Fight the Good Fight of Faith

Open your Bibles, if you would, with me to 1 Timothy chapter 6.

1 Timothy 6 · chapter mention

We'll be finishing off our time this morning in this letter, as Paul kind of provides his concluding statements and his call to Timothy in terms of directives and how to lead and love this church.

1 Timothy chapter 6. If you're using your pew Bible, it's on page 993.

1 Timothy 6 · chapter mention

We're going to find in this passage two verses, one in verse 14 of chapter 6, which says,

Keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach.

That word for keep is the word for guard, to protect, to preserve.

And then in verse 20, where he says, O Timothy, guard the good deposit.

What do you think of when you hear about guarding, protecting information?

What do you hear, what do you think about when you think about preserving the identity that you might have?

Well, even this morning, as I was getting ready to print notes and to set up my computer,

there was a verification process that happened in order to protect my identity.

I'm on my computer and I'm logging into my email and I have to provide my password.

And then the authentication notice that then comes to my phone.

And I've got to give it the right number because that number comes up.

I put the number in there and then I have to hit yes to say, yes, it's me.

And then I have to use my fingerprint to make sure that yes, it's me is a really yes, it's me.

And it's coming from the number that I got from a totally different device.

All of the steps we go to protect identity, to protect information.

I'm wondering at some point I might have to provide like a saliva sample or an eye retina scan or a DNA,

you know, all of those things that may be coming at some time in the future.

We understand something about protecting information, don't we?

We recognize that software companies, they use these password protections.

They use these multi-layered verification statements.

Even Amazon, if you're logging into your Amazon account, it will send that notification to a different device.

You have to say, yes, it's me.

You can finally get in and order your stuff that you want to order.

Museums keep valuable artifacts in that secure vault set away, set aside from the passer buyer to make sure that it is preserved.

And so any of you who might go to like Washington, D.C., you're looking at those special, the Declaration of Independence or whatever it is,

and it's under a certain glass and it's protected in a certain way.

The lighting is just right.

Or a researcher that's storing sensitive data on a secure server with limited access.

And here we are, we're kind of moving into the holidays.

And I know, I know some of you ladies have those special recipes that are protected.

You know, they're passed down from one generation to the other,

and you're not going to let anybody know that secret recipe if they want to know it

or enjoy the benefits of that recipe that you have.

They have to come over to your house.

It's not going to be disseminated.

Those kinds of things that we do to protect information.

But here in this final bit of directives that the Apostle Paul is giving Timothy,

he wants Timothy to preserve information, but not like the way we preserve our information.

The way that Timothy is going to guard and protect this entrustment that he's been given,

the way he's going to guard and keep the commandments is not to hold them to himself,

but to disseminate them in a way that is consistent and clear and unadulterated and uncorrupted, undefiled.

That message that he's going to continue to communicate and to help compete against

and provide a contrast to that message that we've been hearing about all along in 1 Timothy,

that false teaching, that different doctrine, those endless genealogies,

those statements that lead to division.

Timothy is going to help preserve the faith and preserve sound teaching by communicating the truth,

not by holding it back, not by keeping it to himself.

So as we come to this passage this morning,

recognize that all of us, because of the word of God that we have,

have the distinct privilege, along with Timothy, of guarding the deposit that we've been entrusted to,

of keeping the commandments.

And it doesn't mean keeping it to yourself.

As a matter of fact, the best way for us to guard and to keep the commands is to share them,

is to convey them from one generation to the next.

To impart the gospel, the right words of God from the scriptures to the people that you love

and to the people in your circles.

Guard it by sharing it.

And that's what we're going to see this morning.

It's a struggle that Paul will describe throughout our text today.

It's a struggle for faith.

A struggle to ensure that this church that is the pillar and buttress of the truth,

as he describes there in chapter 3,

remains true to the scriptures that it's been entrusted with.

So fight for faith.

That's what we're going to see this morning in our time together.

So if you're there, let me read for you verse 11 and 12,

and we'll get started this morning.

