Fighting the Good Fight
Read the Text: 1 Timothy 6
Memorize the Text:
Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you have made a good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
(1 Timothy 6:12, CSB)
Consider the Text: 1 Timothy 6:11-12
The apostle Paul called Timothy to “fight the good fight.” Far too often, we find fights that are not the good fight to compete in. We begin to fight wars and cause wars that do not deal with eternity or the things of God but instead become fueled by personal preference and temporary impacts. Thus, we need to assess if the apostle Paul would challenge us to continue the “good fight” or to “engage the good fight.” As we think about 1 Timothy 6:11-12, may we assess the fight we fight.
YOU MUST ENTER THE FIGHT
A boxer who engages in a match must first enter the ring. If the fight never gets into the ring, the fight never occurs. Individuals cannot fight the “good fight” until they enter a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The entrance into salvation opens the proverbial ring in which we begin to battle for the Kingdom of God and carry out the good fight. If you are a child of God, you have been placed in the ring to compete. What hinders you from receiving Jesus and entering the ring if you are standing outside the ring? If you have entered the ring, we must assess our fight against the characteristics of “fighting the good fight.”
YOU MUST FIGHT WITH ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
A boxer competes in the ring with a goal and a plan. He competes intending to gain victory over the opponent and sets forth a plan to compete well. In spiritual reality, the believer needs to set a goal that exists with an eternal perspective. This truth means we see what is to come and not become deterred by the here and now. The proper eternal perspective carries three components
ETERNAL LIFE – We must compete in the “good fight” with the guarantee of eternal life because victory extends to us in Christ. Thus, eternal life becomes part of the eternal perspective because it provides an eternal guarantee.
COMPLETE RESTORATION – We must compete in the “good fight” with the understanding that God extends a promise to make all things new and to restore us from the broken state of sin. We live knowing that the fight might leave us battered and bruised, but God will remove those in complete restoration.
GOD’S PRESENCE – We must compete in the “good fight” with the knowledge that eternal life and restoration occur in the everlasting presence of God. As a child of God, we fight the “good fight” with the truth that God will dwell with his children forever.
As you think about your life, are you living with an eternal perspective? Are you pursuing an eternal goal that exists only in Christ? What temporary goals distract you from following the eternal goals of Christ?
FIGHT IN THE ROBE OF JESUS
When the boxer enters the ring, the announcer identifies the competitor by the trunks they wear. This mark represents the boxer and the people for which he competes. The same is true for the follower of Christ. We must fight in the robe of Jesus, representing his kingdom. As a result, we see to live out truth as an ambassador of Jesus. Thus, the apostle details that the competitor in the “good fight” seeks to reveal the robe of Jesus by pursuing six characteristics.
PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS – We must compete in the “good fight” with the pursuit of living in faithfulness before the Lord. This charge means that we seek to live in integrity.
PURSUE GODLINESS – The concept of godliness means that the believer lives in integrity and lives out their faith by following the Lord and his ways in obedience.
PURSUE FAITH – The pursuit of faith does not mean the faith of entering the ring, but instead, the continued faith of trusting the Lord throughout life. This truth means that we live in a state of trusting the Lord with everything.
PURSUE LOVE – When we pursue love, we demonstrate the love of God (our vertical love) in our love for others (horizontal love). When we compete in the “good fight,” we demonstrate God’s love to others through our love for them.
PURSUE ENDURANCE – We must pursue the goal with endurance. Endurance comes as we patiently serve the Lord in faith and mature in our relationship with him. As we compete in battle, we become stronger and grow in endurance.
PURSUE GENTLENESS – The pursuit of gentleness comes as chasing after humility. Such as pursuit means that we seek to treat others with kindness that extends to mercy and grace.
How are you representing Jesus? How are you maturing in fighting in the robe of Jesus and representing his kingdom? What goals and action steps can you consider to ensure you have entered and are growing stronger in “fighting the good fight?”
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
