17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,” (1 Timothy 1:17–19 (ESV)
The following is a sermon by 16th century Protestant reformer, pastor, and theologian John Calvin (1509-1564). He addresses the subject of the believer’s assurance of salvation.
So then, after Paul had thus established his own authority, and Timothy’s also, he comes to this matter: Son Timothy, (he says) I command thee as thou hast heard, yea, according to the prophecies which were before thee, to the end that thou fight a good fight in them, having faith and a good conscience (1 Tim. 1:18-19a). It is not without cause that St. Paul thus exhorts Timothy; for (as he says in another place) it is no small charge to govern the house of God. For God will have his truth maintained in the Church, and it is a pillar as it were, to hold it up by, it is the keeper of it, and God has therefore bestowed all the treasures of his heavenly secrets.
Therefore, when God makes a man a shepherd, it is a charge so high and honorable, that it is not possible for us to make any progress in it, unless we strive with ourselves, but not with our own might, but as God shall work in us by his Holy Spirit. And this is the cause why St. Paul thus exhorts Timothy. And so let us mark the he speaks not to him only, but to all the people; for it was requisite (as we have said) for Timothy to be helped, because the world was never without fantastical spirits, without proud men, which were full either of envy or ambition.
Therefore, it is that St. Paul exhorts Timothy, not that he only should have the care alone, and were not diligent enough to do his office; but it was requisite that it should be known and shown to all the company.
St. Paul calls Timothy to remember the prophecies which had been made about him, before he was called to this charge and office; for because God would use this man in great matters, he gave a greater approval of him than he did of others. For we do not read of all who were made shepherds, that they were called thereunto by prophecies. Therefore, Timothy had this peculiarly above all others, according as God saw it needful. And indeed, because he would use him among the Jews, and his father had been a Heathen, he was not so fit, and so well accepted of. Besides that, he was young, which also might have hindered his being received, and have caused men not to have treated him so reverently, as they should.
Therefore, it was God’s will to confirm this man, that men might know that he had lent him his hand, and that he was author of that charge which was committed to him. Saint Paul brings this to his mind at this time, to stir him up so much the more to execute his charge, and to continue in this so excellent a grace of God, and to see that it be not decayed and come to naught through his negligence, as he makes mention in another place (4:14).
A man might think it strange that St. Paul wants Timothy to fight and make war according to the prophecies which were made concerning him; for seeing that God had once spoken the word, it was not possible for Timothy to frustrate the purpose of God. When God shows anything about us, it lies with him to accomplish it. For the effect of that word of God hangs not upon the will of men. For what kind of thing would that be? Yet it is our duty, if God has spoken a word about us, not to flatter ourselves nor to lean upon ourselves. Instead that which God has declared concerning us should spur us on and make us more careful to strive with all the might we can to come to that which God has called us to.
As how? Behold, God has chosen us before the creation of the world, it lies not in us to turn upside down the unchangeable purpose and decree of his. Such as God has chosen, it is certain that God will conduct them in such a way that he will make it well known that those he has given to his Son cannot perish, as he says in the tenth chapter of John. Yet we the faithful must not, under a shadow of God’s election, rock ourselves to sleep and become careless; but we must rather apply ourselves to receive God’s promises, which are certain and can never fail; as by them he witnesses unto us his fatherly love, in that he chose us to himself for his children and heirs.
Now let us fall down before the face of our good God with confession of our faults, praying to him that it would please him to forgive us of them, and deliver us from the curse wherein we would be held if he would hold that against us. And in the meantime, that he would reform us by his Holy Spirit unto his image, so that we may always aspire to him, walking in obedience to him until, being taken out of this world, we become partakers of this full righteousness whereunto we have not to direct ourselves.
More to come. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.
Soli deo Gloria!
His Word Today 