No one entering the Christian life should think it is anything less than a battle. Paul says as much when he exhorts Timothy to "wage the good warfare" (or "fight the good fight, NASB—1 Timothy 1:18). In Ephesians 6:12 Paul compares the...

The Christian life and ministry is hard work. In fact, it can be so tough at times that Paul compares it to a battle. Consider these statements from Paul to his young spiritual soldier and protégé:

• "This charge I commit to you, son Timothy . . ....

We need to routinely assess our spiritual progress by considering questions like these:

• Where am I in my Christian walk in comparison to where I was a year ago?
• Am I steadily making forward progress in Christ?
• Does my life give evidence of...

In 1 Timothy 6:1–2, Paul seems to almost approve of slavery. What's going on here? To better understand Paul's statements, it's important to know four things about the context in which they were written.

1. At that time, "slavery" in the...