By Donna Richmond Wittlif
In order to receive an honorable discharge, a service member must meet or exceed high standards, both in his duty requirements and in his conduct. He must also finish his tour of duty unless he is physically or mentally disabled because of his service.
Christians might say that we seek an honorable discharge from this life. Our stay on earth is a time of testing. Will we stay true to our leader, Jesus Christ, or will we desert Him and go AWOL? Do we read God's commandments in the Bible and obey them? Does our conduct give glory to God and a good name to His church? If we fall, can we fix our eyes back on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and follow Him?
A bad conduct discharge is the most severe type of military discharge. Usually a person who gets a bad conduct discharge serves time in prison. He is not eligible for any service benefits such as health insurance. God, too, has a bad conduct discharge. Those who do not obey Him get no benefits. They are unprofitable servants, and are cast out into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30).
Jesus has promised a rich reward to those who faithfully serve Him. May we, like Paul, be able to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but to all them that have loved his appearing" (II Timothy 4: 7, 8). Only then will we have an honorable discharge.
- Donna Richmond Wittlif, the founder and first editor of BulletinGold, lives in Denver, CO. Donna is also a writer of fiction. Her novels, World Eternal: Promises and World Eternal: Proselytes, are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other book outlets. Her third book, World Eternal: Perils, should be out soon. For more information visit her website.
In order to receive an honorable discharge, a service member must meet or exceed high standards, both in his duty requirements and in his conduct. He must also finish his tour of duty unless he is physically or mentally disabled because of his service.
Christians might say that we seek an honorable discharge from this life. Our stay on earth is a time of testing. Will we stay true to our leader, Jesus Christ, or will we desert Him and go AWOL? Do we read God's commandments in the Bible and obey them? Does our conduct give glory to God and a good name to His church? If we fall, can we fix our eyes back on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and follow Him?
A bad conduct discharge is the most severe type of military discharge. Usually a person who gets a bad conduct discharge serves time in prison. He is not eligible for any service benefits such as health insurance. God, too, has a bad conduct discharge. Those who do not obey Him get no benefits. They are unprofitable servants, and are cast out into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:30).
Jesus has promised a rich reward to those who faithfully serve Him. May we, like Paul, be able to say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but to all them that have loved his appearing" (II Timothy 4: 7, 8). Only then will we have an honorable discharge.
- Donna Richmond Wittlif, the founder and first editor of BulletinGold, lives in Denver, CO. Donna is also a writer of fiction. Her novels, World Eternal: Promises and World Eternal: Proselytes, are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other book outlets. Her third book, World Eternal: Perils, should be out soon. For more information visit her website.
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