Category: Uncategorized

¹³ I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (1 Timothy 6:13–14 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul issued five commandments to his young protégé Timothy in the immediate context of I Timothy 6:11-16. The first was to flee the temptations of earthly riches (vs.11a). The second was to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness (vs. 11b). The third was to fight the good fight of faith (vs. 12a). The fourth was to take hold of the eternal life. The fifth command was for Timothy to keep all the pervious commands concerning personal discipline and pastoral duties.

The phrase I charge you in the presence of God meant Paul was issuing Timothy a order. So strong was this statement the apostle referred to the Lord’s presence or awareness of this command (2 Peter 1:20-21). Timothy was not only to perceive Paul’s authority as an apostle but also the Lord’s sovereign authority as creator. It is He alone who gives life to all things, including Timothy (Acts 17:28; Job 12:10; Dan. 5:23).

Second, Paul also referred to Christ Jesus. Timothy was to obey because Jesus set an example of obedience to God the Father. The example Paul provided was Jesus’ good confession before Pontius Pilate.  

Paul says, “I charge,” or “I command,” that is, “I pass along an authoritative message” (see on 1 Tim. 1:3; 4:11; 5:7). He presents two reasons why Timothy should do as he has just been told:

(1) Let him not fear for his life, for the charge is given and received under the very eyes of that God who is the Bestower and Preserver of life, the “life-generating” God. Cf. Luke 17:33; Acts 7:19.

(2) Let him remember what Christ Jesus (see on 1 Tim. 1:1; especially footnote) did when he was testifying before an enemy of the truth. Before Pontius Pilate he stood firm, and, bearing witness before him by word and deed (Matt. 27:1, 2, 11–31; Mark 15:1–20; Luke 23:1–7, 13–25; John 18:28–19:16), thus made the beautiful confession, thereby proving himself to be “the faithful witness” (Rev. 1:5; 3:14).^[1]

How was Timothy to keep God’s command for personal holiness and pastoral responsibility?

Frist, he was to keep it unstained. The word unstained (ἄσπιλον; aspilon) means without fault and morally spotless. Timothy was not to allow anything to mar his personal holiness and moral character. Second, the young pastor was also to be free from reproach (ἀνεπίλημπτον; anepilempton) meaning to be morally above criticism.

Hence, let Timothy keep—that is, stand guard over, protect, and preserve—his commission. That commission, precept, or mandate, comprises all that he has been ordered to do with respect to the ministry of the gospel and the government of the church. Cf. 1 Tim. 6:20; then Matt. 28:20. He must, moreover, take care that his attitude and conduct is such that this commission remains “without spot” (see James 1:27; 2 Peter 3:14; cf. Eph. 5:27) and “above reproach” (see on 1 Tim. 3:2; literally, “not to be laid hold of,” hence, “irreprehensible,” “unassailable”).^[2]

Timothy’s due diligence to be a godly man and minister of the gospel was to be kept until the appearing of the Lord. Therefore, Paul was saying this command applied not only to Timothy but to all who serve the Lord. Until our death, or the Lord’s return, this solemn charge concerning personal discipline and pastoral responsibilities must be guarded. The word appearing (ἐπιφανείας; epiphaneias) is where we derive the English word epiphany.

A similar command comes to all those upon whom similar responsibility has been conferred. Everyone must keep his commission untainted and unsullied until the very day of his death, or, if the consummation of the ages should occur before that time—Paul never sets dates; see N.T.C. on 1 Thess. 5:1, 2—, then “until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This appearing or manifestation is literally Christ’s epiphany, the first gleam of the dawn, namely, that dawn to which the believer looks forward with eager anticipation, the rising (never more to set!) of “the sun of righteousness with healing in its wings.” Cf. Mal. 1:11; 4:2; Is. 60:1–3; Luke 1:78, 79; Rev. 1:7; and for the word epiphany itself see N.T.C. on 2 Thess. 2:8; and cf. 2 Tim. 1:10; 4:1, 8; Titus 2:13.^[3]

All believers in Christ must obey this solemn charge. May the Lord provide each of us the strength and resolve to obey (Phil. 2:12-13). May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

---

^[1] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 204–205.

^[2] Ibid., 205.

^[3] Ibid., 205.

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 (ESV) – “⁴ “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”

The Bible teaches there is One God who exists in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person possesses the divine essence.

In church history, there were two distinct viewpoints concerning the nature of God. The first was Homoiousia. This Greek word means “of a similar nature,” which was used by Arius in the fourth century to affirm that Jesus Christ was a supernatural heavenly being but not of the same nature as God the Father. The second was Homoousias. This Greek word means “of the same nature.” This was word used in the Nicene Creed to teach Jesus Christ was of the exact same nature as God the Father and therefore was fully divine as well as fully human.

There have been several errors throughout the church’s existence concerning the Trinity. The se erroneous views are as follows.

