Timothy I - Expositional Study
THINGS WORTH DWELLING ON
Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 6:13-16; 20-21 (KJV)
Introduction
We have come to our last brief study in this heart-to-heart letter sent by way of preparation, edification, and inspiration as youth takes the helm. It contains much that must have been of immense assistance to Timothy. Three things remain in our study, three things Timothy no doubt never forget.
The first in verse 13 we will call the good confession. We might call it "The Gospel sovereign of life". It was "Christ Jesus who...witnessed a good confession." Observing the nature of it, we at once realize the wisdom of often recalling it. Go back to the Word of God, "Pilate therefore said unto Him, Art Thou a King then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a King. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth" (John 18:37) – obviously the truth of His Kingship. Right at the start of His human life it was said that He was "born...King" (Matt. 2:2). At an early moment of His ministry, an excited crowd wanted to "make Him a King" (John 6:15). Toward the end they quoted from the old prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, "Behold, thy King cometh unto thee" (Matt. 21:5). At the close of that week came the mock-coronation in the soldiers' common-room, when they aped the usual homage with their studied insolence, "Hair, King of the Jews" (Matt. 27:29). Then came the final scene, when, to the great annoyance of the Jewish leaders, Pilate nailed over Him on the cross, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews" (Matt. 27:37). In Luke 19:14, 15 we learn that He left this earth with His reign rejected, "We will not have this Man to reign over us"; but He will return "having received the Kingdom" at the Father's hand – first all judgments; then all joys of His oft-predicted Second Coming. While we wait for this blissful event, it is our duty to seek to win for God a throne in the individual lives of men and women and, above all, if that is not possible, to offer Him the throne in our own lives. After that, by lip and life, we are to make proclamation of His accession to that throne. We need to make Jesus King in our lives. As William Harrison wrote:
Make Jesus King – through Him we live,
Our souls and our bodies to Him we give,
His praises we sing, and others we bring,
Till all of creation shall Make Jesus King.
The Lord's confession of His Kingship before Pontius Pilate is certainly worth dwelling on. Let us turn from sin, trusting and obeying He who was "born Saviour" (Luke 2:11). Let us crown Him with our love and devotion because He was also "born King" (Matt. 2:2).
Regarding reference to Christ's appearance before Pontius Pilate, it should be noted that we have an interesting instance of the historical basis of Christianity. "We have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord" (2 Pet. 1:16). Other religions may be fancifully originated, but Christianity stands firm-footed on a rock of proven facts. The Incarnation is a mystery, as is the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Ascension and Pentecost – all mysteries; but all history.
The Great Commandment is something else worth dwelling on. It might be described as "The Gospel way of life", the way of love. Consider how often in the New Testament the word "commandment" is used in an indefinite, unexplained way. In each case, it is assumed that the reader will understand which commandment is being referred to. Consider these examples: our verse 14 reads "Keep [the] commandment". Which one? The context does not help us; "Now the end of the commandment" (1 Tim. 1:5). Which one? The context throws no light on the matter; "To turn from the holy commandment" (2 Pet. 2:21). Which one? Then there is "The commandment of us" (2 Pet. 3:2). Which one? In neither case does Peter's context explain; "I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment, which ye had from the beginning...Again a new commandment I write unto you" (1 John 2:7). Which one? The immediate context has no solution, though it is unraveled later in the Epistle. It seems, among the first believers, there was one particular commandment, one commandment which they all understood. Now, consider, "Master, which is the great commandment?...This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it" (Matt. 22:35-40). Which one? The context does help us here, "Thou shalt love...thou shalt love" This certainly answers our enquiry, and establishes the nature of the commandment in our passage – a gift of love. Consider briefly how we are to keep it, "without spot, unrebukeable". So often other people, and indeed our own conscience, accuse Christians of lacking love, in thinking, speaking, acting, and refraining. Oh, that we might be so filled with the Holy Spirit that we may be completely and conspicuously possessed with that love which is His fruit (Gal. 5:22). Consider also how long we are to keep it, "until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ". Beyond this, there should be no need to exhort to love, because love is one of the three things that "abide" (1 Cor. 13:13). It is the very air a Christian breaths. Till that blessed time, let the people of God "keep this commandment."
