April 19 – Faith That Purifies the Life

“But thou, O man of God, 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, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”—1 Timothy 6:11–12 (KJV)

Many teach that believing in Jesus is all that is necessary for salvation. But what does the Word of truth say? “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26, KJV). We are called to “fight the good fight of faith,” to lay hold on eternal life, to take up the cross, deny self, battle the flesh, and follow in the footsteps of our Redeemer daily.

It is a fatal error to think that there is nothing required of us in the path to salvation. We are to cooperate with heavenly agencies. There is a cross to carry on the journey, a wall to scale before entering the eternal city, a ladder to climb before we reach the gates of pearl. The more we realize our helplessness and weakness, and cry out for help, the more surely we will hear a divine voice from the heavenly battlements saying, “Let him take hold of My strength” (Isaiah 27:5, KJV).

The great controversy between Christ and Satan is reenacted in the life of every soul who chooses to leave the black banner of the prince of darkness to follow the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel. The enemy will bring his most subtle temptations to those who have broken with his kingdom and desire to be faithful to Heaven. But if we devote every faculty of our being to God’s service, we will be kept from falling into the enemy’s snares.

Anything that weakens your physical or mental strength hinders your ability to serve your Creator. We are to love God with all our heart, and if our highest goal is to glorify Him, we will eat, drink, dress, and live according to His divine will. Whoever has even a basic understanding of what it means to be a Christian will purify themselves from all that weakens and defiles. Every habit of life will be brought into harmony with the claims of God’s Word. Such a person not only believes but also “works out [their] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12, KJV), yielding to the refining work of the Holy Spirit.