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“Fight The Good Fight – Part 1”
Fight The Good Fight – Part 1
Wade Webster
Paul often used military references in his writings. In Second Corinthians, he spoke of the mighty weapons of our warfare (2 Cor. 10:3-4). In Ephesians, he described the armor and the weapon of the Christian soldier (Eph. 6:10-17). In Second Timothy, he spoke of waging war (1 Tim. 1:18), of enduring hardship (2 Tim. 2:3), and of pleasing the One who has chosen us to be a soldier (2 Tim. 2:4). In our text, taken from First Timothy, Paul talked about fighting the good fight of faith. We read, “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen” (1 Tim. 6:11-16). As we examine these verses, we will see four things - the contrast, the commission, the charge, and the commander.
The Contrast
“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Tim. 6:11-12). Please note the first word - but. But is a word of contrast. Timothy, a man of God, is being contrasted with others in the context. We will call the others men of gain. Gain, rather than God, was their master and motivation. Describing Timothy as a “man of God” was high praise. It placed Timothy into the elite company of men like Moses (Deut. 33:1; Josh. 14:6), David (Neh. 12:36), Elijah (1 Kings 17:18), and Elisha (2 Kings 5:8). The difference between Timothy, a man of God, and the other men in the context, men of gain, was displayed in three things - what he fled from, what he followed after, and what he fought for. Let’s notice each of them in more detail.
Flee
Timothy was to flee from the things mentioned in the immediate context; primarily, the love of money. “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:9-10). The other men in the context were not fleeing covetousness. They were pursuing it. Paul wrote,
“Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” (1 Tim. 6:5). They remind the Bible student of Balaam who said that he wouldn’t help God’s enemies for a house filled with silver and gold, but he did. Peter said that he did so because he loved the wages of unrighteousness. We read, “Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet” (2 Pet. 2:14-16). Paul didn’t want Timothy to follow Balaam or his New Testament counterparts. He wanted him to flee from covetousness. He wanted Timothy to understand that a man’s life doesn’t consist of the things that he possesses (Lk. 12:15). He wanted him to understand that covetousness is idolatry. We read, “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5). Timothy was to flee from covetousness or idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14). After all, no man can serve God and money. Jesus declared, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Mat. 6:24).
