Faith is not resignation – faith asserts. A resigned person adrift in the ocean gives in and hopes that the tide will carry him to shore. An assertive person will strike out for the shore and swim all night if necessary until he feels solid ground under his feet again. Faith chases good things and grasps hold of them. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. 1 Timothy 6.11,12. Paul’s advice to Timothy is that he must chase down righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness – all qualities belonging to Jesus Christ. He calls this struggle the ‘good fight of faith’. This fight is not a bad thing (though some trouble and pain will be encountered because that is the nature of a fight) - this is a good fight about belief. You need to win against unbelief if you are to chase down and possess righteousness, godliness etc. If unbelief (non-faith) wins, the fight to gain these valuable qualities is lost.
Faith must cut down every pretension that sets itself up against Christ. That is not a description of resignation – it describes action. Faith without works is dead. You can tell it is alive if it moves; and genuine faith fights.
Faith’s GPS is set on locating righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness. It homes in on these qualities. You cannot afford to allow your faith to lose its ‘fight’ and become merely a default, resigned position. You have to pick up your faith and assert it. Faith must be wielded.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10.3,4.
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5.4,5.
Our faith overcomes the world and its mindset, influence, temptation and deception, because our faith is lodged in Jesus Christ who overcame the world and now dominates it.
Your faith must fight. Faith without fight might already be dead!
No comments:
Post a Comment