1 Timothy 6:11-21 - Godly Pursuit of Faith

1 Timothy 6:11-21

The Good Confession

11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 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. 13 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, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

Instructions to the Rich

17 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. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Guard the Faith

20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge— 21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.

Grace be with you. Amen.

Pursuing the things of God in light of His grace leads to the good confession of faith in action.  This is to be our godly pursuit of faith that is demonstrated in what we confess.  We are to run after contentment while avoiding greed and corrupt teaching and put these off as we put on righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentle humility.  This is how we are able and qualified to fight the good fight of faith which ends in eternal life beyond the grave, from here to eternity in Christ.  If we therefore have made the good confession of faith in Jesus Christ before many witnesses who acknowledged our calling (John 6:44) to salvation (John 1:12) through genuine believing and receiving the Son of God when cut to the heart (Acts 2:37-39) after hearing the gospel words of truth, then this should be the resulting pursuit and direction of our lives with matching character being molded by God’s hand in us to transform (Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18) our souls.  Though it is by God’s work and power that we are being changed (Philippians 1:6), we are urged to pursue these things for Him to work them into our very souls (Philippians 2:12) over time for our sanctification to be holy as He is.  We are to keep His commandments until He returns to honor and glorify Him who is our ruling Sovereign King and Lord and not only our Savior.  When we contemplate how our Lord lives in the light of unapproachable eternal glory and who alone deserves all honor, then we should gladly and doggedly pursue righteousness and holiness with all these other associated traits.  This command extends to those who possess many things and riches in their life as well, with the admonition to humility and faith in God for all provision as we understand that all we have comes from Him and is His in the end.  If therefore we have much, we should be willing to provide for those with less in a generous attitude that lays an eternal foundation in the life to come.  We are to heed the final sentences of this letter as we also guard the faith taught us by other saints gone before as we stick to sound doctrine and reject false humility and philosophies of men being offered as if from God.  May we not join those who stray from the faith into such bad and false teachings as we confirm and acknowledge the truth of the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) and the words of His grace given freely to us to offer to others.  This is the godly pursuit of faith to,which we have all been called to in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God (John 20:28)!  Amen and amen.