2 Timothy 4:1-8 Questions 6-7

6. Paul compares his Christian life to a fight and a race. What similarities do you see among these?

We were divided on how to interpret this question! Some (like me) saw this as needing to compare a fight and a race with each other, whereas some saw this as asking us to see how the Christian life is separately like a fight, and also like a race.

My answer was

• There is competition. There are opponents in both. We know that we have external enemies (the world and Satan) and also internal struggles against the flesh (1 Pet 2:11) We need to both attack and defend with the armour of God (Eph 6:11-13) (Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it, 1 Cor 9:24).
• There is compulsion - a certain force to push against one's limits in order to achieve victory. We said that in both there is an element of struggle rather than comfort. We may be tempted to give up half-way. In both we need endurance against pain.
  (Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Heb 12:1)
  
• There is completion - an end -goal of victory and a possibility of defeat. A race has a start as well as a finish. We race with a purpose (I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil 3:14)
  

We also said that in both, we need preparation. The world is like a steep slope or a strong current that will cause us to slip back or to be carried away if we only rest without effort.

 

7. In 4:8, Paul returns to the same hope that he mentioned in 4:1. How is Paul's attitude in 4:6-8 an encouragement for Timothy?

•  "If Paul can do it, so can I"
• "I can trust in the same Lord as Paul"
  
• “I will have the same reward as Paul”
• “It was worth it for Paul, it is worth it for me”

What would it take for you to be able to say at the end of your life, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (4:7)

What is the 'good fight'?
We said,

• It is ‘good’ because the outcome was good .
• It is ‘good’ because the attitude was good.
• It is 'good' if we to keep the best priorities in view. The relationship with God is critical.
• So there is an external aspect of accomplished ministry and an internal aspect of loving God to the end.

The phrase "good fight" occurs just one more time in the Bible, 

"But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 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 TIm 6:12)

This is surely what Paul is referring to. It is 'keeping the faith' to the end. Faith is holding on to God in trust until faith becomes sight. It is the fight not to be satisfied with what the world can offer, and to be satisfied with what only Christ an offer. It is the fight to appropriate ("take hold") for ourselves all Christ  did for us. It is the fight to believe that God is always good and that sin is not better.

But why must we fight? Why not "let go and let God"?

The Christian life is not strictly 'co-operative"(e.g. 50-50). God does all, and we do all. We work with all our effort (1 Cor 15:10, Phil 2:12, Col 1:29) because of all of His grace and power. This applies to our salvation as well. We exercise faith in Christ, but it is gifted faith. We are able to 'work out' externally because God has 'worked in' internally. 

"Letting go and letting God' at its best is an expression of dependence and surrender. Sometime the fight is to let go of our own will and ambitions. Yet at its worst it can mean a passivity and sloth that does not reflect all God has called us to be and do.