Fighting the Good Fight of Faith.
Paul wrote to Timothy ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things…’
What things were Timothy (and by extension, are we) to flee?
Discontent and the love of money for ‘godliness with contentment is great gain.’
So then, we are to ‘follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.’
Let’s dig a little deeper and look at the meanings of the original Greek words.
Righteousness – integrity, virtue, purity of life, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting.
Godliness – piety towards God, holiness.
Faith – moral conviction, persuasion, assurance, fidelity (which means a strict observance of promises, duty etc)
Love – this is a brotherly love or a benevolent, charitable love. A practical love that gives and does. A love feast!
Patience – constancy, steadfastness, endurance,
Meekness – gentleness, mildness, humility.
This list is followed by this exhortation…
‘Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called’
So how do we fight the good fight of faith?
We first look to God for grace and then by that grace we strive to live righteous, godly lives of integrity, living set apart for God. Trusting in God to guide and help us we allow the love of Christ to flow through us to those around us in practical ways. (It could be as simple as sacrificing a little time, maybe a cup of coffee and brightening someone’s day by chatting for a while or taking a meal to a friend. Hospitality and fellowship that so often refreshes not just them but us as well) By letting the love that Christ has poured out on us, flow through us, His love can become a feast for others.
Living for God with patience, steadfastly enduring as we follow Jesus and all with humility and gentleness.
We can’t do this alone, we cannot fight this fight in our own strength and wisdom but we don’t need to.
But we do need to be constantly renewing our minds if we want that transformation in our lives. How? In God’s word and communion with Him in prayer.
‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’
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1 Tim 6:6,11,12, Rom 12:1-2.