What does 2 Timothy 4:7 mean?

As Paul looked toward his coming death, he also looked back and gave three positive statements about his ministry. First, he declared confidence in his own efforts for the sake of Christ. In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul had commanded Timothy to likewise, "fight the good fight of the faith."

Second, Paul stated that he has completed the mission he was given by God. Elsewhere Paul spoke of the Christian faith as a race, saying, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it" (1 Corinthians 9:24). In Hebrews 12:1, the author also noted, "let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Third, Paul writes that he has specifically held to the truth. Paul did not keep some ambiguous faith in God, but "the" faith, a specific belief in Jesus as the resurrected Messiah. The New Testament often spoke of belief in Jesus as "the faith" (Acts 6:7; 13:8; 14:22; 16:5). Paul commanded the Corinthian Christians to "stand firm in the faith" (1 Corinthians 16:13), something he practiced in his own life. "The faith" has also been referred to several times in this letter (2 Timothy 1:13; 3:8).