← Back to sermon library

May I turn in your Bibles to 
1st Timothy chapter 6. 1st Timothy chapter 6, our focus 
this evening will be verses 11 and 12. But I'll read beginning 
in verse 3 to the end of the chapter to remind us of the context. Chapter 6, beginning in verse 
3. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome 
words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the 
doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, 
but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from 
which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings 
of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth. who suppose 
that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. Now godliness with contentment 
is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world, and 
it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, 
with these we shall be content. but those who desire to be rich 
fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful 
lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of 
money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have 
strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves 
through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these 
things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, 
gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. 
Lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and 
have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 
I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things 
and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius 
Pilate. that you keep this commandment 
without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ appearing, 
which He will manifest in His own time. He who is the blessed 
and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who 
alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom 
no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting 
power. Amen. Command those who are rich 
in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain 
riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things 
to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be 
rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing 
up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they 
may lay hold on eternal life. Oh, Timothy, guard what was committed 
to your trust. Avoid the profane and idle babblings 
and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge. By 
professing it, some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be 
with you. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, thank you for the Word. 
Thank you for this section of Holy Scripture. And again, we 
pray for the ministry of your Spirit, that you would guide 
us, that you would instruct us, that you would lead us into all 
truth. Again, we confess our sin and iniquity, we ask for 
cleansing in the blood of the Lamb, and we pray the Spirit 
of God would illumine our minds and our hearts. And we ask these 
things through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. Well, remember 
specifically the Apostle again indicts false teachers in verses 
3 to 5. That's one of the primary reasons 
why Paul stationed Timothy in Ephesus. It was to wage the good 
warfare and fight these men who wanted to be teachers of the 
law. these men who wanted a position of authority in the church, but 
these men who were heretical by nature. And so he condemns 
them, indicts them in 3 to 5. When he indicates that these 
men supposed that godliness is a means of gain, he then in verses 
6 to 10 indicates the danger of covetousness and greediness. And then there is a sharp contrast 
between what precedes and verse 11, but you, O man of God. And what we find from this point 
on to the end of the chapter are various commands given to 
Timothy, various commands given to this minister of the gospel. He exhorts Timothy to be a faithful 
man of God in verses 11 to 16. He tells Timothy, he commands 
Timothy, instructs Timothy to command the rich on how they're 
supposed to function in verses 17 to 19 and then verses 20 and 
21 is a final charge given by the Apostle Paul to his companion. So we'll take up as I said verses 
11 and 12 with four observations or considerations. First, Paul 
tells Timothy there is a necessary flight that he must undertake. Secondly, he tells him there 
is a righteous pursuit that he must make. Thirdly, there is 
a good fight which he must wage. And fourthly, he must indeed 
lay hold on eternal life. So by way of four imperatives 
or four commands, the Apostle charges Timothy with conduct 
that is in absolute opposition to and contrary to that of the 
false teachers. The false teachers wanted comfort, 
they wanted ease, they wanted riches. Paul tells Timothy you're 
to be a fleeing, following, fighting, faithful man. And I must give 
credit to Pastor John MacArthur with reference to those four 
F's. I think he does summarize well 
the teaching of verses 11 as well. Timothy is to flee, Timothy 
is to follow, Timothy is to fight, and Timothy is, in fact, to be 
faithful. So those are the four areas that 
we'll pursue this evening. Note first, his necessary flight. Verse 11, but you, O man of God, 
flee these things. The contrast, again, is obvious. Here is what the false teachers 
pursue. Comfort, ease, prestige, and 
riches. but you all men of God flee these 
things." There is a personal emphasis throughout this epistle. Yes, it is for the church, it 
