FOLLOW THESE THINGS,
THAT YOU MAY FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT

By John R. Lenegar

(1942-2006)

 (1 Timothy 6:11-12) “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.  Fight the good faith of faith, lay hold on eternal life whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 

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.