We Are Soldiers

From Herman Ridderbos:

[Paul] describes the life of believers time and again from the double viewpoint of battling on the basis of victory and of gaining the victory on the basis of the battle.

The first viewpoint proceeds from the victory of Christ. Because Christ has died to sin, they are to live out of the consideration of faith that they too are dead to sin (as ruler), but live for God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 6:11). This living for God in Christ Jesus is now repeatedly described, however, in the terminology of a battle, which not only starts from the victory that lies behind (in Christ), but also extends toward the victory that lies before (in the life of believers).

---Paul: An Outline of His Theology, page 267.