1. Modalism. The heretical teaching that holds that God is not really three distinct persons, but only one person who appears to people in different “modes” at different times. Also called Sabellianism. ^[1]
2. Arianism. The erroneous doctrine that denies the full deity of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.^[2]
3. Tritheism. The belief that there are three gods.^[3]
4. Subordinationism. The heretical teaching that the Son was inferior or subordinate in being to God the Father. Also called ontological subordination, but different from economic subordination, which has been the historic view of the church.^[4]

What then is the biblical View of the Trinity?

God the Father. He is the Creator of all things (I Cor. 8:6; Heb. 12:9; James 1:17), the Father of Israel (Deut. 32:6; Isaiah 63:16), and the Father of all believers in Christ (Matt. 5:45; 6:6, 9, 14; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:4-7). God the Father is the First Person of the Trinity. John 1:14, 18; 8:54; 14:12-13), and who planned the word of redemption, creation, and providence (Eph. 1:3-6).

God the Son. He is the second person in the Trinity (John 1:1-18; Col.1:15-21; Heb. 1:1-3), the only begotten of the Father (John 1:14, 18; 3:16-18; Gal. 4:4). He is the Messiah chosen of the Father (Matt. 8:29; 26:63; John 1:49; 11:27; 17:1-5). He is eternally begotten of the Father (Psalm 2:1-7; Acts 13:33; Heb. 1:1-5), and who mediated the work of creation (John 1:1-3, 10; Heb. 1:1-3). The Son mediates the work of redemption. (Eph. 1:3-12; I Tim. 2:5).

God the Holy Spirit. He is the third person in the Trinity (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:1-15; Rom. 8:26). He possesses intelligence (John 14:26), possesses emotion. (Isaiah 68:10; Eph. 4:30), possesses a will (Acts 16:7; I Cor. 12:11), proceeds from the Father and the Son (John 15:26; 16:7; Rom. 8:9l Gal. 4:6), and applies creation and redemption (Gen. 1:3; Job 26:13; Luke 1:35; John 3:34; I Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 2:22).

Biblical Passages for the Trinity.

Isaiah 61:1 (ESV) – “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; See Luke 4:17-18.

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV) – “¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

2 Corinthians 13:14 (ESV) – “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

Revelation 1:4–6 (ESV) – “⁴ John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood ⁶ and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

One author writes, “The doctrine of the Trinity is foundational to the Christian faith and to Christian living, since knowing God is at the heart of biblical religion and God is fully revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the unfolding of the divine mystery. The one true and living God eternally exists in three distinct yet inseparable persons. The creeds and confession of the church summarize the essential biblical truths about the triunity of God, providing theological nuance and support for this foundational doctrine. Nevertheless, the doctrine of the Trinity has also been frequently misunderstood, misrepresented and perverted. Considering biblical support for the doctrine of the Trinity and its historical development will help us more accurately comprehend this precious truth.”

Have a blessed Lord’s Day.

Soli deo Gloria!

---

^[1] Wayne Grudem, Bible Doctrine: Essential Teachings of the Christian Faith, ed. Alexander Grudem, Second Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2022), 609.

^[2] Ibid.,  597.

^[3] Ibid.,  616.

^[4] Ibid., 615.

¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV)

The following message is by Dr. John Piper. He preached this sermon September 9, 1984. He entitled it Camaraderie in the Fight of Faith. This is the second and final installment.

Why Does the Apostle Paul Call It a Good Fight?

Let me suggest five reasons why the fight of faith is a good fight and not a bad one.

1. Because the Enemy Is Evil

First, it is a good fight because the enemy is evil. The enemy is unbelief and the Satanic forces behind it and the sins which come from it. When you set yourself to combat the forces that try to get you to trust in yourself instead of God, you oppose a very evil enemy. Therefore, it is a good fight.

2. Because We Are Not Left to Our Own Strength

Second, it is a good fight because we are not left to our own strength to fight. If we were, as Martin Luther says, “All our striving would be losing.” Philippians 2:12 says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” That’s the same as saying, “Fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life.” But the next verse says, “For God is at work in you both to will and to do his good pleasure.” In other words, when a child of God fights the fight of faith, God is really the one who is behind that struggle giving the will and the power to defeat the enemy of unbelief. We are not left to ourselves to sustain faith. God fights for us and in us. Therefore, the fight of faith is a good fight.

3. Because It’s a Struggle to Let a Burden Be Carried for Us

Third, it is a good fight because it is not a struggle to carry a burden, but a struggle to let a burden be carried for us. The life of faith is not a burdened life! It is an unburdened life! The fight of faith is the struggle to trust God with the burdens of life. It’s a fight for freedom from worry. It’s a fight for hope, and peace, and joy which are all threatened by unbelief and doubt about God’s promises. And since freedom and hope and peace and joy are good, the fight to preserve them is a good fight.

