Tag: living by faith

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Fight the Good Fight

men in costumes on parade outdoors

In Paul’s closing remarks to Timothy in his first letter, he tells him to “Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12 ESV). This is interesting language. The implication is that there is a war going on. It’s not the only time Paul uses that language. In Ephesians 6 he tells the saints to “put on the whole armor of God.” We are in a spiritual battle every day. Timothy should “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (vs. 11).

Our current events show that there is A LOT going on in the world. With hurricane Helene last week, still millions are without power, well over 100 are dead, with an estimated 500 more to be deceased. Homes are gone and people are missing. Iran launched an attack on Israel, which is prompting a retaliation that involves the United States. Haiti is a complete mess still. And the list goes on. Christians are in a position to fight the good fight and lead people to hope in Christ.

Paul also said, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (vs. 17-19). We will all do well to live life in the now, but plan for the future, which is eternal. Enjoy the life you have and people who surround you, and do good to them!

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Don’t Be Right, Be Faithful

a close up shot of a woman holding a rosary while praying

We spend much of our life attempting to be “right” as Christians. We want to know that we have the right answers, the right interpretation of the scriptures, and the right arguments to disarm people with wrong information. It’s great to be a student of the scriptures but our lot in life isn’t to be right. It’s to be faithful. When we are faithful God shows up in the most powerful ways.

The entire chapter 11 in Hebrews is about people who walked by faith. Many of them didn’t know what the future held or the troubles they would encounter. They only knew that God made a promise to them, and they were faithful. Abraham lived in tents for years and years, having no idea where he was going: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going” (vs. 8).

The author of Hebrews says that there were many people like Abraham who endured suffering or who waited for the promise. God delivered every time. Abraham became a father of many nations. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. Noah saved his family and began a new world. Even in their faith, they didn’t receive what they were promised, “since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect” (vs. 39, 40). We were promised something far better than even those giants of faith. Without our faith, those people from the past are not made perfect. Our faith really, really matters.

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Faith Is a Verb

faith

If the Word is the diet part of our walk with God, faith is the exercise. Faith is not only something we “have,” it’s especially something we do. Saying we “have” faith is like saying we “have” exercise. It just doesn’t make sense. James asked, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?” (James 2:14). Our faith is something that is lived, not something that is sought. Saying, “I just need more faith” is like saying “I just need more exercise.”

It is assumed in the Bible that our faith is something done, not something that is received. By faith all the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 obeyed. They went. The followed. They led. The helped. They ministered. There were the actions that resulted in living out their faith. If we are truly people of the faith, we are active every day. There’s not a day that passes where we are not actively living by faith. We must be calling people, visiting with the sick, sharing our time and money with the poor, and helping the orphans and widows in their distress.

The phrase “going to church” is about as helpful as “going to the gym” if all we do is sit and watch others work out. Our faith is the exercise portion of our daily regiment. James was right when he said, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26).

Photo by Alexander Redl on Unsplash