1st timothy chapter 6.....Christianity in the commonplace
Paul continues the theme of honour in relation to earthly employers (in verses 1-2), before summing up his teaching on the true meaning of godliness in the remainder of the chapter. Honour to widows indeed, honour to elders who rule well, now honour to earthly employers. Christianity restores respect in a world where it is distinctly absent. We are to be Christians in the commonplace, in our employment, against false teachers. in money matters, and in the world of education. He takes up different aspects of spiritual life in these closing verses.
Concerning slaves verses 1-2
He takes up the lowest form of employment to present the Christian attitude to work. In those days slavery was commonplace, and Christianity did not seek to overturn it (although in the long term it achieved exactly that). It is estimated there were some 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire at it’s height. The teaching always is to conduct ourselves with honour, even in the worst of conditions. If a slave can live with honour in his lowly place, then so can we all. The word is despotas meaning despots, or absolute masters. The slave had no will of his own, no time of his own, no possessions to call his own. Under this yoke he was to honour his master, that is esteem him, render to him the best work he could. In the workplace testimony for God is severely put to the test, and the reputation of God and the doctrine was at stake. This is high ground indeed in the face of such oppression, yet it is what the Lord expects. To act as a Christian in these circumstances is the highest standard, and also the severest test. Joseph in Potiphar’s house and later in the prison was a good example; our Lord Jesus Christ was the supreme example (He took the form of a servant, a slave). Are we prepared to live for God in the commonplace, even the place of abject humiliation? Believing masters are not to be despised, because they are brethren. There is to be no disrespect or familiarity or shoddy workmanship. One aspect of good works is good workmanship in the workplace. The believing masters are said to be “faithful and beloved and partaker of the good deed” (that is beneficiaries). They are faithful because they have trusted the Lord; they are beloved because Christ died for them. The slaves devoted service benefits the work of the Lord, because they benefit their masters.
Concerning false teachers verses 3-8
There were false teachers at Ephesus, as there are false teachers everywhere, and they need to be exposed.
“If any teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of the Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness.....”
We note, firstly that the doctrine is described as “the words of the Lord”, It comes from the Lord Himself. The apostles’ words are His words, Timothy’s words are His words, the words of all faithful teachers are His words, when the true doctrine is presented . it is God who is speaking.....”Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3v4). Secondly these words are “wholesome”, that is health-giving, designed for the promotion of spiritual health. This is a major topic in these epistles (which we have already discussed) and is contrasted with the toxic doctrine of the false teachers. It is health for God’s people to come under the sound of the doctrine time and time again. Thirdly, the doctrine is “according to godliness;” it is from God, it contains godly instruction, it produces godly living, it is what the doctrine is all about. In contrast these false teachers, who abound also in the present day, are to be avoided and Paul concludes at the end of the section “from such withdraw thyself.” A summary of what they are could be as follows; their minds are corrupt, their arguments are perverse, and their motivation is greed. We can detail the harm that they bring in the following way:
Their doctrines They “consent not to wholesome words”; they are in disagreement with the teaching of Christ.
Their demeanour They are “proud”, puffed up, lifted up with pride, having an elevated view of themselves. Paul said in Romans 1v22 “Professing themselves to be wise they became fools.”
Their delusions “Knowing nothing” and later on “supposing that gain is godliness.” They are deluded into thinking that only what comes from themselves is the truth and not properly assessing that their teaching is based on personal greed.
Their divisions “Doting (obsessed) about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife railings, evil surmising, perversed disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth.” Their teaching produces the opposite of godliness, they are divisive and corrupt, and they are to be avoided. We live in a day which has seen the rise of the so called “prosperity gospel” which equates material gain with godliness. No such teaching can be deduced from scripture, the motivation behind which is greed.
On the contrary true godliness with contentment is great gain. God wants us all to gain but in the right way. Contentment means being happy with the provision God has granted us. This is clear from verse 7 which says “we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” When this satisfaction with material benefits is married to a spiritual state of godliness it is said to be “great gain;” the Greek is “megas” which infers huge profit, it is infact the best of both worlds. In 1st Timothy 4v8, godliness is said to be “profitable in all things having promise of the life that now is and of the life which is to come.” The wisdom in Proverbs 15v16 is this “better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.” He ends in verse 8 with the practical observation “having food and remnant let us be therewith content.” This can be interpreted in two ways (a) we will be content therewith and (b) we shall be sufficiently provided.
Concerning the covetous verses 9- 10
This goes to the sin of covetousness. It is a fact that, ultimately, material prosperity is God given...1st Samuel 2v7 “The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich....” This from the prayer of Hannah describing the God she had come to know in the extremities of her experience. It is true the acquisition of riches requires supreme skill and effort, but there are factors beyond human control. When we attempt to alter our financial status, there are many pitfalls along the way. Scripture speaks of “the deceitfulness of riches”. The quest for money can spring traps which are unseen, and these are portrayed in three ways;
• Temptations The word is really trials, stresses, testing times, giving rise to difficult problems. Money can bring problems.
