The Big 10: Fight the Good Fight

Flee from...

;: Puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Introduction:

Introduction: Weak,

Train- looking for the light

"No thank you" is what I should've said, I should be in bed But temptations of trouble on my tongue, troubles yet to come

One sip, bad for me One hit, bad for me One kiss, bad for me But I give in so easily And no thank you is how it should've gone I should stay strong

But I'm weak, and what's wrong with that? Boy, oh boy I love it when I fall for that

I’m weak, and what’s wrong with that?

Is there something wrong with that?

Describe video

Pursuit of our desires leads to death

Pursuit of holiness is about living eternal!

Answer: Yes, there is something wrong with that, it’s going to kill you!

Part I: Three Charges

Motivation to fight for being and doing the good!

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Motivation to fight for being and doing the good!

Morning: Pep talk, coach- final 4 motivational speech by a church leader.

Motivation to fight for being and doing the good!

Part I: Four Charges

Ethical Charge: Flee and Chase

Ethical Charge: Flee vs. Pursue

Flee:

False teaching

Conceited

Stupid

Controversial

Temptation, envy, greed

Review : Flee from these Things

: Review of 10 Commandments

No other gods

No images

No misuse of God’s name

Sabbath

Honor authority

No murder

No murder

No adultery

You shall not steal

No false testimony

No coveting

Righteousness

Chase:

Righteousness

godliness

faith

love

steadfastness

gentleness

Flee- escaping

Pursue

Escaping to somewhere safe: The attributes of God.

Go through the commandments

Be good!

Bolt

Bolt:

Is there a specific one you struggle with?

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, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

When we are bolting away our sin, and chasing towards the attributes of God, we are really running and looking to Jesus! It’s Gospel living!

When we are bolting away our sin, and chasing towards the attributes of God, we are really running and looking to Jesus! It’s Gospel living!

When we are bolting away our sin, and chasing towards the attributes of God, we are really running and looking to Jesus! It’s Gospel living!

Chase

Chase

Dash

Doctrinal Charge: Fight the Good Fight of Faith

Fight the good fight of faith: “Actually the context of 6:12 is not a conflict against other people; it is the “good fight of the faith,” which is Timothy’s own “athletic contest” for personal mastery.” NIVAC

Fight the good fight of faith…

Examples:

He is surrounded by light (; cf. ) and dressed in a robe of light (). Moreover

Using attributes in vs. 11!

Jesus grabbing hold of Peter ()

Soldiers seizing Simon of Cyrene ()

Not just any fight- it’s a specific fight- one of faith!

How?

In the crowd seizing Paul ()

“I am a Christian because I am a friend of Christ.” Is that what makes one a Christian? Is that ‘confession’ what we are fighting for??

I believe in God the Father Almighty.

The Liturgist Podcast

Creator of Heaven and Earth

… Bushi says, “I am a Christian because I am a friend of Christ” and in that moment I noticed how free of subtext the sentence felt to me. I didn’t feel like he was making a claim of exclusivity, I didn’t feel like he was placing himself above anyone else. I didn’t assume his statement came with any political or social attachments with what that word or identity would mean. In fact, as Bushi- this Zen Buddhist Monk said that he was a Christian because he was a friend fo Christ, it made me feel he was affirming the journey of all humans regardless of their labels.

... I wonder if saying ‘yes’ to all labels was .... perhaps a more generous and even in ways accurate way to accomplish what i was trying to accomplish by saying no to all the labels. So it’s something I’m still thinking about but i will tell you that someone came up to me recently and asked if i was a Christian, and my natural response was yes, and I’m a buddhist, and a Hindu and a Doist as well. And honestly it felt good, it felt like an affirmation of the truth I see in all the great traditions. But we’ll see where it goes. Who knows? It’s Tuesday today…

“The explosive growth of The Liturgist Podcast makes a statement: millions worldwide are frustrated by the culture wars of institutional Christianity, but long for spiritual transformation that enacts positive action and reform in the world.”

Depth to our faith:

Narrative of Christ gives us identity!

Faith in something, in someone. In a label. In a label that is given to us. In an identity that’s provided for us:

Faith in something, in someone. In a label. In a label that is given to us. In an identity that’s provided for us:

The Liturgist Podcast

Faith in something, in someone. In a label. In a label that is given to us. In an identity that’s provided for us:

Christians!

We fight for these truths! We can’t back down from them. We lift them up, protect them, manage them… USING THE VIRTUES WE NEED TO PURSUE!

Wish Christians would get that through their thick skulls.

Michael Gungor has lost his faith, and to win people like him back is through the virtues of vs. 11

Our charge is a missional one: FIGHT The GOOD fight of Faith

(Feet fitted with gospel of peace)

Fight with humility

Epitaph: “Fought the good fight of faith.”

Don’t be lazy in your quality of life! OWN IT!

Christians can’t be weak, even with the truth.

Take hold of the eternal life

Experiential Charge: Take hold of the eternal life

‘Take hold’= ‘Wrestle to the ground’ your eternal life

Examples:

Jesus grabbing hold of Peter (): Imagine Jesus ceasing Peter

Soldiers seizing Simon of Cyrene (): Imagine the Solder asking Simon to take the ‘blut-ee’ cross

We don’t take advantage of the fact that we have eternal life.

