Aug 31, 2025 | Ptr Peter Tan-Chi
Equally important as starting well is finishing strong. Paul reminds us in 2 Timothy 2:15 to be diligent:
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
This verse gives us three guiding principles that help us live faithfully and reach the finish line with confidence:
- Passion to Please God
- Passion for Excellence
- Passion for God’s Truth
1. Passion to Please God
To please God means to desire His approval above all else. Just as the Father said of Jesus during His baptism, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” we too long to hear these words.
Paul echoes this in 2 Corinthians 5:9–10:
“Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
2. Passion for Excellence
Delighting to do God’s will leads us to pursue excellence—not for human applause but because God is our ultimate Master. As Colossians 3:23 reminds us:
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.”
When we strive for excellence in this way, our lives point others to Jesus Christ. So we keep on, as we are reminded of Ephesians 2:10:
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”
3. Passion for God’s Truth
A life approved by God is one anchored in His Word. We are called to handle Scripture with care—teaching it without distortion and allowing it to shape how we live each day. This passion for truth keeps us steady, even in seasons of challenge, as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and run the race set before us.
Pressing On to the Finish Line
May we hold fast to our passion for pleasing God, pursue excellence in all that He entrusts to us, and remain steadfast in loving His truth. And at the end, may we, like Paul, be able to declare:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Eagerly, we look forward to the crown of righteousness prepared for all who remain faithful until His appearing.