Scripture Read: 1 Timothy 1:18-20 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, 19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. 20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.
Application: As we finish this section of scripture Father, there are some issues we need to keep in our minds. Paul is reminding Timothy of the stewardship that he has over “the call that God has placed on his life.” We too, need this reminder. Year after year, century after century our faith has been handed down by those that were willing to die for what they believe in. We owe it, are obligated, to the Lord, and all those that come to faith after us to fight for the faith and keep it pure. As we consider this we must come to decisions how we will conduct our lives. Too many believers get pulled into the mundane and temporal world around us. To fight the good fight, we must move to eternal living, though we must deal with the temporal concerns and issues of everyday life we cannot afford to become consumed by them. “Be in the world but not of the world.” We must keep our eyes and our hearts focused on the much bigger picture. Another interesting aspect of this section of Scripture is that once again we see Paul using so much language concerning soldiers and war. This is how Paul viewed life, and so must we, if we desire to keep the spiritual edge on life. With a military view consider, if you are going into battle how much time would you spend being concerned about the color of your car, or fashion of your clothes? The focus would be on those things that are more important for your health and protection. Of course, there is balance and we must live in a real world that includes the color of our car and the fashion of our clothes. The key is to just keep things in proper perspective. How much time and energy spent on things that will last forever versus things that will burn. The other issue that we are reminded of by Paul when he states “keeping faith” is his commitment to the Scriptures. As the Israelites were warned, when they get into the land not to forget what God had done for them as recorded in the scriptures, Paul expects us to know the book. Most of Paul’s writings are about keeping our doctrine – not making money, getting gifts, manifestations, being happy, getting our miracle. Paul understood the key to maturity in our faith and our salvation is engrafting the truth of God's word into our heart. The weakness and carnality of much of the modern church is a testimony to this truth. Today, “we” the church, is wrapped up in signs and shows, not hiding God's word in our heart ~ remembering, or committing it to memory. Paul knew the health of the church was dependent on the depth of its knowledge of the word of God. The last two letters of his life to Timothy attest to this belief.
1 Tim. 1:3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer
1 Tim. 4:6 If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.
1 Tim. 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.
1 Tim. 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
1 Tim. 6:3-4 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, [4] he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions
2 Tim. 3:10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance,
2 Tim. 4:2-3 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. [3] For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
We cannot control what others do, but we must commit ourselves to keeping our doctrine and teaching solely based on God's word. In doing so, we will delight the heart of our Lord and prove faithful stewards that have done what they should and could do, to make sure an unbelieving world will hear the truth as God intended.
Meditation Questions: What are You doing to make sure you are engrafting the word of God into your life? What is the difference between “systematic theology” and “Biblical doctrine”? How are you passing the truth of God onto others? Are you able to identify false teaching, or does someone have to show you it is? Does living as a soldier mean we cannot enjoy life? What does it mean?
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