Finish Well

​2 Timothy 4:7 ~ “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
 
As we consider the final words of the servant of the LORD, the Apostle Paul, he looks back upon his life in Christ and he knows that his end is a good one. Dear friends, God wants His saints to finish well. From our text today, we will look upon three active pursuits that all believers must strive to accomplish.
 
First, there is a battle worth fighting
Do not strive to negotiate a settled peace with the world, the flesh or the devil. We have a battle worth fighting, for it is “the good fight.”
 
So, then, what is this good battle? Ephesians 6:12 tells us, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” We don’t fight against people – that is, against flesh and blood. We are actually in this war to try and rescue those who are perishing. All that is set against the salvation of Christ will be what we fight against. It is a spiritual battle, and victory comes when we lead person after person away from sin to follow Jesus Christ.
 
A warrior without weapons, however, is lost before he begins. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” The LORD has equipped His saints with all necessary equipment, such as: truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and the Word of God (see Ephesians 6:14-17).
 
Second, there is a race worth running
Every four years the world sets the stage for athletes from many nations to gather and perform great feats of strength, stamina and ingenuity. Of those competitions, one of the highlighted events is a footrace. From 100 yards to a multitude of miles, runners from all over gather and compete. But imagine the lead runner, who has conquered most of the journey, decides that three-quarters of the way is far enough. In the end, that person would lose the race, for they had not completed the journey.
 
Christians are called to endure to the end (see Matthew 10:22). Hebrews 12:1 says, “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.” To follow Christ in this life is an endurance race to the end. Do not shrink back, though the way may get hard. Paul tells the church in 1 Corinthians 9:24, “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.” It takes a heart to run with perseverance and the willingness to train for spiritual victory. Never shirk on this, finishing well requires it.
 
Third, there is a faith worth keeping
Do you trust the LORD? Is your faith resting squarely upon Him? He is worthy of all your faith, trusting Him with your very life. As Paul “kept the faith,” so we must also keep faith in the LORD Jesus, trusting His word and doing what He says. Jesus walks along the Sea of Galilee and calls to Peter and Andrew, James and John and says: “Follow me” (see Matthew 4:19). Even now He does the same as He walks through your life and mine. It is a call to trust – to faith – and we cannot shrink back. Hebrews 10:39 states, “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.”
 
How does a person “keep the faith?” Faith is the active expression of belief and trust. Everyone in this world shows an active faith as they go through life. People trust that their transportation will get them to their destination, so they go forward on their journey. People have faith that the foods they eat are not tainted with some unwholesome condition. Keeping faith in Christ is to take Him at His word and then step into life with obedience. If you believe that every word of Jesus is true and right, you will act upon them by faith. James 2:22 says, “You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works.” Jesus is calling you to a life of faith, taking Him at His word and putting them into practice to the very end. If you and I are to finish well, this is what it takes.
 
Before we close this out for the day, remember, the Apostle Paul is not talking about winning worldly victories or temporary successes. His eyes were fixed on the eternal—for there, my friends, is the place where we must finish well indeed.
 
In His Grace,
Pastor Michael

---