“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.“

1 Timothy 6:12 

–

JULY 9, 2025

Some things are worth fighting for—one thing being faith according to the word of God.  

Fighting implies opposition. What sort of opposition is Paul alluding to here? One possibility is our predilection to live by sight, rather than by faith. Too often we operate in ways that are indistinguishable from the rest of the world. We make decisions with no thought as to what the Lord would have us do. We utilize our resources in ways that closely mimic our neighbors. We spend our days running after the things everyone else is seeking 

The good fight of faith is a battle for absolute truth. Our faith is the assurance that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, that we are made in the image of God, that God is sovereign and we are not, that we are sinners in need of salvation, that trust in Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation. One day we will die and stand before God. 

Christians believe these things are true regardless of popular opinion. There are people who respond to the things of God with ridicule or contempt, and others who seem completely impervious to anything spiritual. But unbelievers are not our opponent.  

The real battle is with ourselves. It is a challenge to really believe what we say we believe. Paul stated that he was not ashamed of the gospel, and we must demonstrate the same conviction. Not only was Paul not ashamed of the gospel, but he was absolutely convinced that it is the power of salvation. This is the absolute truth that will one day confront every human being on the planet. 

We are too often beaten in the fight of faith by fear of rejection or failure—the temptation to live by sight. In our large church we can get by with putting on a facade of Christianity. We can talk the language without ever putting ourselves in a position where we really have to trust the Lord. This is the challenge we face, whether in taking the risk to open a spiritual conversation, or committing to a ministry that requires us to articulate with our words and our life choices the spiritual truth we believe. The only way to fight the good fight of the faith is to intentionally engage in situations where we must depend upon the Lord. If you are willing to do so, He will prove faithful. 

Questions for reflection and discussion:  

  • What would be an example from your life of fighting the good fight of the faith?  
  • How are you demonstrating that you really believe what you claim to believe?  
  • Where in your life are you engaged in something that requires dependence upon the Lord alone?    

Church Reading Plan: Joshua 11; Psalm 144