2 TIMOTHY 4:7–I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

What we find in today’s scripture is the Apostle Paul’s last will and testimony. He knows his departure from this life is before him. The sunset of fighting his many spiritual foes looms on the horizon. The finish line of his exhausting race appears before him. And the giving up of his faith for sight is about to be reality.

In the Apostle’s personal words to Timothy, he not only proclaims his testimony of his life but accurately defines the whole of the Christian life. If we were asked to define the Christian life in one sentence, would our words contain Paul’s–a fight, a race, and a persevering faith? Since he rightly defined and lived the Biblical Christian life, let’s explore each one for our understanding and application.

First, the Christian life is a good but intense fight. Every true Christian knows this by painful and exhausting experience. But let’s qualify this. I am not referring to a wearisome and exhausted life caused by seeking the world and spending our time and energy in the physical realm. This fight is spiritual and inward from three spiritual foes. The devil viciously attacks us with seething and condemning words to discourage our hearts, create doubts in our minds, and draw us away from Christ (Revelation 12:10). The world constantly tugs on our fallen passions and lusts with its allurements of pleasure and vain promises of contentment and satisfaction. And our flesh? This closest of companions in life is relentless in seeking to distract and derail us from consistently seeking the Lord in prayer, the Word, and fellowship with other believers. So, a fight it is but a fight worthy of waging for it ends in hearing from the Captain of our salvation, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21).

Next, the Christian life is a grueling race to run. It requires self-discipline, self-control, and a commitment to “stay in shape” to finish it. This race is not a sprint but a marathon. It isn’t finished by a quick burst of energy. No, we are in a long haul race demanding a moment-by-moment exertion of our greatest efforts. Now the course we are running in the race is full of “trip hazards.” We may stumble from not watching for a “tripping temptation.” Should we not keep our spiritual eyes on the course, some sinful sensual passion might disqualify us to finish well (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).And it isn’t how well we start the race, but finish that matters most.

Finally, the Christian life is a faith to keep. This does not mean a potential losing of salvation. We keep the faith only because the Person of our faith, the Lord Jesus, keeps us-Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy (Jude24).And remember who is the Author and Finisher of our faith–the Lord Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2). As a result, we will finish the race, win the fight, and that is a result of Christ in us, the hope of glory. A true Christian will fall in the Christian life but never fall away from the Christian life. It is impossible because of the union of Christ and the true believer.

The Christian life–a fight, a race, and a faith to keep. Let those define our walks with the Lord and we will fight well, run to the finish, and persevere till our faith becomes sight like the Apostle Paul.

PRAYER: “Father, help me to keep in my thinking day-by-day, even moment-by-moment what the Christian life truly is.”

QUOTE: “Christianity is a fight to engage, a race to run, and a faith to maintain requiring our best of efforts constantly.”