• Snares Literally entrapment, an unforeseen pitfall, it may be financial, it may be moral, risking compromise in our character. In a world full of corruption fortune seekers can be trapped. The money trap is very deceiving.
• Foolish and hurtful lusts On the way to improving our lot we can adapt to irrational and dangerous desires. These desires which are common to all, are tending to “drown men in perdition”, keeping them occupied whilst drifting from God. We should not be following the pursuits of men who are hell bound.
Paul now goes to the root of this problem, this goes deeper than the externals, this is the inward driving force in the human heart. “The love of money is the root of all evil...” Money is useful, the love of it is sinful. Money can be a blessing, the love of it is a curse. When money is at the heart of everything we do, this passion becomes an overwhelming greed that takes hold and produces all forms of evil. Selfishness becomes the ruling principal and we will do anything to achieve the goal. The love of money contrasts with love for God and love for our neighbours. It is the greed to obtain it, the self pleasing, the self grasping, the “thrill of the chase” that is the problem. Covetousness, the desire for things we do not possess is a serious sin and is in fact stated to be idolatry because it displaces God in our lives. Indeed the Lord Jesus in His teaching in Matthew 6 sets God and Mammon as two opposing objects of worship...”ye cannot serve God and Mammon”. Money becomes the goal, the end of life, when it should be used to support life. The Scottish biblical commentator William Barclay summed up this love for money in five ways:
1. A thirst which is insatiable.
2. A delusion because it does not being happiness.
3. It gives rise to incurable selfishness.
4. It produces the opposite to that which it is intended namely anxiety, not security.
5. It opens the door to unending ways of evil.
In following this lust many have “erred from the faith.” They have wandered away from the things of God. Instead of bettering themselves they hurt themselves “piercing themselves through with many sorrows.” Contentment, not covetousness, is the way for the Christian. Paul had found this way for himself in Philippians 4v11 where he says “I have learned in whatsoever state I am to be content.”
Concerning the man of God verses 11-12
Paul now elevates the status of the young man “But thou O man of God....”, reminding him of what he has become, a man of God! This brings him alongside some very famous names indeed in the history of the world. It is a term used very sparingly in scripture and always in the context of taking a stand for God in adverse situations. Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, David, Shemaiah, a few unnamed who taught the mind of God, and , of course, Jesus Himself. We all have the opportunity to stand for God in our generation, and this must have inspired young Timothy in the difficult task he was given. In a very concise way, he lays down the character of such a man, in three short sharp commands FLEE/FOLLOW/FIGHT!
Flee these things The word is to run away, escape, put a distance between yourself and the offending practice. There are things from which the man of God must flee, he must be as far away from them as possible; do not stay close, do not flirt, have nothing to do with them. We may feel we are strong but they will overcome us at the last, cut them off, remove them from your life. Also there is an urgency involved, he is to run fast, and immediately because these things are harmful. In the immediate context the things are the things associated with the love of money which leads to all forms of evil. Timothy is to separate himself from these expeditiously. Dangers abound in spiritual life and there are things from which we must flee. In 1st Corinthians 6v18 “Flee fornication”; In 1st Corinthians 10v14 “...flee from idolatry”. In 2nd Timothy 2v22 “Flee youthful lusts”. Each of these can be expounded in their context, and here it is the greed for money.
Follow after righteousness etc. It is the word to pursue and is the opposite to the word flee; first we are to run away, now we are to run after something. In the one we are being pursued, now we are pursuing. We cannot live our lives in a vacuum, empty lives will soon be filled with something and it is to be the qualities of Christ that are to become our quest. This comes down to the big question, is God able to satisfy our lives?, and the answer is a resounding yes! What filled our lives before were the things of selfish greed resulting in evil; now we are pursuing the things of God. He enumerates six examples, which are not comprehensive. Just as there are lists of sins in the N/T, so there are lists of godly virtues, and if we put them together we have the whole picture.....( 1st Corinthians 13vv1-7; Galatians 5vv22-23; Philippians 4v8; Colossians 3vv12-14; 1st Timothy 6v11; 2nd Timothy2v22; 2nd Timothy 3v10; 2nd Peter 1vv5-7). What are we pursuing, or are we just idling by? Scripture has a blessing for those who “hunger and thirst after righteousness”. Are we making the things of God our quest in life? Here are a list of things the man of God will pursue; together they provide a silhouette of what kind of man he will be.