4. Because It Involves Self-Humbling Not Self-Exaltation

Fourth, the fight of faith is good because, unlike most fights, it does not involve self-exaltation but self-humbling. Most fighting is not good because it is a proud attempt to prove our own strength at someone else’s expense. But the fight of faith is just the opposite. It’s a way of saying that we are weak and desperately need the mercy of God. By nature, we do not like to admit our helplessness. We do not like to say, “Apart from Christ I can do nothing” (John 15:5). But the very essence of faith is the admission of our sinful helplessness and the looking away from ourselves to God for mercy. This kind of humility is good. Therefore, the fight of faith is a good fight.

5. Because by It God Is Greatly Glorified

Fifth, the fight of faith is good because by it God is greatly glorified. When we devote ourselves to self-abasement with the purpose of casting all our hope on God, he is exalted in the world. Trusting in ourselves gets us glory. Trusting in the power of God gets him glory. And nothing in all the world is as good as the glory of God. Therefore, the fight of faith is a good fight.

In sum, then, the fight to maintain faith and lay hold on eternal life is a good fight because the enemy is evil; the strength to fight is given by God; the faith we pursue is not a burden but an unburdening; the fight involves self-humbling not self-exaltation; and God is glorified as we learn to trust him with all our cares and hopes.

How Do We Engage in This Fight Successfully?

Here we could talk for hours about the proper use of the Word of God in personal devotion and in preaching and teaching, remembering that, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

We could talk about prayer and the constant cry of the true saint, “I believe, Lord, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24).

We could talk about the very ordinary disciplines of eating and sleeping and exercising which have far more effect on the perseverance of our faith than many realize.

Fighting the Fight Together Is Necessary Not Optional

But instead, we want to close by focusing on the foundation of the 20:20 Vision. The 20:20 Vision is a network of home cell-groups at Bethlehem. Pastor Steve will be saying more about the details in just a few moments. What I want you to see is that the foundation of this movement at Bethlehem is the doctrine that ALL CHRISTIANS MUST LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE BY FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, and the truth that we must fight this fight together and not just in the privacy of our own lives.

Camaraderie in the fight of faith is not an optional fringe benefit of being a Christian. It is one of the God-ordained, essential ways of fighting the fight of faith and laying hold on eternal life.

Two passages in Hebrews make this very clear. Hebrews 3:12–13 says:

Take care, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end.

According to this text fighting the good fight of faith means doing whatever God tells us to do to guard ourselves against an unbelieving heart and against becoming hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. So, the way that this text tells us to fight the fight faith is by exhorting one another.

“Exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (verse 13). This is what I mean by camaraderie in the fight of faith. The perseverance of my faith under God depends on the regular exhortations of Steve Roy and Tom Steller and Dean Palermo and Char Ransom. These are my comrades in the good fight of faith. Our fellowship in the Word together is not optional to me. Without the encouragement of this group of comrades, the faith I need to lead and serve Bethlehem would not survive.

The other text in Hebrews is 10:23–25.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

According to this text the fight of faith is the struggle to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering and keep on loving each other. And the way this text tells us to do this is not to neglect to meet together to stir each other up. The Christian life of faith and love cannot be lived successfully in isolation. God intends for us to gather in groups small enough to exhort each other and stir each other up. All the exhorting and all the stirring is not supposed to come from the pastor. The phrase “each other” means every believer can and should encourage and exhort and admonish and rebuke others in a small group of comrades. And all the more as we see the Last Day drawing near!

So, the answer to our final question is plain. How do we go about engaging in the fight of faith successfully? We must rediscover the age-old gift of camaraderie in the fight of faith. We must commit ourselves to some group of believers small enough to know each other’s needs and to exhort each other in the fight of faith. If you haven’t done this already, I urge you with all my heart not to rest until you have made this commitment.

And when you discover camaraderie in the fight of faith, you’ll experience another reason why Paul called it a good fight. Very few things in this life are sweeter than like-minded camaraderie in the greatest cause in the world.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV)

The following message is by Dr. John Piper. He preached this sermon September 9, 1984. He entitled it Camaraderie in the Fight of Faith.

Paul’s Words to Everybody in the Church 

Some things in Paul’s letters to Timothy are designed for pastors in particular rather than for all Christians. But not verse 12 of 1 Timothy 6. When Paul says, “Fight the good fight of faith,” we can be sure he is not giving counsel that only pastors must follow.

This applies to everybody in the church. We know it does because every Christian needs faith, not just pastors. And we know it does because the next phrase is the goal not just of pastors but of all Christians: “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.” By fighting the good fight of faith, Timothy must lay hold on eternal life. But there are not two different ways to eternal life—one for pastors and one for the rest of the church. Therefore, we can know that what Paul commands in this verse is for all of us not just for Timothy or just for pastors.

So, the doctrine that I want to draw out of this portion of God’s word and press home to your hearts today is this: All Christians Must Lay Hold on Eternal Life by Fighting the Good Fight of Faith

Three Questions 

In handling the text, I will try to answer three questions:

1. In what sense is our fight a fight of faith?
2. Why does the apostle Paul call it a good fight?
3. How do we go about engaging in this fight successfully?

1. In What Sense Is Our Fight a Fight of Faith?

As I look at the context of Paul’s command to fight the good fight of faith, I see two ways to understand the term “fight of faith.”