is for the people of God as a whole, but its primary audience, or 
its primary target, was to Timothy. The Apostle Paul stations Timothy 
in Ephesus, as I've already indicated in chapter 1, verse 3, "...as 
I urged you, when I went into Macedonia, you remain in Ephesus, 
that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine. Again we see this personal touch 
in verse 18 when he tells Timothy this charge I commit to you son 
Timothy according to the prophecies previously made concerning you 
that by them you may wage the good warfare. Again, in chapter 
3, verse 14, these things I write to you, though I hope to come 
to you shortly. Again, in chapter 4, verses 6 
to 16, that entire context there, again, it's applicable to other 
men of God, it's applicable for the life and ministry of the 
Church as a whole in all ages, but its primary reference is 
to Timothy. There is a personal element involved 
in this particular letter from Paul, the Apostle, to his ministerial 
companion, even Timothy. Chapter 5, verses 1 to 2, specific 
instructions to Timothy on how to deal with various people groups 
within the context of the church. And then again in 1 Timothy 5 
and verse 21, I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ 
and the elect angels that you observe these things without 
prejudice. So yes, the church is to respond. Other faithful 
men of God are to respond, but there is a personal element involved, 
and Paul sets up that contrast very clearly in 611. Here's what 
the false teachers look like, here's what they pursue, here's 
what they desire, here's what they follow after, but Timothy, 
you men of God, which is an Old Testament term, the term is used, 
in the Septuagint, refers to men like Moses, and men like 
Elijah, men like Elisha. It's a technical term probably 
indicating his office within the context of the church. But 
you, O men of God, flee these things. So the Christian is not 
only seen in what it is he pursues, but the Christian is also seen 
in what he flees from. Now that's not everything. The 
two work in harmony. There is a combination there. 
You can just avoid certain things. That doesn't necessarily mean 
that you're a Christian. The Christian not only flees 
from certain things, but he follows other things, which we'll see 
in just a moment. But fleeing wickedness is absolutely crucial 
in our Christian lives. The same term is used in 1 Corinthians 
6 and verse 18. There we're told to flee from 
sexual immorality. The same term is used again in 
1 Corinthians chapter 10. and verse 18. There we're told 
to flee from idolatry. So you see what the Bible envisages 
upon us. We are to be those who pursue 
righteousness but we also flee from unrighteousness, ungodliness, 
unholiness. The specific parallel passage 
to this is found in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 and verse 22. There the Apostle says, flee 
also youthful lusts. In that particular context, that's 
what the Apostle's admonition is. He then turns to what things 
Timothy ought to be pursuing. The book of Proverbs, as well, 
indicates in various places the necessity for the people of God 
to be a fleeing people, to walk from, to run from, to hide from 
evil and those things which would perplex our... which would plague 
our souls. In Proverbs chapter 1, verse 
10, My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. flee from 
them, have no truck with them, do not enter into their particular 
activities. If sinners entice you, do not 
consent. You don't have to succumb to 
peer pressure. You don't have to do what everyone 
else is doing. You don't have to go along with 
all of the rabble in your school or in your workplace or in your 
community. You are free to not consent to 
the wickedness of sinners. Proverbs 4.14. Again, this is 
something very important that we need to remember. I would 
argue that a Christian is not only someone who's fleeing, he's 
also following, but he's certainly one who's fleeing. You must flee 
sexual immorality. There's nothing godly about staying 
in a situation like that. You must flee idolatry. You must flee youthful lusts, 
according to 2 Timothy, and you must flee these things. We'll 
look at that in just a moment. But notice in Proverbs 4.14, 
Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the 
way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it, 
turn away from it, and pass on. Imagine if you were Solomon's 
son. Would you be tempted to say, what are you talking about, 
dad? What do you mean, dad? I mean, how many more times can 
Solomon say, flee from them? Look at how many terms he uses. 
Do not enter the path of the wicked. Do not walk in the way 
of evil. Avoid it. Do not travel on it. 
Turn away from it and pass on. Five times. He says, stay away 
from the evildoers. Why does Paul want Timothy to 
flee these things? Because many before him, and 
many within the same context as him, did not flee them, but 
rather pursued them, and they were then engaged in a path to 
perdition. Notice Proverbs 5 and verse 8. Remove your way far from her, 
and do not go near the door of her house. This is how you are 
to deal with sexual temptation. Remove your way far from her. This is the strange woman. This is the woman who is not 
upright, not godly. Remove your way far from her. 
Do not go near the door of her house. Do you love that? He doesn't 
say, don't go near her bed. He says, don't go near her door. 
