THE GOOD FIGHT

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called...
1 Timothy 6:12

While we should earnestly contend for the faith, I’ve seen this verse used in attempts to justify vile, belligerent, and even violent behavior, uncharacteristic of the gospel for which the apostle’s words encourage us. Paul even cites the example of how we are to understand its context: our Lord Jesus Christ’s testimony before Pilate (v13). Jesus told him, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world” (John 18:36); moreover, Jesus said His purpose for coming to earth as the King of kings was to go to the cross and bear witness to its gospel truth (John 18:37). Fighting the good fight of faith means to take hold of the gospel truth of everlasting life purchased by Christ’s sufferings and atoning death. It is a spiritual battle because “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:10). Moreover, the weapons of our warfare are spiritual and not fleshly (2 Cor 10:4), and characterized by obedience not obstinate behavior (2 Cor 10:5-6); just as our Lord Jesus humbled Himself as a Servant unto the death of the cross (Phil 2:7-8). We must fight faith’s fight to seize the truth of the person and work of Jesus Christ so we are not shaken in worship or witness. We must fight in the truth of the Spirit for Christ’s exaltation and the Father’s ultimate glory because of what Christ Jesus has done for us, not what we do for ourselves. We must fight the good fight in Spirit so the world sees Christ Jesus, not you or me. He must increase; we must decrease.

Let us fight the good fight of faith,
And wave Christ’s banner high;
Humbl’d as those sav’d by God’s grace
Through faith in Christ who died.

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Today's M'Cheyne Reading Schedule: 4/17 - Lev 21; Psa 26-27; Ecc 4; 1 Tim 6

If you don’t have one, get a free PDF copy of Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s “Daily Bread” Bible Reading Calendar by Clicking Here.

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