“But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight 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)

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Every believer, “O man of God” needs to pursue and practice these three instructions of grace given to us by the infinite wisdom of God, the Holy Spirit (2nd Peter 1:21).

1) “Flee these things.” 

This refers back to all that Paul had instructed Timothy in this epistle. Flee everything that is contrary to the gospel of Christ, especially those that consent not to the wholesome words and the sound doctrine of Christ (1st Timothy 1:3, 1st Timothy 10; 1st Timothy 4:1, 1st Timothy 4:6; 1st Timothy 6:3). But also, flee that spirit of covetousness, mercenary views of religion, worldly gain and wicked resolution to be rich at any cost, “the love of money” (1st Timothy 6:5, 1st Timothy 6:10). These things are unsuitable and detrimental to a believer seeking salvation in Christ alone (Colossians 3:1-3).

2) “Follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” 

Make these the grand object of your pursuit (John 10:27-30; John 12:26). These things are appropriate and suitable to the believer seeking salvation in Christ (Matthew 6:33). All of these spiritual blessings are purchased by Christ’s redeeming blood (Ephesians 1:7) and freely given by His sovereign grace (Romans 8:32; 1st Corinthians 2:12) and are the fruit of the Holy Spirit wrought within us (Galatians 5:22; Philippians 2:13; 2nd Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 13:20-21).

3) “Fight the good fight of faith.”

“Fight,” means to fervently strive after. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is worth fighting and courageously standing in support of (Galatians 5:1; Philippians 1:27). Jude says, “That we are to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3). The life of faith is called a warfare (1st Timothy 1:18; 2nd Timothy 2:3-4). We have many strong adversaries, the devil (1st Peter 5:8), our own fleshly nature (Romans 7:23; Galatians 5:17), and enemies of the gospel (Luke 16:15; John 8:44). It is called a “good fight” because it is a good cause, the cause of God and truth (John 8:32). The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but spiritual (Ephesians 6:13-16) and mighty to the pulling down of strongholds (2nd Corinthians 10:3-5). It is called the “fight of faith” in opposition to law (Galatians 2:16) and works as the ground of salvation (Hebrews 11:6). The justified sinner lives by faith in Christ (Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38).

May God give us much grace to do so, “flee, follow and fight.”

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T. Harding