In Good Faith

“fight the good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.” (1 Timothy 1:18–19 NAS95)

“In good faith” means that you make a promise with every intent to fulfill your word. Conversely, “in bad faith” means that you enter into an agreement with little intention that you will follow through. Political discourse if full of bad faith. This is one reason we must keep our faith free from the political realm - because “good faith” means that we will “keep faith and a good conscience.”

When Paul tells Timothy to “fight the good fight,” he is not talking about training for a triathlon. He is not mentoring Timothy in the pursuit of making a million dollars. He is not prodding him to join the “get out the vote” effort. No, there is something far more important in his mind. This has to do with his integrity. It has to do with aligning his heart and words. It has to do with his trustworthiness in leading the flock of believers to which he is assigned. “Fight the good fight” is having a good faith.

Paul ties together faith and conscience. He says that “keeping faith” is linked to having a “good conscience.” The two go together. Let’s take the second one first.

The “Gospel” sense of conscience is that we know and believe that we are cleansed by the blood of Christ. I can have a “good conscience” before God, not because I am perfect, but because I know my sins are covered and forgiven. It means that I can forsake the utterly useless schemes of covering up and pretending to be something that I am not, because I now find my identity in Christ. I am a sinner saved by grace, “accepted in the Beloved.” 

Good conscience also has an ethical element. That is, in light of my identity in Christ, I live gratefully and graciously. I seek to express the sweetness and savor of the Lord Jesus in my words and actions. Good conscience means that I live an examined life, confessing failures daily, and picking up the “good fight” again.

Good conscience is tied to keeping faith. Keeping faith means that we embrace sound doctrine. It means that we use as our guide the Holy Scriptures, and the character of Christ, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. These are not three separate guides, but one guide, that is at the same time theological, spiritual, and personal. Keeping faith means that we “study to show ourselves approved unto God, .. rightly dividing the word of truth.” 

The Church, and its expression as local churches, needs those who live “in good faith.” Our world also has need of such people.