Fight the Good Fight

Summary

Today’s sermon is based primarily on First Timothy 6:6-19, and primarily on verses 12.

“Fight the good fight of the faith! Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called!”

Here is the full text of this passage:

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

The most important thing in the sermon today is to hear these words from the sixth chapter of First Timothy:

“Fight the good fight of the faith! Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called!”

Yes – fight the good fight of the faith. Believing in Jesus isn’t something you decide to do one time and then you are done with that decision for the rest of your life. No – believing in Jesus – living the New Life in Jesus is an on-going struggle, it’s a challenge, it’s a battle, it’s an adventure, it’s a journey. I hope you have started on that journey. I know that none of us have completed the journey. For all of us – we have these words of challenge:

“Fight the good fight of the faith! Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called!”

There will be times when your faith is challenged – by others or from within yourself. There will be times when the faith in God doesn’t make sense. There will be times when evil seems stronger than good. There will be times when other things in the world will seem more important – things like money, of course – but also so many other things – even important things, which can become so important that you don’t think about your faith.

Fight the good fight of the faith! Fight against evil. Fight against doubt. Fight against despair and depression. Fight against sickness and death. Fight against the love of money. Fight for life, for justice, for peace, for love, for caring.

“Fight the good fight of the faith! Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called!”

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