Righteousness All actions and attitudes in harmony with the Divine standard of right. Godliness The reproduction God in our lives Faith Absolute trust in God and His word and only His word. Love Heart devotion to God and to His people and our fellow man Patience The ability to endure over time even in the face of difficulties. Meekness The quality of allowing for the weakness of others., self abnegation, gentleness.
Paul will develop these features in the second epistle, meanwhile, they are the marks of the godly.
Fight the good fight of faith There will be conflict, opposition from many quarters, not least the struggle within to overcome fallen tendencies. All throughout the scriptures, the people of God have been in conflict in this life and we are encouraged to adopt the war mentality, all the while seeking strength from above. We have enemies, and they are well documented; the flesh (within), the world (all around) the devil (in the air above, and indeed in the air waves!!). All of these are contrary to a godly life and we must learn to fight. It is a fight of faith, that is the strength comes from consulting and following the word of God in which are placed narratives of people who struggled before us, proverbs which shew us the path of life, and prophecies which fix our gaze on the future rewards. He points them to the future “lay hold on eternal life”. Make that a present reality, live in the good of the future now for it is only a matter of time till we are perfected. Bring the life of eternity down into time, bring the future into the present. It is to this we are called, eternal life, the life of God. Next he points him to the past reminding him of how he has borne a good confession before many witnesses. It is in the heat of battle sometimes we can lose perspective and he is encouraged to remember both past blessing and future glory as incentive for the present conflict.
Concerning accountability verses 13-16
As if to nerve the young man for the conflict to come, he brings him under the gaze of Almighty God, and points him to the supreme example of faithfulness, that of the Lord Jesus Christ. He bursts into a doxology of praise, as he ponders the majesty of God. We can all do with being reminded that we serve under the watchful eyes of all heaven. The charge was given “in the sight of God...”, the “God who quickeneth all things”, that is nothing is hidden from Him. He is the judge of all the earth, all people will be raised before Him, all events, all actions will be weighed in His presence. Another thought in this is the unlimited power of God to strengthen us in His service. He switches scenes ,as he recalls the faithful confession of Christ, in the most extreme situation, when facing cruel death, He “made a good confession before Pontius Pilate”. Christ Jesus, now enthroned in heaven, the One who stood before the might of Rome in the shape of the governor of Judea. Facing an unjust and cruel death, He answered nothing, for He had nothing to answer. Instead of asserting His rights, He, calmly, accepted the travesty, the greatest travesty of justice ever, and that from a power who created the fairest justice system, still operating today. When He did speak, it was not to defend His position, but to speak the truth of God, pointing to a kingdom not of this world, and a message of truth for all the world. This did nothing to prevent His death, but it witnessed a good confession. It is significant that the word witness is the Greek word from which we get “martyr”.
Before the Sovereign judge of all and the Supreme witness, Timothy is charged to “keep the commandment without spot unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is a most solemn charge from above on the young man, and every servant today is charged likewise. “KEEP (preserve unadulterated, as with a military guard) the COMMANDMENT (the injunction to testify the truth of God) WITHOUT SPOT (without stain-no moral blemish to tarnish the message) UNREBUKEABLE (irreproachable in the sight of man) UNTIL THE APPEARING (that is until the end of your days). Jesus is returning to earth, but the roles will be comprehensively reversed, humanity will be in the dock!
At His appearing (manifestation of who He truly is), He will demonstrate the glory of God in a way never seen before. The interesting expression “in His own time” reflects the precise timing of the Divine programme. Everything is timed to perfection, just at the right moment He will return. This phrase is used before in chapter 2v6 “...who gave Himself a ransom for all the testimony in it’s own time.”(R.V.) and also in Titus 1v3 “..hath in due time manifested His word through preaching; This is the testimony of grace; when He returns it will be the testimony of His glory. Chapter 1 tells of His first coming, chapter 6 book ends the letter with His second coming. Chapter 1 opens the letter with a doxology to the only God, chapter 6 closes the letter with a doxology revealing Christ as GOD. Arguments abound as to who is the subject of the doxology, it matters not, Christ and God are one and the same. He will shew (visibly demonstrate to every eye) just who God is. The clamour for God to shew Himself will be answered, but for many it will be too late. Faith in the unseen God is the essence of the kingdom. He now gives a description of the glory of God as revealed by the glorified Christ. The language is that of Imperial Rome, which is reflected in the highbrow claims of all modern power seekers and will be culminated in the revived Empire in the future.
He is the blessed and only potentate Men seek power, but absolute power resides in God alone. Allied to absolute power is the state of blessedness which is absent in the power brokers of earth. The words of Jesus Christ before Pilate resonate here “...you could have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above.!” The fake usurper who deceives the world will be summarily dismissed at the word of His mouth.