Two Ways to Understand “Fight of Faith”

One would be this: since our faith is often threatened by doubt and unbelief, we must fight to maintain faith. So, the phrase “fight of faith” would mean: the struggle to keep on believing God, the fight to keep on trusting his promises.

The other way to understand the phrase “fight of faith” would be this: we must fight the fight of faith in the sense that faith is used as the weapon to attain some other victory beyond faith itself. The idea is not merely that we are fighting to maintain our faith, but that we are maintaining faith in order to attain some victory by means of faith.

I think both of these are in Paul’s mind and that the two always go together. The only reason I distinguish them is that there are people who try to deny that both are true or try to live as though both were not true. Let me try to illustrate both meanings of the phrase “fight of faith” from the context and from some other Scriptures.

The Fight to Maintain Faith

In the verse just before our text (v. 11), Paul commanded Timothy to aim at, or pursue, “righteousness, godliness and faith.” But since Timothy is already a believer, this command to pursue faith must mean that Paul is admonishing him to attain more faith or to hold on to the faith he has. This is what Paul means by the fight of faith (in the first sense). The goal of Timothy’s pursuit is faith itself.

So, there is a sense in which every one of us must keep on pursuing faith. We must not rest content as though the faith we have is all we need, or as though the faith we have will remain in our hearts without a fight against the forces of unbelief. If you begin to coast in your Christian life, or if you begin to let down your guard, thinking that some past act of faith will save you without any struggle to persevere, you may be rudely shocked on the judgment day.

In 2 Timothy 4:7 Paul says at the very end of his life, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Fighting the fight of faith, finishing the race, and keeping faith all mean the same thing. Fighting the fight of faith is the struggle to keep the faith. And it’s a struggle that a true Christian never finally abandons until he attains the crown of righteousness from the Lord. So, the first meaning of the term “fight of faith,” is the fight to maintain faith, and it comes from the context of verse 11 and from 2 Timothy 4:7.

Fighting with Faith as a Weapon for a Further Victory

The other meaning of the term “fight of faith” is illustrated in verse 12 in the very next phrase: “take hold of eternal life.” The reason Paul adds this command right after the command to fight the good fight of faith is that eternal life is the goal to be attained by a successful fight of faith. Paul is saying, “Fight the good fight of faith, and in that way lay hold on eternal life.” So, the fight of faith is not just a fight to maintain faith (the first meaning); it is a fight to use faith as a weapon for attaining a victory beyond faith itself, namely, eternal life.

It’s just as if one of our coaches of the Olympic boxing team would have said to a fighter just as the third and decisive round started, “Fight the good fight, brother, and lay hold on the gold!” So, the term “fight of faith” means, in this second sense, fighting to win the (gold!) crown of eternal life by means of persevering in our faith.

From Pilgrim’s Progress to the American Church

One of the reasons there is so little deep, earnest, passionate concern for godliness in the contemporary church is that this truth is so little understood—the truth, namely, that eternal life is laid hold of only by a persevering fight of faith. There is today, by and large, a devil-may-care, cavalier, superficial attitude toward the on-going, daily intensity of personal faith because people do not believe that their eternal life depends on it. The last 200 years has seen an almost incredible devaluation of the fight of faith. We have moved a hundred miles from Pilgrim’s Progress where Christian labors and struggles and fights all his life until he is safe in the Celestial City. O, how different is the biblical view of the Christian life than the one prevalent in the American church.

James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.” The person who will receive the crown of eternal life is the person who successfully endures trial, that is, the person who fights the fight of faith and gets the victory over the temptation of unbelief.

Revelation 2:10 says to those who are being thrown in prison for their faith, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” This is very different from the mood of American Christianity. Here something infinite and eternal hangs on whether these Christians keep their faith in prison. But today worship services, Bible studies, prayer meetings, and fellowship gatherings in most churches do not have a spirit of earnestness and intensity and fervor and depth because people do not believe in their heart that anything significant is at stake—least of all their eternal life.

We have been poorly taught. And so, I urge each of you to return to the Scripture with eyes opened afresh to learn the doctrine of our text—that:

All Christians Must Lay Hold on Eternal Life by Fighting the Good Fight of Faith.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul issued five commandments to his young protégé Timothy in the immediate context of I Timothy 6:11-16. The first was to flee the temptations of earthly riches (vs.11a). The second was to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness (vs. 11b). The third was to fight the good fight of faith (vs. 12a). The fourth was to take hold of the eternal life.

To take hold of eternal life means to passionately, personally, and obediently seize the goal of pursuing holiness (I Peter 1:13-16). Paul described this pursuit in Romans 6:9-14, 8:1-8, 12:1-2, Philippians 3:12-16, and Colossians 3:1-17.  

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “Paul is here admonishing Timothy to “get a grip” on the reality of the matters at hand associated with eternal life, so that he would live and minister with a heavenly and eternal perspective” (Phil. 3:20; Col. 3:1-2).”

