“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”
1 Timothy 6:12
Christians tend to believe that to fight the good fight of faith means to persevere through difficulties in life such as frustrations in our daily lives, illnesses we do not understand, job losses, deaths or many other such trials that occur. Although these are good times to persevere, consider the “good fight of faith” of which it is referring to in the following verse. “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12).
- Fight means “the task of faith in persevering amid temptation and opposition.”
- Fight means“contest for victory or mastery; the evangelical contest against the enemies of man’s salvation.”
- Faith means “a technical term indicative of the means of appropriating what God in Christ has for man resulting in the transformation of man’s character and way of life; i.e.: namely, Christian faith; a firm and confiding belief in Jesus and His gospel.”
Note the importance of “persevering amid temptation and opposition.” Persevering is important. However, it is important to recognize what it is that we are to persevere in: Faith. Christian faith (a firm belief in Jesus and His Gospel) that changes our lives. We have become a new creature in Christ. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). With this new life, we find there is a new battle before us.
First we must have Christ-like behavior; faith: “the transformation of man’s character and way of life”. Often, we are our own worst enemies. We do not put away the old life, and all of the things that went with that old life, to fully commit to this new life in Christ. Often Paul taught Believers to put off the old man and put on the new. “9. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Colossians 3:9-10). (See also Ephesians 4:20-32.) It is a daily battle, yet as you remain faithful to the new life in Christ, the daily fight can become easier to win. But it takes perseverance and faithfulness. This reminds me of the following verse. “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). This verse does not mean that you “work” for your salvation. The words work out means “to accomplish; finish; toil; commit.” Christians are to allow the salvation (that they already have through faith in Jesus) to be manifested (revealed by how they live Christ-like) in the expression of this new life. It is the actualization of what one already possesses! Those who are growing in their spiritual lives, fighting the good fight of the faith, do not need someone “watching” them to be sure they are living a right life before Christ. Maturing Christians choose to do right no matter who is there, knowing that God sees all. Why is this so important? Christians need to live Christ-like for their own benefit and to encourage non-believers to want what Believers have through Christ. How are we able to do this? “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13). Christians are to remember that it is up to us to allow God to work in us. This is part of our fighting of the faith.
We also must live a Christ-like life before the world. Christians are to “lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses” (see 1 Timothy 6:12). For Christians, this eternal life begins the day we give our hearts and lives to Jesus. We are to “lay hold” on this truth. We choose to walk this new life in Christ. “6. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7. Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). As we walk in this new life in Christ, we are an example to all who see us. As good as it is to walk, fighting the good fight of faith, in this Christ-like life, we are also to profess this new life to others as we live it. “5. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. 6. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:5-6). What good does it do to live a life and not tell anyone else how to have what we now possess?
Each person who is saved (been called by God) is to persevere (with a fight) in that Christian life – for that life has been transformed by a confidence and belief in Jesus and His Gospel. It takes much work. There are many enemies. Do not be your own worst enemy. Fight the good fight of faith.
Have you made the decision to fight daily to appropriate the Christian faith into every aspect of your being?