We're going to see, first of all, a fight for faith personally.

Notice that as I read.

As for you, O man of God, flee these things.

Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

Fight the good fight of faith.

Take hold of eternal life to which you were called

and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Timothy, fight the good fight of faith.

And this is something that you need to do for yourself personally, individually.

It begins with you.

If you're ever going to fight this fight of faith,

and it's going to do anybody any good,

first of all, you need to know what the word of God is.

You need to ensure that that word of God is transforming you

and helping you to be a representative for that truth in a pure way.

So fight for faith personally, Timothy.

He begins with several instructions.

We're going to find throughout our time this morning,

this succession of imperatives,

these commands that Paul will begin to just issue out to Timothy.

These are the things I want you to do.

These are the directives for your life.

This is the way you're going to fight for the faith

in your life and also in the lives of those that you are directed to lead.

He begins with flee from spiritual danger.

Flee from spiritual danger.

That's our first command this morning.

Flee these things, he says.

With this opening phrase, Paul provides this sharp contrast.

He uses this contrastive word, but,

that helps draw out the difference between Timothy and these teachers

that he's just spoken about in verses 2 to verse 10.

This contrast that will shine its way through the life of Timothy

and provide this set-apartness,

this gospel life that's been transformed.

Timothy, live this way, and you do this, first of all,

by fleeing these things.

He begins not only with this contrastive word,

but also with this unique identity.

Oh, man of God, he says.

A title that only shows up twice in the New Testament,

but a title that is used, this man of God,

68 times in the Old Testament.

It's used as a title for Moses,

for David, for the prophets,

for Elijah, for Elisha.

This man of God,

which was this identity

for men who represented the word of God.

Not just men who were godly,

but men who were men of God.

They derived their identity,

their mission,

their purpose.

They derived it from God himself.

As men of God,

they were on mission for God.

They represented God.

They spoke for God

with the words of God.

Timothy, you are such a man.

You are a man of God.

You derive your identity from him,

your purpose from him.

And as men and women of God,

there are certain commitments.

There are certain behaviors

that will drive us,

that will shape our lives.

That is, they will help us

to be the kind of person

that will make us effective

in this fight for the gospel.

They will help to stabilize us

and will help us represent

this pure word of God

that has been given to us.

2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17

is the only other time

in the New Testament

where we see this phrase,

man of God.

All scripture is breathed out by God

and is profitable

for teaching,

for reproof,

for correction,

and training in righteousness

that the man of God

may be complete,

equipped for every good work.

By the way,

this is not just for men.

This is for men and women.

We can be men and women of God.

We derive our purpose.

We derive our mission.

We derive our authority

from God himself

and his words.

We represent him

by speaking his words.

And thus,

by speaking God's words,

we represent this pure gospel.

If Timothy was to be faithful,

a man of God,

he needed to begin

by fleeing these things.

Flee is this present imperative,

this command for the present day,

but continuing on from day to day

until he was to be with Jesus.

This ever-present reality of Timothy,

be a man who flees,

who runs away,

who escapes,

who avoids danger.

This word,

to flee,

is the word

from which we get

the word fugitive,

this one who is running.

Timothy,

don't linger.

Don't be complacent,

but run away

as fast as you can.

Put as much distance

between yourself

and the danger

that exists for you spiritually.

Let running away

from spiritual danger

be this ongoing pattern

of your life.

Now,

by the way,

running from danger

is not running

from every danger

because you can see

from the Apostle Paul

that at times

he's running headlong

into danger,

that physical danger

that he was willing

to embrace

for the sake of the gospel,

but this spiritual danger

that he avoided

in his own life

that would shipwreck his faith.

That's what we're talking about.

What are those

specific things

that the Apostle Paul

is referring to?

This word,

these things,

refers to

those things

that are represented

in chapter 6,

verses 3

to verse 10.

Those things

that were in the way.

Those things

that represented

the life and character

of these false teachers.

We saw in verse 3

those words

that don't agree

with sound teaching.

Avoid those things,

Timothy.

