Guard the Faith - 1 Timothy 6:11-21

This is the end of Paul's letter to Timothy, and he's highlighting a few key points that he's already addressed, he’s reiterating a few key points before he signs off. He’s charging him to apply what he’s already told him: to pursue righteousness, don’t become lured by the love of money, and flee from false teaching.

And it’s all for the sake of the gospel. Because as we all know, protecting the gospel goes far beyond simply understanding it. You guard the gospel by knowing it and proclaiming it, but also by the way you live your life. It’s the difference between orthodoxy and orthopraxy: there’s right doctrine (orthodoxy) and right living (orthopraxy). The way you live reflects what you believe. And so if you live one way, but profess to believe another then there is a tremendous inconsistency in your life.

Which is why in this passage, Paul encourages Timothy to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. Because Paul understood something that’s very important: the furthering of the gospel message in many ways is dependent upon the health of a church.

So Timothy’s personal conduct is absolutely critical for the furthering of the church. But no matter what Timothy faced, he had to remain faithful to Jesus Christ.

In fact, there are two other things that Paul warns Timothy of that will ultimately help him sufficiently guard the gospel. The first thing is, Timothy must guard his own faithfulness (vv. 11-16), second, he must guard his own heart (vv. 17-19) which will in turn help him guard the gospel (vv. 20-21).

Last week, Paul once again warned Timothy of false teachers. The false teachers who were obsessed with “myths and endless genealogies,” were also obsessed with getting rich. In fact, they saw the church as their vehicle to riches, which is why Paul famously warned Timothy that, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”

Guard your faithfulness (vv. 11-16)

And Paul is passionate about Timothy not reflecting the sinful false teachers in any way. He needs to guard his faithfulness.

Now, when I say “guard your faithfulness,” I’m talking about your fidelity or loyalty to Jesus Christ. Which is really just another way of saying, watch your life. Paul said the same thing in chapter 4 when he told Timothy to watch his life and doctrine.

We’ve all seen folks who have fallen into grievous sin and denounced their faith in Jesus altogether. And so, Paul in verses 11-16 encourages Timothy to remain faithful to Jesus Christ.

And in verses 11-16 Paul employs five imperative words: Flee, pursue, fight, take hold of, and keep.

Flee (v. 11)

In verse 11, Paul tells Timothy to “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things.” And if you were here last week, you’d know that Paul is encouraging Timothy to flee all the negative qualities of the false teachers plaguing the church in Ephesus.

He lists all the bad traits earlier in chapter 6 verse 4. These negative qualities were “a craving for controversy, quarrels, envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions.” But the big thing that Paul emphasized particularly in verses 9-10 were the false teachers' love of money.

In verse 10, Paul famously said that the “love of money is the root of all kinds of evils.”

And so Paul is telling Timothy that he must flee from sin. That doesn’t mean to get as close to sin as possible, or to nurture it, or not think of it as that big of a deal. Flee from them.

Paul’s saying, “Timothy, don’t even give those sins that plague false teachers the time of day! Run from them. Remember how Joseph from the Old Testament dealt with Potiphar’s wife? He fled! He ran away from her.

Pursue (v. 11)

But far too often in life we focus on simply ridding ourselves of sin. We think, “I just need to free myself from this one thing, then my life will be great.” But the problem is it’s all negative. We’re only focusing on what not to do, and not thinking about what we should be doing instead.

Paul tells us that we don’t just flee from sin. You don’t just move into a cardboard box to avoid sin and temptation. What you do is you “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” Which is exactly what Paul told Timothy.

Timothy needed to run from the enticing sins of false teachers, and pursue the character traits of a godly man.

In fact, I’m sure many of you noticed that Paul actually refers to Timothy in the beginning of verse 11 as a “man of God.”

It’s almost out of fashion in church circles to refer to someone as a “godly man” or “godly woman.” After all, no one is righteous, no not one! So are any of us truly “godly?” The answer is obviously, yes! It doesn’t mean you're a sinless person, rather, it means you’re a person whose walk with Christ shines through in every aspect of their lives. People can clearly tell that your life reflects your faith in Christ.

So even in spite of your sin, you can be godly, and more than that, it’s something that each of us should aspire to, which is exactly what’s going on in verse 11. Paul isn’t suggesting that Timothy is sinless, rather he’s giving him something to aspire to, because the designation “man of God” is really a reference to the various godly men who were pillars of the Old Testament. For example, Moses, David, and Elijah were each referred to as a “man of God” at various points.

So hopefully you can see what Paul is doing in these verses: he’s contrasting the false teacher's sinful character with the character of a godly man. Don’t be like the false teachers, be like those godly pillars of the Old Testament.