The King of kings and Lord of lords All kings and all lords who exist at His coming will be subject to Him at the decree of God. His reign will be without a rival and without comparison of anything that has existed before.
Who only hath immortality Literally immortality is “without death”. He alone is the origin, the sustainer and the giver of all life. His entrance into death was only for our redemption. He alone is the life giving spirit as opposed to all humans from Adam who are, at best, living souls with a definite lifespan (1st Corinthians 15v45).
Dwelling in light unapproachable So far removed from the darkness of this world, living in unsullied holiness apart from all creation. The glory that surrounds Him forbids the approach of sinful man. Even angelic creatures who dwell in heaven must cover their faces before him. He is light and in Him is no darkness at all, and this is true for physical as well as spiritual light. Apart from Christ God remains unapproachable.
Whom no one has seen nor can see He is spirit, he is invisible, surrounded by unapproachable light. Moses was told in Exodus 33 “Man cannot see my face and live”. His only visible manifestation is in Jesus Christ and only in His incarnation can He be seen.
To whom be honour and power everlasting Forever, and forever, to all eternal ages He alone will have the honour and the power. There is no one who can be compared to Him and this is the message of Isaiah chapters 40-41 (Note the repetition of “Who” in these chapters).
This charge to Timothy carries all the authority of the Sovereign and eternal God, who will have the last say in everything. This is the meaning of “Amen”. Paul raises the level of Christian service beyond the mundane to celestial heights.
Concerning the rich verses 17-19
The bible does not condemn riches, indeed in one place describes the possession of riches as the “good things” of life. The bible is clear “The Lord maketh rich, and He maketh poor” (1st Samuel 2v7), and it is the abuse of riches that is in view. There are three main thoughts here for the regulation of such abuse;
The attitude of the rich “Be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us all things richly to enjoy.” This is regulating the pride of the rich, whereby they despise the poor or, at least consider themselves better than the poorer brethren. Riches are “uncertain”, and there are countless examples of fortunes lost as quickly as they are made. Their trust should be in the living God, not on wealth. All riches whether great or small are the gift of God for us to enjoy. The endowment of them should humble us rather than inflate us.
The actions of the rich “That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.”. Addressing the seven churches. Our Lord described the poor at Smyrna as being rich, and the rich at Laodicea as poor. Heaven’s estimate of riches is different from ours. Those who are materially rich are to use their wealth for good works, and there are endless opportunities. They are to have a readiness to distribute the God given wealth to meet the need of others, and to communicate that with a willing heart. It is said in the great chapter dealing with material matters (2nd Corinthians 9) “God loves a cheerful giver”. This is because He is Himself the supreme giver.
The ambitions of the rich “...laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." It has been well said that the choice for the lost is “heaven or hell”, but the choice for the saved is “heaven or earth. Am I bound for heaven yet laying up in store for this earth? It is a challenging , but relevant question. The Lord Jesus expounded this in Matthew chapter 6 v20 “Lay not up treasure on earth........lay up treasure in heaven.” He observed in this connection “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”. The currency of earth has no value in heaven, because the spiritual riches there are eternal and are priceless. The ambition of the rich is to be firmly set in the life to come. They can use their riches for future gain.
Concerning science verses 20-21
Another potential trap for the believer are the so called opposition of science. Today this has become a huge subject with the increase in scientific study. The problem is that many of the conclusions are fictional, yet because they have public acclaim they are accepted as fact. There is no empirical evidence for the theory of evolution, it is a philosophy with no actual proof as is normally demanded. Also, any study of the universe without reference to the creator is bound to fail. Science comes from a root word “to know” and knowledge requires evidence beyond doubt, everything else is speculation. Sadly many have turned aside after this, substituting it for the spoken and written word of God. Timothy was to guard the truth against this error. He was given the truth of God as a precious deposit to be kept in the face of all opposition. The need for accurate knowledge of God’s word is obvious. The errors of so-called science are “vain babblings”. The word from the proverb comes through the years to our present day “Buy the truth, sell it not....meddle not with them that are given to change.” Proverbs 23v23 and 24v21. This is the pathway for the servant of the Lord and he will receive all the grace necessary.
The letter ends as it began, pointing to “some” who have departed from the faith. The reason for their departure was different, but with the same tragic result. Some, because of novelty (giving heed to fables and endless genealogies, always looking for something new); some because of legality( abandoning love to enforce human rules in an illusory ego trip); some spiritually (discarding conscience with disastrous results); some doctrinally (heeding doctrines of deception whose source is the devil); some selfishly (abandoning all sense of duty); some covetously (seeking wealth resulting in deep spiritual harm); some intellectually (accepting the philosophy of human reason). The same pitfalls face every one of us today, will we be the “some” or will we keep the faith, personally, and teach it, publicly, to the glory of our God?