Stay as far away from this one as you can possibly get. We cannot 
get close to sin. We are not that strong. We like 
to think that we're the most solid, godly, wonderful, holy 
people in the world. But God knows better. God says, 
don't even go near the door of her house. Because if you get 
close to the door, you'll cross the threshold, and the next thing 
you know, you'll be abandoned into wickedness. Remove your 
way far from her. Do not go near the door of her 
house. 14.7 in the book of Proverbs. 
Go from the presence of a foolish man when you do not perceive 
in him the lips of knowledge. You don't have to sit and listen 
to somebody who's blaspheming. You don't have to sit and listen 
to somebody who's engaged in wickedness and vileness and evil. Go from the presence of a foolish 
man. 1617. 1617. The highway of the 
upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves 
his soul. 2019. Book of Proverbs, very 
practical. He who goes about as a tale-bearer 
reveals secrets. Therefore, do not associate with 
one who flatters with his lips. You ever said, well that person 
is so and so, such a gossip, they're such a tale-bearer. Well 
then don't hang around them. Boy! Wow! You mean I don't have 
to listen to gossip? No, you don't. I mean, man up 
and say, look, brother or sister, that's gossip and you shouldn't 
do that. That's tail-bearing and you shouldn't do that. But 
if you lack the chutzpah to say such a thing, you don't have 
to listen to the sorts of gossip and slander that people engage 
in. It's wrong. You've become a participant. 
It's not just the tongue that gossips, it's the ears that receive 
it. Like tasty trifles, they go down 
into the soul. 22-3. 22-3. A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself 
but the simple pass on and are punished this is repeated in 
2712 as well you see the point when Paul tells Timothy in first 
Timothy 611 flee these things. There is a rich pedigree, a rich 
heritage of this manner and means by which men are to avoid wickedness. Remember Joseph in Potiphar's 
house. What does he do? He runs from 
Mrs. Potiphar. He doesn't try to win 
her to the Lord Jesus. He doesn't try to witness to 
her in his bed. He rather runs because he knows 
that his soul is in danger. So back in our context, when 
Paul says, but you, O men of God, flee these things, he's 
indicating very specifically what he's already indicated in 
3 to 5. What is it that identifies or characterizes these men? Heresy. Flee heresy, Timothy. Don't have 
anything to do with false doctrine. Read your Bible and read good 
theology. Listen to the counsel of the 
Apostle Paul and stay in the path of truth and righteousness. He is to flee pride and arrogance. You see, this is not indicative 
of the man of God. The man of God shouldn't be openly 
proud and arrogant. I say openly because all of us 
struggle with pride. What else does he indicate? He 
tells Timothy he is not to be a man obsessed with disputes 
and arguments. You see, a faithful minister 
of the gospel proclaims the truth of God's Word. He's not obsessed 
with disputes and arguments. He's going to preach the truth. 
He's going to simply open the cage and let the lion out and 
do what lions do. Notice what he goes on to indicate. 
