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What is your relationship to New Year resolution? Wonderful? Bittersweet? Love-hate? Indifferent? Or as my daughter said, “Why wait till the New Year?” Obviously, my daughter is into goal-setting and resolutions.
Many people make New Year resolutions. Like I will exercise more and lose weight. I will be nicer to my family or colleagues. I will spend less and save more! And most people get off to a decent start, until the second week!
Sometimes the same can happen to believers too. In terms of their Christian faith. In this article I will look into keeping true to our Christian faith. Many people start out well, or at least enthusiastically with some noble aims. But how well do we end the race?
So how do we keep true to our Christian faith? What are some aspects that we should keep in mind? What are some aspects in our hearts that we should look out for? Let me suggest some areas to consider by examining 1 Timothy 6:11-16.
1 Timothy 6:11–16 (NIV) 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
BE KNOWN BY WHAT YOU FLEE FROM
1 Timothy 6:11a (NIV) ‘But you, man of God, flee from all this...”
There are things to fight for and there are things to flee from, as a man of God. We do not run because we are fearful. But because we are wise to protect ourselves.
Apostle Paul urged Timothy to flee from the sins of the unrighteous. There are things to fight for and there are things to flee from, as a man of God. It is not being a coward to flee from certain things. There needs to be wisdom to discern between battles that we should fight for and battles we should flee from. We do not run because we are fearful. But because we are wise to protect ourselves.
We should not be embarrassed by the fact that there are certain things we avoid. Some people think it is a sign of cowardice or weakness to step away from something. That is how some people are taunted into doing something they later regret. “Are you afraid? Are you a chicken?” Consider these wise thoughts.
“Fools rush in where angels fear to tread”, Alexander Pope.
Proverbs 14:16 (NIV) A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil, but a fool is hot-headed and reckless.
In the Australian Black Saturday bushfires of 7th February 2009 in the state of Victoria, 450,000 hectares of land were burned. A total of 173 people died and 414 were injured. Over 1 million domesticated and wild animals were lost. Wind speeds reached over 120km/h and fuelled a massive fire front destroying over 2000 houses and damaged thousands more. In the face of such a fire, it would be folly to try to fight it head on. It is wiser to flee to protect ourselves.
Sometimes it is a reflection of greater wisdom and greater strength to step away from something. The Bible is very clear that there are unrighteous things that we should flee from. To keep well away from. We should not imagine that we can keep walking along the cliff, looking down into the abyss of unrighteousness and think that we will not tip over. The slightest error of judgment, the slightest gust of wind, the slightest misstep and we fall headlong into it.
We should not imagine that we are so strong that we can surround ourselves amongst temptations and not fall eventually. It is like choosing to live amongst patients infected with the worst contagious diseases known to mankind and thinking we will not get infected. Flee says the Bible, from unrighteousness! Keep it as far away from our hearts as we know how.
The immediate link to this verse in v9-11, is the preceding problem of greed that has snared many. We are to flee from greed. Financial success can be a wonderful thing and there is nothing wrong to have wealth. But should our hearts become infected with greed, then it will lead to great problems.
There are also several things the Bible clearly states we should flee from.
1 Corinthians 6:18 (NIV) Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.
1 Corinthians 10:14 (NIV) Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV) Flee the evil desires of youth...
Sexual immorality, idolatry, youthful lust and other such behaviours will ensnare us on a downward path of destruction. That is why the Bible warns us strongly. Are you known to be someone to keeps well away from such things? Are you making sure that you are not entangled in such compromises? Are we in situations right now that we should flee from? Keep true. Keep away from unrighteousness.
BE KNOWN FOR WHAT YOU PURSUE AFTER
1 Tim 6:11b (NIV) “...pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.”
We should be known even more for what we pursue after, rather than what we flee from.
We should be known even more for what we pursue after, rather than what we flee from. Would you rather be known for outrunning the Black Saturday bushfires or for outrunning Usain Bolt, the world champion runner for 100 and 200m? Not many will remember you for the first because you were fleeing. But many will remember you for the second because you were pursuing. Hopefully what you pursue after will be well known because it reflects your passion. Because it is inspirational! Perhaps you can be a legend!
Righteousness is about right behaviour before God while godliness is about right character before God.
The Bible urges us to pursue after things which are virtuous, of eternal value. Righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness are some of these. Righteousness is about right behaviour before God while godliness is about right character before God, ie god-likeness. Godliness will be evidenced by righteousness.
There was a season of 15 months which was an extremely challenging time for me. It drove me to evaluate what I stood for. I have been fortunate to experience many successes. Yet as I evaluated myself before God, my conviction is that righteousness and godliness is far more important than success before man. It is success before God that is most important. God challenged my wife and I to stand rightly before Him. Pursuing success before man could have been an easier option, but not a route I want to take. I don’t want to appear before God with my successes and when God puts it to the test, it all burns up! To keep to my convictions, I had to make tough decisions. I had to stand up for righteousness. I had to put many cherished things I had worked so hard for years on the line. And I am so glad I stood up for righteousness. God proved Himself faithful. I hope one day I will be known for pursuing righteousness and godliness. That my convictions were to maintain integrity before man and God.
Billy Graham, in his younger days was tall, charismatic, dashing evangelist. Even Hollywood and political parties tried to woo him to join them. But he turned them down because he would not divert from God’s call upon his life! Despite being the most influential evangelist ever, he only received a modest salary all his ministry. He pursued after the call of God upon his life with dedication and sacrifice. He fled from greed and unrighteousness. These virtues the Bible talks about are not gained easily nor is it maintained easily.
