to swear and to offer sacrifice.  Wherefore, brethren, we do not commend those who give themselves up [to suffering], seeing the Gospel does not teach so to do (emphasis mine).²⁴ 

                       Even though Christians were killed for being Christians, the evidence  

shows that the Roman authorities discouraged martyrdom.  The Roman proconsul in both  

Polycarp and another before him at his martyrdom trail state how he tried to talk all of the  

accused Christians into denying their faith and offering sacrifice to the emperor.  When

they refused to recant, he forcefully executed the decree of Caesar (no pun intended). 

                      After Trajan died, Hadrian succeeded him.  Hadrian was a lover of Greek  

philosophy and Greek classics.  He tried to impose Greek and Roman culture on the Jews

in 132 AD and ended up with another Jewish revolt when he rebuilt Jerusalem and called  

it Aelia Capitolina (after himself).  While there is no record of Christians in this war on  

either side, the same legion that Cornelius was a member of fought in this conflict.  This 

was a costly war to Hadrian and his lack of toleration for Jews and Christian beliefs was  

well known.  Even though he distinguished between Jews and Christians, he nevertheless   

continued the practice professing Christians by continuing Trajan’s doctrine. 

                      In a letter to the proconsul Minucius Fundanus of Asia in 121, Hadrian 

answered the proconsul the same way as his predecessor.²⁵  Against this the Bishop of  

Carthage, Tertullian, (about 150-220) wrote a generation later in his apology: “If  

Christian were to be condemned, then why are they not sought out, and if they are not to 

be sought out, why not pardon them?”²⁶ 

                      Another Church father named Justin Martyr (100-165) was an apologist for 

the Christian faith.  His writings constituted an appeal to the emperor Antoninus Pius and  

his successor Marcus Aurelius as to the advantages of the Christian faith over the pagan  

religion of Rome.  Justin created a school of Christian thought in Rome and was 

eventually brought before the prefect of Rome and found guilty of upholding  

Christianity.  He was martyred around 165 AD in the time of Marcus Aurelius. 

                      These are actual accounts of Christians who were martyred for their faith  

in the second century.  There are a plethora of other accounts, but these are the best  

authentic examples known for this time.  Hopefully it gives a good indication of what the  

climate has for Christians in the first hundred and fifty years after the death, burial and  

resurrection of Christ,.  By the end of the second century AD, Christianity was not  

actively persecuted, but it was thought to be something that needed to be punished if  

found out.  This policy was also consistent for those who served in the military. 

                      The big question comes to this point: How do these stories relate to the  

question: “should a Christian should serve in the military or not?”  This background was  

given to show that being serious about one’s Christianity was not to be taken lightly.  

Openly confessing Christ as Lord could bring death.  People who openly made a  

profession of faith took this decision seriously because it brought condemnation.   

Another aspect of this  time that Christians generally did not seek martyrdom. 

Christians in the Roman Legion 

                      Rome always kept about 30 legions active in the first two centuries to  

guard its borders and to keep down insurrections.  Considering the immense borders, that  

only comes to about 180,000 active duty soldiers.  That they could protect the empire is 

an amazing feat for such a large area.  For 25 years of service, a soldier from the  

provinces was usually granted Roman citizenship and sometimes land.  To keep up with  

the attrition rate of sickness, death and conflict, a levy of men was imposed on many of

the provinces of the empire to maintain the numbers needed to man a legion.  During the  

time of Vespasian, the policy of using primarily Italians to enlist in the army was

discouraged.  Rather Roman citizens from the provinces were gradually increased, which  

meant conscription if necessary.  As time went on, no doubt Christians were “drafted”  

into the Roman army.  The “draft board” (more in the form of conscription parties) was  

an “equal opportunity selector,” it picked whoever they could to meet the goals. 

                      Recruitment was important and the belief that Christians were excused  

from Roman soldiering because it had an all-volunteer army in incorrect.  Evidences of  

recruitment were found in the provinces and Rome gave special incentives for meeting  

it’s obligations in the provinces.  If a recruiting goal was met, a town could obtain “Latin

Rights,” as was the case in Spain.²⁷  This was a nice incentive to say the least. 

