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FOLLOW
THESE THINGS, By John R. Lenegar (1942-2006) Paul tells
Timothy and us that we are to fight a good fight during our Christian sojourn
here on earth. He is talking about living and dealing with all that surrounds
us in our day-to-day life as God’s elect children. Our mindsets, our goals,
our attitudes, and our actions are each one important toward our living and
reacting to all that is around us here on earth. Paul tells us to follow certain
things, six to be exact, which we need to perfect and continually pursue
as we fight the good fight of faith. The fight, of course, is against all
that is in opposition to God in this world around us. It should be our attitude
to do everything as unto Him. Colossians 3:23-24 says: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward
of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” This is of
course, in opposition to the world of men who think only of “SELF”. To fight
the good fight of faith has two major extremes. 1. The phrase
has been misinterpreted by many and consequently brought about the inquisition
and the deaths of millions of Baptists and others who stood for the truth
unto death. There are many today who still think that they are fighting the
good fight by abuse and ungodly behavior. 2. The other
extreme is the one that simply ignores the good fight because they desire
“their way” according to their desires, goals, and direction of their lives.
God says: “For if a man think himself to be something when
he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”
(Galatians 6:3). God through the Psalmist points out a blessed
truth and assurance for the saved. Psalm 73:24 says: “Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive
me to glory.” Unfortunately, we live in a day when
change is the rule, compromise is the standard, and eternal disappointment
is the result. Let us follow these things in verse eleven that we may be able
to effectively fight the good fight. I. FOLLOW - Having
told Timothy and us to FLEE certain things that are detrimental to us which
are covered in the preceding verses of this chapter, he tells us now to follow
certain things. These six things are for our good and growth and ultimately
for God’s glory. By the way, the word FLEE means to run from; to separate
yourself from; and to have nothing to do with, the things spoken in the preceding
verses. To “Follow”
means to pursue, to make a concerted effort, and to seriously and systematically
lay hold on something. We are to be separate in following these 6 things which
are greatly opposed to the world’s ways, because we are His peculiar, His
special people. We cannot fellowship with the world. “And
have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove
them.” (Ephesians 5:11) What
then should we follow after? 1. RIGHTEOUSNESS
- Here we are
talking about right action and practical correctness. This is based on conforming
to God’s will in thinking and acting. We do the things pleasing to God as
we are being transformed by the renewing of our minds. How are we motivated
to practice practical righteousness? Where do we go to obtain it? We need
to remember that as to salvation, Jesus has given believers His righteousness
and taken our sin. He is our righteousness. 1 Corinthians 1:30
says: “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who
of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption.” The practical
righteousness (works and behavior) God has prepared us to do, are at His own
choosing. Ephesians 2:10 tells us: “For
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God
hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Through the
power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, through the written Word, and communion
with the living WORD we come to think and act as God’s children in the situations
of life here on earth. 2. GODLINESS
- This is the
devotion to God that produces an attitude and action of life that is well
pleasing to Him with Whom we have to do. Proper
reverence for God, and obedience to God go hand and hand. They are a matched
pair that if separated, cause an incomplete and unbalanced situation mentally
and physically as to being a Christian. We are told in Psalm 111:10,
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning
of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments:
His praise endureth for ever.” Even
as God told ancient Israel in Deuteronomy 10:12, “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee,
but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him,
and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”
Godliness can be great gain, but ultimately comes from and goes back to God.
3. FAITH - God gave
us who are saved the faith to believe. We have a firm persuasion and a solid
conviction of salvation, and the accompanying revelation from God as all
that. Here we wish to emphasize “working faith”. It is a trust in God that
grows stronger and stronger. How does it do that? 1. First by
contemplation. The Bible, its teachings, its examples build up our faith.
We need the preaching and teaching of the word. “So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
(Romans 10:17) 2. Secondly,
by active practice of faith. Hebrews 11 is filled with the
examples of outworking faith. 4. LOVE - We are speaking
here of a maturing affection for God and for man. The increase of love is
a mark of perfection, or maturing. Perfect often means maturity. We need not
only to love God with our total seat of affections, our total being, and our
total power and ability, (Deuteronomy 6:5) but we are to
love one another with a white hot and fervent love. (1 Peter 1:22).
We are to love our enemies, the lost, with great compassion. 5. PATIENCE
- This is a
perseverance, or steadfastness that grows with the everyday Christian life.
We are to “keep on keeping on”. We do not change with the times, the continual
changing winds of doctrine, or circumstances of our lives. 1 Corinthians
15:58 reminds us: “Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch
as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” Patience
is a very needful thing in Christians. James 1:4 tells us
it will bring us to maturity. “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect, and entire, wanting
nothing.” It helps us to be complete. 6. MEEKNESS
- God’s children
need meekness, gentleness in all things. Our attitude of others, as well as
our attitude about God’s word is to be in meekness (James 1:21-22). II. FIGHT
- The struggle
here is both outward and inward. It is the warfare in which every true Christian
is engaged. The fact of his or her involvement proves the reality of their
faith. It is the day in and day out battle against temptation and UNCHRISTIAN
circumstances. We are to fight the good-fight of faith in the midst of the
compromise, self-justification, and growing lawlessness so prevalent in our
present societies. What do we fight with? Certainly not the world’s weapons.
We use that which God has given us. We use the very real spiritual armour
of Ephesians 6:13-16. We use our sword which
is the word of God given by the Living Word of God, the Lord Jesus. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful,
and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a
discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12). Beloved, our
mindset must be this: “No man that warreth entangleth himself
with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who
hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man strive for the masteries,
yet he is not crowned, except he strive lawfully.”
(2 Timothy 2:4-5). Our fight is a spiritual
one that is outwardly seen every day. We need to flee from sin, to follow
the six things here in verse eleven and to fight the good, worthwhile battle
of faith against the wickedness of this present world. We do this beloved,
until the Lord relieves us of duty here on earth. These things will help us
to be useful servants. |
