Fought—Finished—Kept 2 Timothy 4:6-8. Introduction “I have fought the good fight, I have...
-
Upload
prosper-bryan -
Category
Documents
-
view
221 -
download
5
Transcript of Fought—Finished—Kept 2 Timothy 4:6-8. Introduction “I have fought the good fight, I have...
Introduction
• “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”– Paul was describing his life as he
neared the end of his earthly pilgrimage.
– Will we be able to describe our lives as he did his?
Fought—Finished—Kept
• “I have fought a good fight.”
• What does it take to fight a “good fight”?– Choosing to fight against sin
and for faith• Jude 3• Romans 6:12-16
– Win a victory over past sins• Ephesians 1:7
Fought—Finished—Kept
• “I have fought a good fight.”– Be vigilant against Satan.– He is on the prowl.
• 1 Peter 5:8
– Do not be ignorant of his devices.
• 2 Corinthians 2:11
– Watch and pray continually.• Matthew 26:41
Fought—Finished—Kept
• “I have fought a good fight.”– Practice self-discipline and self-denial as a
good soldier does.• 2 Timothy 2:3• 1 Corinthians 9:25-27
– Be properly outfitted to stand against the devil and wickedness.
• Ephesians 6:13-18• 2 Timothy 2:15
Fought—Finished—Kept
• “I have finished my course.”– What is a course?– John finished his course.
• Acts 13:25
– God assigned him work to do.• Luke 1:14-17
– God also gave Paul a work to do.
• Acts 9:15,16
Fought—Finished—Kept
• “I have finished my course.”– Each of us must also run a course.
• Hebrews 12:1– Will you finish your course before
your life nears its end?– Not if you are NOT OBEYING the Lord.
• Hebrews 5:9– Not if you have wasted opportunities.
• Galatians 6:10
– Not if you have grown weary.• Galatians 6:9 • Hebrews 12:3-5
Fought—Finished—Kept
• “I have kept the faith.”– Here, the “faith” is the sum total of all that
God teaches, warns against, requires, and instructs, in His word.
– Have we kept the faith?
– Are we doing spiritual work according to the apostles’ doctrine?
• Acts 2:42
Fought—Finished—Kept
• “I have kept the faith.”– Nothing less will do.
• Galatians 1:6-9
– Transgressing against the doctrine of Christ will break fellowship with God.
• 2 John 9-11
– I must remain faithful until my last breath.
• Revelation 2:10
Fought—Finished—Kept
• Some have the misguided notion that keeping the faith is nothing more than:– Teaching what is right on a few issues.– Or believing Christ is God’s Son.
• John 3:16
– Or being a member of the church• Matthew 7:21
– Or being a good moral person.• Acts 10
Fought—Finished—Kept
• Keeping the “faith” is doing ALL that God’s word reveals.– Worshipping right, wearing the right name,
doing the right work, having the right attitude, right conduct, right living, etc.
• John 4:24• Acts 11:26• Ephesians 4:11,12• Proverbs 23:7• Titus 2:11,12