Paul's description of God, Who is love and from Whom all love proceeds, is moving. The words seem to tumble over one another in their effort to express the inexpressible. Also notice how it is linked up with the Second Coming of Christ just referred to, "Which...He shall shew [show]" – not the Son, but the Father, as at the end of verse 16. To the wondering eyes of man, the Father will display the glorious appearing of His Son coming for His own. "In His times"; God works for man by a time-table, and there have been certain red-letter days marked on the Divine calendar from the beginning, such as Christ's birth, "when the fulness of the time was come" (Gal. 4:4); the Holy Spirit, "when the day of Pentecost was fully come" (Acts 2:1); Judgment, "He bath appointed a day in which He will judge the world" (Acts 17:31); and so with the Second Coming, "That day and hour knoweth...My Father" (Matt. 24:36). It is not for us to know the date, any day may be the one, we are meant to be ever on the alert, lest that day take us unaware. An old wise preacher kept on his office desk a little framed card, bearing the words, "Perhaps Today". But thanks be to God, it will happen "in His times". Happy will be the people who, in that day, will be found living in love, "Blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords". The latter titles are also given to the Lord Jesus in Revelation 17:14 and 19:16, showing His co-equal Deity with the Father. Unlike the little potentates on earth, the "only" Potentate's potency lies chiefly in blessings. "Who only hath immortality". It is in Him, by essence; in us, by gift. Mark the reference in 2 Timothy 1:10, to the Lord Jesus, "Who...hath brought life and immortality to light [out into the light] through the gospel". Again we contemplate our God "Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto". We cannot approach the sun, but can walk in the sunshine. Even so we may, and must, "walk in the light, as He is in the light" (1 John 1:7), and thus have blessed fellowship with Him, the "Sun of Righteousness" (Mal. 4:2), "Whom no man bath seen, nor can see". God said to Moses, "Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me and live" (Ex. 33:20). Moses asked to be shown His "glory", instead God made His "goodness" to pass by. Now, consider John 14:9, where, in answer to Philip's request "Shew us the Father", our Lord says, "He that bath seen Me hath seen the Father". No immediate vision of God is possible to human sight, but the vision is mediated to us through the Son.
We know what the Father is like by looking at the Son. "No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us" (1 John 4:12). What is the connection between these two sentences? Though no man can see Him directly, we can see something of Him, indirectly, in Christians who have His love in their hearts. What a mighty privilege is ours, what a solemn responsibility – in our human way, as our Lord in His perfect way, a Christian shows the world something of what God is like. Dr. Harrison wrote:
If I look at the Sun
It will strike me blind.
My zeal doth my wisdom outrun,
And leave it behind.
Let me look at the earth
With its wonderful store
Of light and of color,
Of beauty galore;
Its blossom and fruit,
Its pure joys evermore –
And what's hid in the Sun
I will find!
Who thinks to look upon God
For nought His strength spends;
To search for Him, after such mode,
In vanity ends.
Let him look where, resplendent,
In lives all around,
Truth, purity, love,
Deeds unselfish abound –
Which never in nature's own garden
Were found –
And what God is, he soon apprehends.
How true when our "lives" are clean enough and close enough to reflect Him.
"To whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen". Such are His never ending prerogatives. All the power needed to think, say, do, and be, comes from God. Just as Paul, speaking of his own marvelous conversion, says, "they glorified God in me" (Gal. 1:24). Not me, but God. The same thing is recorded, in Matthew 6:13, "For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever", to which is added there, and in our present passage, a fervent "Amen", it is so. Let it be so. Here, so beautifully and bountifully described is the One who requires us to constantly demonstrate and live a life of love.