It is holiness God called Timothy to pursue. The phrase you were called (ἐκλήθης; eklethes) is an aorist, passive indicative verb. It means God decisively and at a particular point in time summoned Timothy to the task of pursuing holiness. It was this sovereign call unto salvation and sanctification which Timothy made the good confession. The word Paul used was ὡμολόγησας (homolegasas). It means at a particular point in time to acknowledge, admit, and declare one’s faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This was done publicly, perhaps at Timothy’s baptism. Regardless, there were many witnesses.

At the evening of my public confession of faith in Jesus Christ in the waters of baptism there were many witnesses. Most of them remain dear friends over the past five decades. More than that, they are precious brothers and sisters in Christ.  

“One of the reasons there is so little deep, earnest, passionate concern for godliness in the contemporary church is that this truth is so little understood—the truth, namely, that eternal life is laid hold of only by a persevering fight of faith. There is today, by and large, a devil-may-care, cavalier, superficial attitude toward the on-going, daily intensity of personal faith because people do not believe that their eternal life depends on it. The last 200 years has seen an almost incredible devaluation of the fight of faith. We have moved a hundred miles from Pilgrim’s Progress where Christian labors and struggles and fights all his life until he is safe in the Celestial City. O, how different is the biblical view of the Christian life than the one prevalent in the American church,” explains Dr. John Piper.

Are you serious about living a godly life? God created us to be holy as He is holy (I Peter 1:13-16). Let us strive for such a lifestyle in practice which evidences our eternal life position, which again is only by grace alone, through God given faith alone, in Christ alone.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!  

¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul issued five commandments to his young protégé Timothy in the immediate context of I Timothy 6:11-16. The first was to flee the temptations of earthly riches (vs.11a). The second was to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness (vs. 11b). The third was to fight the good fight of faith (vs. 12a). The fourth was to take hold of the eternal life. It is this fourth command which is examined today.

To take hold (ἐπιλαβοῦ; epilabou) is an aorist, middle imperative verb. It means at a decisive moment, Timothy was to passionately, personally and obediently be concerned for and to grasp an object. The object Paul had in mind was what he called the eternal life (αἰωνίου ζωῆς; aioniou zoes). This does not refer to salvation from the penalty of sin because such a salvation is always by grace alone, through God given faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. (Rom. 3:21-26; Eph. 2:1-9). Then what does Paul mean by this expression take hold of the eternal life?

“By putting up a successful fight, one is already getting a firm grip on (note the aorist tense now, in distinction from the present in the clause which precedes) everlasting life. This life pertains to the future age, to be sure, to the realm of glory, but in principle becomes the possession of the believer even here and now. It is actually ever-lasting, never-ending, life. Yet, though whenever the life so qualified pertains to man the quantitative idea is not excluded, the emphasis is on the qualitative: this is the life which manifests itself in fellowship with God, in partaking of his holiness, love, peace, and joy.” ^[1]

It is the life of what Paul described in several sections in his Epistle to the Romans. Consider the following biblical texts.

Romans 6:9–14 (ESV) – “⁹ We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰ For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. ¹¹ So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. ¹³ Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” (See also Rom. 6:15-23).

Romans 8:5–8 (ESV) – “⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷ For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. ⁸ Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” See Rom. 8:12-14)

Romans 12:1–2 (ESV) – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “Paul is here admonishing Timothy to “get a grip” on the reality of the matters at hand associated with eternal life, so that he would live and minister with a heavenly and eternal perspective” (Phil. 3:20; Col. 3:1-2).”  

Pastor Charles H. Spurgeon wrote, “LAY hold on eternal life.” Observe that this precept is preceded by another—“Fight the good fight of faith.” Those who lay hold on eternal life will have to fight for it. The way of the spiritual life is no easy one; we shall have to contest every step of the way along which it leads us. “Contest the good contest of the faith” would be an accurate rendering of the passage and a contest it is against the world, the flesh, and the devil. If we live unto God we shall need to war a daily warfare, and tread down the powers of death and hell.”

 Are you serious about living a godly life? God created us to be holy as He is holy (I Peter 1:13-16). Let us strive for such a lifestyle in practice which evidences our eternal life position, which again is only by grace alone, through God given faith alone, in Christ alone.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!  

---

^[1] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 204.

¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV)

One of the unfortunate reputations regarding believers in Christ has been they love to fight, particularly with each other. One wonders how many churches have begun from a church split caused by a previous disagreement among believers within another local congregation. More often than not, the disagreements are not over biblical truth but rather the carpet color in the nursery, how many electrical outlets should there be in a new church kitchen, and why the pastor’s wife does not sit in the front of the sanctuary during worship services. By the way, these are real examples.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy to fight the good fight of the faith, he had a particular perspective in mind. It is a perspective each believer in Christ must have.

To begin, the word fight (ἀγωνίζου; agonizou) is a present, middle, imperative verb. Therefore, the action is to be consistent, personal, and obeyed. The English word agonize comes from this Greek verb. It was used when referring to both military and athletic events. It refers to having the utmost concentration, and discipline.