                      This policy was continued in the reigns of Nerva to Marcus Aurelius and  

brought about many complaints by Roman citizens in Spain.  This was the case also in  

Asia Minor during the time of Trajan.  This is where the X, XII and sometimes the XV  

legions were stationed.  This is important because the idea was developing the provincials  

and not Italians were slowly manning the legions.  For instance, a rough survey of  

Romans to provincials in 42 AD showed that a legion recruited in the area of Delminium  

(Legio VII) had about fifty percent Italians compared to other provinces represented.²⁸   

Eventually a higher ratio of provincials-to-Italians in the legions came about. 

                      The significance of the Roman legions have more provincials in the army  

gives a greater probability that some Christians were starting to fill the manning  

requirements.  Especially in the eastern provinces where the Christian church was making  

some significant inroads into the culture and social fabric.  Pliny the younger was  

concerned about the influence of Christians in the local economy in the early second  

century.  In the same time Christianity had spread widely into towns and urban centers of

the trade routes of the empire.^29,30  Though it cannot be proven that Christians made up  

whole legions, it can be un found that they were definitely in the army in the second  

century.

Christians and the Rain Miracle 

                      When Marcus Aurelius (c.161-180) became the emperor, the Roman   

empire had some very severe crisis occur.  One of them was a rebellion by a friend in  

Syria who was working with the Parthians to take control of the area.  No sooner had  

Marcus Aurelius put down the revolt, when the German tribe, the Marcomanni, came  

down in murderous hordes.  They came down all the way to Verona (which is about two  

hundred miles from Rome itself).  After the Syrian campaign, the Legions brought with  

them the plague and Rome was in a need for some type of insurrection.  It was a perilous  

time indeed.  Had it not been for the Providence of God through some miracles, Rome  

would have lost everything.  One such “marvel” came to be known as “the rain Miracle”  

and it involved the XII Legion which was normally stationed in Melitene in Asia Minor. 

                      During a battle on the north border of the Danube, the XII Legion was on  

its death throes after being severely defeated in the open battle by a superior number.  As 

the Germans surrounded them and cut off their supply lines, they left the Roman in a hot, 

open field with out any water for a few days.  With many of the men dying of wounds  

and thirst, the men of the legion started to pray for God’s intervention.  Not any god, but  

the God of the Scriptures since most of the men in the legion were from the  city of  

Melitene from the region of Cappadocia.  Melitene was the home of the XII Legion and  

was known for it’s large Christian contingent.³¹

                      As they preyed on that perfectly clear day, clouds came over and  

thundered, rained and hailed.  The rain refreshed the troops and while the hail pelted the  

Germans, the Legions rallied to destroy the enemy.  They had a complete and crushing  

victory.  So grateful was Marcus to the troops that he renamed the Legion “The  

Thunderbolts” (Fulminata) and recorded their victory on his Aurelian column in Rome  

where it stands to this day.  Both Tertullian and Eusebius record this victory.^32’33   

Tertullian tells of a letter recorded in the Senate where Marcus Aurelius gives credit to  

the Christians and their God for the miracle.³⁴  Some scholars think this is a spurious  

letter, but at the very least it proves that Christians were indeed fighting for Rome.³⁵ 

                      However, even in spite of this event, Marcus Aurelius felt they were  

bothersome.  In his “Meditations” he wrote:

How admirable is the soul which is ready and resolved if it must be this moment released from the body, to be either extinguished or scattered to persist.  This resolve, too, must arise from specific decision, not of sheer opposition like the Christians, but after reflection and dignity, and so as to convince others, without histrionics display.³⁶ 

                      In other words, he felt Christians were annoying because they went against  

the norms of society.  Even after serving the emperor faithfully, there was a personal  

disgrace attached to the Christians.

Christians in the Legion at the end of the Second Century 

                      In Tertullian’s (c. 160-220) belief system, it was wrong for Christians to  

be a part of the military.  This extends even for those men who were in the military and

became Christians.  In his work “The Chaplet,” he extols a real story of a Christian  

soldier who became convinced that wearing a military crown of victory was wrong.  

