“Last Words” (1 Timothy 6:11–21)

“Last Words” (1 Timothy 6:11–21)
Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Wednesday PM, June 3, 2015

1 Timothy 6:6–21 (NIV)

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Final Charge to Timothy

¹¹ But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you ¹⁴ to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

²⁰ Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, ²¹ which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.

Grace be with you all.

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1.    The highest pursuit in life is God’s eternal kingdom and righteousness (vv. 11–16).

a.    Pursuing God means running away from lesser pursuits and running after God’s righteousness (v. 11).
b.    The pursuit of God’s righteousness involves spiritual warfare and diligent effort (vv. 11–12).
c.    The faithful pursuit of God is a continual reaching forward to grasp eternal life, not resting on a one time confession of faith (v. 12).

• The genuineness of our past confession is measured by our enduring loyalty to it throughout our lives.

d.    The pursuit of God is a Christlike blameless holiness until his return (vv. 13–14).
e.    We pursue God and his righteousness because he is the highest and greatest being, who is worthy of all of our love, devotion, and worship (vv. 15–16).

2.    Material wealth can be used for good in our pursuit of God’s kingdom, but it also presents many dangers (vv. 17–19).

a.    The danger of pride, countered by humility (v. 17).
b.    The danger of self-provision and false security, countered by trust in God’s provision (v. 17).
c.    The danger of the closed fist, countered by good works and generosity (v. 18)
d.    The danger of missing eternal life (v. 19), countered by seeking God’s kingdom first (v. 19; Matt 6:33).

3.    The pursuit of God’s kingdom involves our utmost care and diligence for all of life (vv. 20–21).

a.    We have a responsibility to guard the gospel, to which our faith is anchored (v. 20).
b.    We must resist error, which seeks to undermine the gospel (v. 20).
c.    We must be aware of the consequences of losing the gospel (v. 21).