Fighting the Good Fight
1 Timothy 6:11-13, Romans 5, John 15:1:11
As we close, I want to us to really mediate on what Paul is writing to Timothy here in 1 Timothy 6:11-13. Go read it again.
Here Paul is telling timothy that being a good and faithful servant requires us to “fight the good fight of faith.” We are to pursue the good things that make us look like Jesus which requires concentrated effort on our part. We don’t wake up naturally and are good and faithful. If there were the case the gospel would be moot. Earlier in this chapter Paul says this:
If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a sick craving for controversial questions and disputes about words, from which come envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between people of depraved mind and deprived of the truth…(1Timothy 6:3-5).
How do we remain in Jesus? How do we remain faithful to the call to follow him, love him and obey him? We advocate for the doctrine of Jesus Christ, and conform to godliness by learning and obeying his teaching. We can never be good and faithful without knowing the source of goodness, Jesus and we can never be faithful (read the whole testament to see that reality) because we are inherently selfish, self absorbed sinners with a serious god complex. We need the Helper, the Holy Spirit to remind us to pursue perseverance in abiding in Jesus, the giver of eternal life, the one who is the example of the life Paul lays out before Timothy.
Church, how are you avoiding these things? What of the world entices you to give up the fight and pursue the doctrine of the world instead of the doctrine of Jesus Christ? Let us be those whose muscle do not lack the memory to continue to fight. We fight not only for ourselves, but for the glory of God that all would bow down at his throne in worship, because it is our greatest satisfaction to do so.