When asked by his superior why he was not wearing his crown, he replied “I am a  

Christian,” to which he was eventually put into prison and awaited a martyr’s death.³⁷ 

                      While Tertullian was praising the virtue of this believer, he also gave  

some valuable information in the text.  Read carefully what was said: 

One of them, more a soldier of God, more steadfast then the rest of his brethren, who had imagined that they could serve two masters, (emphasis mine) his head alone uncovered, the useless crown in his hand already even by that peculiarity known to every one as a Christian was nobly conspicuous.

                       This second century text tells us there were Christians serving on a regular

basis in the army of Caesar.  However, it seems that not every Christian shared the same  

feeling about putting on a crown like this saint did. 

While most of the evidence for believers in  the military is found in literary texts,  there 

are some limited archeological remains.  The first is a reminder of the rain miracle on the  

Aurelian column.  The second and only other evidence in a pottery shard known as the 

Circencester fragments.  This is a pottery piece which has an acrostic word game on it  

which spells the first two words of the Lord’s Prayer (Pater Noster).³⁸  This piece was  

found in a Roman Legion camp in Cirencester, England and is dated around the late  

second century AD.  It is interesting to note that the same word game was also found in  

Pompeii (79 AD) and in the city of Dura-Europos on the Euphrates river.  All of these  

indicate the spread of Christianity at an early date, but only the Cirencester piece has  

military significance. 

End of Part 1,  Part Two will be featured next month.

An Exhortation to Young Christian Men -   Titus 2:6

Chaplain (Colonel) Ken Lawson

As a military chaplain I spend much of my time with young men. The US Army is mostly a male organization and most of these men are in their late teens or early twenties through their 50s. I see young men almost every day that have damaged their lives or destroyed the lives of others. I see the pain and stupidity of mistakes that cause great heartache to the young man and to others.

I have been deployed on five short missions to the Balkans. In Bosnia and Kosovo, the young men are all gone. They are dead, killed by civil war and ethnic cleansing. A generation of men in the Balkans is gone. But here in America, many of the young men are also missing, absent from their duties as fathers and husbands. 

In the Army, many of the young men I counsel profess some type of Christian faith. But they ruined their testimony with alcohol, drugs, sex, or other sinful activities.  Many of these young men sat in churches just like you are this morning. Perhaps something I say today will help a young man avoid a life of shame and sin and pain. Perhaps something I say this morning will prevent a young lady from marrying the wrong type of man. Perhaps something said will help a man to repent.

Please turn to Titus 2.

This morning we are looking at one verse with 8 words. You might think that this would be an easy sermon to prepare, but it was not. The focus of my thoughts today is towards young men, teenagers through men in their 40s or 50s. In the context of Titus chapter two, the Apostle Paul is teaching sound doctrine related to the roles of men and women in the churches on the island of Crete.

Titus 2:1-6  King James Version (KJV)

 ¹But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:  ²That the aged men be sober minded, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.  ³The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;  ⁴That they may teach the young women to be sober minded, to love their husbands, to love their children,  ⁵To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Our focus this morning will be on the sound doctrine within verse 6:

⁶Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

This one verse says “likewise” or “in the same manner.”  In verse 1 the older men are to be sober-minded. “Likewise”v.3 the older women are to be sober-minded. In v. 4 the younger women are to be sober-minded. Then in our text in v.6, “likewise” the younger men are to be sober-minded. The older men, the older women, the younger women, and now the younger men all connect back to verse 1, which states:

“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.”  The phrase “sound doctrine” means healthy instruction; trustworthy or reliable teaching.

I am almost 50 years old but I have very clear and vivid memories of my youth. Joys and sorrows, achievements and failures, temptations and sinful activities, errors and dreams - some achieved and some failed. If I can say something to keep young men on the right path of seeking God, to preserve you from mistakes and temptations that lead to sorrow, I will be thankful. As Titus 2:6 says, “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.”

What is it to exhort or exhortation? It is to encourage, to urge. The idea is to plead with someone, to strongly recommend or encourage.

