The Fight of Faith
I Timothy 6:11-12
At times the human mind questions the value of continuous prayer, devotions, worship, witnessing, and tithing. These powerful activities become commonplace and mundane over the years to many because what we once did out of love we now do out of habit. After a while the value of the habit is not even clearly seen.
"But you, man of God, run away from all those things. Instead, live in the right way, serve God, have faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, grabbing hold of the life that continues forever. You were called to have that life when you confessed the good confession before many witnesses" (I Timothy 6:11-12).
Pursue Only What God Approves. "But you, man of God, run away from all those things. Instead, live in the right way, serve God, have faith, love, patience, and gentleness." (v. 11).
Pursue a godly life.
Paul says, "live in the right way, serve God, have faith, love, patience, and gentleness" (v.11b).
As Christians we are to be righteous in our behavior.
What we need is a renewed mind that views life the way God sees it.
Pursue faith - loyalty to God.
Pursue - and keep on pursuing - a life that can endure.
"...grabbing hold of the life that continues forever. You were called to have that life when you confessed the good confession before many witnesses" (v.12b).
Pursue patience and gentleness.
Fight the Good Fight of Faith: "Fight the good fight of faith, (v.12a).
When God wants us to stand up and fight for something...we better fight.
Scripture says, "Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you." Deut 3:22 (NIV)
We are fighting for our Christian faith.
"Anyone who has a different teaching does not agree with the true teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that shows the true way to serve God. This person is full of pride and understands nothing, but is sick with a love for arguing and fighting about words. This brings jealousy, fighting, speaking against others, evil mistrust, and constant quarrels from those who have evil minds and have lost the truth...." (vv.3-5).
We are fighting against the enemies of the faith.
"Timothy, guard what God has trusted to you. Stay away from foolish, useless talk and from the arguments of what is falsely called "knowledge" (v.20).
Paul tells us how to fight the good fight of faith: "grabbing hold of the life that continues forever."
This is a parallel passage to that famous word in Ephesians 6, where Paul says, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil’s evil tricks" (Eph 6:11).
Take Hold of Eternal Life: Verse 12 reads, "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
Everlasting life is your destiny.
Others will be following your example for good or bad.
Jesus said, "Why do you call me, ’Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46).
The Bible says, "Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2). We know what God expects of us. We know what we must do.