The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Timothy 1:18-19,
"Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith."
Paul encourages his young charge, Timothy, in the tasks given him. The specific command Paul references here is relative to false teaching, "As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies." 1 Timothy 1:3-4a.
I note in verses 18-19 that the word "faith" is used in two ways. The first is that capacity we all have of exercising trust, belief and confidence in the Lord. The second is articulated, "the faith" which references and is synonymous with what the early church called "the Way" (see John 14:6; Acts 9:2; Acts 19:9, etc.) or what we might call authentic Christianity. Not the "Christianity" as the term commonly used by the world today which throws into a big pot the hodgepodge of both authentic Christianity as well as all kinds of wacky imitations, adulterations and perversions.
The term "faith" is very prominent in this letter of Paul to his protege Timothy. I love this other term used in apostolic days to identify this new, fledgling movement, "the Way." The goal, the destination is assumed in that name: the kingdom of God - eternal life. "The Way" also indicates a prescribed path to how the destination is arrived at. That path, that "way" is faith. It is certainly easy to see how both terms, "the Faith" and "the Way" were adopted by the early church to denote their movement.
"Faith" as an attribute or capacity we all have to embrace the Lord in trust, belief and confidence is mentioned eight times in this letter, by my count. About faith Paul says:
"Such things [false teachings] promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith." 1:4.
"The goal of this command [to stop false teaching] is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1:5.
"The grace of our Lord was poured out on me [Paul] abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." 1:14.
"Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience..." 1:18-19a.
"But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety." 2:15.
"Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus." 3:13.
"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." 4:12.
"But you [Timothy], man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." 6:11.
From these eight passages on faith, I learn:
God's work is by faith.
One of the goals of the command to stop false teaching is a sincere faith.
Faith was poured out on Paul.
Faith is to be held on to.
We are to continue in the exercise of our faith (women in childbearing).
We can have great assurance in our faith.
We are (Timothy was) to set an example with the exercise of our faith.
We are to pursue faith.
"The faith", as an alias for "The Way" is mentioned eight times as well, again, by my count:
"...which [faith and a good conscience] some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith." 1:19.
"They [deacons] must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience." 3:9.
"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." 4:1.
"If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed." 4:6.
"Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 5:8.
"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." 6:10.
"Fight the good fight of the faith." 6:12.
"Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith." 6:20-21.
"Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith."
Paul encourages his young charge, Timothy, in the tasks given him. The specific command Paul references here is relative to false teaching, "As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies." 1 Timothy 1:3-4a.
I note in verses 18-19 that the word "faith" is used in two ways. The first is that capacity we all have of exercising trust, belief and confidence in the Lord. The second is articulated, "the faith" which references and is synonymous with what the early church called "the Way" (see John 14:6; Acts 9:2; Acts 19:9, etc.) or what we might call authentic Christianity. Not the "Christianity" as the term commonly used by the world today which throws into a big pot the hodgepodge of both authentic Christianity as well as all kinds of wacky imitations, adulterations and perversions.
The term "faith" is very prominent in this letter of Paul to his protege Timothy. I love this other term used in apostolic days to identify this new, fledgling movement, "the Way." The goal, the destination is assumed in that name: the kingdom of God - eternal life. "The Way" also indicates a prescribed path to how the destination is arrived at. That path, that "way" is faith. It is certainly easy to see how both terms, "the Faith" and "the Way" were adopted by the early church to denote their movement.
"Faith" as an attribute or capacity we all have to embrace the Lord in trust, belief and confidence is mentioned eight times in this letter, by my count. About faith Paul says:
"Such things [false teachings] promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith." 1:4.
"The goal of this command [to stop false teaching] is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1:5.
"The grace of our Lord was poured out on me [Paul] abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." 1:14.
"Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience..." 1:18-19a.
"But women will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety." 2:15.
"Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus." 3:13.
"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." 4:12.
"But you [Timothy], man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." 6:11.
From these eight passages on faith, I learn:
God's work is by faith.
One of the goals of the command to stop false teaching is a sincere faith.
Faith was poured out on Paul.
Faith is to be held on to.
We are to continue in the exercise of our faith (women in childbearing).
We can have great assurance in our faith.
We are (Timothy was) to set an example with the exercise of our faith.
We are to pursue faith.
"The faith", as an alias for "The Way" is mentioned eight times as well, again, by my count:
"...which [faith and a good conscience] some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith." 1:19.
"They [deacons] must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience." 3:9.
"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." 4:1.
"If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed." 4:6.
"Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 5:8.
"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." 6:10.
"Fight the good fight of the faith." 6:12.
"Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith." 6:20-21.
From these eight passages I learn of "the Faith" (of "the Way"):
People can suffer "shipwreck" in regard to "the faith."
"The faith" holds deep truths.
"The faith" can be abandoned.
We can be "nourished" on the truths of "the faith."
We can deny "the faith" by our actions.
We can wander from "the faith."
"The faith" is something we need to fight for.
We can depart from "the faith."
I do not understand that bringing shipwreck to "the faith", abandoning "the faith", denying "the faith", wandering from "the faith", and departing from "the faith" indicates in any way the prospect that someone can loose a salvation that was already theirs. These passages do, however, point to the reality that some can profess a faith that they subsequently turn from, indicating their profession of faith was not a real, saving faith in the first place. Also, I see that genuine believers can do damage to "the faith", as well as themselves, by allowing themselves to be drawn away or wandering from it on their own. I see the immoral brother of 1 Corinthians 5 as an example of this, as well as the folks who are the objects of Paul's direction in 1 Corinthians 5:9-14. It is my perspective that Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is a further example of this.
In any event, look at the rich material we have on both faith as our capacity for trust, belief and confidence in the Lord, as well as "the faith", the movement spawned by our Lord and brought to the world through his apostles!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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