Paul was giving a command and not making a suggestion. This is the third command Paul gave in the immediate context, along with flee and pursue (vs. 11).

To fight means to make every effort, to strive and struggle in the midst of conflict. In the context, the struggle is a spiritual one. Paul also stated this fight was a good fight. In other words, the conflict the apostle had in mind was a praiseworthy struggle. It was fitting and important.

2 Corinthians 10:1–5 (ESV) says, “I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— ² I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

2 Timothy 4:1–2 (ESV) states, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”  

“Greco-Roman moralists often described moral struggles in terms of warfare, as did Jewish texts influenced by them (e.g., 4 Maccabees, where it refers to martyrdom). The image in the Greek here is not that of a war, however, but of another image the moralists equally exploited in a figurative manner: the wrestling match or athletic contest.”^[1]

The text continues to say fighting this good fight concerned the faith. Faith (πίστεως; pisteos) in this context refers to the trustworthy and dependable doctrine of biblical truth. This truth solely ordinates from the Lord (2 Peter 1:20-21). It is not to be changed or compromised.

“Paul follows the “flee and pursue” charge to Timothy by telling him to “fight the good fight” (1 Tim. 6:12). When we are fleeing sin and pursuing godliness, even on our best days there will be a battle in our lives. We must understand that this will be a constant struggle,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Comparing the Christian life with a contest, the apostle continues his admonition in these words: Fight the noble fight of the faith. The sense is that Timothy must continue to fight this noble fight, just as he must continue to flee away from the vices of his opponents and to pursue the opposite virtues.”^[2]

How is the good fight going for you? Remember, the fight to which the Apostle referred to was not a fight over carpet colors, electrical outlets and seating charts. Rather, it was the fight to flee from sin and to pursue godliness. This requires a maximum effort of reading and meditating upon the Scriptures, prayer, serving one another and not loving the fallen world system of rebelliousness against the Lord (I John 2:15-17).

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

---

^[1] Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), 1 Ti 6:12.

^[2] William Hendriksen and Simon J. Kistemaker, Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles, vol. 4, New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1953–2001), 203.

¹¹ But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11 (ESV)

What is the biblical alternative for the love of money? The Apostle Paul warned his young protégé Timothy (I Tim. 6:10), and the Holy Spirit warned all believers in Christ (2 Peter 1:20-21), about the devastation caused by the affection for silver and gold. What then should Christians pursue as their life’s goal?  

First of all, the Scriptures say in today’s text to flee. Paul wrote, flee these things (ταῦτα φεῦγε; tauta pheuge). This is a present, active imperative verb. It means to continuously, actively, and obediently run away from and avoid the love of money.

Paul wrote to Timothy and called him a man of God, and by extension this refers to all believers in Christ who evidence godly behaviors. They are individuals who are known by what they flee from (I Tim. 6:11), what they follow after (vs. 11), what they fight for (vs. 12), and to what they are faithful (vs. 13-14).

To pursue (δίωκε; dioke) means to stive and to make every effort to chase and practice something. The man of God is to conduct this pursuit presently, actively and obediently. This is a command from God and not a suggestion from a man. What is the man of God to pursue instead of the love of money?

The man of God’s pursuit is to be towards righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. What is the meaning of these characteristics?

Righteousness (δικαιοσύνην; dikaiosynen) refers to doing what God requires. It is to do what is right in relationship to God and man. The focus is upon an individual’s outward behavior.

Godliness (εὐσέβειαν; eusebeian) This refers to personal piety. This is not only having appropriate beliefs but also a devout practice of biblical obligations.

Faith (πίστιν; pistin) in this context is the believer’s trustworthiness, commitment, dependability, and honor. Such a life of faith is because an individual is a person of faith. The believer’s faith is placed in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Love (ἀγάπην;agapen) is a self-sacrificial love of the will. Every believer in Christ is to demonstrate this kind of love to all believers in Christ (I john 4:7-8). This love is based upon God’s love for sinners (John 3:16; I John 4 :9-10).  

Steadfastness (ὑπομονήν; hypomonen) refers to the ability to endure. What the believer endures are difficult circumstances (James 1:1-5; I Peter 1:1-7; 2:21-24; 3:13-17; 4:12-19).

Gentleness (πραϋπαθίαν; praupathian) means a mildness in behavior and attitude. This is in contrast with harshness when dealing with other people (I Peter 3:13-15).