Steer clear

of those words

that don't represent

Christ faithfully.

In verse 4,

steer clear

from those

who are proud

and confused.

Steer clear

from their teaching

that leaves

a trail of controversy

and quarreling

and envy

and dissension

and slander

and constant friction

among the brothers.

Steer clear

of those things,

Timothy,

those spiritual dangers.

In verse 5,

steer clear

of those

who are preoccupied

with financial gain.

That they're identifying

the things

that are truly

in their heart.

What their motivations are.

What their affections are.

Verse 6,

steer clear

of those who have

no concept

of contentment.

They haven't learned

that godliness

with contentment

is great gain.

In verse 9,

steer clear

of those

who fall

into temptation

and lead others

into temptation

as well.

In verse 10,

steer clear

of those

who have wandered

away from the faith.

Timothy,

steer clear

of danger.

Steer clear

of the spiritual

danger

that will shipwreck

your own soul

and will lead

to a fight

that is not

a fight

for the gospel.

Fight the fight

of faith

by running away.

So,

if you're going to

fight this fight

of faith,

run from spiritual

dangers,

Timothy.

Identify them.

Separate yourself

from them.

Abandon yourself

like a refugee

from those things

that will trip you up

and to catch you up

away from God.

But your running,

Timothy,

is not an aimless running.

It's a purposeful running.

And that's where we come

to the second command.

So,

flee from spiritual danger

but pursue spiritual life.

Pursue spiritual life.

And that's where he goes next.

Pursue righteousness,

godliness,

faith,

love,

steadfastness,

and gentleness.

Again,

this word pursue

is this present imperative,

this command

for the everyday.

day.

It's a repeated command

that Paul will even

share with Timothy

in his second letter,

2 Timothy 2.22.

He says much the same thing.

So flee

youthful passions

and pursue

righteousness,

faith,

love,

and peace

along with those

who call on the Lord

from a pure heart.

youths

repeated statements

to flee

and pursue

helps us to understand

the purposefulness

of our running.

Not just running away

from spiritual danger

but running

to the only source

of security.

Running to God

himself.

In God's economy,

there is only

one road.

And that road

only has

two directions.

A direction

to God

and a direction

away from God.

Where are you

on that road?

Are you

on the road

that is fleeing

spiritual danger

and pursuing

spiritual life?

Are you

chasing the things

that are going to

help build you

up in spiritual

things?

The kinds of things

that will

demonstrate

the work

of the gospel

in your life?

These things

that he points to.

Righteousness,

godliness,

faith,

love,

steadfastness,

and gentleness.

The consistent

theme throughout

the New Testament

is that you can't

just leave a vacuum.

You can't just say

I'm going to stop

doing bad things.

That the vacuum

in that empty space

just exposes you

to more danger.

Rather,

you replace

the emptiness

in your life,

the resistance

or reluctance

to sin,

you replace

with righteousness.

You replace

with holiness.

You replace

with activity

that helps

lead you to God.

Ephesians 4,

22-24,

in Paul's letter

to the church

of Ephesus,

he writes this,

put off

your old self

which belongs

to your former

manner of life

and is corrupt

through deceitful

desires,

and be renewed

in the spirit

of your mind

and to put on

the new self,

created after

the likeness

of God

in true

righteousness

righteousness

in holiness.

Timothy,

show that there

is a work

of God

in your life.

Show the gospel

has changed you

from the inside out.

This work

of righteousness

and godliness

are two statements

that help to

demonstrate

that very point.

The godliness

that's happening

and shaping you

on the inside

and showing up

through righteousness

on the outside.

Make sure,

Timothy,

that you're living

your life

in such a way

that God has placed.

Make sure

that your motivations,

make sure

that your pursuits

are things

that represent

a life

that is motivated

by God.

This work

of faith

and love,

the second pair

of words

that kind of

come together,

this natural

outflow

of godliness

that pours out

in our responses

to others.

Not only

in our response

to God

and how we

live for Him,

but now

how that life

shows up

on the outside

to others.