Fight (v. 12)

But as we all know, living out our faith in Christ is hard, especially when when you consider the fact that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Earlier in chapter 1, Paul actually tells Timothy to “wage the good warfare.” In Ephesian 6, Paul talks about putting on the full armor of God. And here in verse 12, he tells Timothy to, “Fight the good fight of the faith.”

We sometimes forget that we are fighting in a spiritual war. Sometimes it’s subtle, while other times it’s obvious.

Like Timothy, we must “Fight the good fight of the faith.” Paul is telling Timothy to contend for the faith. The Greek word for fight suggests a boxing or wrestling match.

I may not look like it, but I actually have some experience in both wrestling and boxing. I have more experience in wrestling, but at VMI we were required to take a boxing course. VMI is probably the only school in the nation that requires a boxing class.

I’m joking but here’s what’s not a joke at all: 2-3 minutes of boxing or wrestling can feel like an eternity. Time somehow stands still in the middle of a boxing or wrestling match. Those of you who have either boxed or wrestled know exactly what I’m talking about. If you ever look up at the clock during a match those seconds tick off so slowly.

And there’s a reason that time seems to stand still in a boxing or wrestling match: it’s because it’s so hard. You’re using every muscle in your body. By the end of a match you’re drenched in sweat because it was such a struggle the entire time!

Which is why a boxing or wrestling match is a tremendous metaphor for remaining faithful to Jesus Christ. The world, your own sin, and certainly the devil wants you and me to turn our backs on Jesus Christ. And so remaining faithful to Jesus Christ is like a grueling wrestling or boxing match - it’s a struggle! And it’s not like a monthly or weekly sort of struggle. It’s a daily, hourly, minute by minute sort of struggle. You have to fight for your faith.

Paul used the exact same language for himself as his life drew to a close in 2 Timothy 4:7. Famously he said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Isn’t that what you want as a believer? To look back on your life, knowing that you were a sinner but that you never abandoned your faith in Christ? You too, fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.

J.C. Ryle spends a chapter in his book, Holiness on "the fight." He wrote,

"[The true Christian] sees his own many sins, his weak heart, a tempting world, a busy devil, and if he looked only at them he might well despair. But he sees also a mighty Saviour, an interceding Saviour, a sympathizing Saviour - His blood, His righteousness, His everlasting priesthood - and he believes that all this is his own. He sees Jesus and casts his whole weight on Him. Seeing Him, he cheerfully fights on, with a full confidence that he will prove more than a conqueror through Him that loved him."

Regardless of your circumstances in life, Jesus is worth the fight, amen?

Take hold of (v. 12)

But Paul doesn’t just tell Timothy to fight. In verse 12 Paul says, “Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…”

Of course, Paul isn’t suggesting that eternal life is something you must earn. After all, he says that he was “called” to eternal life. But really it’s just another way of emphasizing the same thing: the importance of remaining faithful to Jesus Christ.

It’s like holding onto a child near a busy road or crowded venue. You hold on to him and don’t let him go!

What are some ways to ensure you remain faithful to Jesus Christ? According to Paul, one way is to reflect on your initial profession of faith. Sometimes when you’ve been a Christian for many years you can forget the seriousness or gravity of the moment when you for the very first time publicly professed faith in Jesus Christ, which is why Paul encourages Timothy to reflect upon the “good confession [he made] in the presence of many witnesses.”

When you make your profession of faith before the church, it’s still a serious moment even though it’s done in front of a friendly, supportive crowd. But there may come a time when you have to profess your faith in Christ in front of an unfriendly, hostile crowd.

Which is why Paul solemnly charges Timothy “in the presence of God…” He’s emphasizing the seriousness of his words.

Look at what Paul 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…”

He reminds Timothy that Jesus also made a “good confession” before Pontius Pilate.

That is, when Jesus was being questioned by Pontius Pilate, he told him that he was indeed the Messianic King of the Jews and went to the cross for what he had said about himself. When the stakes for Jesus were at the absolute highest, he told Pilate the truth about himself.

Because depending on how Jesus responded to Pilate’s questioning, he very well could have been released with his life. Of course, Pilate said he found no guilt in him, but if Pilate had come out and reported to the Jewish mob demanding Jesus’ death, and said this man has recanted everything to me and now he’s going to apologize and recant everything to you too, perhaps the Jews would have relented.

But of course, that’s not what happened. It couldn’t have happened that way. Jesus simply could not deny himself. And ultimately, that’s the “good confession” that Paul is referring to: when Jesus’s life hung in the balance he told the truth about himself.