He needs to guard against envy and strife, reviling and evil 
suspicions. Again, all these things are indicated 
in 3 to 5. This leads to corruption in the 
mind. It leads to destitution with 
reference to truth. It leads to covetousness and 
greed. You see, for Paul, this is important 
that Timothy flee these things. It has nothing to do with this 
type of conduct because it brings reproach upon the name of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. When a man engages in what we 
find here in 3 to 5, in the name of Jesus, he is casting mud upon 
the sacred name of our blessed Redeemer. He is giving occasion, 
he is giving cause to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. And 
Paul says, flee these things, O man of God. Now notice, secondly, 
the pursuit that Timothy is to have. Flee these things and pursue. That means to hunt down. It means to go after. It means 
to actively engage yourself. It's not going to just fall on 
you. You don't just sit in a church pew, Timothy, and just wait for 
these virtues to infect your heart and soul and mind. You 
see, the Christian life isn't one of passivity. The Christian 
life is one of activity. We have to be faithful fleers. We have to be runners. We have 
to get rid of, and avoid, and shun, and stay away from those 
things which would do harm to our souls. But we must also be 
active followers. Sanctification doesn't happen 
with you closing your eyes and holding out your hands and humming 
a little bit and then these virtues just sort of attach themselves 
to your soul and you go out and live in this manner. That's just 
not biblical Christianity. There is a dynamic that the Apostle 
Paul enjoins upon the people of God. There is a put off and 
a put on. There is a negative and there 
is a positive. Romans 13, 14. But put on the 
Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill 
its lusts. Put on the righteous, put off 
the unrighteous. Put on the godly, Put off the 
ungodly. Flee these things, Timothy, but 
rather pursue these particulars. He has six virtues. Paul has 
several virtualists within the New Testament documents. Here 
he starts off with righteousness. Pursue righteousness. What could 
we say about these false teachers? What marks them? What highlights 
them? What indicates what kind of men these are? They're unrighteous 
men. They're not doing the right thing. This is more than likely 
conduct in accordance with the will and law of God. Righteousness. We have a righteousness imputed, 
given to us by God, graciously, that is our Lord Jesus Christ. But when he's calling upon Timothy 
to follow this, Timothy possesses that imputed righteousness. Now 
he's to pursue righteous conduct. He's to be a man of God. He is 
to be faithful. He is to do those things which 
are pleasing with reference to God and His holy law. Again, 
in 2 Timothy 2.22, that's the first thing. But pursue righteousness. Secondly, in verse 11 of chapter 
6, he says godliness. These men taught that godliness 
was a means of gain. Paul says that godliness, with 
contentment, is great gain. And one of the things that a 
godly minister does is pursue godliness. This is true religion. This is biblical religion. This 
is faithful living before our Lord and Savior. This is doing 
those things which are pleasing in His sight. He then indicates 
faith. Faith. This ought to be indicative 
of a Christian pastor, of a minister, of a man of God. You are to pursue 
righteousness, godliness, faith. Yes, we have this faith in Christ 
that the Lord God again has given us so that we are savingly united 
to our Lord Jesus Christ, but this probably has the idea of 
trust in God, dependence upon God. It's not faith in a marketing 
service to help us achieve our goals with reference to church 
growth. It's not faith in our bank account 
that helps us to achieve those things which we are planning 
and plotting for with reference to growing our church. It's faith 
in God. A true gospel ministry does not progress without the 
blessing of God. And faithful men of God who are 
fleeing these things and pursuing the right things are men who 
are dependent upon the Lord. We trust the Lord to give the 
increase. We trust the Lord to save the 
souls. We trust the Lord to sanctify his people. We trust the Lord 
to multiply his bride. We trust the Lord to engage in 
these particulars. The fourth virtue that Timothy 
is to pursue is love. Love. Probably love to God, but 
oftentimes in Paul's writings it's love to man. Mounts indicates 
that love makes an appearance in the pastoral epistles several 
times. And he says, probably the reason 
for this, I'll just read his quote, love occurs 11 times in 
the pastoral epistles. Its frequency attests to one 
of the basic problems in Ephesus. Paul's opponents are without 
love. So the man of God pursues love. I mean, just think about it. 
Is this 1st Timothy 6, 3 to 5 man a loving man? No, he's not. I'll answer that 
for you. I know it's hot. It's not as hot as it was last 
week. It was a bit warm. I was musing earlier that most 
of the times, the emptiest place in a Baptist church is the front 
row, until you have the fans on. And then the front row is 
well-peopled. These aren't loving men that 
teach otherwise, that do not consent to wholesome words. These 
are ruinous, ravenous, vicious men. These are not men who have 
the well-being of sheep in their minds. These are the men who 
look at sheep as targets to set their fangs and their claws in. 
