Pugilism is one of the most physical and demanding things a person can do. It is the practice of fighting with the fists. It is as barbaric as it sounds. Hand to hand combat is one thing, hand to hand fighting is a whole new twisted ball of Boolean aphorisms translated into Latin! Maybe the early Greek Olympics included pugilistic; who’s left of sound mind to tell the story?
Many sports have euphemisms for their activists. A salesman who landed a big sale may be known as scoring big’. A Wall Street trader who sells stock at a big profit may have scored a ‘hole-in-one. Et cetera. The Bible even includes some references to sports. For example, in the Book of Genesis, chapter one verse one refers to baseball when it says, “In the big inning”; okay that was a cheap shot, but there really are sports references sprinkled in the Bible. The apostle Paul writes about several idioms. He talks about running a good race in Hebrews 12. He mentions shadow boxing in 1 Corinthians 9. The one reference we want to intently focus on is the comment Paul made about “the good fight” in the Book of 2 Timothy 4. “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7
Was the apostle Paul a professional boxer “and” a full-time evangelist? Stretch your memory a little and remember that Paul was a student under the tutelage of Gamaliel, a highly respected Rabbi. Paul used his skill as a top drawer wordsmith to convey deep truths through ordinary words. Those of you who know the apostle Paul well, know that in all his sporting references, he was in prison in Rome. Paul knew that his earthly life would come to an end—soon. Writing nearly one third on the New Testament, Paul finished strong. He kept the faith in two ways: he was obedient to it, and he passed it on as he received it. Could anybody do more? It was a great fight!
When I think of Paul I am reminded of what writer Hanson W. Baldwin quoted Sir Winston Churchill saying in “Battles Lost and Won”; Churchill said, “The Battle of Britain is about to begin…The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war…Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth, last for thousands of years, man will say, “This was their finest hour.”” These were Paul’s finest years, his finest words and his finest hours. Indeed, it was a great fight!
Bottom line
Others who finished well: Job, Enoch, Abraham, Elisha, Moses, Noah and Joseph. Remember, finished does not mean won. These were winners not just finishers.
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