<p>6:12- see on 2 Tim. 4:6-8; Lk. 13:24.</p><p><i>Fight the good fight of the faith</i>- In 2 Timothy, Paul urges Timothy to accept the disciplined life of a soldier, as if Timothy was naturally weak minded and not well disciplined; we recall the command to him to have his children more firmly in order in chapter 3. Paul uses the same words in saying that he has &quot;fought a good fight&quot; (2 Tim. 4:7), unashamedly and consciously setting himself up to Timothy as an example. This is possible to do, without pride and any self affection, if truly we live in integrity before God and man.</p><p><i>Lay hold on the everlasting life- </i>We can experience eternal life by starting to live now how we shall eternally live. Hence the Lord in John's Gospel speaks of having eternal life now. Paul goes on to write of how the wealthy can lay hold on everlasting life (:19 s.w.) by giving away their wealth in the Lord's service. But Timothy was to be their example of laying hold on the Kingdom life right now. We are frequently spoken of as having been 'laid hold of' by the Lord; and we are to respond by laying hold of the things of the Kingdom as firmly as He has taken a grip upon our lives.</p><p><i>Whereunto you were called and did confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses</i>- The confession was perhaps related to confessing that we have been called to eternal life, and have taken hold of that offer and will try to live that eternal life now. This was such a fundamental idea that it was part of some unrecorded &quot;good confession&quot; which was presumably declared by baptismal candidates (s.w. Rom. 10:9,10 &quot;If you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus... confession is made unto salvation&quot;; &quot;the obedience of your confession&quot; of the Faith, 2 Cor. 9:13). We note that such materials have not been preserved for us- so that we would not slavishly hold to any form of words. For a confession of faith by its nature is personal and unique. Yet the confession before witnesses may not necessarily refer to Timothy's baptism, but rather to the time when the elders, the &quot;many witnesses&quot;, laid hands on him to grant him the Holy Spirit for his ministry (4:14). The Greek for 'confess' means essentially 'to agree'; the agreement was therefore regarding the reality of the hope of eternal life, and Timothy's promise to live that eternal life now and fight for the faith. The &quot;<i>good</i> fight&quot; he was to fight connects with the <i>good</i> confession he had made.</p>