These are not loving men who are obsessed with disputes, that 
are obsessed with arguments. These are not loving men that 
promote envy, strife, reviolent, evil suspicions. These are not 
loving men who engage in useless wranglings, men who are corrupt, 
men who are destitute of truth, men who suppose that godliness 
is a means of gain. Those aren't loving men. But 
you, O Timothy, man of God that you are, pursue righteousness, 
pursue godliness, pursue faith and pursue love. What does Jesus 
say in the Upper Room Discourse? By this all men will know that 
you are my disciples, if you have, let's finish the statement, 
love for one another. This is the badge of the Christian 
Church. It ought to be the case that 
we love each other. It ought to be the case that 
we are fond of each other, that we value and prize one another. If, as the Scripture teaches, 
the Church of Christ is the excellent ones of the earth, we ought to 
love one another, and the man of God is not immune from this 
particular thing. He then indicates that the man 
of God is to pursue patience. Patience, the idea here might 
be endurance as well, faithfulness in his pursuit. Patience though, 
something that is enjoined upon Timothy in other places. Notice 
in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 and verse 10, but you have carefully 
followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, long-suffering. Drop down to 2 Timothy 4.2. How is Timothy to preach the 
Word? He is to preach the Word. He is to be ready in season. 
He is to be ready out of season. He is to convince. He is to rebuke. 
He is to exhort. And he is to do so with all long-suffering 
and teaching. He ought not to browbeat the 
children of God. He ought not to manipulate the 
children of God. He ought not to pigeonhole the 
children of God. He needs to be a man who is patient. 
He needs to understand that the church is God's and that he is 
simply a servant or a steward and one who is to be faithful 
to execute the charge that the Lord God has given to him. And 
then the sixth virtue that Timothy is to pursue is gentleness. Gentleness. This is really contra to so much 
of what we see today in evangelicalism. What's attractive and appealing 
in evangelicalism today? It's the edgy guy. It's the cutting-edge 
preacher. It's the almost offensive preacher. It's the guy who gets right up 
to the line and in some instances crosses it. Timothy is to be 
gentle. Now, I always struggle with passages 
like these, because I yell when I preach, and I think, how could 
you be gentle and be a yeller? I don't know. I haven't all worked 
that out yet. But I hope you know that outside of yelling, 
I try to be gentle. If you come see me in the office, 
I don't scream at you and do this or whatever. I don't think 
I've ever done that. I can't say for sure. But I do. I struggle. How can a yeller 
be gentle? I don't know. I'm still working 
on it. It's not edgy. It's not cutting. It's not, you know, so cool. Timothy is to be a gentle man. 
He's to be a meek man. He's to be a lowly man. He's 
to be the man that is described herein with reference to verse 
11. But you, O men of God, flee these 
things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, 
gentleness." Knight makes this statement concerning these six 
virtues. He says, these six virtues seem 
to group into pairs. Righteousness and godliness represent 
one's relationship to God. Faith and love are the animating 
principles of the Christian's life, and patience and gentleness 
are terms for the right ways of acting in relation to a hostile 
world. So I think the brother is on 
to something there. There are terms applied in a 
specific context and structure for the man of God as he pursues 
these things. So there is a necessary flight. 
There is a righteous pursuit. Now notice thirdly, there is 
a good fight. It's interesting, a gentle man 
and a meek man ought to still be a fighting man. This is what 
Paul says. Verse 12, fight the good fight 
of faith. We've seen this in chapter 1 
verse 18, this charge, I commit to you that you may wage the 
good warfare. Notice in 2nd Timothy chapter 
2 at verse 3, You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier 
of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles 
himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who 
enlisted him as a soldier. And also if anyone competes in 
athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according 
to the rules. The hard-working farmer must 
be first to partake of the crops, Consider what I say, and may 
the Lord give you understanding in all things." And then again 
in 4.7, the apostle refers to himself as having fought the 
good fight. You see, you need to flee, you 
need to follow, you need to fight. And Timothy is to fight the good 
fight. It is a good fight because it's 
God's fight. And I think what Paul is telling 
Timothy in this particular section is not necessarily fight for 
the faith, though that is certainly included. The man of God ought 
to be fighting for the faith. But probably the good fight of 
faith is the Christian life. So Paul uses it in 2 Timothy 
4, I have fought the good fight. Does he mean that he has fought 
to protect Christianity? Yes, he involves that, or includes 
that. But the rest of the verse seems to indicate that he has 
finished the race, he has kept the faith. So when Paul tells 
Timothy to fight the good fight, the idea here is to wage the 
Christian warfare faithfully, consistently, and persistently. Calvin says, if earthly soldiers 
do not hesitate to fight, when the result is doubtful, and when 
there is a risk of being killed, how much more bravely ought we 
to do battle under the guidance and banner of Christ when we 
are certain of victory?" I love that. It's a great statement. 
