“Fight the good fight of faith…- 1Timothy 6:12

From the time she was a little girl, my favourite niece always told me that she wanted to be a doctor.

Currently in S.3, I asked her about her doctor dream when she showed me her term two results recently.

When I asked why her Biology results were the lowest, I was shocked to hear what she told me.

“I lost interest in Biology because it is too hard,” she told me.

“I am now more interested in Agriculture.”

What happened next was giving her a long lecture.

Later on when I asked her what her take away from our conversation was, she said the word ‘fight’ was what had stood out for her.

“Nothing good comes easy; you will get what you fight for,” she said.

In our meditation today, we reflect on Paul’s final words to Timothy, his spiritual son.

Being the son of a Jewish mother, Timothy understood military terminology, which to this day is a very important part of Jewish life.

From childhood, the Jews are taught to be fighters, and their fighting mentality explains why they are some of the greatest inventors and entrepreneurs in the world.

Rather than give up, they will fight on until they succeed.

In the contemporary Church today, it is common to hear of Christians ‘fighting’ or engaging in ‘spiritual warfare’ against demons, evil spirits, curses, etc.

How can you purport to be fighting Satan and his powers, which were completely defeated by Christ on the cross of Calvary?  There’s no more war to fight against them!

On the contrary, athlesis, one the two Greek words translated ‘fight,’ denotes contesting in public games.

It is from this word that we get the English words ‘athletics’ and ‘athlete.’

The second word is agonizomai, which means to ‘labor fervently,’ especially in order to win a prize.

In Jude 1:3, the term ‘contend earnestly’ translates the same word, which is the basis of the English word ‘agonize.’

There’s no more ‘war’ to fight against Satan and demons. The only fight we’re supposed to engage in is the fight of faith!

As Christians, we are not called to passive service, but to vigilance in the faith; to agonize.

In another context (see 2 Cor.10:3-4), the word strateuo is used and is translated “to make war.”

It is from this word that we get the English word ‘strategy,’ which is something done with the mind.

With the word athlesis (see 1 Cor. 9:25-27), Paul makes the point that the “champion” mindset, like in athletics, is a must if one is to faithfully complete the Christian life.

The idea here is to strive as in a contest for a prize, straining every nerve in order to win and attain the gold medal.

The city of Corinth in Greece was famous for a great athletics festival in which contestants in various games would endure ten months of mandatory training for a strenuous endurance marathon.

It was this race and boxing that Paul used as illustrations for the faithful Christian life.

That is why he urged Timothy to wage “the good warfare” (1Tim. 1:18).

That was the same idea that Peter had when he admonished the believers to “arm yourselves with the same mind” of Christ (1Peter 4:1).

In order to fight the good fight successfully, believers must take on the mind of Christ.

In Matthew 11:12, our Lord taught that the “kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”

This is a reference to the antagonism of the enemies of the kingdom, which implies that the Christian must make an effort to be part of God’s kingdom in spite of violent opposition.

The only fight you’re supposed to engage in is the fight of faith! Fight well until you get the crown.

Prayer:

Almighty God, thank you for strengthening my hands for war and my fingers for battle! I will fight the good fight of faith until I triumph and wear my crown. In the Name of Jesus, Amen!