“Paul began this concluding section of the epistle by turning directly to Timothy. The words but you are an emphatic contrast with “some people” of verse 10, who chase after riches. Timothy, as a man of God, was to do the opposite—to flee from all this, but chase instead after personal virtues that are of eternal value: righteousness, godliness (eusebeian; cf. 2:2; 3:16; 4:7–8; 6:3, 5–6; 2 Tim. 3:5; Titus 1:1), faith, love, endurance (hypomonēn, “steadfastness under adversity”), and gentleness. This list may be compared to both the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23) and the qualifications of elders (1 Tim. 3:1–3).”^[1]

Here is Paul’s solemn charge to Timothy himself. There is both a negative and a positive side (11). The fleeing from all this, although primarily referring to the seeking after wealth, probably includes all the previous advice about what to avoid. The positive side is expressed in spiritual terms. The six words of v 11 sum up the character of the Christian of which Timothy is to be an example.^[2]

In the believer’s life, there will always be the constant struggle of fleeing and pursuing. Many deny this by teaching either perfectionism or antinomianism. In other words, we must avoid the extremes of thinking we can achieve sinless perfection or we can sin with recklessness and be carnal. The Christian life is the constant battle of the push and pull between holiness and unholiness.

1 Peter 1:13–16 (ESV) says, “¹³ Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, ¹⁵ but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord as you flee and pursue.

Soli deo Gloria!  

---

^[1] A. Duane Litfin, “1 Timothy,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 746–747.

^[2] Donald Guthrie, “1 Timothy,” in New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, ed. D. A. Carson et al., 4th ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994), 1303.

The following devotion al is from Ligonier Ministries. It is entitled Revelation.

Theologians have called God’s words—spoken at first and later written down—His special revelation, while they have called His works of creation and providence His general revelation. General revelation is, well, general (those theologians know what they are talking about), whereas special revelation is much more specific, detailed, and extensive. Today, general revelation surrounds us in nature, while we possess special revelation in the Bible. Special revelation tells God’s people everything revealed about His character in general revelation and much more. — W. Robert Godfrey “General Revelation”

There is a mysterious dimension of God that we do not know. However, we aren’t left in darkness, groping around for a hidden God. God has also revealed Himself, and that is basic to the Christian faith. Christianity is a revealed religion. God the Creator has revealed Himself manifestly in the glorious theater of nature. This is what we call ‘natural revelation.’ God has also revealed Himself verbally. He has spoken, and we have His Word inscripturated in the Bible. Here we’re talking about special revelation—information God gives us that we could never figure out on our own. — R.C. Sproul “Divine Incomprehensibility”

For people to come to a knowledge of God, God must reveal Himself to His creatures. However, man will never attain a comprehensive knowledge of God, since He is infinite and we are finite. As Dr. R.C. Sproul explained: “Our finite understanding cannot contain an infinite subject; thus, God is incomprehensible. This concept represents a check and balance to warn us lest we think we have captured altogether and mastered in every detail the things of God. Our finitude always limits our understanding of God.”

 Nevertheless, God created us to know who He is and what He has done in the world. Everything that God reveals is truth, since it is a revelation of the God of truth Himself. The innate knowledge of God comes to us by means of His general revelation. The Apostle Paul summarized the essence of God’s general revelation to mankind when he wrote: “What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse” (Rom. 1:19–20).

In every part of creation, God’s glory is revealed. The psalmist summed it up when he wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Ps. 19:1). Since God fills the heavens and the earth, all people have an innate and inescapable knowledge of God’s being, attributes, and power. This innate knowledge is what John Calvin called the sensus divinitatis (sense of deity). However, by nature, fallen human beings suppress the truth that God has made known about Himself in creation; they do so by living in unrighteousness.

Therefore, God’s general revelation leaves all mankind inexcusable on the day of judgment and condemns them for their failure to worship and thank the Lord (Rom. 1:18–32). Additionally, no one can come to a saving knowledge of God except by means of His special revelation of a Redeemer. This is why Scripture is necessary for the salvation of humanity, for it is the only source of special revelation we have today.

The opening paragraph of the Westminster Confession of Faith helpfully explains, “It pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased” (WCF 1.1).

“Divers manners” are those ways that God revealed Himself in redemptive history (e.g., oral revelation, written revelation, dreams, visions, etc.). After Jesus and the Apostles, special revelation ceased, and the only special revelation we have today is the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Theologians have commonly referred to the divine authorship of Scripture by the Holy Spirit as the inspiration of Scripture. More specifically, Protestant and Reformed theologians have referred to the process by which God has revealed Himself in Scripture as verbal plenary inspiration.

The idea of verbal plenary inspiration is that God has superintended the writing of His special revelation by human authors in their respective historical contexts such that there is not one word in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments that is not given by divine inspiration. Therefore, every word carries all the divine authority of the God who breathed it out. The Bible is the inspired Word of God—the only source of special revelation.

As the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy affirms, “The whole of Scripture and all its parts, down to the very words of the original, were given by divine inspiration.” In addition to inspiration, theologians employ other significant terms to explain the nature of God’s revelation in Scripture. Among these terms are the inerrancy and the infallibility of Scripture. Inerrancy tells us that the Bible never teaches error, and infallibility means that it cannot teach error.

God’s revelation in Scripture occurs in a diversity of literary genres. He reveals His Word in prose, poetry, legal codes, wisdom, prophecy, historical narratives, didactic letters, and apocalyptic visions. There is progress to the revelation of God in Scripture. He reveals Himself in successively unfolding covenantal epochs. He revealed His Word progressively through prophets. 

