by Steve Hale
"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith..." ( 1 Timothy 6:11-12a, NKJV).
It's interesting that as Paul gives Timothy the Holy Spirit's qualifications for elders and deacons, He reminds him
to be the "man of God." Whether elders, deacons, preachers, or other Christian men, we must all be the men of God!
As men of God we must flee. Paul tells Timothy: "But you, a man of God, flee these things..." ( 1 Timothy 6:11). He's telling Timothy to flee from the love of money and material wealth. Why? First, godliness is more important (I Tim. 6:6). Second, we brought nothing into this world,
neither will we take anything out ( 1 Timothy 6:7). "Material things, even money, will be burned-up one day anyway. Third, travel lightly: "And having food and clothing, with these we shall be confunt" ( 1 Timothy 6:8). We weigh ourselves down with too much "stuff" and not enough righteousness ("the right stuff"). In vivid terms Paul tells Timothy why this is so.
(1) Those who desire wealth are led astray by their feeling of superiority and independence ( 1 Timothy 6:9). The coveting wealthy are too consumed with themselves rather than how they can glorify God with their wealth. Such self-pampering is spiritually destructive.
(2) "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" ( 1 Timothy 6:10). Money is not evil, but the love of money is. In fact, it "is a root of all kinds of evil." Murder, adultery, betrayal, conspiracy, vicious lies, gossip, and backbiting often take place in the unhealthy, covetous pursuit of money. Look at the vicious, step in your face corporate world. Look at the jockeying of worldly heirs!
(3) "...for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" ( 1 Timothy 6:11). Nothing is worth our souls, and by our influence, the souls of our children and wives.
The man of God will not sell out his soul or his influence. L-et us be men of God! More next week...
The above article appeared in the Mt. Juliet Messenger on October 26, 1997.
by Steve Hale
"But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness., Fight the good fight of faith..," (I Tim. 6:1-12a, NKJV).
As surely as men of God must flee materialism and the love of things, they also need to follow. Paul instructs Timothy that they must pursue or follow: "...righteousness, godliness, faith love, patience, and gentleness. This is not the worldly pattern of the self-centered, egotistical Hollywood hero. The man of God follows a far better pattern.
First, he follows after righteousness. God's man makes righteous living his passion. While understanding that Jesus died for our sins"...that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21), the man of
God no longer pursues sin, but righteousness. "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it" ( Romans 3:1-2)? The man of God has the right desire, and this desire takeshjm to the church, to his family, to making an honest living, and away from the sleaze all too common place by men of the world.
Second, he follows after godliness. The term godliness comes from eusebia which means: "piety, reverence, eu meaning "well" and sebomai meaning "devout," this denotes the piety which is characterized by a Godward attitude, and does that which is well pleasing to Him." .
The man of god exercised godliness in his life, looking for the crown of glory that is to come ( 1 Timothy 4:7-8).
He is dedicated to the doctrine whic:h accords godliness (1
Timothy 6:3). he finds contentment by means of godliness ( 1 Timothy 6:6). The bracelets with "WWJO" ("what would Jesus do") are activated in the life of the man of God as he follows godliness. .
Third, the man of God follows after faith. Faith (pistos) is that trust in God as a result of His overwhelming evidence ( Hebrews 11:1, 6; Romans 10:17). In practical terms, the man of God operates with an undying faith (2 Cor. 5:7). His faith sustains him in joy and adversity alike. He lives his life with a great faith in divine providence ( Romans 8:28).
Fourth, the man of God follows after love. This is the highest form of love, It's the love God manifested toward us when Christ died on the cross ( John 3: 16). It's the love we have for one another if we truly love God ( John 3:16-18; 1 John. 4:19-21). Unlike the cold, cruel world; the man of God reaches out to His brethren with love, and enjoys its reciprocal benefits ( John 13:1-17,33-35).
Fifth, the man of God follows after patience. He is motivated because he wants others to be patient with him, ( Matthew 7:12), and most of all, because he wants his God to be patient with him ( Matthew 18:21-35). but, this
patience is not only an attitude toward others, but the. �naurance of har.dship and trials for his faith ( James 1:12-13).
Sixth, the man of God follows after gentleness. This is "strength under control" ( Matthew 5:5). Originally, it meant taming that which was wild. Once, we were all wild and uncontrolled, but we've been tamed by the gospel (Eph. 2:12-13). Under God's control, energy and strength once wasted in the world. are now used to the benefit of the Kingdom! Tongues which once lied now speak the truth; feet that once were swift to mischief now do good deeds; hands that once stole, work that which is good (Eph. 4:28).
The above article appeared in the Mt. Juliet Messenger on November 2, 1997.
by Steve Hale
"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" ( 1 Timothy 6:11-12, NKJV).
As surely as men of God must flee materialism and the love of things, as surely as they need to follow: "...righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness," they also need to fight. This is not a worldly brawl, or tossing some drunk through a glass mirror. This is fighting "the good fight of faith."
How we need to fight! We're at war...war with Satan and all his angels. We are being accused before the throne day and night (Rev. 12:7-10; Job 1-2) and sifted like wheat ( Luke 22:31-32). Vividly, the Bible describes our accuser as "a great red dragon," "a roaring lion," and "the father of all lies." How can we possibly slumber or sleep?
Daniel Whitworth, in the July 1996 issue of the Gospel Advocate, gives a harrowing list of national sins and problems:
1. Violent crimes have increased by 500% in the last 30 years
2. One million teens get pregnant out of wedlock every year.
3. Suicide is now the third leading cause of death among our youth.
4. Divorce has increased 200% since 1960.
5. Our youth are growing up being manipulated, mesmerized and molded by television. Hollywood does not love God, yet the average Christian stares at TV an incredible 50 hours every week.
6. The most dangerous place for a child is not in the street but inside its mother's womb. Since 1973, more than 34 million innocent babies have been tortured to death by abortion.
7. God and prayer have been kicked out of our schools, and pre-marital sex education and condoms have been introduced.
8. Homosexuality has been given civil and religious rights.
9. Nearly every state (48 out of 50) has legalized gambling in some form.
10. Pornography is everywhere- movies, books, videos, magazines and now" cyberspace.
As men of God we must fight. We cannot afford to be silent or inactive any longer. We must take God's values to our homes, our nation, and the church!