A Time for Action

“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 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. 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 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 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.” (I Timothy 6:11-16 NIV)

I like action movies, not so much those “B” movies with gratuitous violence, but those like the “Bourne” movies or ‘Taken.”  There’s a plot that’s constantly moving and keeping you on the edge of your seat. They’re definitely not boring.

In talking with people both inside and outside the church, I often get the feeling they view the Christian life more like a boring movie than an action flick, long on words and short on action.  But if you read the Scriptures carefully, like this passage, you will see there is a consistent call to action.

“Flee,” “pursue,” “fight,” “take hold,” all are action verbs.  There is nothing passive about them.  Flee from what?  The temptations of the world, particularly greed.  Pursue what?  The qualities of God.  Fight what?  All the forces seeking to convince us to give up our faith, to believe and live like the rest of the world.  Take hold of what?  The promise of eternal life for those who follow Jesus, a promise which is held out to us but which we must embrace.

There is nothing passive about following Jesus.  We are in a battle with evil forces, forces that seek to deprive us of what God has promised to those who are faithful to Him.  If we sit passively by and do nothing, we will be defeated.  Paul knows this and instructs Timothy accordingly.

Today, heed Paul’s words.  Consider what you need to do in order to win the battle being waged against you.  Now is not the time to sit idly by; now is the time for action.

© Jim Musser 2016