Our scripture this morning is 1 Timothy 6:12-14 (NLT).
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 offers Timothy strong encouragement against the opposition he will surely face as a disciple of Jesus. He reminds Timothy of the promise of eternal life we have from God and the call He makes on our lives. It is this assurance that gives us hope until Christ returns.
He uses common language to express the “good fight” Timothy and all disciples will face, the resistance the world offers to Jesus’ message of love and forgiveness. We know there will be challenges, Jesus told us that Himself. However, as Jesus did, we are to give “a good testimony” in the world.
The underlying lesson here is that we don’t care about what the world thinks of us. Jesus taught us to do good, no matter what. Opinions for or against us here have no bearing on our eternal life. That is strictly between God and ourselves, and if we repent and go in His name, our salvation is assured.
Loving Lord, thank You for the blessing of Your Son and the opportunity to be forgiven our sins. Make us strong in faith and send us as the disciples of today to spread the Good News. Amen.
