FIGHT… LAY HOLD. 1st Timothy 6:12. Timothy, a man who might have appeared young to some, was to stand before the assembly at Ephesus and teach sound doctrine without hesitation. It was clear to those who heard him speak that he was chosen to speak for God among His people and to pass on His truth. Through his personal witness and daily conduct, he was to show forth God’s praises.
There will always be opposition to those who live by faith. Some unlearned and thoughtless people will believe they are called to lead and teach and will try to take advantage of this Spirit-controlled position. So, the fight of faith for Spirit-led teachers does not end when they deliver the message God has given them. It continues until death or until the Lord returns. It will never be easy for a believer to resist conforming to the ways and words of those around him who do not believe what he has to say. The pressure to conform to the crowd is strong, so the fight of faith will demand great strength from anyone committed to following the Lord and preaching His word.
To “lay hold on eternal life” doesn’t mean a Christian can be lost. However, it does mean that those committed to living for God will have to bear a real cost. Living out eternal life daily involves claiming what is already ours, for which we have been called, as we journey toward home. This doesn’t mean we are free to be aggressive and do just what we want; it also doesn’t mean we are allowed to shrink back from our calling. The challenge is really from the Master, to whom we owe our life. The fight we are engaged in is fighting darkness with God’s light.
The eternal life God gives us is not simple. Christ bought and paid for it when He died to bring us salvation. That includes the life of God given to us, which we experience daily and in fulfilling our trust. How do I fight a battle that's already been won? Christ defeated my enemies by giving His life, not having it taken from Him. When He said, “It is finished!” and then “yielded up His spirit,” the battle was over, and I now live on “Redemption Ground!”
The challenges to faith are all around me. Some will never be satisfied with imputed righteousness. Even though they know it was for sin, Christ died, fulfilling every demand of righteousness; they have never learned, “There is Power in the Blood!” As Christian soldiers, we must press on with our backs to the world and our faces to the enemy. By fighting the fight of faith, listeners will understand, “It was for me, for me alone, the Savior left His glorious throne!”
Grasping what God has given and what I already possess is difficult for many. They refuse to accept that Christ alone can save us from our sins. “Not what these hands have done can save this guilty soul!” Even though the Gospel is clearly presented, and salvation is found in no other name, some still try to earn their salvation. They labor without faith and refuse to accept, “It is Finished, yes indeed, Finished every Jot!”
By God's grace, I will fight the fight of faith and hold and enjoy eternal life. I will take the blessings of walking in the light by God's grace and, with upward steps, move on toward greater heights – Pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining every day!
We need to focus on our calling and avoid getting sidetracked because we are involved in spiritual warfare that requires our attention. The kind of life we have is eternal, which prompts us to continue with the profession and public testimony we've been given. The ones who sent Timothy to the work were not where he was, but God is. Our confession is public, not some hidden agenda or secret involvement that no one knows about. What each of us does influences what others do as well, both through how we participate in the work and how we support others' efforts.