Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Timothy 6:11-16.

“But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.  Fight the good fight of faith;  take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.  I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.  To Him be honor and eternal dominion!  Amen.”  1 Timothy 6:11-16.

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We fight by faith.  “Fight the good fight of faith“.  Verse 12. 

We do not fight by our will-power.  We do not fight by our strength.  We do not fight by our flesh.

By faith, we “take hold of the eternal life to which you were called“.  Verse 12.

Hebrews Chapter 11 is the Hall of Fame of the saints’ fights by faith through history.

In a similar Scripture in the same book of 1 Timothy, Paul commanded Timothy to fight the good fight by faith in the prophecies (promises of God) concerning him.  “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight,”  1 Timothy 1:18.  

“seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.  For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”  2 Peter 1:3-4. 

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”  2 Corinthians 10:3-4.

“in the word of truth, in the power of God;  by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,”  2 Corinthians 6:7.

Yes, we work and strive, but we do so out of faith that God is at work in us, giving us the will to do His will and working in us to do His good pleasure.  “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;  for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:12-13.

Thus, we “fight the good fight” by “keeping faith” “in the word of truth, in the power of God” summarized by the acronym “TULIP” that God provides all that we, the elect, need for salvation from beginning to the end:  from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement and “Irresistible Grace” to the end of “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, as more fully taught in Canons of Dordt.  

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  …”  Ephesians 1:3-4.

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

“In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.  …  For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.”  1 Timothy 4:6 and 10.

Our faith is in the Lord, because He is faithful.  

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely;  and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”  1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6.

“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”  2 Timothy 1:7.

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom;  to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”  2 Timothy 4:18.

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith …”  Hebrews 12:2.

Thus, we realize that even our own faith is not of ourselves.  Faith is a gift of God.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith;  and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:8-10. 

“so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”  1 Corinthians 2:5.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.”  Jude 1:24-25.