Paul continues the theme of honour in relation to earthly employers (in verses 1-2), before summing up his teaching on the true meaning of godliness in the remainder of the chapter. Honour to widows indeed, honour to elders who rule well, now honour to earthly employers. Christianity restores respect in a world where it is distinctly absent. We are to be Christians in the commonplace, in our employment, against false teachers. in money matters, and in the world of education. He takes up different aspects of spiritual life in these closing verses.
Concerning slaves verses 1-2
He takes up the lowest form of employment to present the Christian attitude to work. In those days slavery was commonplace, and Christianity did not seek to overturn it (although in the long term it achieved exactly that). It is estimated there were some 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire at it’s height. The teaching always is to conduct ourselves with honour, even in the worst of conditions. If a slave can live with honour in his lowly place, then so can we all. The word is despotas meaning despots, or absolute masters. The slave had no will of his own, no time of his own, no possessions to call his own. Under this yoke he was to honour his master, that is esteem him, render to him the best work he could. In the workplace testimony for God is severely put to the test, and the reputation of God and the doctrine was at stake. This is high ground indeed in the face of such oppression, yet it is what the Lord expects. To act as a Christian in these circumstances is the highest standard, and also the severest test. Joseph in Potiphar’s house and later in the prison was a good example; our Lord Jesus Christ was the supreme example (He took the form of a servant, a slave). Are we prepared to live for God in the commonplace, even the place of abject humiliation? Believing masters are not to be despised, because they are brethren. There is to be no disrespect or familiarity or shoddy workmanship. One aspect of good works is good workmanship in the workplace. The believing masters are said to be “faithful and beloved and partaker of the good deed” (that is beneficiaries). They are faithful because they have trusted the Lord; they are beloved because Christ died for them. The slaves devoted service benefits the work of the Lord, because they benefit their masters.
Concerning false teachers verses 3-8
There were false teachers at Ephesus, as there are false teachers everywhere, and they need to be exposed.
“If any teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of the Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine which is according to godliness.....”
We note, firstly that the doctrine is described as “the words of the Lord”, It comes from the Lord Himself. The apostles’ words are His words, Timothy’s words are His words, the words of all faithful teachers are His words, when the true doctrine is presented . it is God who is speaking.....”Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3v4). Secondly these words are “wholesome”, that is health-giving, designed for the promotion of spiritual health. This is a major topic in these epistles (which we have already discussed) and is contrasted with the toxic doctrine of the false teachers. It is health for God’s people to come under the sound of the doctrine time and time again. Thirdly, the doctrine is “according to godliness;” it is from God, it contains godly instruction, it produces godly living, it is what the doctrine is all about. In contrast these false teachers, who abound also in the present day, are to be avoided and Paul concludes at the end of the section “from such withdraw thyself.” A summary of what they are could be as follows; their minds are corrupt, their arguments are perverse, and their motivation is greed. We can detail the harm that they bring in the following way:
Their doctrines They “consent not to wholesome words”; they are in disagreement with the teaching of Christ.
Their demeanour They are “proud”, puffed up, lifted up with pride, having an elevated view of themselves. Paul said in Romans 1v22 “Professing themselves to be wise they became fools.”
Their delusions “Knowing nothing” and later on “supposing that gain is godliness.” They are deluded into thinking that only what comes from themselves is the truth and not properly assessing that their teaching is based on personal greed.
Their divisions “Doting (obsessed) about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife railings, evil surmising, perversed disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth.” Their teaching produces the opposite of godliness, they are divisive and corrupt, and they are to be avoided. We live in a day which has seen the rise of the so called “prosperity gospel” which equates material gain with godliness. No such teaching can be deduced from scripture, the motivation behind which is greed.
On the contrary true godliness with contentment is great gain. God wants us all to gain but in the right way. Contentment means being happy with the provision God has granted us. This is clear from verse 7 which says “we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” When this satisfaction with material benefits is married to a spiritual state of godliness it is said to be “great gain;” the Greek is “megas” which infers huge profit, it is infact the best of both worlds. In 1st Timothy 4v8, godliness is said to be “profitable in all things having promise of the life that now is and of the life which is to come.” The wisdom in Proverbs 15v16 is this “better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.” He ends in verse 8 with the practical observation “having food and remnant let us be therewith content.” This can be interpreted in two ways (a) we will be content therewith and (b) we shall be sufficiently provided.
Concerning the covetous verses 9- 10
This goes to the sin of covetousness. It is a fact that, ultimately, material prosperity is God given...1st Samuel 2v7 “The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich....” This from the prayer of Hannah describing the God she had come to know in the extremities of her experience. It is true the acquisition of riches requires supreme skill and effort, but there are factors beyond human control. When we attempt to alter our financial status, there are many pitfalls along the way. Scripture speaks of “the deceitfulness of riches”. The quest for money can spring traps which are unseen, and these are portrayed in three ways;
• Temptations The word is really trials, stresses, testing times, giving rise to difficult problems. Money can bring problems.
