Looking Back

2 Timothy 4-Part 5
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7


LET IT GLOW

Looking back-old folks like to do it. Grandparents reminisce about the "good ole days." Church people recall "how it used to be." Family members remember "when." Yesterdays become yesteryears. Sometimes it's fun to look back and sometimes it's not. There have been things I have had to deal with in my past, so I could go forward. So looking back can be a good thing.
Paul glanced backward to see a fight, a course, and the faith. I'm  curious to see what he saw when he looked back, aren't you?

Where was Paul looking?
First, he looked around. And when he looked around at his situation, in a dungeon, awaiting death, he knew the end was near. His time on earth was short. His departure was coming and he was ready. Ready to meet his Lord Jesus. Ready for his sufferings to be over. So Paul was pouring himself out as a drink offering unto the Lord. Aren't we glad that he didn't waste his time in prison and wrote all those letters to churches and individuals?

Next, Paul looked back. He summed up his life in verse 7. As Paul glanced backward, he saw a fight, a course, and the faith.

Paul says that he "fought a good fight."  A fight refers to any struggle with dangers, annouances, obstacles, standin in the way of faith, holiness, and a desire to spread the gospel. The term  fight can mean a striving for victory, agon. From it, we get our word "agony" from the Greek concept of giving all of oneself to win a contest or to reach a goal. Didn't his fight begin  the day our Lord stopped him in his tracks with a blinding revelation of Himself, a cleaning of sin and healing of blindness, then being called, equipped, sent, supported, and strengthened for ministry.
(In his first letter, Paul  told Timothy to fight the good fight of faith, in 6:12.)
Do I agonize in my labor for Christ? Agonize means to distress with extreme pain, according to Webster Dictionary. I don't find myself agonizing in prayer before I do a service for the Lord, do you? Neither do I agonize while doing it. Do I give my all in order to complete a task well done? This is an enlightenment.

Romans 8:37 describes us as more than conquerors through HIm that loved us.

Second, Paul finished the course-ran the race, a 30 year super-marathon, and gave his all while doing it. He didn't hold anything back. Not only did he run well, but  he finished well. The course he completed wasn't one Paul chose. We don't choose our course in life. It  is prepared for us. Although, we do choose whether to run it or not. We can live for ourself or for the Lord Jesus.
No two courses are the same, yet we can all run ours with faithfulness and determination, purpose and completion as we obey our Savior. We might be surprised by difficulties we encounter, but the Lord isn't. He knew beforehand the challenges we would face, and has promised to equip us to overcome them.
I am reminded of Jesus who finished His course well. Does He require anything less of me?

"The Christian's life is not a hundred-yard dash; it is a marathon and most often an obstacle course," says
Liberty Bible Commentary.

 Paul kept the faith. Even though beatings, stoning, dangers on missionary journeys, hunger and thirst, cold and exposure, he grew in faith in his Lord, trusting that His provision. We don't know who and what kind of influence we have as others watch us struggle on our journey through life.
This faith is not personal faith in Christ but the whole body of Christian truth, doctrine, truths and standards of the revealed Word of God. Paul was never detoured by new winds of doctrine. He knew what Jesus told him and what the OT said. He knew the Truth and stuck with it. What about me and you?

LET IT GROW

Verse 8 says: Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Where was Paul looking? The last place he looked was ahead, forward to the life he was going to live in the hereafter.
This crown, stephonos in the Greek,  referred to the laurel wreath, the one placed on the athlete's head of the winner of the contest. There are crowns mentioned in Scripture, all of which we will cast at Jesus' feet in adoration one day (Rev. 4:10-11). Some crowns are mentioned in the previous lesson "Playing Horse" chapter 2, verse 5.

Righteousness is a gift of God, given by grace to those who trust in His Son. None of us, nor Paul can earn it.
It is the source of the crown. Believers receive the righteousness of Christ, justification, at salvation. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us in our lifetime of struggle with sin. We will receive through glorification, Christ's righteousness when we enter heaven. (MacArthur Bible Commentary)

Did you notice the verbs Paul used-have fought, have finished, have kept? They indicate completed action with continuing results. Paul's life was complete. He was able to accomplish, by the Lord's power all that God called him to do. 

Where am I looking? Do I look around at the person who makes my life miserable or do I keep looking at Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith? Have I cleared away the trash of regret? Have I stopped dragging around the anchors of resentment and blame? Do I let the past be in the past? Will I begin living today in light of an eternal tomorrow? How's my faith? Am I remaining faithful to my Savior?

My goodness. And I thought Paul was wrapping up his letter in this chapter. He had some challenges left  for me.

LET IT GO

Let go of the past and look to the future with Christ.

Take my focus off my circumstances and unloving people and keep it on Jesus.

Stay faithful to my Lord so I can say that I have fought a good fight, finished my course, and kept the faith.