If earthly soldiers do not hesitate to fight when the result is doubtful 
and when there is a risk of being killed, how much more bravely 
ought we to do battle under the guidance and banner of Christ 
when we are certain of victory? Fight the good fight of faith, 
Timothy. Flee those things, pursue those 
things, and in all of this, fight! Labor! Be diligent! The Christian 
life isn't for wimps. It isn't for jellyfish. It isn't 
for spineless people. It isn't for people who are afraid 
to get their hands dirty. The Lord God Almighty calls us 
to warfare and to battle. Again, Calvin mentions this reality. He says, for carelessness and 
self-indulgence arise from this cause, that the greater part 
of Christians wish to serve Christ at ease, and as if it were pastime, 
whereas Christ calls his servants to warfare. That's what the Apostle 
says to Timothy. It is warfare. It is something 
that requires diligence. It is something that requires 
perseverance. It is something that requires 
tenacity. It is something that requires 
us to be faithful, active, fervent, persevering fighters. And it's 
tough. Sometimes it's hard. I mean the 
whole imagery that is used here. Fight the good fight of faith. Probably the two images enjoined 
in this particular statement is both military and athletics. Now, if you're in the military, 
the large part of your service tends to be relatively like civilian 
life. But in wartime scenarios, it's 
hard. There's long shifts. There's 
people shooting at you. There's bombs going off. There's 
artillery shells coming your way. And what about athletics? This isn't a little game of one-on-one 
out in the parking lot with the who. The athletics that Paul 
has in mind is something similar to what we would consider the 
Olympics, those games. How do men achieve gold? They 
don't achieve gold by laying on the couch watching TV and 
eating Doritos. That just doesn't happen. They 
have to be up early, they have to regulate what they intake 
in terms of food and nutrients, they have to be diligent in their 
practice, they have to be disciplined in their lives, they have to 
perform at optimum level. And yet, we as Christians, just 
be a Christian. Yeah, you need to maybe rethink 
some things. You need to strategize a little 
bit. You need to plan. You need to realize, I can't 
go there because that's bad. I should go there because that's 
good. I need to make sure that I'm fighting this good fight 
in a manner that is indicative of a soldier in the field and 
of an athlete winning the games. The Apostle calls upon Timothy 
to fight the good fight. And then finally, He tells him 
to have a steadfast hold on eternal life. Notice verse 12b, fight 
the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which 
you are also called and have confessed a good confession in 
the presence of many witnesses. Timothy is to lay hold on eternal 
life. This is something that God has 
already given to him. He is not to get something that 
is not his already. He's not to go after and obtain 
eternal life. He's to get a grip on the eternal 
life that he already possesses. The statement here is not one 
of obtaining something he doesn't already have. It is rather a 
statement underscoring the necessity of endurance and faithfulness 
and perseverance in holding on to that which God has given to 
him. This is the emphasis in the text. While others make a profession 
and then apostatize, Timothy is to persevere. He is to lay 
hold on eternal life. While others engage in heresy 
and in pride and obsessed with disputes and arguments, Timothy 
is to lay hold on eternal life. When other men go after big paychecks 
or big bucks, or when they try to use godliness as a means of 
financial gain, Timothy rather is to hold on to eternal life. He's to endure, he is to persevere, 
he is to be faithful. He's a fleeing, following, fighting, 
faithful man. And we know this is the case 
because Paul underscores the effectual call by which he has 
come into possession of this eternal life. He says, "...lay 
hold on eternal life, to which eternal life you were also called." 
