Fight the Good Fight

When the first major battle of the Civil War was fought at Bull Run, many politicians and socialites from Washington, D.C., treated it like a picnic. Certain the battle would be quick and painless, they packed baskets and watched from the hills—until the smoke, chaos, and terror of real war sent them running for their lives, leaving their comforts behind. They had mistaken a war for entertainment. In much the same way, many Christians treat the Christian life as something casual and comfortable, when Scripture tells us plainly: we are in a war. That is why Paul writes to Timothy with a clear command: “Fight the good fight”—not a petty or carnal fight, but a holy warfare for truth, holiness, and souls.