This work

of faith

and trusting

God

for everything,

which we'll see

as we continue

along in

this passage.

A work

of faith

that helps

to secure

Timothy's obedience.

I trust

that God's

work

and will

for me

is better.

That I can

grab hold

of the pleasures

of this life

on my own

or I can trust

God

to give me

those good things

in His good time

and in the way

that He has

prescribed

through His word.

I'm going

to trust Him.

Not to fill out

my fleshly pursuits

on my own,

but to wait

patiently

for God

to answer

the deepest

needs of my heart

and to do it

in a way

that represents

my faith in Him.

And love,

this word for love

is a love

of volition

and choice.

It's a love

of decision.

This volition

and that love

that's voluntary,

choosing to love.

You will be marked

by an affection

for God's people.

One who loves

the Lord their God

with all their heart,

soul,

mind,

and strength

and loves their neighbor

as themselves.

That two-dimensional

kind of love

that is not only

love for God

but expresses itself

in love

for people.

Timothy,

demonstrate

that the work

of faith

in your life

has changed you

from the inside out.

This steadfastness

and this gentleness,

there's a perseverance

about you.

There's a willingness

to go the distance

and a gentleness here.

This word for gentleness

is a rare word

in the New Testament

and it's a word

of the normal word

for gentle

coupled with the word

for suffering.

It's gentleness

in the midst

of hard things.

I don't know,

have you found

as I have

in my life

that when the pressure

is pressing in,

when my day is long,

when I'm feeling raw

and I'm feeling like

I'm missing out

on sleep,

those are the times

where I'm most vulnerable

and most agitated

and least gentle.

You find yourself to be,

is that true

about yourself?

There's something

about the gospel

that shapes

the way we live.

especially in the moments

where we're most vulnerable.

There's a gentleness

about you,

Timothy.

There's a sweetness

about you.

There's a change,

the fruit of the Spirit

that is working

in your life,

love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness,

gentleness

in self-control.

God is helping

to show up

in your life

and so the faith

of your life

is showing through

in how you live.

recognize,

though,

that this is not

going to be easy.

Fleeing from

spiritual danger

and pursuing

spiritual life

is not going to be

an easy thing.

So,

that's why he gives

this next command

that we find

in verse 12.

Fight the good fight

of faith.

Fight the good fight

of faith.

He says,

take hold

of eternal life

to which you were called

and about which

you made

the good confession

in the presence

of many witnesses.

This word for fight,

again,

is a present imperative.

It's the third one

in line.

This competition,

this fight,

this struggle.

The Greek word

is agonizomai.

Do you hear the word

agony in there?

This is a verb

that describes

fighting.

This military

or athletic

kind of word

that's used

in those two areas.

The concentration

and discipline

and conviction

that's required

in that kind of struggle

that grits it out

when things are hard.

Faith

has been a major theme

throughout the

letter of Timothy.

It's used 21 times

from start to finish.

And if you add the verb,

so the noun

for faith

and then coupled

with the verbs

for faith,

which is the word

to believe,

it's used 29 times

throughout this letter.

Right at the outset,

Paul describes Timothy

as his true son

in the faith.

Recognize Timothy

as a man of faith,

as a man of God.

Faith needs to show up

in your life

and it's a battle.

You must struggle

for faith

so that it's a reality

in your life.

And he charges Timothy

to confront

the false teachers

that promote speculation

instead of the stewardship

from God

that is by faith

there in chapter 1,

verse 5.

Paul goes on

to describe

his own experience

of faith

later on

in chapter 1,

verse 14.

He says,

And then,

of Timothy's responsibility,

he says in verse 19,

Hold faith

and a good conscience.

And if you don't,

here's the consequences.

By rejecting this,

some have made

a shipwreck

of their faith.

So,

this ministry,

Timothy,

must be marked

by faith.

both personally

and in how

you communicate

faith to others.

As we find

in chapter 4,

verse 6,

he says,

If you put

these things

before the brothers,

you will be

a good servant

of Christ Jesus

being trained,

listen,

in the words

of faith

and the good doctrine

that you have followed.