Maintaining spiritual virtues and godly character requires focus, consistent spiritual disciplines and exercise.
If we are to maintain our muscle tone, we need to be involved in consistent exercise that stretches our muscles. If we fail to maintain regular exercise, our muscles start to lose their tone. Eventually we start to lose muscle mass and it starts being replaced by fat. In the same way, maintaining spiritual virtues and godly character requires focus, consistent spiritual disciplines and exercise. That is why we are urged to pursue! It requires some effort, some determination and some discipline. Even courage. God is there with us. God is backing us. God provides us all that we need to pursue these virtues. God provides His grace to do so. We just have to apply it.
What are we pursuing after in our lives? Are we pursuing career, success, relationships? And there is nothing wrong in pursuing some aspects of these. Yet the greater thing to pursue after are eternal things. And God will bless us in return. Proverbs 21:21 (NIV) He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
Why don’t we consider this year to pursue more diligently what is virtuous before God, those of eternal value. Make it one of our New Year resolutions! Keep true. Keep pursuing godly virtues!
BE KNOWN FOR WHAT YOU FIGHT FOR
1 Tim 6:12 (NIV) “Fight the good fight of the faith.”
Now it is interesting that the NIV translates this in the same way as in 1 Tim 1:18. However, the Greek is quite different. That is not to mean the translation is incorrect. Just that the nuance is different. In this verse it is actually agōnizomai kalos agon pistis. From agonizomai is derived the English word agonize. Really the word means to contend but more in terms of an athlete. Contend for the noble contention of faith. While in 1:18 it is actually strateuomai kalos strateia. War a good warfare.
In this verse Apostle Paul was likely instructing Timothy firstly, to contend for his faith personally in terms of maintaining purity of faith and practise as we see in v11. Secondly, Paul was also reminding him to fight for the integrity of the Christian faith. Remember that at that time there were false teachers who had made significant inroads in the Ephesians church and Timothy was to deal with the false teachers as well as all the problems that they had caused in perverting the Christian faith.
While v11b urges us to pursue after virtuous behaviour and character, aspects that characterise who we are, v12 urges us to fight for the faith. I wish to focus on the second aspect today.
Fight for the Christian faith that it will not be compromised by false teaching, not diluted by luke-warmness, not sidelined by apathy amongst believers,
As God’s people, we should contend for the faith. We should fight for the Christian faith that it will not be compromised by false teaching, not diluted by luke-warmness, not sidelined by apathy amongst believers, that souls be damned because the church cannot get its act together.
When I watch the greenies fight for climate change, when I read about the exploits of the Greenpeace International or the Sea Shepherd Society as they fight against the whaling industry – I admire their passion and dedication. Though I don’t share their perspectives.
As Christians, we have a far more important fight on our hands. A fight that has eternal outcomes. It is crucial that Christians fight to maintain the purity of our faith. That we fight against the Devil’s attempts to muzzle the church and to sideline it. That we fight to bring the Good News in a way that is relevant to all kinds of people in this city and beyond. That we fight the spiritual warfare against the kingdom of darkness that seeks to destroy lives of many through all kinds of perversions.
Ephesians 6:11 - 12 (NIV) 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
We cannot stop while there are still so many without Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:14 (NIV) For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all...
Many godly men who were greatly used of God had such deep convictions. William Booth, founder of Salvation Army was asked by the king of England what was the ruling force of his life. “Sir, some men’s passion is for gold, other men’s passions is for fame. But my passion is for souls.” George Whitefield, one of the greatest evangelists in the 18th century saw many tens of thousands of people come to Christ. `Lord, give me souls or take my soul.’
Let us be known for what we fight for! A worthy cause. An eternal cause! Keep true. Keep fighting the fight for the faith!
BE KNOWN FOR WHOM YOU ARE FAITHFUL TO
1 Tim 6:13-16 (NIV) 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
Apostle Paul rounded up his charge to Timothy before God. Why? Because Paul knew that Timothy’s heart was to be faithful to God. That was why Paul referred to Christ’s example, who was faithful in everything including His confession of His heavenly Kingdom to Pilate. Paul charged Timothy to keep to God’s commands without spot or blemish until Jesus returned. In the same way, will we continue to be faithful to Christ until the very end? Just as Paul was able to say in 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
I have passed the half-way mark. I still have a long way to go. My heart is that at the end of my days, when I go to heaven, I will meet God and He will say, “My good and faithful servant!” Why so? Because He is the giver of eternal life to us. Because He is the Ruler, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Because he is the eternal and majestic God who lives in unapproachable light! He is the Almighty God.
There is no person more worthy than God to whom we should be faithful.
There is no person more worthy than God to whom we should be faithful. He is truly deserving of my honour and truly deserving of my faithfulness. At the end of my days, I want to be known to be faithful to at least 2 key persons in my life. My wife and my God. So let’s keep true. Keep faithful to God.
CONCLUSIONS
Let us keep true to God. By fleeing from unrighteousness. By pursuing after godly virtues. By fighting for the faith. By being faithful to God.
Copyright©️2025 by Wilson Lim. All rights reserved. Materials are free to be distributed in whole or part as long as proper acknowledgement is given to the author and not sold for profit.
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