• Snares Literally entrapment, an unforeseen pitfall, it may be financial, it may be moral, risking compromise in our character. In a world full of corruption fortune seekers can be trapped. The money trap is very deceiving.
• Foolish and hurtful lusts On the way to improving our lot we can adapt to irrational and dangerous desires. These desires which are common to all, are tending to “drown men in perdition”, keeping them occupied whilst drifting from God. We should not be following the pursuits of men who are hell bound.
Paul now goes to the root of this problem, this goes deeper than the externals, this is the inward driving force in the human heart. “The love of money is the root of all evil...” Money is useful, the love of it is sinful. Money can be a blessing, the love of it is a curse. When money is at the heart of everything we do, this passion becomes an overwhelming greed that takes hold and produces all forms of evil. Selfishness becomes the ruling principal and we will do anything to achieve the goal. The love of money contrasts with love for God and love for our neighbours. It is the greed to obtain it, the self pleasing, the self grasping, the “thrill of the chase” that is the problem. Covetousness, the desire for things we do not possess is a serious sin and is in fact stated to be idolatry because it displaces God in our lives. Indeed the Lord Jesus in His teaching in Matthew 6 sets God and Mammon as two opposing objects of worship...”ye cannot serve God and Mammon”. Money becomes the goal, the end of life, when it should be used to support life. The Scottish biblical commentator William Barclay summed up this love for money in five ways:
1. A thirst which is insatiable.
2. A delusion because it does not being happiness.
3. It gives rise to incurable selfishness.
4. It produces the opposite to that which it is intended namely anxiety, not security.
5. It opens the door to unending ways of evil.
In following this lust many have “erred from the faith.” They have wandered away from the things of God. Instead of bettering themselves they hurt themselves “piercing themselves through with many sorrows.” Contentment, not covetousness, is the way for the Christian. Paul had found this way for himself in Philippians 4v11 where he says “I have learned in whatsoever state I am to be content.”
Concerning the man of God verses 11-12
Paul now elevates the status of the young man “But thou O man of God....”, reminding him of what he has become, a man of God! This brings him alongside some very famous names indeed in the history of the world. It is a term used very sparingly in scripture and always in the context of taking a stand for God in adverse situations. Moses, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, David, Shemaiah, a few unnamed who taught the mind of God, and , of course, Jesus Himself. We all have the opportunity to stand for God in our generation, and this must have inspired young Timothy in the difficult task he was given. In a very concise way, he lays down the character of such a man, in three short sharp commands FLEE/FOLLOW/FIGHT!
Flee these things The word is to run away, escape, put a distance between yourself and the offending practice. There are things from which the man of God must flee, he must be as far away from them as possible; do not stay close, do not flirt, have nothing to do with them. We may feel we are strong but they will overcome us at the last, cut them off, remove them from your life. Also there is an urgency involved, he is to run fast, and immediately because these things are harmful. In the immediate context the things are the things associated with the love of money which leads to all forms of evil. Timothy is to separate himself from these expeditiously. Dangers abound in spiritual life and there are things from which we must flee. In 1st Corinthians 6v18 “Flee fornication”; In 1st Corinthians 10v14 “...flee from idolatry”. In 2nd Timothy 2v22 “Flee youthful lusts”. Each of these can be expounded in their context, and here it is the greed for money.
Follow after righteousness etc. It is the word to pursue and is the opposite to the word flee; first we are to run away, now we are to run after something. In the one we are being pursued, now we are pursuing. We cannot live our lives in a vacuum, empty lives will soon be filled with something and it is to be the qualities of Christ that are to become our quest. This comes down to the big question, is God able to satisfy our lives?, and the answer is a resounding yes! What filled our lives before were the things of selfish greed resulting in evil; now we are pursuing the things of God. He enumerates six examples, which are not comprehensive. Just as there are lists of sins in the N/T, so there are lists of godly virtues, and if we put them together we have the whole picture.....( 1st Corinthians 13vv1-7; Galatians 5vv22-23; Philippians 4v8; Colossians 3vv12-14; 1st Timothy 6v11; 2nd Timothy2v22; 2nd Timothy 3v10; 2nd Peter 1vv5-7). What are we pursuing, or are we just idling by? Scripture has a blessing for those who “hunger and thirst after righteousness”. Are we making the things of God our quest in life? Here are a list of things the man of God will pursue; together they provide a silhouette of what kind of man he will be.
