1 Tim 6:11-21, We need to protect our faith by being doers of the Word of God

• The theme
• Titus and Timothy are Pastoral letters
• These letters expound on church order not church doctrine
1. The greeting 1:1-2
• Not personal but rather formal -- emphasizes Paul's authority
2. Timothy's Mission 1:3-20
1. The task Timothy faced 1:3-11
2. Exhortations 1:12-20
3. Instructions concerning the life of the local church -- "order" (2:1-4:5)
1. The priority of prayer 2:1-7 -- It is good to pray -- we need prayer
2. The primary responsibilities (roles) of the men and women in church meetings (2:8-15)
1. The men have failed to take a spiritual leadership role
2. There is no argument on the capability of women, only where she should teach and lead
3. The qualifications for Church leaders -- Elders and Deacons 3:1-13
4. The nature of the local Church 3:14-16
5. The problem of apostasy in the Church 4:1-5
4. Instructions concerning leadership of the local Church 4:6-5:25
5. Instructions for groups within the church 6:1-19
6. Concluding charge and benediction 6:20-21


• Previously:
• Timothy's task was to silence false teachers
• The men had failed to lead the church and their families spiritually
• The church required men to be spiritually qualified for duties as elders and deacons
• Teachers must teach sound doctrine that was not vain -- that is it lead to godliness (change in the lives of the hearers)
• The discipline of godliness has great value in this life and the next (quiet times, reading, praying, witnessing, spiritual fellowship, and application)
• Last week:
• We discussed our witness at work (honoring our boss)
• We discussed teaching which creates controversies not godliness (and the discipline of godliness is attained through the application of the word of God)
• We discussed the importance of being content and the snare of riches


1 Timothy 6:11–12 (ESV) —
11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 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.


• The letter turns personal at this point. What is Timothy to flee?
• Arrogance - part of the reason we honor our bosses
• Teaching that puffs up with conceit but provides no change
• Teaching to attain wealth
• The snare of riches
• Lack of contentment in where God has places you and how God can use you
• Feeding the flesh instead of feeding the soul (vs 10 cravings)
• Whenever you put off something, it is important to replace it with something else, otherwise you will not make any progress or see any change. Another reason application is important. What is Timothy to pursue instead and how do you do that?
• Righteousness, Grk word dikaiosune
• State approved by God -- we don't need God's approval to be loved, that state for a believer in Jesus is unconditional
• Integrity, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling, and acting (this cannot come from within us; we are all flawed and we need external sources (truth) to think, feel, and act correctly)
• Godliness, Grk word eusebeia, meaning reverence, respect, and acts of piety towards God
• In a previous chapter, Paul discussed the practice of godliness and training for godliness
• Acts of piety is obedience to the word of God.
• APPLICATION: I believe we develop godliness by application of the word of God to our life. Those are the acts of piety toward God that show respect. We hear God in his word and we respect God by obeying his word
• Faith -- trusting God. Trusting God's word provides the answers to life
• Love -- unselfish affection and service to others (even the grouchy, unlovable, demand their own way - churchgoers)
John 13:34–35 (ESV) — 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
• Steadfastness, Grk word hupomone
• (read definition) 1A in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings (Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.)
• It is easy to give up. Why do we give up on things?
• It's too hard
• It takes too long
• It is not interesting
• We don't see the benefit
• Rather than quitting in the midst of opposition (fleshly and otherwise), Paul tells Timothy to remain steadfast
• Gentleness
• The opposite of demanding your own way
• The opposite of pride and arrogance
• The opposite of narcissism
• The opposite of the me-too generation
• APPLICATON: Put other people first and treat them as you would want to be treated
• Why does Paul tell Timothy to "fight the good fight of  the faith?"
• It is not easy
• Spiritual growth, spiritual disciplines -- our flesh fights us at every opportunity
• A soldier's life is not easy in battle. And no one wins a battle without training. APPLICATION: Are we really training ourselves spiritually for the battle?
• A lot of Christians have eternal life because they asked Jesus to be their savior, but they are not experiencing eternal life?
• Eternal life is a quality of life
• Eternal life has a peace that whatever happens, God cares for me and it will result in his best


1 Timothy 6:13–16 (ESV) —
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, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.


• What is the good confession that Timothy and Jesus made?
• Jesus is the king of kings
• Jesus is the source of all truth
• What is the commandment? It is hard to say. I would offer two options
• One, the gospel is the command. We are to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ
• Two, to not give up. To fight the good fight and to never renounce Jesus as the king
• The latter idea is supported by the ending. Who is Jesus and when is his appearing?
• Technically, the second coming (although we will meet him in the air at the rapture)
• Jesus is the
• Blessed and only sovereign
• King of kings
• Lord of lords
• Alone is immortal
• Dwells in unapproachable light
• No one has ever seen or can see (God)
• Belongs honor
• Belongs eternal dominion
• APPLICATION: What does that all mean to us?
• God demands our obedience
• But we can't be obedient if we do not hear him. And communicates through his word


1 Timothy 6:17–19 (ESV) —
17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.


• Earlier in the letter, the discussion focused on the non-rich and the snare of riches. He encouraged contentment. Now the discussion moves to the rich. What is the instruction to the rich and why is that important?
• One. Not to be haughty
• Riches sometimes make people think they are better than others
• Riches can give people an attitude of superiority (Example: I used to fly a lot and before Continental merged with United, I was upgraded quite often to first class. I saw an expectation of special treatment that was ugly)
• Two. Not to set hopes on the uncertainty of riches
• It is easy to think that money can solve all problems
• Money is uncertain. It can come and go
• Money can't fix relational problems
• Money can't change your children or stop them from making bad choices
• Money can actually increase selfishness and indulgence
• Three. Set our hope on God who richly provides everything to enjoy
• There is nothing wrong with enjoying life
• We need to keep God in the picture
• We need to be thankful
• We need to pray regularly
• Riches should not affect our prayer life
• Four. The rich are to do good
• Money is to be used for good
• Giving to charities is a wonderful good
• Five. The rich are to be rich in good works
• Use the riches for good works
• Good works are not always a tax deduction
• Six. The rich are to be generous and ready to share
• The rich should see everything as God's and not theirs


1 Timothy 6:20–21 (ESV) —
20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.
Grace be with you.


• What changes in these last couple of sentences?
• The letter gets very personal here
• What is he supposed to guard?
• I think it is the teaching of the Christian faith that was passed on by Paul
• Irreverent babble is teaching that does no good
• Contradictions is probably related to the gnostic teaching (the higher learnings) that contradicted sound doctrine
• The special knowledge of Gnosticism is falsely called knowledge
• The dangers of these teachings is that they can cause us to swerve from the faith
• APPLICATION:
• Stay in the word
• Apply the word
• Protect the word
• Live the word