Now we briefly consider the third thing worth dwelling on, the Great Commission. This could be titled, "The Gospel Message of Life." "O Timothy", all the deep affection of Paul's heart is in the syllables as he breathes them out almost as a cry to his beloved Timothy. Paul's loving care for Timothy, his realization of the dangers to which he will be exposed, his comprehension of the immense spiritual possibilities of his position, all combine to fill Paul's heart and words with urgency. How he longs that young Timothy should have the best, do the best, and be the best, for God. So, now, as Paul comes to his last words, he lays upon Timothy afresh the Great Commission, "Keep that which is committed to thy trust". In other words, guard the deposit. Much has been written trying to determine the character of the trust committed to Timothy. Many suggestions have been offered over the years. Perhaps the truth about the trust Paul committed to Timothy, is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, "We were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel". First, put in touch with it as the hand of faith grasped the Savior, Who is the Gospel. Next, put in tune with it as, by the Holy Spirit, our lives correspond to the life demanded by the Gospel. Then, put in trust with it passing the good news on to others. What a commission for Timothy, for Paul, and for each of us today.
In connection with the propagation of the Gospel message of life, Paul has three recommendations to make, all of which should be taken to heart by every elder, deacon, leader, preacher, teacher, and member of the church of our Lord. The first is to resist the temptation of those who try to steal – "Keep...thy trust". The figure is that of a banker guarding money, jewels, and securities committed to his care. With vigilance and diligence he sees to their security, their safety, working hard to outwit evil intentions of any attempt to "break through and steal" (Matt. 6:19). Like each Christian today, Timothy must always be watchful as God's spiritual banker, seeing to it that none rob the church of our Lord of any part of truth or Christians of any portion of its blessings. Many temptations will come to water down the message, but they must be strenuously resisted.
Paul also advises Timothy to avoid discussions with those who want to argue – "avoiding profane and vain babblings". This is truly sensible advice. Argument about Scriptural and spiritual things never got anyone anywhere. The facts of Christianity are matters of revelation, not reason. The roll of reason is to elucidate the truth, not establish it. Today, more than ever, argument is usually a matter of clever and quick wit. You may be beaten in an argument and still be right. So often this form of discussion can only be characterized as "profane", since it is flippant about serious things, and "vain". It is profitless for progress. No, do not argue. Stick to God's message. Do not waste time arguing about the seed. Just sow it.
One last suggestion, ignore the opposition of those who think they know – "oppositions of science falsely so called". The word "science" gives a somewhat misleading impression. It simply means "knowledge" of any kind, and not that field to which the name, "science", is applied today. Our brief study is not intended to consider the relation between science and religion, except in one area. There appears to be a gradual "reapprochement" between the two. A wise student does not exclude ideas, but thorough investigation establishes the accurate text of Scripture, and the truth conveyed. Christians have nothing to fear from such reverent search. But, this is beside the point of our present passage, which deals only with knowledge, "falsely so called". There seems to be a flippancy, an arrogance, from some who speak and write about religion today. This gives cause to wonder, especially regarding otherwise reputable scholars. To hear some of them lecture on their own field of philosophy or science is a real intellectual delight, most refreshing and stimulating to the mind. But when they enter into the field of God's Holy Word, they step out of their depth. Yet, often appearing to speak with so much assurance that they occasionally lead some of the younger (and older) generation astray, by their "falsely so called" knowledge. Some have "erred concerning the faith", because they have supposed such men, magnificently supreme in their own field of thought, to be trustworthy in all fields.
Let any who are bewildered by such clever "oppositions" learn the truth of the statement, "The natural man [not a Christian] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them [though he thinks he does], because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14) – not naturally, not intellectually, but spiritually. This is why so many uneducated men have a wonderful understanding of spiritual truth and spiritual discernment. We should never under-value true science or knowledge. That would be foolish, the height of ignorance and impertinence. We are to refuse the "falsely so-called" varieties.
Conclusion
The time has now come to say, "Good-bye", and Paul says it with the beautiful word, "grace". This was one of the first words the apostle said to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:2). Now it is one of his last. It is as if the Epistle is a valuable book, with two exquisitely tooled covers. The front is "grace", and the back is "grace", both binding the whole book together. And the intervening pages are guided by the covers. They speak of God's attitude toward us; an attitude of grace. They tell of God's assistance of us; an assistance of grace. They present pictures of God's attractiveness in us; an attractiveness of grace. "Grace" is beautifully defined in Ephesians 2:5, 8; 1 Corinthians 15:10; and Acts 4:33. Knowing what it implies and what it has meant throughout his life of service to God, the grand old apostle can think of no greater or better word with which to finish. And the Holy Spirit, Who has inspired him throughout, leads him to it.