The message to Timothy is quite clear isn’t it? Paul’s essentially saying, “Timothy, there may come a time, when you have to make a confession before the enemies of Jesus Christ and it may cost you everything. In fact, Timothy, your faith in Jesus Christ may cost you your life.”

It’s easy to talk about Jesus when you’re surrounded by believers, but it’s a whole other ballgame when you're surrounded by the enemies of Christ. It’s a little more difficult to talk about Jesus in front of people who hate him.

And yet that’s precisely what Jesus did himself and it’s what Paul told Timothy to expect to encounter.

Each of us must prepare ourselves for that moment. Are you willing to make the same public profession before the enemies of Jesus as you were before his church?

That’s the question that Paul is encouraging Timothy to wrestle with, but it’s the question that you and I have to wrestle with. How important is your faith in Christ to you? What are you willing to give up for it?

Keep (v. 14)

Even with how intimidating that thought is, there’s some good news: if you’re willing to confess Christ in front of his enemies, not only will you have peace and a clear conscience, but more importantly you won’t be a reproach to Christ.

Look again at what Paul said in verse 14:

“keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

It’s not clear which commandment Paul has in mind in verse 14, it’s probably a reference to everything that he has charged Timothy with in this letter, but nevertheless, his overall point is crystal clear: if you remain faithful to Jesus Christ and obedient to the Word of God then you will not bring shame upon the name of Christ when he comes again.

Look again at verses 15-16:

“...he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 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.”

That is the God we confess.

One of the keys to remaining faithful to Jesus Christ is not only to reflect on what Jesus Christ has done, but it’s also important to reflect on the vastness and greatness of God.

And all of these things, verses 11-16 are ways to protect and guard your commitment, faithfulness, and love for Jesus Christ. How do you protect your commitment, your faithfulness, your love for Jesus Christ? You flee sin, pursue righteousness, fight for faith, take hold of eternal life, and keep his commandments.

Guard your heart (vv. 17-19)

Another way you protect your faithfulness to Christ is by protecting what you give your heart to. Perhaps you noticed, but it really seems like Paul spends a lot of time in chapter 6 on material wealth.

Earlier in chapter 6 Paul warned Timothy against becoming overly attached to the material world, when he warned him not to be a lover of money! But in verses 17-19, Paul focuses his attention not on the desires for wealth, but on those who were actually wealthy. Paul has a warning for the wealthy in verses 17-19:

“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. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 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.”

In many ways Paul is simply reiterating that we all, including the wealthy, should resist a love of money. Even those who have money should focus on remaining humble, not putting their hope in financial security, but setting their hope on God who provides everything.

He tells the wealthy where they should be “rich.” They should be rich in good works and generosity.

And by adopting a generous lifestyle they will, “store up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

A lifestyle of generosity is good for all people, but especially the wealthy because he or she is developing, building, and strengthening his or her own faith.

It’s Paul who famously quoted Jesus as saying, “it is better to give than to receive!” Generosity isn’t how you earn your way into heaven, rather, generosity is a testament to what you believe is true. Because if it was all gone, and you lost everything, but still had Christ would it be enough? Our hope should not be set on the things of this world, but that it’s set on Christ.

Guard the gospel (vv. 20-21)

But of course, to set your hope on Christ, to remain faithful to Christ you have to know and understand what Christ has done! It’s all interconnected. You cannot separate orthopraxy from orthodoxy.

The gospel is what drives the way we live, which is why it must be protected.

“O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith.”

Avoid the false doctrines of the world. Paul mentions knowledge, which in the Greek is gnōsis. After all, these false teachers had a “secret knowledge,” gnosticism that they were teaching. Paul says avoid that, and instead, guard the gospel.

And so, you and I must constantly be on guard. We must guard your faithfulness, guard your heart, and guard the gospel because one day Jesus is going to come again. In the meantime, He is building His Kingdom through the church.

And this is an incredibly helpful reminder for all of us this morning: despite the distractions, despite the allurements of the world, despite personal struggles that we all face, your faithfulness to Christ demonstrates the authenticity of your faith.

And the more reliant upon Christ each of us are personally, the stronger we’ll be as a church body.

Because that was, after all, Paul’s primary concern for the church in Ephesus! That they would press on as a faithful gospel witness to the world!

I can’t help but see a parallel between what we’ve spent the last several months looking at in 1 Timothy and our own church body here at Providence.

We have the playbook here for a faithful church don’t we?

We must guard our own faithfulness. Flee from sin and pursue godliness. Don't become enamored with the things of this world but generously give of yourself. And most importantly, guard the Gospel, the good deposit that has been entrusted to each of us. Because Jesus Christ is building His church and He's coming again! Amen.

Let’s pray.