This is not the general call of the gospel that is preached 
indiscriminately. This is the effectual call unto 
everlasting life by the power of God. The Apostle speaks of 
it in Romans chapter 8, "...for whom he foreknew these, he also 
predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son." those 
whom he predestines, these he calls, those he calls he justifies, 
those he justifies he glorifies." The Apostle is referring to Timothy's 
effectual calling unto eternal life and he says, this is something 
you possess by the grace of God, hold it. Lay hold. Don't let 
go. Do not relinquish. Hold it like 
you would hold on for your life if you were hanging from a tall 
building. Do not relinquish your grip on this reality. Paul in another place specifies 
this with reference to stewards. Moreover, it is required of stewards 
that they be found faithful. First Corinthians 4.2. Not successful, 
not the most popular, not the cutting-edge, not the guy that 
everybody's talking about, faithful. I'll never forget, and I'll always 
be thankful for the reality that when I was sent up here back 
in 1997, the final charge, or one of the final charges I heard 
from Pastor Barcelos was a sermon on First Corinthians 4.2. Be 
faithful. That's it. Be faithful. Right? Isn't that it? That's what we 
want. That's what the church has always 
wanted. This is what the church always 
needs. Faithful men who know the scriptures, 
who know sound theology, and who propagate it. That's it. No magic bullet, there's no special 
formula, there's no church growth way, it's just be faithful. The effectual call that God placed 
upon Timothy. Isn't it interesting, and I've 
quoted this from Gordon Clark in the past when we've baptized 
younger people, in our church that have grown up in the church. 
We think of the effectual call as necessary for a man like Paul. I mean, he was breathing threats 
of destruction upon the church. But a Timothy lived a relatively 
sheltered life, didn't he? We think about us. I mean, you 
get the guy that was an ex-heavy metal druggie and all that stuff, 
and God lays the effectual call whammy on him and brings him 
to himself, and then we have somebody else that never heard 
heavy metal, never did any drugs, for all intents and appearances 
lived a pretty normal, safe life, and we think that there's somehow 
more power exercised in the guy that was called out of the drug 
use. Listen to what Clark says. He says, we note the fact that 
God called Timothy out of his state of original unrighteousness 
into his present state of grace. Such effectual calling is obvious 
in spectacular conversions, such as Paul's, but is just as real 
and necessary for those who learn the gospel from their mothers 
and grandmothers. Boys love that. Right? We want to go hear somebody that 
has this big, nasty story of how bad they were, and God saved 
me. No one would show up at a meeting 
where somebody says, yeah, my parents faithfully taught me, 
and I went to church, and I imperceptibly passed from death into life. 
You'd be like, OK, then what? What happened next? Did you rebel, 
and did you do horrible? No. God just saved me. The same 
power exercised in the conquest of the Apostle Paul is the same 
power exercised in the conquest of Timothy. The effectual call. Every single one of us stands 
in need of that, because we are in darkness, we need to be brought 
out into His marvelous light, and it is God the Spirit who 
engages in that most blessed task. Paul says, lay hold on 
eternal life, that eternal life to which you were effectually 
called. and have confessed the good confession in the presence 
of many witnesses." Does this mean at his baptism or does this 
mean at his ordination for ministry? I don't know. Perhaps it means 
both. No doubt Timothy made a public 
profession at his baptism. No doubt, Timothy affirms certain 
cardinal doctrines of the faith when he was ordained and when 
he had hands laid on him for the induction into the pastoral 
ministry. Whichever instance, or if it's 
a combination of both, I think what the apostle is highlighting 
here for Timothy is not only the reality that he has made 
this confession, but that it's been done in the presence of 
many witnesses. And because it's been done in 
the presence of many witnesses, And by virtue of the fact that 
Timothy is a leader among many witnesses, there are binding 
obligations upon him. Perhaps Paul is appealing to 
Timothy, saying, Timothy, be a fleeing, following, fighting, 
faithful man, because so many people have witnessed your confession, 
and so many people, at least humanly speaking, are depending 
upon a faithful ministry on your part. Timothy, do not let people 
down. Certainly, for a gospel minister, 
the primary obligation is to God. But I would be lying to 
you if it never ran through my head to think that if I engaged 
in this particular sin, or in this particular pattern of sin, 
not only would it bring dishonor to my God, but how could I face 
the people that I love? How could I possibly bump into 
