Keeping The Faith!

The Apostle Paul exhorts us, “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them” (1 Timothy 4:16). When Paul visited the recently established churches in Asia Minor, his goal was “strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith” (Acts 14:22). Other passages calling us to keep the faith are Hebrews 12:1 and Ephesians 6:13. Scripture not only encourages us to hold onto the faith, it also gives us advice for how to do it! As to the how, keeping the faith requires us to remember what brought us to faith in the first place. We need to be intentional and deliberate about remembering God’s amazing grace in our lives! The writer of Hebrews tells us, (1) “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (2) fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (3) For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3). In a practical sense, this passage means being deliberate in remembering the wonderful gift of God’s salvation and following the example of Jesus, who “endured” the trials of this life. We must “fix our eyes” on Jesus. Be encouraged!

Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D.