1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto you are also called… I. IN WHAT RESPECTS THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE FIGHT OF FAITH. 1. There are enemies of our salvation, and there must be faith in the soul to set against them. Where there are not two parties, there can be no fight. There is no fighting in heaven, for there are no enemies there (Revelation 21:25). There is none of this fighting in the unbelieving world neither; for the enemies have all there alone, and there is no faith to set against them (Luke 11:21). 2. Faith has the chief interest in this fight. In it there will be use for all the graces, the doing and suffering graces: yet the fight has its name from faith, as that which has the chief hand in it. It carries on the fight, and obtains the victory — "Whom resist, steadfast in the faith" (2 Peter 5:9). 3. Lastly, the great design of a holy God, in that fight is the trial of faith. Hence says the apostle (1 Peter 1:6, 7). II. IN WHAT RESPECTS IT IS A GOOD FIGHT? III. WHY IS THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, IN THE DISPOSAL OF HOLY PROVIDENCE, MADE A FIGHT? No doubt the Lord could have given His people a constant sunshine as well on this side as the other side of death, and cleared the way of those armed adversaries that are ready to attack them. 1. That the members may be conformed to their Head in their passage through the world. 2. That the nothingness, and utter unworthiness of the creature, which is to wear the crown of glory for ever, may convincingly appear; so as they themselves and all others may see it is owing purely to free grace, not to them (Deuteronomy 8:2). 3. For the greater confusion of the grand adversary, who, attacked Him in person in the world, and whom He causeth poor weak creatures to triumph over after they have maintained a fight with Him (Romans 16:20). 4. For the greater glory of the Captain of their salvation, the more full display of the freedom of grace, and the efficacy of His blood and Spirit. 5. For that they may have a greater variety of experiences — "Patience worketh experience; and experience, hope" (Romans 5:4). 6. Lastly, that heaven may be the more sweet to them, when they come to it. IV. WHY THEIR FIGHT IS CALLED A FIGHT OF FAITH. The reason is, because by that means all the glory of the victories obtained redounds to free grace, not to the sinner himself, "It is of faith, that it might be by grace" (Romans 4:16). V. I WILL TOUCH AT SOME PARTICULAR FIGHTS OF FAITH THE CHRISTIAN MAY HAVE IN HIS COURSE HEAVENWARD, SUCH AS — 1. In a call to some more than ordinary work or duty. 2. In desertion. 3. In temptations from Satan. 4. In afflictions. 5. With this present evil world. 6. With sin. 7. With death.Some have a fighting life with the world all their days: but, alas! it is not the fight of faith with it, but a sinful faithless fighting with it, that carries on the ruin of their souls. Ye will know this faithless fight with it by these two things. 1. All their fight is to get something of the world, not to be kept from the spiritual evil of the world. 2. Their fight they have with the world takes away from them all favour of the Word of God and of religion.We must then stay our hearts by faith — 1. Firmly believing the Scripture accounts of the unseen world (Hebrews 11:1). 2. Firmly believing the Scripture account of the way to heaven; that Christ is the way to it (John 14:6); and that by faith we walk in Him to it (Colossians 2:6). 3. Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ for your safe passage to the upper part of the unseen world (Psalm 73:24; Psalm 31:5); committing your soul to Him, rolling the weight of your through-bearing on Him as the Captain of salvation appointed of God to bring many sons to glory. 4. Believing that your Lord Christ is Lord of the unseen world, and that the whole compass of it above and below is under His dominion (Revelation 1:18). (T. Boston, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. |
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