The Faith Fight is Good
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also
called, and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many
witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12 NKJV
Many people erroneously believe that walking by faith entails arriving at God’s plan for their lives without obstacles or difficulties. In contrast, First Timothy 6:12 teaches the exact opposite. The apostle Paul writes in that verse, “Fight the good fight of faith.” According to this scripture, the path of faith frequently demands a struggle to reach its conclusion.
Being the leader of a Christian community in the first century under Roman rule was not easy. Paul’s letter to his “son in the faith,” Timothy, was filled with personal encouragement, many warnings, and wise instruction. Paul encouraged Timothy on how to deal with a wide variety of theological and practical issues that Timothy was likely to face as he shepherded the little flock of believers on their spiritual journey through life.
Paul defines the Christian life as a “good fight” even though it is a difficult struggle rife with dangerous pitfalls. “Battle the good fight of faith,” he encouraged Timothy, “and seize the eternal life to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
It is not a battle against God but a partnership with Him against our mutual foe. It is a spiritual war in which we stand firm in the truth of God’s Word and fight against the world, the flesh, the devil, and our ego. Fighting the good battle of faith is not so much aggressive combat against a physical adversary as it is rising to the challenges of our Christian life or firmly seizing the eternal life that is ours through Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Each enemy is destructive to the soul and detrimental to our spiritual development; therefore, each must be resisted with courage and resolve. Christ’s victory on the cross has already won the war, and we are to face all of life’s obstacles by retaining unwavering faith in Him relying on His sufficiency to see us through.
We are to fight the good battle of faith by seizing every chance, believing in His all-sufficient grace to carry us through by faith, rather than wilting in the face of
a problem’s enormity or giving in to temptation.
When we fight the good fight of faith, we trust God in all circumstances, thereby seizing eternal life. Eternal life is not just about surviving eternally in the next life
but also about having a victorious life in this life. It is about growing in grace and understanding of the Lord Jesus and creating a precious intimacy with Him as
we firmly abide in His love.
Timothy had previously demonstrated that he was a soldier for Christ. Paul had voluntarily enlisted him in the army of God, but this Christian youth had also
answered the call on his life, much like Isaiah, who said, “Here am I; send me.” This passage tells us that the Lord called and selected Timothy to carry out this
crucial ministry. It finishes by recalling Timothy’s profession of faith in the presence of numerous witnesses.
Timothy appears to have been a modest, unassuming young man, but he was steadfast in the faith because he gave a courageous and beautiful testimony in
front of many witnesses. And Paul wanted to remind Timothy that the cause of Christ was worth fighting for and that his young companion and co-laborer in the gospel needed to press on toward the prize of the high calling he had in Christ Jesus. Each of us must realize that we must persevere until the very end so that, along with Paul and Timothy, we may seize the eternal life that Christ Jesus desires for each of His children.
Like Paul and the other disciples, Timothy followed the same route as Jesus. He walked the route of the Cross. Christ traveled the same path before us, and He patiently endured the Cross, loathed the disgrace, and humbly submitted to His Heavenly Father’s plan. And like Him, our lives are to be a testimony to His faithfulness, for as we run the race set before us with patient endurance and a determination to do all for the glory of God, we will also fight the good fight of faith and seize the eternal life to which we have all been called; so that, along with Timothy and a great cloud of witnesses, we may also make a good confession before many witnesses.
Reflect
How long have you been fighting the good fight of faith? What do you have to lose if you decide to stop trying? God implores you to stand up and fight, devoting your concentrated efforts to defending your beliefs. Fight in a manner that is honorable, admirable, and deserving of the upcoming prize. Continue to fight until you can proclaim, “The battle is over, and I have won!”
Prayer
How long have you been fighting the good fight of faith? What do you have to lose if you decide to stop trying? God implores you to stand up and fight, devoting your concentrated efforts to defending your beliefs. Fight in a manner that is honorable, admirable, and deserving of the upcoming prize. Continue to fight until you can proclaim, “The battle is over, and I have won!”
Upcoming Connect 21 Events
- Saturday Morning Prayer (Jan 21st @ Latimer Hall – The Way United Methodist Church)
- Sunday Morning Service (Jan 22nd @ 10 am at River Ridge High School)