"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." (1 Timothy 6: 12)
We are forgiven because of the blood of Jesus, yet this sacrifice Jesus cannot do a second time, because He cannot die again.
For this reason, we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5: 7)
Let us also not forget that there were many people who saw Jesus resurrected, and they still did not believe:
"16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted." (John 28: 16-17)
Also
"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20: 29)
We receive faith through hearing the Word about Jesus:
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10: 17)
The NIV brings out the full import of the verse:
"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."
We do not grow in faith by our feelings, or by praying for it, but rather our faith increase as we read more of the Word of God and see Jesus throughout:
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24: 27)
When Paul exhorted Timothy, and all of us, to fight or rather, be having fought, the good fight of faith, he was exhorting us to rest in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ that we can and do take God at His Word about our state.
Keep in mind, once again, that knowing where we are going is not enough, and God doing things for us is not enough:
"8If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 10But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel." (Numbers 14:8-10)
The Lord God had given the Israelites the land, and He had assured them that He would protect them.
But the majority of the Israelites (in fact, the vast majority of them) did not believe the Lord nor the good report from the two faithful spies:
"And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us." (Deuteronomy 1: 27)
In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews records:
"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Hebrews 4: 2)
Why did they not believe? They were under law at that point, still trusting in their efforts, still looking to Moses rather than trusting in the Word of God:
"30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;" (Romans 9: 30-32)
and
"And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them." (Galatians 3: 12)
We are forgiven because of the blood of Jesus, yet this sacrifice Jesus cannot do a second time, because He cannot die again.
For this reason, we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5: 7)
Let us also not forget that there were many people who saw Jesus resurrected, and they still did not believe:
"16Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted." (John 28: 16-17)
Also
"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20: 29)
We receive faith through hearing the Word about Jesus:
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10: 17)
The NIV brings out the full import of the verse:
"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."
We do not grow in faith by our feelings, or by praying for it, but rather our faith increase as we read more of the Word of God and see Jesus throughout:
"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24: 27)
When Paul exhorted Timothy, and all of us, to fight or rather, be having fought, the good fight of faith, he was exhorting us to rest in the Finished Work of Jesus Christ that we can and do take God at His Word about our state.
Keep in mind, once again, that knowing where we are going is not enough, and God doing things for us is not enough:
"8If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. 9Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not. 10But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel." (Numbers 14:8-10)
The Lord God had given the Israelites the land, and He had assured them that He would protect them.
But the majority of the Israelites (in fact, the vast majority of them) did not believe the Lord nor the good report from the two faithful spies:
"And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us." (Deuteronomy 1: 27)
In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews records:
"For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." (Hebrews 4: 2)
Why did they not believe? They were under law at that point, still trusting in their efforts, still looking to Moses rather than trusting in the Word of God:
"30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;" (Romans 9: 30-32)
and
"And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them." (Galatians 3: 12)
So, if I do not accept the Word of God as final, but believe that there is some part which I must play, inevitably or feelings will get into the mix.
God invites us to receive His Word, mixed with faith, and today we can rest assured because we have His faith (Galatians 2: 20-21)
This fight is not an active striving, but rather a peaceful stance of victory:
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" (Ephesians 6: 10-17)
Be strong in the Lord, not yourself. Be strong in His might, no[t yours. Put on the full armor of God, which is one composite whole, Christ Jesus. We stand -- four times, the passage exhorts us to stand.
"We wrestle not" should read "the wrestling is not to us", i.e the fight is not our fight, but His fight, and He has already won the fight:
"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)
Fight the good, the beautiful fight of faith, which in all literal sense is "be having fought" or recognize that the fight has been won in Christ.
God invites us to receive His Word, mixed with faith, and today we can rest assured because we have His faith (Galatians 2: 20-21)
This fight is not an active striving, but rather a peaceful stance of victory:
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" (Ephesians 6: 10-17)
Be strong in the Lord, not yourself. Be strong in His might, no[t yours. Put on the full armor of God, which is one composite whole, Christ Jesus. We stand -- four times, the passage exhorts us to stand.
"We wrestle not" should read "the wrestling is not to us", i.e the fight is not our fight, but His fight, and He has already won the fight:
"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8: 37)
Fight the good, the beautiful fight of faith, which in all literal sense is "be having fought" or recognize that the fight has been won in Christ.
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