Fight the good fight

of faith.

It is a good fight.

Not an arbitrary fight

but a fight

that is oriented

around good things.

The good things

of the gospel.

Faith that leads

to God.

That's where

true goodness

comes from.

That's where

true godliness

comes from.

Have the kind

of faith

that points

people to God.

Faith that refers

to this body

of Christian truth.

The contents

of the word of God.

Recognize,

Timothy.

All that,

the instruction

that's in the word

and how that will help

to undergird

faith.

And if you do this well,

Timothy,

Paul says

in 2 Timothy 4

2 Timothy 4:7

verses 7 and 8,

I have fought

the good fight.

I have finished

the race.

I have kept

the faith.

Henceforth,

there is laid up

for me the crown

of righteousness

which the Lord,

the righteous judge,

will award to me

on that day

and not only to me

but also to all

who have loved

his appearing.

There is a reward

for fighting

the good fight

of faith

and that reward

of course

is this future joy

we'll experience

with God himself

in glory.

When that fight

seems more

than you can bear,

then Timothy,

do this next thing,

live for eternity.

We see that in verse 12.

Live for eternity.

Really,

I'm taking the phrase,

take hold

of eternal life

and summarizing that

as live for eternity.

This word,

take hold,

is another imperative,

another command.

Understand the destination,

Timothy.

Understand the whole purpose

for which you exist.

Take hold

of this eternal life.

Don't live

for the here and now,

Timothy.

Live for what is coming

or understand

the accountability

of the God

that you serve.

Understand the great mission

that you've been set for.

Recognize the idea

of the identity

that he's given to you.

There is this new reality,

this new objective,

this new destination,

Timothy.

Keep that in mind.

Keep that in view.

He admonishes Timothy

to get a grip.

Take hold.

Hang on, Timothy.

Don't lose your grip.

And then he reminds him

of this holding on

which happens

because he was called

to this.

This work of God

in his life.

You were called

to this,

Timothy.

Recognize the grace

of God

in calling you

to himself.

He's the one

who drew you.

Remember him.

Press on.

And then also remember

the future joy

of what you have

to anticipate

and look forward to.

Take hold

of eternal life.

Don't live for the moment.

Live for the eternity.

And remember,

Timothy,

that this good confession.

You've been called

by God

and remember

that good confession

that you had.

That confession

in the presence

of many witnesses.

I imagine

that what Paul

is referring to

is that

that moment

where Timothy

was publicly

confessing his faith

before his home church

perhaps.

Maybe it was

the day

that he got baptized.

We don't know

for sure

but that good confession.

And those of you

who have come

to faith in Christ,

I wonder

perhaps for you

if you can remember

the experience

of the moment

where you came

to Christ yourself.

For me,

it was when I was

five years old.

And even as a

five year old,

I can appreciate

in my own

innocent little way

the sin

that I brought

to the table

and the great

mercy of God

in drawing me

to himself,

forgiving me

of sin

and making me

his own.

Maybe there were

experiences

or even feelings

that you have

that maybe burdens

that were lifted

and maybe even

the presence

of God

in your life.

I think

that Paul

may be referring

to this good confession.

Remember how fresh

and new

it seemed.

Remember how excited

you were

that great

and good

confession

that you had

publicly.

Don't let

that disappear.

Know what

that purchased

for you,

this future

in heaven.

Don't allow

the hardships

that you're going

through

to erase

your memory

of that good

day,

that good

confession

where you've

been called

to be his own.

In verse 13,

the apostle Paul

moves,

remember your

ultimate motivation.

Remember your

ultimate motivation,

he says.

In verse 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

to keep the commandments

!

The commandments

unstained and free

from reproach

until the appearing

of our Lord Jesus Christ

which he will

display at the

proper time.

He who is blessed

and only sovereign,

the King of kings

and Lord of lords

who alone

has immortality,

who dwells

in unapproachable light,

whom no one

has ever seen

or can see.

To him be glory

and eternal dominion.

Amen.

