2 Timothy 2:4

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

In general, golf is played as an individual sport. Like running, tennis, or wrestling, the competitor plays for himself or herself. When he or she wins, it is because of an individual effort. Similarly, a loss is from the individual’s deficit in play as compared to the other competitors. The playing ground is equal for all.

Everything done by the Christian should be for purpose of the uplifting and praise of our Lord and Savior. There is nothing we can do within our own power to merit any level of praise. The more we get involved in Earthly business, the less desire we have for the Father’s business. Further, civilian entanglements are selfish pursuits as they have no spiritual gain.

Believers are enlisted to be soldiers for Christ. In a military sense, soldiers do not get entangled into affairs of civilian living. Believers cannot allow the flesh get in the way of spiritual pursuits. After we receive salvation, it is no longer an individual pursuit. We should strive to become stronger within Christ, but our mission to to spread the gospel to others. When we get entangled in “civilian” matters, we are easily distracted from our spiritual task and lose track of His guidance.

John Gill in his “Exposition of the Bible” wrote that the “principal thing attended to by a Christian soldier, or minister of the Gospel, not to please men, nor to please himself, by seeking his own ease and rest, his worldly emoluments and advantages, but to please the Lord Christ, in whose book his name is written.” Thus, if we concentrate our pursuit to matters of the world, it is solely for our own “ease and rest” or advantage. For whom are we working today?