Tag Archives: Eternal Life

Fight the good fight of faith…

11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12 Fight (ἀγωνίζου) the good fight (ἀγῶνα) of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

1st. Timothy 6:11-12

At first sight, by the use of the word ‘fight’, the expression coined by the Apostle Paul and addressed to Timothy could well be considered as a personal exhortation to raise the level of faith and ministerial authority of Timothy, who, according to the wording of the epistle, seems to be facing difficult times in Ephesus.[1]  We say that at first sight, because when we consider the expression in light of other Gospel teachings, there is no evidence that faith is a weapon of attack, Paul even defines it in his epistle to the Ephesians as a weapon of defense;[2] So, ‘fight the good fight of faith‘ is not a word of advice and/or encouragement from Paul to Timothy, Paul does not intend Timothy to fight anyone, not even against darkness; ‘fight the good fight of faith‘ is rather the exhortation to strive to walk faster than those who are working in tune with darkness, it is to fulfill the ministry for which he was reached.[3]

fight the good fight of faith is the exhortation to strive to walk faster than those who are working in tune with darkness, it is to fulfill the ministry for which he was reached.

Fight, ἀγωνίζου (agonizu) in Greek, was in the time of the New Testament an expression of popular use, and its meaning denotes the action of entering into competition against other runners with the commitment to give the highest performance, is to enter the race willingly with the awareness that it will achieve a winning result; So, in that sense fight, ἀγωνίζου (agonizu), is not to enter the fight against temptations, against sin, or against darkness, it is to acquire the consciousness that it must accelerate the pace, if the city is not to be wrapped up in false doctrine. Paul wants Timothy to see that some people are teaching different doctrine; the demand for Timothy is to strive even more, without truce, to correct those who do such a thing; thence comes a second instruction, Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine… Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.[4]

Fight, ἀγωνίζου (agonizu), is the command not to abandon the task of proclaiming the message of the cross, it is vital to bring people out of ignorance and bring them to Christ Jesus;[5] ‘fight the good fight of faith’ is the race to reach Eternal Life.[6]

Fight, is the command not to abandon the task of proclaiming the message of the cross, it is vital to bring people out of ignorance and bring them to Christ Jesus;

Thus, fight, ἀγωνίζου (agonizu), in general terms, means the conscious ‘effort’ to do according to the Will of God. Fight’ means ‘strive’ to establish the Will of God. The expression used by the apostle reflects an ‘agonizing’ effort, that is to say, an effort carried to the last consequences.  The good fight of faith, then, means the strength born of the knowledge of God’s call that is imposed on all spiritual resistance that seeks to stop the work of faith.

The good fight of faith is the personal decision for the work of God,[7] it is the maximum effort even beyond the limits of self-sacrifice in order to complete the work that was demanded of us by the Spirit.[8]  The good fight of faith overcomes all resistance put up by the kingdom of darkness; the good fight of faith is to understand that nothing and no one can stop the work of the Lord, but understanding, above all, that we are charged with watching over its fulfillment. The good fight of faith demands active participation in the work of God. In the epistle to the Hebrews we find this same exhortation in almost the same words.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

Hebrews 12:3-5

The good fight of faith is the personal decision for the work of God, it is the maximum effort even beyond the limits of self-sacrifice in order to complete the work that was demanded of us by the Spirit.

The apostle Paul’s exhortation to Timothy can be paraphrased as follows: “Sacrifice yourself to the point of agony in order to win this spiritual battle of faith; on it depends the Eternal Life for which you were called, having borne witness before many witnesses.”

Sacrifice yourself to the point of agony in order to win this spiritual battle of faith; on it depends the Eternal Life for which you were called, having borne witness before many witnesses.

Although the word is the root of the English term ‘agonizing’, in its time, the word was not used to indicate a tragic event, but on the contrary, to reflect determination, firmness, security and commitment to put all the effort into what one does. In the writings of the New Testament it appears a good number of times, and all of them showing this same character of competitive effort:

  • Luke 13:24: Strive (ἀγωνίζεσθε) to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
  • John 18:36: Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight (ἠγωνίζοντο), that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
  • 1st. Corinthians 9:25:  And every man that striveth (ἀγωνιζόμενος),  for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
  • Colossians 1:29:  whereunto I also labour, striving (ἀγωνιζόμενος) according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
  • Colossians 4:12: Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring (ἀγωνιζόμενος) fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
  • 1st. Timothy 4:10: For therefore we both labour and suffer (ἀγωνιζόμεθα) reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
  • 1st. Timothy 6:11-12: Fight (ἀγωνίζου) the good fight (ἀγῶνα) of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
  • 2nd. Timothy 4:7: I have fought (ἠγώνισμαι) a good fight (ἀγῶνα), I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

All biblical quotations are taken from the King James Version.

