1 Timothy 6:11-16

11: But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.
12: Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
13: I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
14: that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15; which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16: who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

*** 

Paul told Timothy, as a man of God, to “flee from these things”—the things he just mentioned concerning the love of money—the snares and the evil which grows from the love of it. Instead, he said, to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. In so doing he presented a well-rounded view of the work of Jesus Christ within him.

Paul encouraged Timothy to fight the good fight of faith, to take hold of the eternal life to which he was called. The walk of faith and our eternal life doesn’t just fall on top of us. It’s a fight. It’s something we must put effort into taking hold of. We pursue it and go after it. Yes, salvation is a free gift which we can never earn, but we must want it. We are called to eternal life but still must take hold of it and make the good confession.

Timothy confessed Jesus as Lord and King publicly in front of many witnesses. Jesus testified the same thing in front of Pilate (Matthew 27:11). Paul charged Timothy to keep the commandment—the Gospel—without stain or reproach until the Lord appears. Each believer must do this for himself. God, although He gives us life and His Spirit to empower us, will not do this for us. We must keep the commandment, make the confession, fight the good fight, take hold of eternal life, flee evil things. We each must pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.

Paul went into a praise of the Lord as he considered His appearance which will come at the proper time. To Him be honor and eternal dominion—the One who is blessed and the only sovereign! The King of kings and Lord of lords! The One who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light! His light is true and pure, powerful, since it is free from all darkness, and any contamination darkness would bring. This light is unapproachable by man in his earthly state. He is the only sovereign. The only one who possesses immortality. Jesus received life from the Father, so He has this life in Himself (John 5:26). Yet, He will give it to those who believe in Him (John 1:4, 12, John 14:21, 1 John 5:12). Then, we too will be with Him forever.


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