you out at the mall when I have done something shameful and brought 
reproach upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? I quite like 
all of you. I love you. And I don't want 
you to shun me because I've done something terrible. Paul says 
you've made this good confession in the presence of many witnesses. His confession was witnessed 
by many, his ministry was known by many, his faithfulness or 
unfaithfulness would also be known by many, and his faithfulness 
or unfaithfulness would also, no doubt, affect many. If he 
is beneficial to them, if he is faithfully preaching the word, 
if he is the fleeing, following, fighting faithful man, then people 
are going to benefit. 1 Timothy chapter 4 verse 6. If or by instructing the brethren 
in these things. You will be a good minister of 
Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good 
doctrine which you have carefully followed. He goes on in verse 
16 in chapter 4, take heed to yourself and to the doctrine, 
continue in them. For in doing this you will save 
both yourself and those who hear you. So if Timothy relinquishes 
this fourfold thing that Paul enjoins upon him, he is going 
to affect so many people. Well, brethren, as we conclude, 
as I've already mentioned several times, the characteristics of 
a man of God. If you have a heart to pray for 
Pastor Cam and myself, this would be a good fourfold way. Pray 
that they will be fleeing men, following men, fighting men, 
and faithful men. That's it. Pray that. Not like 
rote. Just you think you'll be heard 
for your many words. No. Think about it. Pray for 
that. Secondly, we see in this passage 
virtues consistent with the Christian life. The man of God is addressed 
here. That doesn't mean everybody else 
doesn't have to flee. Everyone else doesn't have to 
pursue righteousness and godliness and faith and love and and patience 
and gentleness? No, these are virtues that we 
ought to be after. Every single one of us should 
be engaged in fighting the good fight of faith. Every one of 
us should be laying hold on eternal life to which we were called. 
Brethren, this is for Timothy, O man of God, but as well it 
is for each and every one of us. So when you pray for Pastor 
Cam and I that we'd be fleeing, fighting faithful men, pray that 
for yourself as well. Pray that to the Lord God Most 
High, whether you're young or old, help me to be that man that 
is here and described in 1st Timothy chapter 6. And then with 
reference to the good fight, the reason for the fight, perseverance 
is necessary. Paul tells Timothy this because 
perseverance is necessary. The necessity for the fight. 
It's a fight because there's a constant threat in the world 
from the devil and from our own flesh. The perpetuity of the 
fight. We'll be fighting until we enter 
into Emmanuel's land. Just settle it. If you are not 
signed up for the long haul, you signed on the wrong dotted 
line. If you think the Christian life 
is a 10 meter dash, you're in the wrong place. It's a marathon. many marathons. 26 miles would 
be doable. They said, do 26 miles and then 
you're done. Oh, great. Yeah. We'd all become 
runners. Do 26 miles over and over and 
over and over and over again. That's the Christian life. Sometimes 
people just think it's just going to be this easy thing. I'm just 
going to lay on my couch and soar into heaven. That's the 
wrong bill of goods. You've been sold a lie. You listen 
to those prophets in Jeremiah's day that say, peace, peace, when 
there is no peace. It is perpetual. The manner of 
the fight. Dependence upon the Father, faith 
in the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. We serve a triune 
God who gives us aid in that manner. And then the goodness 
of the fight is declared by the Apostle here, but then we see 
it in his own statement in 2 Timothy 4, 7. I have fought the good 
fight. I have finished the race. I have 
kept the faith. Never forget that the Apostle 
could say this at the end of his life because he lived that 
way before the end of his life. If you want to be able to confess 
2 Timothy 4-7 when you're about to die, you need to get about 
it now. He could only say this in the 
11th hour because his preceding hours were spent pursuing these 
things. So when we come to the end, when 
we breathe our last, hopefully it will be the case that we have 
indeed fought the good fight, that we have indeed finished 
the race, and that we have indeed kept the faith. Well, brethren, 
take these things. Pray them in for you. Pray them 
in for your elders. Pray for the church at large. 
that we'd have these kind of men. Not the hipsters, not the 
cutting edge, not the guys that are celebrity in nature, but 
faithful, fighting men. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for your word. And we thank you for this section 
in 1 Timothy, and I pray that you would grant each of us grace 
to take these things to heart, not only to pray them in, but 
to be faithful in executing these things. Go with us now, watch 
over us in this coming week, and we pray through Christ our 
Lord. Amen.