Timothy,

keep the commandments.

Why?

You're keeping

these commandments

because you know

who you are living for.

I'm charging you

in the presence

of God.

Recognize that you live

in the presence

of God himself.

God is not distant,

Timothy.

God is present.

God is active.

God is near.

God is accessible.

He's not far away.

He is present

with you.

Not like the

old song

from the 1990s,

Bette Midler.

Maybe you have heard

this song or not.

From a distance,

God is watching us

from a distance.

Ever heard that song?

Well, that's not

the kind of God

of the Bible.

The God of the Bible

is a present God.

The God of the Bible

is a near God.

The God of the Bible

is an engaged God.

He's not a distant God.

And so,

Timothy,

keep it in mind

that God is near you.

He's present with you.

And that should change

everything about

how you live.

Towards the end

of Paul's

second letter

to Timothy,

he repeats

this similar statement

in 2 Timothy 4,

2 Timothy 4:1

verses 1 and 2,

he says this,

I charge you

in the presence

of God

and of Christ Jesus,

who is the judge

of the living

and the dead

and by his appearing

and his kingdom

preach the word.

Be ready

in season

and out of season.

Reprove,

rebuke,

exhort

with complete

patience

and teaching.

You see,

Timothy,

if you understand

that God is there,

you understand

that the work

that you do

does not depend

on you,

it depends on God.

And if you understand

that God is there,

Timothy,

you know that

whatever circumstances

that you're going through

are circumstances

that God is allowed

to happen

because of

his sovereignty.

His presence

is there,

his power

is represented,

you can trust him

just like Jesus

trusted the Father

by giving the good

confession

in the presence

of Pontius Pilate.

In the moment

where from a human

standpoint,

life hung

in the balance,

where Jesus

was giving testimony

before an earthly

judge,

Pilate,

who had the

sentence of death

or life

and Jesus

was faithful

and true

to God himself.

He entrusted

himself

to him

who judges

justly,

not Pilate,

but God.

Jesus gave

the good confession.

We find from

John chapter 18,

John 18 · chapter mention

37,

Pilate asks

Jesus,

so,

are you a king?

Jesus answered,

you say that I'm a king.

For this purpose

I was born

and for this purpose

I have come

into the world

to bear witness

to the truth.

Everyone who is

of the truth

listens to

my voice.

Jesus kept

the commandments.

Jesus spoke

the truth.

Jesus gave

the good confession.

Jesus,

of course,

was the man

of God.

Keep Jesus

in view,

Timothy.

Don't lose

sight of his presence.

Recognize

that he's there.

Trust him.

So keep

those commandments,

Timothy.

Do it faithfully.

Trust the word

of God.

Be faithful

to the calling

that you've been given

and do it

in a way

that's unstained,

that's spotless,

without defect.

Do it in a way

that's untarnished

so you can

communicate

the commandments

and the gospel

purely

and well.

Preserve

the gospel

through your life

and through

your witness.

Timothy,

keep it pure

because God

is pure

and thus

his word

is pure.

And what will

help Timothy

as he's engaged

in the various

situations,

this doxology

that we find here

towards the end

of verse 15,

he who is blessed

and only sovereign,

the king of kings,

the lord of lords,

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.

Timothy,

if you remember

and you set your sights

on God,

you'll remember

who is really

in control.

He is the blessed

and only sovereign God.

He is the king of kings

and lord of lords,

which means

no one can do anything

outside of his permission.

He is in control.

You can trust him,

Timothy.

He alone dwells

with immortality.

He alone is eternal.

He is the unchanging God.

You can trust him.

He's been in existence

for all of time.

He dwells

in unapproachable light

whom no eye has seen.

God is preeminent.

He is ultimate.

He is supreme.

Timothy,

you can trust him.

And everything you do

is meant

to bring him honor

and glory

because he exists

in eternal dominion.

So, Timothy,

fight the good fight

of faith

for yourself personally.

And then,

the apostle Paul

turns in verses 17 to 19

to now distribute

this responsibility.