Pastor Pedro Montoya

Twitter: @pastormontoya

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[1]     1st. Timothy 1:3:As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

[2]     Ephesians 6:16: above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

[3]     2nd. Timothy 4:5:But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

[4]     1st. Timothy 4:13-15

[5]     Ephesians 4:18:having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

[6]     2nd. Timothy 4:7: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

[7]     Luke 10:42: but one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

[8]     2nd. Timothy 4:2:preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Principles of Righteousness and Interpretation of Facts for the Reaching of Eternal Life

And ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free. John 8:32

What do I need to do to reach Eternal Life? Regardless of which branch of the Gospel each one belongs to, the answer is one common to all: you need to believe and persevere in what you have believed; speaking of course, of believing in Jesus.

It is a generalized response that is born from the evangelism that was established in our lands introduced by the missionaries who helped to colonize the newly discovered lands, mainly the Latin American lands. There has been no major change since then.

However, when we read some passages from the acts of Jesus, from people who came before Him with a similar question, we notice that Jesus did not correct the question but answered according to the approach in which they had asked.

Let me explain. Luke records a first account of a doctor of the Law who asked him: Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (10:25); and then, in the second account, Luke records the words of a Jewish leader who asks him almost in the same terms: Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (18:18). in this second account, the only thing Jesus corrects is the reason why he calls him Good Master.[1]

In both accounts Luke records the word, to do, as the basis of the question, which if we were precise, to do (ποιησας), has to do with executions or at least with works done, as they were taught by the Law of Moses, and not necessarily with believing (πιστεύω).[2]

Why doesn’t Jesus correct the question? You don’t need to do anything, but you have to believe. If Jesus does not correct the question, it means that the question is well formulated, and indeed, there is something that needs to be done to obtain Eternal Life. It can’t be that Jesus ignored the question since neither of us would believe, which would have led to contempt.

What must be done to obtain Eternal Life? Before answering this question properly, let us review another situation that also has to do with obtaining, in this case, the loss of Eternal Life. This is another reference recorded by Luke in which they asked Jesus: are there few that be saved? (13:23).

In the answer Jesus explained that many would seek to enter, and would not be able (13:24); and He added to His answer: But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (13:27). in the end, in the conclusion, Jesus explained that those who were considered avant-garde would become stragglers, and vice versa, stragglers would become avant-garde: there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last. (13:30).

And again, the presence of the expression workers (ποιησον in 1881 Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament; ἐργάται in 1550 Stephanus New Testament), referring to those who work (those who do), leads us to see the action of doing something as determining to obtain Eternal Life.

The doctrine of Jesus states that salvation is by His Grace,[3] not by works;[4] that it is God’s gift;[5] all this through faith in Jesus the Anointed of God (Messiah in Hebrew, Christ in Greek),[6] which leads us to affirm the foundation of faith that Eternal Life is not won by works.

Why then did Jesus not correct those who asked him what to do to obtain Eternal Life? And in fact, in his teaching on those who become last, he used the expression of workers, which is an argument in favor of doing as a determining element to obtain Eternal Life.

The situation is resolved by understanding doing not as works executed, but as establishments of principles of righteousness and interpretation. Salvation is obtained by faith in Jesus, but it demands the establishment of principles of righteousness and interpretation, not considering them can cause the acts to become acts of iniquity.

Let’s understand this last part. Luke records that just before explaining why many will seek to enter, and will not (13:24), Jesus had dealt with a situation with the chief of the synagogue by healing the woman who had spirit of sickness eighteen years (13:11).

Before the anger of the chief of the synagogue for the action of healing on the Sabbath, Jesus led the chief of the synagogue to see his deficiency of righteousness and interpretation of the facts, despite his extensive knowledge of the Law.

The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? 16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day? (13:15-16)

Eternal Life consists in discovering the righteousness of acts and knowing how to establish their priority. We are saved by the righteousness that we do, or rather, to be in harmony with the revelation of the Word; we are saved by the righteousness that we establish. This is the life of faith, and upon which Eternal Life is built,

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:4

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:17

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. Galatians 3:11

Works of righteousness are the fruit of faith, without which faith dies,

But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?…   26For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:20-26

Luke records several other cases of people in similar circumstances who by establishing the righteousness of their faith earned the right to obtain Eternal Life. A first example is the case of the woman with blood flow that touches the edge of the mantle of Jesus,

And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched…    47And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace. (8:43-48)

A second example is the case of the woman who wipes the feet of Jesus with her tears,

And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace. (7:44-50)

The stragglers who become avant-garde are those who do (establish) works of righteousness; on the other hand, the avant-garde who become stragglers are those who believe but do nothing, are theorists; with time their inaction constitutes them as workers of iniquity.

Eternal Life is not just about believing, it is about knowing how to do (establish) the righteousness of your faith.