Righteousness All actions and attitudes in harmony with the Divine standard of right. Godliness The reproduction God in our lives Faith Absolute trust in God and His word and only His word. Love Heart devotion to God and to His people and our fellow man Patience The ability to endure over time even in the face of difficulties. Meekness The quality of allowing for the weakness of others., self abnegation, gentleness.
Paul will develop these features in the second epistle, meanwhile, they are the marks of the godly.
Fight the good fight of faith There will be conflict, opposition from many quarters, not least the struggle within to overcome fallen tendencies. All throughout the scriptures, the people of God have been in conflict in this life and we are encouraged to adopt the war mentality, all the while seeking strength from above. We have enemies, and they are well documented; the flesh (within), the world (all around) the devil (in the air above, and indeed in the air waves!!). All of these are contrary to a godly life and we must learn to fight. It is a fight of faith, that is the strength comes from consulting and following the word of God in which are placed narratives of people who struggled before us, proverbs which shew us the path of life, and prophecies which fix our gaze on the future rewards. He points them to the future “lay hold on eternal life”. Make that a present reality, live in the good of the future now for it is only a matter of time till we are perfected. Bring the life of eternity down into time, bring the future into the present. It is to this we are called, eternal life, the life of God. Next he points him to the past reminding him of how he has borne a good confession before many witnesses. It is in the heat of battle sometimes we can lose perspective and he is encouraged to remember both past blessing and future glory as incentive for the present conflict.
Concerning accountability verses 13-16
As if to nerve the young man for the conflict to come, he brings him under the gaze of Almighty God, and points him to the supreme example of faithfulness, that of the Lord Jesus Christ. He bursts into a doxology of praise, as he ponders the majesty of God. We can all do with being reminded that we serve under the watchful eyes of all heaven. The charge was given “in the sight of God...”, the “God who quickeneth all things”, that is nothing is hidden from Him. He is the judge of all the earth, all people will be raised before Him, all events, all actions will be weighed in His presence. Another thought in this is the unlimited power of God to strengthen us in His service. He switches scenes ,as he recalls the faithful confession of Christ, in the most extreme situation, when facing cruel death, He “made a good confession before Pontius Pilate”. Christ Jesus, now enthroned in heaven, the One who stood before the might of Rome in the shape of the governor of Judea. Facing an unjust and cruel death, He answered nothing, for He had nothing to answer. Instead of asserting His rights, He, calmly, accepted the travesty, the greatest travesty of justice ever, and that from a power who created the fairest justice system, still operating today. When He did speak, it was not to defend His position, but to speak the truth of God, pointing to a kingdom not of this world, and a message of truth for all the world. This did nothing to prevent His death, but it witnessed a good confession. It is significant that the word witness is the Greek word from which we get “martyr”.
Before the Sovereign judge of all and the Supreme witness, Timothy is charged to “keep the commandment without spot unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is a most solemn charge from above on the young man, and every servant today is charged likewise. “KEEP (preserve unadulterated, as with a military guard) the COMMANDMENT (the injunction to testify the truth of God) WITHOUT SPOT (without stain-no moral blemish to tarnish the message) UNREBUKEABLE (irreproachable in the sight of man) UNTIL THE APPEARING (that is until the end of your days). Jesus is returning to earth, but the roles will be comprehensively reversed, humanity will be in the dock!
At His appearing (manifestation of who He truly is), He will demonstrate the glory of God in a way never seen before. The interesting expression “in His own time” reflects the precise timing of the Divine programme. Everything is timed to perfection, just at the right moment He will return. This phrase is used before in chapter 2v6 “...who gave Himself a ransom for all the testimony in it’s own time.”(R.V.) and also in Titus 1v3 “..hath in due time manifested His word through preaching; This is the testimony of grace; when He returns it will be the testimony of His glory. Chapter 1 tells of His first coming, chapter 6 book ends the letter with His second coming. Chapter 1 opens the letter with a doxology to the only God, chapter 6 closes the letter with a doxology revealing Christ as GOD. Arguments abound as to who is the subject of the doxology, it matters not, Christ and God are one and the same. He will shew (visibly demonstrate to every eye) just who God is. The clamour for God to shew Himself will be answered, but for many it will be too late. Faith in the unseen God is the essence of the kingdom. He now gives a description of the glory of God as revealed by the glorified Christ. The language is that of Imperial Rome, which is reflected in the highbrow claims of all modern power seekers and will be culminated in the revived Empire in the future.
He is the blessed and only potentate Men seek power, but absolute power resides in God alone. Allied to absolute power is the state of blessedness which is absent in the power brokers of earth. The words of Jesus Christ before Pilate resonate here “...you could have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above.!” The fake usurper who deceives the world will be summarily dismissed at the word of His mouth.