Now, Timothy,

you have a responsibility

for yourself,

but you also have

a responsibility

for others.

Fight for faith

in others too,

Timothy.

He says in verse 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.

They are to do good,

to be rich in good works,

to be generous

and ready to share.

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.

Timothy,

help those who are wealthy

to set their hope

on God.

Help the wealthy

to set their hope

on God.

This should sound

really familiar,

by the way.

The apostle Paul

has just encouraged

Timothy in the same way.

So,

now it's transferable

what Timothy

is incorporating

into his own life

in helping him

fight the fight of faith.

He is now encouraging

those who are rich

to do the same.

Keep God in focus.

Understand the purpose

for your riches

in laying up treasures

in heaven,

in establishing

and amplifying

the witness

that you have

in depending on God.

Not setting your hopes

on the uncertainty

of riches,

but setting your hopes

on the certainty

of God.

Trusting in him

because he's the one

who provides richly.

Paul wants Timothy

to understand

that those who are wealthy

have an obligation.

They have an obligation

to demonstrate

their confidence

in God.

And I want you

to understand

that those of us

in this room,

those of us living

in America,

are in the top

80% of the wealthiest

of the wealthy

in the world.

So every one of us,

regardless of your station

in life

and regardless

of the occupation

that you have,

this text applies to us.

And it's not that

we can't have wealth,

but it's that we use

our wealth in a way

that shows our confidence

in God.

We're setting our hopes

on him.

We're using our wealth

in a way

that demonstrates

that we believe

that God is the one

who provides

for our needs,

not ourselves.

Paul ends this letter

where he began.

1 Timothy 1, verse 1,

1 Timothy 1:1

says,

Paul, an apostle of Christ,

Jesus,

by the command of God,

our Savior,

and of Christ,

Jesus,

our hope.

Timothy,

help those who are wealthy

to set their hope

on God,

not to set their hope

on the things

of this life.

Charge them,

Timothy,

command them,

and come beside

the most vulnerable.

And we've seen

Paul describe

the vulnerability

of wealth

in the previous section

in verses 6 to 10.

He talks about

godliness with contentment

as great gain.

He talks about

the fact that we brought

nothing into the world.

We're not going to take

anything out of the world.

He says in verse 9,

those who desire

to be rich

will fall into temptation.

We open ourselves up

to the temptations

of this world

being driven away

and walking

the wrong direction

on the path

instead of walking

to God,

walking away from God.

He talks about

the fact that

the rich fall

into temptation

and a snare

into senseless

and harmful desires.

This love of money,

this affection,

if it drives us

and consumes us,

is a love

that takes us

away from God.

The love of money

is the root

of all kinds of evil.

It is through

this craving,

he says in verse 10,

that some

have wandered

from the faith.

Don't be,

don't allow your wealth

to steer you

away from God.

Don't allow

your wealth,

it inclines

the wealthy,

it says,

to do two things.

First,

to be haughty

and then

to be self-sufficient.

Don't allow

your wealth

to do those things

for you,

Timothy.

Don't let wealth

make you feel

like you're better

than the people

around you.

Instruct the wealthy

to be humble,

not to be haughty.

And instruct

the wealthy

not to be self-sufficient,

but to be dependent.

You see,

those who are wealthy,

those who,

who are consumed

with accumulating more,

they fall into

various dangers

where they might say,

I can take care

of this myself.

Or,

I can save enough

and be okay

for the future.

Or,

I can be comfortable

and I can predict

and ensure

that the future

is certain.

Those are the dangers.

The dangers

of self-sufficiency

rather than

the life

and hope

on God.

So don't set

your hope

on riches,

Timothy.

Help them understand

the significance

of a life

that is resting

on God himself.

As Jesus said

to the rich young ruler

in Luke 18,

24 and 25,

spelling out again

the dangers

of wealth,

he says,

Jesus,

seeing that he

had become sad,

speaking of the

rich young ruler,

said,

how difficult

is it

for those

who have wealth

to enter

the kingdom

of God.