The interpretation of the facts of the chief of the synagogue was unfair; of course he could untie his donkey to take him to water, but he could not see the need of a daughter of Abraham, greater than the donkey, who needed deliverance from the one who bound her; with just reason he was ashamed of his way of interpreting.

The main reason why we do not have sufficient principles of righteousness and an inadequate interpretation of the facts is because we do not expose ourselves to the most insignificant actions. If perhaps we were to release the donkey more often in order to water it, we could see the need for the liberation of those who are bound, indebted and afflicted… even if it is the Sabbath….

 

All biblical quotations are taken from the King James Version.

 

 

Pastor Pedro Montoya

Twitter: @pastormontoya

https://earthenwarevessels.blog

[1] Mathew 19:16; Marks 10:17

[2] John 3:15

[3] Romans 3:24

[4] Ephesians 2:9

[5] Idem 2:8

[6] Romans 3:30; 5:1

On this rock I will build my Church

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:13-18

What does this phrase mean? To who is it addressed? Is it relevant to my relationship with God?

This expression is unique, it is contained in the Gospel according to Matthew and it appears addressed and conferred to the apostle Peter, in reciprocity to the answer that the apostle presented to the question, who do men say is the Son of Man?

It is clear in the story the intention of the question of Jesus. He intends to discover among his disciples the level of revelation that they have acquired over the course of almost three full years that they have walked with him.

The exclamation of Jesus, –Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah; for flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but my Father who is in heaven, is the satisfaction on the part of Jesus that the knowledge they have acquired is not only the result of a normal learning process but moreover, the spiritual development of those who recognize in Jesus the work of the Father for the reconciliation of man.

The expression –You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, is the recognition, and submission, of the Lordship of Christ. In response to this, Jesus offers to build on this rock of conviction the spiritual edifice – his church – from where the person who represents it can attain Salvation and Eternal Life. As it is written,

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 1st. Corinthians 6:19

The Lordship of Christ is the central theme of the Gospel of the Kingdom, and of the existence of the church. There is no Kingdom without the recognition of the Lordship of Christ. In the same way, there is no church without preaching about the Lordship of Christ.

Recognizing the Lordship of Christ is necessary, it is imperative, depends on it that the gates of hell do not prevail against the church.

It is not only a question of admitting His divinity; it is also a question of accepting His Lordship. The Lordship of Christ is the central theme of the Gospel of the Kingdom, and of the existence of the church. There is no Kingdom without the recognition of the Lordship of Christ. In the same way, there is no church without preaching about the Lordship of Christ.

Recognizing the Lordship of Christ is necessary, imperative, depend on it that the gates of hell do not prevail against the church.

Life in Christ is not only a matter of recognizing the divinity of Jesus, it depends more on the willingness to submit to His Lordship.

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! James 2:19

The point that the Old Testament prophets denounced of the people who invoked Baal, Ashtoreth, or Ashera, just as they invoked and offered Jehovah, was not because they doubted the greatness of Jehovah-God, but because they were not willing to submit to His Lordship. Recognizing the divinity of Jesus is not the central theme of the Gospel, but that man should choose to submit to His Lordship.

Jesus is the Jehovah of the Old Testament who today claims, requires, demands, and preaches, submission to His Lordship as a requirement to establish the kingdom because otherwise, man cannot attain Salvation and Eternal Life, as it is written:

And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Luke 3:9

To not understand the continuity of the prophetic message is not only to fall into the errors of the past, but more, to lose the privilege of receiving the Revelation of the Father:

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21

On this rock I will build my church. The rock is the Revelation of the Father. The kingdom of Heaven is established upon the Revelation of the Lordship of Christ. The church is established upon a Revelation of the Lordship of Christ.

Coming to this point in my writing strikes me because immediately comes to my spirit the failure which many preachers have incurred, in not preaching about the need to recognize and submit to the Lordship of Christ. The multitude of people who live confessing the deity of Jesus: –Jesus is the son of God; but who have not been able to live under His Lordship.

All those multitudes have not received the Revelation, and although it is the Father’s design, it has been largely due to the absence of correct teaching on the part of those whom God commissioned to be pastors; they have not been concerned with preaching to us the need to submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ.

Upon this rock I will build my church. The rock is a word of faith. It is the word of conviction that arises and rises among many other voices that cry out for confusion. How many voices circulated in the regions about who was Jesus, they themselves quoted that same day: Some, John the Baptist, and others, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

Why go against what everybody says? What was it that made Peter dare to opine a different definition? It wasn’t his natural impulsivity that made him jump out of his chair to give his opinion, it was his faith. That’s why on that night of betrayal, Jesus prayed to the Father that faith would not be lacking when Peter was shaken by Satan.

Upon whom shall the church of the Lord be built? The church of the Lord shall be built upon those who not only recognize Jesus as God but are also willing to submit to their Lordship.

Pastor Pedro Montoya

Tel Cell. (407) 764-2699

Twitter: @pastormontoya