faithfulness | Steve's Bible Meditations

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.” Faith is a fight, no a battle, no a war. You have to fight for the faith and sometimes people get hurt; sometimes people get killed (see Hebrews 11). But it is a fight we should engage in, we must engage in because it’s a fight worth having–it’s a good fight. Fight to stay faithful to God and in so doing, take hold of eternal life–grasp on to eternal life and don’t let go. Fighting for the faith is a matter of fleeing from sin and vigorously pursuing godliness. You are fighting for faith in the One Who holds eternal life, “who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality” (vs 15). Contend for the faith because its end is eternal life with God, “who gives life to all things” (vs. 13).

“For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” Whether you believe that Christians who are once saved are always saved or if you believe that Christians can fall away, the sober warning in this passage should be taken seriously by Christians of both views. Being a Christian means you have resolved to be faithful to God no matter what happens in your life—it is a lifetime resolution. When a Christian experiences the ups and downs of life and remains faithful to God, it builds a confidence and assurance that one does, in fact, share in the eternal life of Christ. Because being a Christian doesn’t always come easy, this verse provides a grave warning to everyone who claims to be saved to examine yourself carefully to be sure that you have the fortitude and resolve to persevere in your faith in Christ. Never mind trying to figure out who is a true believer and who is not; build up your own endurance because you belong to Christ if you hold fast your confidence to the end (vs. 5, 14).