For it is easier

for a camel

to go through

the eye

of a needle

than for a rich

person to enter

the kingdom

of God.

Remember,

help them remember

that it is God

who provides

for their enjoyment.

He is the one

they should be

looking to

to fill out

the deepest needs

that they have.

So,

help them

to be those

who are

setting their

hope on God

and help them

to be rich

in good works.

To be rich

in good works.

Again,

this putting off

and putting on

that the Apostle Paul

is so faithful

to give

this practical

instruction.

And in verses

18 and 19,

he gives a series

of verbs

to give

to these wealthy

individuals

to know how

to safeguard

their own faith

and to help

live in a way

that's consistent

with the gospel.

Notice,

they are to do good,

to be rich

in good works,

to be generous

and ready to share,

thus storing up

treasure for themselves

as a good foundation

for the future

so that they may

hold,

take hold

of that

which is truly

life.

Make sure

they're doing good.

Make sure

they're rich

in good works.

Make sure

they're generous.

Make sure

they're willing

and able

to share.

Timothy,

encourage

the church

to live out

the gospel

by showing

their dependence

on God

and help

them to understand

that the resources

that they've been given

are resources

that now they're

entrusted to share,

that there's a stewardship

that's now

that they're responsible

to carry out

and in their stewardship

of giving

in the here

and now.

They are

laying up

treasure

for the future.

Notice,

they're storing

up treasure

that it's not,

help them to understand

the perspective

that it's not

that they're

letting go

of their stuff

but they're

laying up

treasure

for themselves

in heaven.

They're demonstrating

where their true

joy is,

their true

certainty

and hope is.

Help them

to take hold

of that

which is true life.

this word

for taking hold

is the same word

that Paul gave

to Timothy

in verse 12.

The same word

to embrace

and to understand

what they're really

living for.

Take hold

of life,

eternal life.

And then finally,

the apostle Paul

will give some

instruction to Timothy

in helping to lead

this church

generally

in verses 20 and 21

where he says,

fight for faith

in preserving

the message.

Fight for faith

in preserving

the message.

He says,

O Timothy,

guard the deposit

that's entrusted

to you.

Avoid

the irreverent

babble

in contradictions

of what is falsely

called knowledge

for by professing

it

some have

swerved

from the faith.

Grace

be with you.

Paul summarizes

this entire letter

in these two verses

where he wants Timothy

to recognize

his responsibility.

He has a responsibility

not only

to represent

the truth

and to

be transformed

by the truth

but to protect

the truth

by sharing

the truth

in a way

that is unadulterated,

that is pure,

that is dependable,

that is accurate,

full of integrity.

Timothy,

guard this

good

entrustment

this word

for deposit

is a banking term

that demotes

a sum

that's deposited,

this large sum

that's been

distributed

and of course

we understand

the value

of the gospel

that we've been given,

this good deposit

of the word

of God

that we enjoy

and we hold

in our hands,

this entrustment

that's been given,

this valuable property

for safe keeping.

Make sure,

Timothy,

that you are

guarding

this good deposit.

Make sure

that you are

communicating

the gospel

in a way

that's faithful

and dependable

and clear.

But in

guarding this deposit,

make sure

that you're also

avoiding the dangers.

This word

also kind of

carries

this

imperatival force,

this command

of avoiding

those dangers.

Don't allow

the message

to be tainted,

Timothy.

Don't get

caught up

in the kinds

of conversations

that those false

teachers are having.

Don't get caught

up in the

distractions

and the

endless

conversations,

the genealogies

and the kinds

of discussions

that would steer

one away

from the truth.

Don't allow

the gospel

to be diluted.

don't allow

it to be

perverted.

Don't allow

in your

communication

of the gospel

for some

to swerve

from the faith

because they're

wrapped up

in all the

things that

will lead

them away

from the

path.

And Timothy,

allow the grace

of God

to adorn

your life.

Be marked

by the work

of God's

grace.

Be driven

by the work

of God's

grace.

grace.

Let the

testimony

of God's

grace

guide

your efforts.

Let that

testimony