Our scripture this morning is 1 Timothy 6:12-14.
Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
Paul sends encouragement to his “son in the faith” Timothy. His instructions are equally applicable to all of us. It’s not just about avoiding sin, we must actively pursue virtue. Timothy has done good things but Paul teaches it’s not about a single act but a life lived well.
When Paul says “fight the good fight” we must remember his teaching from Ephesians 6:12: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” He reminds us that people are not our enemies, and our defense against evil comes from Jesus Christ Himself and our unity in Him.
Too often we are distracted from our real enemy and the real danger of sin. Evil causes us to fight amongst ourselves rather than uniting with Jesus to fight against the root cause of our issues. Only God’s love can save and free us, and only His love can prevail.
Gracious God, You have made us for a purpose and shown us what is necessary to be reconciled with You. Bless us to be Your representatives in all we do. Amen.
