Connected in The Word 9-25-25
Fight the good fight of the faith. 1 Timothy 6:12a
Paul is speaking these words to Timothy, a young pastor. It got me thinking, what should I be saying to young pastors? I’m currently taking a class through the seminary in which most of the students in the class are young men studying to become pastors. I am by no means an old wise pastor, but I am a middle-aged pastor who has served in the church in some capacity for over 27 years. Maybe I could help a new pastor avoid some of the many mistakes I have made over the years. Maybe I could share some of the advice I have received from other gracious church workers. I think the advice Paul shares with Timothy in the verse above is a good place to start. But what do these words mean?
Let’s begin with what they DO NOT mean. Paul is not calling on Timothy to be a warrior. He is not calling him to pick fights with people that don’t agree with him. He is not suggesting that Timothy wield the Word of God (or the Book of Concord) like a sword, with the intention of shredding to pieces every hint of false doctrine in the church, in the world, or in the home. I would tell a young pastor that “fighting the good fight of faith” is NOT about the enemies you find “out there”, but instead the enemy within your own heart.
Young pastors must remember that they have a sinful nature just like the people they are called to serve. So, here’s my advice to young pastors. Fighting the good fight of faith means remembering YOUR baptism and receiving God’s Gifts for YOUR forgiveness and the strengthening of YOUR faith. It means that YOU are called to love others and care for creation. It means confessing YOUR sins and forgiving those who sin against YOU. It means pointing people to the Crucified and Risen Jesus (not YOUR own ideas). It means faithfully fulfilling all YOUR vocations in life. It means YOU get to pray constantly. It means YOU are not alone! But most importantly, please remember this – You have One who fights for you! Or better said, you have One who has already won the fight for you!
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