Who are “young men?” In Bible days, young men were anywhere from teenagers to men in their 40s or 50s. These young men could be single, married, widowers, divorced, or never married. A younger man was physically able to father children or might have small children still at home. This category relates to many in the congregation this morning.

The firm instruction, the strong recommendation, the exhortation given to the “younger men” in Titus 2:6 is to be sober-minded, meaning balanced, not impulsive, level headed, a clear thinker.

To the young ladies here this morning: I can not tell you who you should marry. But I can tell you what he should be like. He should be a sober minded man of faith, clear headed, level in his thinking.

There is a tragedy in our world today. Many young men are foolish, living for sin and self and for pleasure, slaves to passions, chained by their own sinful desires.  I see men weekly, who throw away marriages, abandon their children, cheat on their wives, and are reckless with alcohol.  These are men who spend their money on foolish toys and amusements and computer games instead of spending time with the kids and the wife, or providing for their family.

There are good reasons for exhorting young Christian men to be sober-minded. There are very few young men who seek after God. So many are short sighted, living for sin, empty inside, no direction in life. Ask the policemen or the court judges or the prison guards about the state of young men today. Young men today are often in trouble, spending much more time on worthless amusements than they do reading the Bible or providing for their families. So many young men waste away the best years of their lives in stupidity. They are irresponsible with money, live for pleasure, are obsessed with sinful activities, having bad friends draw them lower every day.

Recently one morning before my daily run I went on the computer to check the news. A CNN article caught my attention about fathers and sons that related exactly to my sermon this morning. The article stated that, “We can talk all day about the problems of American young men, but the major problem is irresponsible young fathers who do not raise their sons properly.” The article continues, “There are a lot of excuses as to why young men do not properly raise their children, but a lot of the men are just pathetic and refuse to accept the responsibility that comes with raising a child.” 

Every man, young man, or future young man here today, please listen carefully. The future is now – you are now what you will be later. The habits of your life as a young teen or a young single or married man in your 20s, 30s, 40s, or even 50s, will build the foundation for your future. Personal prayer & bible study now helps mold the character of the husband and father and grandfather you must be. The seeds you plant in your heart now will blossom later, for good or evil. “Be not deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a person sows he will reap later,” the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 6:7. 

Why is it that young men wait to give their lives to the Lord? I have heard people say to me that when they get older they will get saved, but for now in their younger years they want to live for pleasure. You may die today young man, then what will you say to God your judge? Some of you young men think you can live for pleasure now and get right with God on your death bed. You may be sitting on your death chair right now – As one has said, “The way of sin is downhill, you can not stop when you wish.”

In Ecclesiastes 12, the older Solomon writes to the next generation. His father David has died, and the elder Solomon writes to those who will follow him after he dies. Solomon was a man of God who made many mistakes. As an elderly man, he writes to younger men. Ecclesiastes 12:1 says, 

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.”

In this text, Solomon’s old age has caused his body to fall apart. His pleasure in life was passing away. Every day can be difficult for older people.  Solomon said…

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” The word, “Remember,” means to study, to think about, to evaluate or consider carefully.

So few today remember God. He is forgotten, not considered, ignored. There is great value in being a young teen or a young man or a young father and seeking God as Lord of your life. Godly habits now equal godliness and maturity for your later years. So many young people today come from broken homes. So many young people ignore God because their parents ignored God.  Almost 300 years ago the British Bible commentator Matthew Henry stated: “The young should be serious in their manners… it will prevent much sin and sorrow, and lay the foundation for doing good… such shall have no sadness in old age, but will have peace and comfort at death, and will receive a crown of life.”  

It breaks the heart of middle aged and older men to recall the sins of our youth. The foolish acts, the wasted time, the needless rebellion and defiance of authority, the selfishness. The usefulness we neglected, the happiness we exchanged for the sorrow of sin, these are the memories that bring middle aged and older men to tears. Some men have damaged their health by reckless living, drugs and alcohol, sexual immorality, and acting foolish in an automobile. Other middle aged or older men remember their mistakes in judgment from which they suffer their whole lives. Young men have a hard time taking advice. They already think they know more than their parents or other adults. As youths they can form friendships alliances that drove them away from parents and later from their young wives and children.

