Years ago, a friend told me about the 360° change they made in their life.
Knowing their sincerity was greater than their mathematical ability, I took this as good news. The degree you turn your life around does matter. Running from something bad is wonderful, but only if you are running in the right direction. Repentance is more than hating sin, but turning from sin to Christ. I Timothy 6: 11-12 says, “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…” Paul describes here the Christian life when a person is born again and trusts in Christ. Flee. Follow. Fight.
We need to flee unrighteousness. To follow Christ, we first must flee sin and unrighteousness. The breaking of the commandments of our God should grieve our souls as we “go and sin no more”. The person who thinks that salvation is saying a prayer or getting baptized to get all their paperwork in order to get to Heaven is sadly mistaken. You repent, receive Christ and turn to follow after Him. We leave behind our self-righteousness, our hope of Heaven through good works, the ungodly sins and iniquity in our hearts to follow Jesus. Christians are in pursuit of righteousness, godliness, faith and love. The Christian follows the path of patience and lives in this wicked world with a meek and quiet spirit, humbly in submission to God and His Word.
The meek and humble path of the Christian is one of spiritual battle. We don’t struggle for our self-interests, or for political ideologies. Our war is an offensive battle for the faith once delivered. We fight the good fight of faith for the glory of God. It is a good fight because it is for the blessing of men. It is good because it is a fight for truth and righteousness. Turning from sin and fleeing to Christ, we press on in this pilgrim journey with our eye on Heaven. We are called to the Heavenly City and are on our journey to its gates. There are many perils on the way; we face temptation, sin, evil, false teachings, doctrines of devils and the dragon himself; but we have to take heart, be stalwart with Spirit-filled courage and press on in the Christian life. We herald the good news that Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. With the shield of faith, sword of the Spirit, and the helmet of salvation, we go to spiritual war with the works of unrighteousness. We tear down the Devil’s strongholds, not with carnal weapons, but with the Word of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation. With our eyes on Christ we press on in the way he has made for us, leaving our sin and bidding others to follow to life everlasting. Flee sin, follow Christ, and fight the good fight.
