PAUL’S CHARGES TO TIMOTHY

FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH  

Fight <agonizomai> is in the imperative mood (it is a command, not a suggestion) and it means to struggle.  This word is used both literally (describing to compete for a prize) and figuratively, (describing to content with an adversary; or to contend, struggle with difficulties and dangers).  

PAUSE TO PONDER.  What does it mean to fight the fight of faith?  The word used for the “fight of faith” is <agon> and it describes any struggle with dangers, annoyances, or obstacles standing in the way of our faith, our holiness, and our desire to spread the Gospel.  Think about that.  There are three aspects of our personhood described there.  

• • • BELIEVE–Faith – Does anything or anybody stand in the way of what you believe?  Is there anything that you allow to go before your eyes that are a danger to your thinking being aligned with God’s word?
    • LIVE–Holiness – What kind of things do I stumble over as I try to live out the Christian life each day?  Is it my thoughts?  Do my feelings run the show?  What do I turn to when stressed or emotionally stretched to my limit?
    • GIVE–Spread the Gospel – Do I readily share the Gospel with those with whom I contact?  If not, what is standing in my way?  Fear?  Lack of confidence?  Fear of rejection?  

When I personally consider what stands in my way in accomplishing each of those things, my honest answer would have to be “ME”.  I am my own worst enemy.  Ouch.

TAKE HOLD OF THE ETERNAL LIFE TO WHICH YOU WERE CALLED 

Take hold <epilambanomai> is also in the imperative mood and it means to seize.  In the dictionary, part of the definition of “seize” is to take possession of by legal process.  When we accepted Christ, we were legally adopted into the family of God, and we now possess the eternal life that Christ paid so dearly to purchase for us.  Then another facet of “seize” in the dictionary is to take hold of, to grasp, to understand fully and distinctly.   So to “take hold” <epilambanomai> acknowledges both the possession of something, as well as grasping the full meaning of what that possession means to us.  

Paul is saying fight hard to the end!  Grasp and hang on to the understanding that eternal life awaits us and that will help us in fighting the good fight against the lies of the enemy of your soul and the hardships we face here on earth.    

KEEP THE COMMANDMENT WITHOUT STAIN OR REPROACH 

Keep <tereo> means to guard from loss or injury by keeping the eye upon.  What comes to mind when I consider that definition is how, when I am out and about with my grandsons, I keep my eye on them with vigilance, because I don’t want someone to snatch them, and I don’t want them to get hurt in some way.  Do I <tereo> my walk with God with that same fervor?  Ouch!  Another facet of <tereo> is to observe by fulfilling a command.  So we are to guard our hearts so that nothing steals our focus on the fact that we are to obey the commands of our God.  

Commandment <entole> means injunction; authoritative prescription; collectively, the whole body of the moral precepts of Christianity.  

PAUSE TO PONDER.  “Authoritative prescription”.  When you go to the doctor, sometimes she needs to write out a prescription for what ails you.  When you leave the office, what do you generally do?  You head to the pharmacy to fill it.  And then what do you do?  You take it home and follow the instructions on how to take it and… you take it.  God has given me the prescription for holy living – His Word.  Am I as eager to take that prescription that will heal my soul as I am a prescription from the doctor to heal my body?  Just ouch…

Another aspect of the “prescription” concept is that I have to admit I am sick and in need of the Great Physician before I will go to Him and get a prescription for what has me spiritually sick.  Just wow… 

So when Paul wrote this to Timothy, he spoke of “the commandment”.   What commandment might that be?  I think the answer is found in John 14:34 when Jesus said, “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”  Paul reiterated that to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:5, “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from a sincere faith.” 

Paul not only tells us what to do (keep the commandment), but how to do it (without stain, without reproach).  Without stain <aspilos> means unblemished physically or morally; free from censure; irreproachable.  Without reproach <anepilemptos> not arrested; inculpable; cannot be apprehended to voice disapproval.  What is coming to mind is 1 Peter 2:12.

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, 
though they accuse you of wrongdoing, 
they may see your good deeds and 
glorify God on the day He visits us.”

I’m glad I do my studying in the order of Scripture first, devotional second because studying the Scripture left me “oh my, how do I ever do these things?!”.  And the devotional pointed me in the right direction… the God of endurance!!!  Less of me, more of Him is the only way.  

For the life of me I can’t remember which devotional this came from, but I do know it was a YouVersion reading plan I was doing.  Anyway, here are a few excerpts that stood out to me, and I pray they will be an encouragement to your heart as they were to mine.  

“In Romans 15:5, Paul calls your Lord “the God of endurance.” This title really gets at the center of where your hope is to be found. Let me state it plainly: your hope is not to be found in your willingness and ability to endure, but in God’s unshakable, enduring commitment to never turn from His work of grace. Your hope is that you have been welcomed into communion with One who will endure no matter what. 

“Why is this so important to understand? Because your endurance will be spotty at best. There will be moments when you will forget who you are and live as a grace amnesiac. There will be times when you will get discouraged and for a while quit doing the good things God calls you to do. There will be moments, big and small, when you will willingly rebel. You may be thinking, “Not me.” But think with me— when you, as a Christian, say something nasty to another person, you don’t do it because you’re ignorant that it is wrong, but because at that point you don’t give a rip about what is wrong.

“You see, perfect endurance demands just that, perfection, and since none of us is there yet, we must look outside ourselves for hope. Your hope of enduring is not to be found in your character or strength, but in your Lord’s. Because He will ever be faithful, you can bank on the fact that He will give you what you need to be faithful too. Your perseverance rests on Him, and He defines what endurance looks like! It is the grace of endurance granted to you by the God of endurance that provides you with everything you need to continue to be what He calls you to be and do what He calls you to do between this moment and the moment when you cross over to the other side. When difficulty exposes the weakness of your resolve and the limits of your strength, you do not have to panic, because He will endure even in those moments when you don’t feel able to do so yourself.” 

FLEE —  PURSUE — FIGHT — TAKE HOLD — KEEP