The Old Testament prophets proclaimed and foretold the judgments and deliverances of God. The prophetic and historical judgments and deliverances in the Old Testament era foreshadowed the sufferings of Christ and His subsequent glories. When Jesus came, in the fullness of time, He fulfilled in His person and work every preparatory and anticipatory aspect of the Old Testament. The message of the death and resurrection of Jesus is the center of special revelation for the salvation of the elect. In the new covenant era, God has appointed ministers of the gospel to be heralds of this revelation, by whose preaching of the gospel He is pleased to save those who believe (1 Cor. 1:21).

The Lord Jesus is Himself, at one and the same time, both the general and the special revelation of God. He is God manifest in the flesh. The Apostle John states this explicitly when he writes, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Jesus is special revelation because He is the living Word (the Logos) of God. He is part of general revelation inasmuch as He is truly man. The Apostolic preaching of the gospel involves eyewitness accounts of Christ and Him crucified (1 John 1:1–3; 2 Peter 1:16–20).

Since the Holy Spirit is the divine author of Scripture, He acts as the agent by whom we may come to a right understanding of what He has revealed. Apart from the illuminating work of the Spirit, people could not arrive at a saving understanding of the revelation of God in the Bible.

Have a blessed Lord’s Day.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:9–10 (ESV)

The following excerpt is by Dr. J. Ligon Duncan. His message is entitled The Love of Money. He preached this sermon Sunday, October 17, 2004.

Guard your heart against the pernicious love of money. The Apostle Paul goes on to say this: in verses seven through ten. He calls us to guard our hearts against the pernicious love of money. He says we brought nothing into this world, we cannot take anything out of it, either; if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

Now, my friends, no Christian is immune from an inordinate love of
money. You can be poverty stricken and living in the slums of San Paulo,
Brazil, and struggle with the love of money. When you are poverty stricken,
your temptation is to want something that you don’t’ have, and to think what you
don’t have will give you the satisfaction you’re looking for.

We have a different struggle. All of us have this struggle: we have so much we are both inclined to forget the One who has given us what we have; and we are inclined to enjoy the things we have received from His gracious hand more than we enjoy Him. 

We are tempted to view Him as a means to get what we really want, which are things which we think will give us satisfaction and fulfillment. In other words, instead of loving God and using the world, we use God to get the world which we love more than God. That is the challenge of affluence, and we are awash in the
wealthiest culture in the history of the world. We are Christians in the midst
of that affluent culture, and so we ourselves must be on guard against the
pernicious love of money.

Notice two things: Paul does not say that money is the root of all evil. This is not a proto-Marxist speech here. This is not a rant against capitalism. But he says “the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.” When your desires are centered upon things and material blessing, when that is where your satisfaction and your
delight and your security come from, ah! then you’re in trouble, because God
wants us to depend upon Him. He wants us to love Him and use the world, not use
Him and love the world.

Paul also doesn’t say that the love of money is the root of all evil. That’s how the King James translated this passage, and that’s a perfectly good literal translation, but this is one of those passages where Paul clearly uses “all” to mean not “every
last one,” but “every category, all sorts, all kinds of evil.” Paul in this
very book will show several roots of other sins, but here he is saying that the
love of money is the root of all kinds of sins. The New Testament bears that
out, doesn’t it? I’m haunted by the last phrase of verse ten, aren’t you?

“Some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many griefs.” You can think about that very thing in the New Testament.

Ananias and Sapphira; Simon Magus, who wanted to buy the extraordinary gifts of
the Spirit so that he could make money; Judas, who sold our Savior for thirty
pieces of silver; and even more heartbreaking than that, the rich young elder
who came to Jesus to ask Him how he could have eternal life–and he went away
sorrowing, we’re told in the gospels, when Jesus told him to sell everything
that he had and follow Him, “because he had many things.” And his contentment,
his fulfillment, his satisfaction was in those things.

We think of him wandering away from the faith. There he was, standing in front of his God and Savior, and he left Him because he had chosen to serve mammon rather than God. This is why Jesus is so concerned that we are determined to use the material blessings that God gives us: not to worship them, not to love them, not to find our ultimate delight in them, not to find our fulfillment or our security in
them.

By the way, that’s one way that stewardship to the church works. When you give for the building of Christ’s kingdom, one of the things that it does is it teaches you to trust that the Lord will provide for you in that you have given away for His work. It’s a blessing to give that away, and then to depend on, “Lord, you’re going to have to bring in what I need. I’m committing to support Your work, trusting that You will support my family’s needs.”

No, guard your heart against the pernicious love of money, Paul says. In this passage, Paul not only gives us words whereby we can detect false teaching, but he searches our own hearts to see if we love God more than we love things. I don’t know of a greater challenge for us as a congregation than that. Many sins and temptations we grapple with and wrestle against, but that one is one whereby we will be measured, friends. Let us pray that God, by His Spirit, would help us to love Christ, to love His kingdom, and to seek Him first and then let God add the other things.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!