Fight Like a Warrior.

Introduction:

The Christian life isn’t always a life of sunshine and roses as many would have you believe. In fact, a great failure of the modern church, especially in the west, is the presentation of christianity as cheap grace and relative comfort.

The fact is, the christian life is one of joy, love, peace and communion with God but, there is also another side to to the christian life. A side, that is not talked about in our relative life of ease, and that is warfare. As believers, we are in a life long battle against an evil world, Satan, and our own sinful selves.

Paul, was very much aware of this spiritual warfare. In Romans 7:14-25, he speaks openly about his daily ongoing battle with his own sinful flesh.

Romans 7:14–25 NKJV

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. 16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

Paul was also engaged against the world system daily.

Galatians 6:14 NKJV

14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

He was also relentlessly assaulted by Satan everyday as he told the Corinthian believers in

2 Corinthians 12:7 NKJV

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.

It is into this battle against the flesh, world system and Satan that Paul calls Timothy as he summarizes the introduction to his first letter to Timothy in our text this morning. He calls Timothy to “wage the good warfare” to enter into the spiritual conflict in Ephesus. That fight would demand of Timothy that he be an equipped, trained and devoted warrior. So these last two verses of ch.1 serve as a call to Timothy (and us) to gear up for the battle and to fight like a warrior against the false teachers who were teaching heresy regarding Christ and somehow had managed to garner positions of authority and leadership in the Ephesian church. Timothy was sent to the front lines of the battle in Ephesus and Paul desired for Timothy to fight well.

Let’s examine out text together this morning, notice with me:

The warriors work. (v.18)

The warriors weapons. (v.19a)

The warriors warning. (v.19b-20)

1.) The warriors work. (v.18)

Paul gives Timothy a “charge”- this is a military term that means an urgent command. The kind of command that comes down from a superior officer that is to be transmitted to others. In other words, Timothy is given an order and that order is to then be passed on to those who would follow after Timothy.

Timothy was being called to a special work, the work of warfare, the command to Timothy was to “wage the good warfare.”

A.) Timothy’s call into the ministry was unique- Paul says that Timothy’s call to ministry was “according to the prophecies.”

A.T. Robertson- “He began his ministry rich in hopes, prayers, predictions.” (Word Pictures in the New Testament, vol.4, pg.565)

The Holy Spirit of God moved upon several believers to predict that Timothy would enter into the work of the ministry and fight a good warfare.

A person should not enter into the ministry unless he has been called by the Spirit of God to do so. It isn’t just another profession, where you can make a few bucks and contribute to society. It is a calling to the front lines of spiritual warfare and when God calls, you must not reject His call. No, you must answer and jump into the battle wherever God places you.

Timothy’s call into ministry was special and unique, it wasn't just a one time event where some people came up to Timothy and said “God is calling you”. The language here seems to imply that there was a series of prophecies that had been made concerning Timothy that specifically and supernaturally called him into the ministry.

This isn’t necessarily God calls men into the ministry today. 1 Tim 3 will tell us that the call arises from a desire of the heart and then is confirmed by the church.

B.) Timothy’s call was to fight a good fight.

Paul is recommitting this charge to Timothy. It seems Timothy needed to be recharged. To be encouraged and reminded of his calling. He was facing a huge battle against false teachers and apparently was shrinking from that battle and needed to be encourage to fight a good warfare- to struggle even to the point of death if necessary.

The work of the ministry is a sacred trust and commitment and the warrior must not fail. He must arise to the challenge, charge to the front lines, and fight for the souls and minds of the people God has entrusted to his care.

2.) The warriors weapons. (v.19a)

Having- To hold on to an object, to retain in the hand, or to cease. (Holding on to, keeping or cling would be a better translation)

Timothy is called to “wage the good warfare by holding on to or clinging to the faith and a good conscience.

Faith- The truth of the Gospel and of Christ and His word. As the warrior, Timothy is to cling to his faith in Christ, and the commands, instructions, and words of God. He is not to shrink or turn away from them at any time. It is his primary weapon. The minister must hold unwaveringly to the word of God.

Good conscience- Conscience is the inner sense, given to us by God, of right and wrong. It is innate in all of us. A good conscience is a result of living pure life.

In other words the weapons of Timothy’s warfare in Ephesus were to be doctrinal purity accompanied by a pure life. If truth is our sword, then morality is our shield. Right belief and right behavior.

John MacArthur- “Sound doctrine and godly living are the twin towers guarding the purity of the church.” (1 Timothy, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), 45.)

We have to understand that false doctrine is often peddled in order to accommodate a persons sin.

The good warrior must keep his nose in the Bible and his eyes on living a descent moral life if he is to wage a good warfare.

You show me a man who goes sideway in the ministry and I will show you a man who has neglected the Bible as his daily nourishment and, as a consequence, his morals have taken a slide down the wrong path.

3.) The warriors warning. (v.19b-20)

Paul’s warning to Timothy is frightening. Here is his warning:

Conscience can be put away and faith can be shipwrecked.

Rejected- To push, thrust or drive away from ones self. To cast off. To no longer listen too.

This is a willful and deliberate pushing away of the conscience.

When a person continually pushes their conscience away, the end result is a shipwrecked faith.

When we reject God’s word and refuse to live as it says we should it causes our faith to be broken to pieces and destroyed. This is why people can walk away from the church and the things of the Lord and never look back.

A.) Two examples:

Hymenaeus- He was the man who taught the false doctrine that the resurrection of believers had already taken place.

2 Timothy 2:17–18 NKJV

17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.

2. Alexander- was probably the coppersmith who opposed Paul and did much evil against him.

2 Timothy 4:14 NKJV

14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.

B.) Turned over to Satan.

This is Paul exercising what we would call “church discipline”.

To turn someone over to Satan is to remove them from the church.

1 Corinthians 5:4–5 NKJV

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Explain what was going on.

The end goal of church discipline is to cause someone to see the reality of their sin and that reality lead them to repentance.

These men were disciplined in order to lead them back to Christ and that they may learn not to blaspheme.

This is part of the churches ministry, that those who continue in sin are to be put out of the church. Jesus taught this in Matthew 18 and Paul in 1 Corinthians 5. Again, in the hopes that they come to repentance and can be restored.

Conclusion:

Paul’s message is clear. We, like Timothy are called to “wage a good warfare.”

We do this by clinging to “the faith-God’s Word” and hanging on to a good conscience. Faith and conscience work hand in hand like a sword and a shield.

The only way we can “wage a good warfare and avoid shipwreck” is to know God’s Word. knowing God’s Word will help us to live a pure life.