Don’t be lazy in your quality of life! OWN IT!

We cease the moment!

Hold on to two things:

Your eternal life

Take hold of the eternal life

Your eternal life

That you were called to (eternal life is something you were brought to)

“Actually the context of 6:12 is not a conflict against other people; it is the “good fight of the faith,” which is Timothy’s own “athletic contest” for personal mastery.” NIVAC

Good Confession in the presence of many: More than just ‘Jesus is my friend.’

Christ is the Crucified King!

To which you were called

And about which you made the good confession

Good Confession? What is the good confession?

And about which you made the good confession

Public profession of faith: I believe

Blame/free: “It picks up the theme in the Pastorals of not giving others any opportunity to lay blame on the behavior of Christians.”

Integrity Charge: vss. 13-15a

I charge you

Why?

Because the King is in charge, we live under his command.

I charge you

I charge you

(with God as my witness, who gives you life!)

(and as Christ as my witness, who kept his ‘good confession’ while facing his executioner)

TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENT UNSTAINED AND FREE FROM REPROACH

Unstained: Don’t allow temptation to darken your confession that Jesus is King!

without spot or blame NIV, unstained and free, ESV

Free from Reproach: “It picks up the theme in the Pastorals of not giving others any opportunity to lay blame on the behavior of Christians.”

Blame/free: “It picks up the theme in the Pastorals of not giving others any opportunity to lay blame on the behavior of Christians.”

Blame/free: “It picks up the theme in the Pastorals of not giving others any opportunity to lay blame on the behavior of Christians.”

Live so righteously that no one can hold up a stick against you.

Social Microscoping:

Shocking: People sin!

Obedience to these Charges will Avoid a World of Problem

Ethical Charge: Good works—> Avoid Legalism

Good works—> Avoid Legalism

True Faith—> Avoid Combative Christianity

Experiential Charge—> Avoid Internal Hypocrisy

Missional Charge—> Avoid External Hypocrisy

Working in tandum.... quudrum??

Conclusion: Prayer of Praise (vss. 15b-16)

Invincible, immortal, inaccessible, invisible

Until Jesus comes back

Prayer:

Who is blessed

Sovereign

King of kings

Lord of lords

Immortal

Dwells in unapproachable light

Whom no one has ever seen or can see

To him be honor and eternal dominion!

“Actually the context of 6:12 is not a conflict against other people; it is the “good fight of the faith,” which is Timothy’s own “athletic contest” for personal mastery.” NIVAC

without spot or blame NIV, unstained and free, ESV

What is the ‘good confession’?

Courage

vs. 14: “It was not only a chargeto dosomething, but a mandateto besomething: “without spot or blame.”” NIVAC

without spot or blame NIV, unstained and free, ESV

Blame/free: “It picks up the theme in the Pastorals of not giving others any opportunity to lay blame on the behavior of Christians.”

It picks up the theme in the Pastorals of not giving others any opportunity to lay blame on the behavior of Christians.

Doxology:

vs. 15

It was not only a chargeto dosomething, but a mandateto besomething: “without spot or blame.” Grammatically

‘proper time’= ‘at the right time’ NRSV

Only Sovereign= only Dynasty

Light= He is surrounded by light (; cf. ) and dressed in a robe of light ().

He is surrounded by light (; cf. ) and dressed in a robe of light (). Moreover

Doctrinally= Avoid error and contend for the truth

Confession

Commandment

Ethical Charge: Flee from evil and pursue goodness

Fight the good fight of faith

Examples:

Jesus grabbing hold of Peter ()

Soldiers seizing Simon of Cyrene ()

In the crowd seizing Paul ()

Don’t be lazy in your quality of life! OWN IT!

Ethical Charge: Flee from evil and pursue goodness

Doctrinal Charge: Fight for the Faith

Experiential: Take hold of eternal life

Need all three!

Legalism

Self-Righteousness

Religious experience- spirituality

The Liturgists

vs. 13-15: “Buttresses” the Argument

Presence of God and coming of Christ

Good Confession= Jesus the King (; )

Who is God?

Invincible:

Loves automatically shift into glorifying God:

Orthodoxy needs to lead to Doxology!

Summary of vss. 13-15:

Presence of God and the appearing of Christ= incentives to faithfulness

I’m weak, what’s wrong with that?

Ten Commandments? What’s the Point if good works don’t get us into heaven?

Need to die in order to live!

He took the blow of the train!

WEAKNESS LEADS TO LIFE!!

Is there something wrong with that?

: What’s wrong with sinning so that grace can just increase?

Motivation to fight for being and doing the good!

Flee and Pursue: Pursuit

Run! Get away. Cut it off!

Ten Commandment= righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness

Fight for Faith:

Take hold of your quality of life (own your adoption!)

Take hold of your quality of life (own your adoption!)

Keep the ‘unstained and free’ command

Orthopraxis: Take Hold of Eternal Life

Why

Take Hold of Eternal Life