The King of kings and Lord of lords All kings and all lords who exist at His coming will be subject to Him at the decree of God. His reign will be without a rival and without comparison of anything that has existed before.
Who only hath immortality Literally immortality is “without death”. He alone is the origin, the sustainer and the giver of all life. His entrance into death was only for our redemption. He alone is the life giving spirit as opposed to all humans from Adam who are, at best, living souls with a definite lifespan (1st Corinthians 15v45).
Dwelling in light unapproachable So far removed from the darkness of this world, living in unsullied holiness apart from all creation. The glory that surrounds Him forbids the approach of sinful man. Even angelic creatures who dwell in heaven must cover their faces before him. He is light and in Him is no darkness at all, and this is true for physical as well as spiritual light. Apart from Christ God remains unapproachable.
Whom no one has seen nor can see He is spirit, he is invisible, surrounded by unapproachable light. Moses was told in Exodus 33 “Man cannot see my face and live”. His only visible manifestation is in Jesus Christ and only in His incarnation can He be seen.
To whom be honour and power everlasting Forever, and forever, to all eternal ages He alone will have the honour and the power. There is no one who can be compared to Him and this is the message of Isaiah chapters 40-41 (Note the repetition of “Who” in these chapters).
This charge to Timothy carries all the authority of the Sovereign and eternal God, who will have the last say in everything. This is the meaning of “Amen”. Paul raises the level of Christian service beyond the mundane to celestial heights.
Concerning the rich verses 17-19
The bible does not condemn riches, indeed in one place describes the possession of riches as the “good things” of life. The bible is clear “The Lord maketh rich, and He maketh poor” (1st Samuel 2v7), and it is the abuse of riches that is in view. There are three main thoughts here for the regulation of such abuse;
The attitude of the rich “Be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us all things richly to enjoy.” This is regulating the pride of the rich, whereby they despise the poor or, at least consider themselves better than the poorer brethren. Riches are “uncertain”, and there are countless examples of fortunes lost as quickly as they are made. Their trust should be in the living God, not on wealth. All riches whether great or small are the gift of God for us to enjoy. The endowment of them should humble us rather than inflate us.
The actions of the rich “That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.”. Addressing the seven churches. Our Lord described the poor at Smyrna as being rich, and the rich at Laodicea as poor. Heaven’s estimate of riches is different from ours. Those who are materially rich are to use their wealth for good works, and there are endless opportunities. They are to have a readiness to distribute the God given wealth to meet the need of others, and to communicate that with a willing heart. It is said in the great chapter dealing with material matters (2nd Corinthians 9) “God loves a cheerful giver”. This is because He is Himself the supreme giver.
The ambitions of the rich “...laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." It has been well said that the choice for the lost is “heaven or hell”, but the choice for the saved is “heaven or earth. Am I bound for heaven yet laying up in store for this earth? It is a challenging , but relevant question. The Lord Jesus expounded this in Matthew chapter 6 v20 “Lay not up treasure on earth........lay up treasure in heaven.” He observed in this connection “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”. The currency of earth has no value in heaven, because the spiritual riches there are eternal and are priceless. The ambition of the rich is to be firmly set in the life to come. They can use their riches for future gain.
Concerning science verses 20-21
Another potential trap for the believer are the so called opposition of science. Today this has become a huge subject with the increase in scientific study. The problem is that many of the conclusions are fictional, yet because they have public acclaim they are accepted as fact. There is no empirical evidence for the theory of evolution, it is a philosophy with no actual proof as is normally demanded. Also, any study of the universe without reference to the creator is bound to fail. Science comes from a root word “to know” and knowledge requires evidence beyond doubt, everything else is speculation. Sadly many have turned aside after this, substituting it for the spoken and written word of God. Timothy was to guard the truth against this error. He was given the truth of God as a precious deposit to be kept in the face of all opposition. The need for accurate knowledge of God’s word is obvious. The errors of so-called science are “vain babblings”. The word from the proverb comes through the years to our present day “Buy the truth, sell it not....meddle not with them that are given to change.” Proverbs 23v23 and 24v21. This is the pathway for the servant of the Lord and he will receive all the grace necessary.
The letter ends as it began, pointing to “some” who have departed from the faith. The reason for their departure was different, but with the same tragic result. Some, because of novelty (giving heed to fables and endless genealogies, always looking for something new); some because of legality( abandoning love to enforce human rules in an illusory ego trip); some spiritually (discarding conscience with disastrous results); some doctrinally (heeding doctrines of deception whose source is the devil); some selfishly (abandoning all sense of duty); some covetously (seeking wealth resulting in deep spiritual harm); some intellectually (accepting the philosophy of human reason). The same pitfalls face every one of us today, will we be the “some” or will we keep the faith, personally, and teach it, publicly, to the glory of our God?
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