Am I a Soldier of the Cross?

"Am I a Soldier of the Cross," by Isaac Watts, was published in 1724, and is, thus, public domain. The first two lines of it were quoted in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), which is available here and elsewhere, in an audio edition. Tom Sawyer was published in 1884, so that hymn was still remembered approximately 160 years later, and still occurs in some hymnals.

Here's the text, from The Hymnary:

1 Am I a soldier of the cross,
a foll'wer of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause
or blush to speak His Name?
2 Must I be carried to the skies
on flow'ry beds of ease,
while others fought to win the prize
and sailed through bloody seas?
3 Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace
to help me on to God?
4 Sure I must fight, if I would reign;
increase my courage, Lord;
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
supported by Thy Word.
5 Thy saints in all this glorious war
shall conquer, though they die;
they see the triumph from afar
by faith's discerning eye.
6 When that illustrious day shall rise,
and all Thine armies shine
in robes of vict'ry through the skies,
the glory shall be Thine.

Verses 1-3 pose six questions, which are answered with an implied, but emphatic, "NO!" They are also answered, especially the first one, that makes up the title, by verse 4.

Watts may have been referring to this passage:
Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand 14 Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace; 16 above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:

The passage, and, to some extent, Watt's hymn, seem not to be referring to individual persons, but to movements or ideas, and also to the temptations that come our way. The world of culture, commerce and politics, to use Watt's language, is not a "friend to grace."

Thanks for reading!