How many times I have heard men say, I wish I could live my youth all over again, I would not be so selfish and sinful, it brought me nothing but heartache. So many men today struggle with sins they began to practice as a young man and because of repetition they can not get the victory over secret lusts and hidden immorality.

Please turn in the NT to the letter of I Timothy. In this letter the older man Paul is instructing the younger man Timothy, who was 30-40 years old. Younger men need the example of older men. Paul said to Timothy in 1 Tim. 4:12-13:

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Ladies, if you want to find a man to marry who will honor God and respect you, here is what he should be like. He should be a good personal example. He should strive for a pure life. And he should be attentive to God.

Younger men, you can be an example to Christians in the chapel. You do not have to be an older man to be an example. The way you speak, act, think, and behave as a young person is important. The verse says you are to give attention not to the latest clothing fashions; not to what is the latest Hollywood movie; not to impressing girls; not to an over emphasis on computers or sports or cars or recreation – but I Timothy 4:12-13 says that your youth as a younger man should not be open to ridicule. That you should be an example, a visual illustration of external kindness and internal purity. That you are seeking and growing in your faith. The text says, “Let no man despise thy youth.”

I remember back in 1991 or 1992 I was a volunteer on-call chaplain at a hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. I was 29 years old with two small children at home. About 0400 hours as I was sleeping in the hospital on-call room I got a call to report right away to intensive care. I dressed and walked to ICU and met a 29 year old man, my age, with his wife and two kids the same age as my wife and two kinds. He died a few minutes after I arrived. I read the Bible with him and prayed with him before he passed away. The wife and children were hysterical with fear and sadness. I tried to comfort them the best I could. I was back in my on-call sleeping room at 0500 but I could never get back to sleep. Young men die in war, they die of illness or accidents, and they die in hospital beds surrounded by their wife and children. Teens, young men, young dads with children at home, you do not know when you will die. Now is the time to live for God, to be sober-minded, to be serious about receiving the blessing of the Lord while you are younger.

In 2011 statistics from Fox News, we learn that over 50% of the babies born in America will grow up in a broken home. Many will have a poor example of a father. Research tells us that children with absent or neglectful fathers are three times more likely to fail in school, get girls pregnant, and become part of the criminal justice system.

The Bible has many examples of men who failed as leaders. Cain failed in his relationship with God and slew Abel. Lot failed to separate from the world and pitched his tent toward Sodom, to the destruction of wife and his children. Eli the priest failed as a father, he having rebellious and sinful sons that the Jews rejected as leaders. The biblical list of failed men is a long list.

Young men can be impulsive, and unrestrained, thinking they can do anything. I want you to avoid the heartaches that a sinful youth will give you later on. This is why the Bible exhorts you, and I exhort you men, to be sober minded. Young Christian men, like all other believers male or female, have the power through the Word and the Holy Spirit and prayer to be excellent Christians, living in ways as young men that please the Lord and bring them true happiness and contentment.

As a military chaplain, I have had to spend time with the dying, both with young men wounded in battle, or with old senior citizen veterans. No man, on his deathbed, ever looked back on his faithful Christian life with regret. But many young and old men who are dying think back to the sins of their youth with shame, with sorrow for wasted time. If you determine in your heart to live for God now, to be a sober-minded man, you will never regret that decision. Never!

This morning we focused on one verse with two illustrations. The one verse is Titus 2:6, which states, “Exhort [encourage, plead] with the young men to be sober-minded [level-headed, clear thinking, mature].  The two illustrations were:

1.     Solomon as an old man giving advice to the next generation, saying, “Remember your creator in the days of your youth”

2.     The older Paul telling the young man Timothy to let no one despise his youth, but that he should be an example in his life of purity, seeking God

Young married men, young single men, teenagers and younger boys here today, I want to protect you from a life of sorrow. Whatever you sow you will reap. The seeds you plant now will blossom later. You will never regret dedicating your life, or rededicating your life, to the Lord. Young men with children at home; younger men, who will you serve, God or greed? Career or Christ? The Savior or sin? The Lord or your lusts?  You will never be content until you find your contentment by placing God first in your life.  

Amen.