Fighting the Good Fight of Faith
Treasures
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Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.—1 Timothy 6:12
When we become Christians and are born again in spirit to the kingdom of God (John 3:3), we begin a new life of love, truth, and eternal salvation. We also discover that we have entered into the spiritual warfare between good and evil, right and wrong, and God’s kingdom and the kingdoms of this world (2 Corinthians 10:3–5). When we answer Jesus’ call to follow Him and bring His light and truth to others, we find that we are engaged in the good fight of faith for the souls and well-being of humankind.
The Christian warfare is not a war of physical weapons and armies, pitting man against man, nation against nation, race against race, or rich against poor. Nor is it a war between political and economic systems, societies, tribes and cultures, religions and faiths. Such wars have seldom ever resolved the basic problems of humankind, but have often only resulted in suffering, destruction, privation, poverty, and death.
Ours is a spiritual warfare as in faith and love we seek to bring the minds and hearts of people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and faith in God, “who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God seeks to free men’s minds and hearts and spirits from the bondage of sin, which brings misery and death upon us. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
The Bible says that every human being was created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), and as such they should be treated with respect and dignity. We believe that every person has the right to have sufficient food, clothing and housing, regardless of ethnicity, gender, creed, nationality, or social status. We consider all forms of discrimination, prejudice, and violence as incompatible with God’s design.
Our calling is to share the good news with people, so that they may come to believe in God and His love and enter into the kingdom of God, and to one day dwell with Him in heaven, where there will be no more sorrow, pain, or death, but eternal joy (Revelation 21:4). God does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance and enter into His kingdom (2 Peter 3:9). In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus taught that though ninety-nine sheep were in the fold, the shepherd was not content until the last lost one was found and rescued. “In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these ones should perish” (Matthew 18:12–14).
When we face opposition or suffer loss because of our faith or contend with the cultural challenges and evils of our day, it is important to remind ourselves that as Christians, we have been given “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). We have been granted the privilege of playing a role in the greatest cause of all time—the kingdom of God and the eternal souls and well-being of humankind. So be of good faith and of good cheer, for God is with us and His love will not fail and His plan for humankind will prevail. Jesus told us that “in the world you will have tribulation.” But He went on to say, “Take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Enduring challenges as “a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3)
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the battle for our souls is won, and it’s a permanent victory (John 6:37; 10:28–29). That was a battle we couldn’t have possibly won ourselves. Jesus won it for us when He suffered and bled and died on the cross to save us (Ephesians 2:8–9; Romans 6:23). We belong to Him forever, and nothing can separate us from His love. “I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35–39).
We will face trouble and trials, opposition and challenges in our lives as Christians and in leading others into God’s kingdom. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). The Bible teaches us that God has equipped us for the spiritual warfare and provided us the “whole armor of God,” so that we can “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” and “withstand in the evil day, and having done all, stand firm” (Ephesians 6:10–13).
In the face of such spiritual warfare, new Christians may be tempted to wonder what the benefit is of becoming a Christ-follower. At such times, it is important to keep at the forefront all that Jesus has done for us. We have received His gift of eternal salvation; we no longer have to worry about death. Even in the face of death, He will always take care of us. Jesus said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5), and, “I will be with you always, even to the end of this age” (Matthew 28:20).
The Bible says that “many are the afflictions of the righteous,” but the second half of that verse promises that “the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). We will make some sacrifices to serve the Lord and live our lives in a godly way, but as the apostle Paul wrote, “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). So although there are struggles and challenges in the Christian life, the eternal rewards for fighting the good fight of faith are worth sacrificing for. And in this life, He grants us love, joy, and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding and guards our hearts and minds in Christ (Galatians 5:22; Philippians 4:7).
No matter what we face in this life, God Himself, who is sovereign over this world and the world to come, is on our side and His will shall prevail. No matter what trials or challenges we experience in this world, we know how the story ends. One day the trumpet will sound in heaven, announcing, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15).
When we feel embattled and the state of the world and its evils overwhelm us, we need to keep our eyes on the eternal goal, as is brought out in the “faith” chapter of the Bible, Hebrews 11. This chapter recounts how all the patriarchs and heroes of the Bible looked forward, through the eyes of faith. They weren’t satisfied with being citizens of this world; they looked for a heavenly country, a heavenly city made by God. They were willing to endure trials and tribulations and be strangers and pilgrims here—people without a country—because they knew that a much better one was coming—a heavenly one, which was worth fighting, living, suffering, and sometimes even dying for (Hebrews 11:13–16).
As we ponder this great cloud of witnesses that has gone on before us, we are called to also “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely,” and to “run with endurance the race that is set before us”—our race for our time in history. And how do we do this? By “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1–3).
Our sufferings aren’t worthy to be compared with the blessings that we already have in this life, much less the glory we’re going to enjoy! So when we are besieged with problems or challenges, we need to remind ourselves of our blessings and think about true, honorable, commendable, and praiseworthy things (Philippians 4:8). We can start by naming and thanking God for our many blessings, including His love, salvation, protection, and provision. In fact, we are called to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
There’s no crown without a cross, no testimony without a test, no triumph without a trial, no victory without a battle. As soldiers of Jesus Christ, we are fighting the most important battle of all time—for the eternal souls and destiny of people and for the kingdom of God to become a reality on earth as it is in heaven.
May we each live our lives in such a way that we can echo the words of the apostle Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7–8).
From an article in Treasures, published by the Family International in 1987. Adapted and republished March 2025. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.
