“Real Christianity”
(1 Timothy 6:11-16, 20-21)
Series: Reality Check: Keeping it Real at FBC
Rev. Todd A. Linn, PhD
First Baptist Church Henderson, KY (1-4-09) (AM)
- Take God’s Word and open to 1 Timothy, chapter 6.
This morning we finish our short study of the book of 1 Timothy. Our series has been entitled, “Reality Check” and we’ve been concerned with “Keeping it Real” here at First Baptist. This morning’s message is in keeping with that theme and is entitled, “Real Christianity.”
I have said before that when we read this short letter from Paul to Timothy we are, in fact, reading someone else’s mail. We’re reading a letter the Apostle Paul wrote specifically to Timothy but, because of the content of this letter—Paul’s concern for the teaching of truth in the church—that this letter is written to us, as well. The beauty of the Word of God is that it applies to every one of us in every age and in every situation. So Paul has written this passage to a young man acting as a pastor of a church in Ephesus in AD 64. And yet, at the same time, this passage applies in a broad way to every person who is interested in what we may rightly call “Real Christianity.”
- Stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word.
Remember the context. Paul has just been talking about false teachers and others who, in their greedy pursuit of money and material things have strayed from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Paul now contrasts those kind of people—people of the world—with people of God. You see that in verse 11, “But you, O man of God.”
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.
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 wandered from the faith. Grace be with you.
- Pray.
Introduction:
Early last year television news outlets reported the interesting story of John Corcoran. Corcoran was a teacher for nearly two decades, teaching high school for nearly 17 years. What made John Corcoran’s story interesting was that during those 17 years, this high school teacher—whose responsibilities included the teaching of English grammar—could not himself read. Corcoran had bluffed his way through elementary school, high school, two junior colleges and then the University of Texas at El Paso. Aided by an athletic scholarship and his cheating abilities, Corcoran graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor’s degree in education and business administration.
In time, Corcoran could not continue the ruse and some years after having retired as a high school teacher he finally learned how to read through a tutor and eventually wrote the book, The Teacher Who Couldn’t Read: One Man’s Triumph Over Illiteracy.
It’s a fascinating story because we marvel at how it is possible for a teacher to teach when he himself doesn’t even know how to read. How can someone keep up this deception for so long without ever having been found out? What is it like to pretend that you are someone you are not? What is it like to be a fraud and pass yourself off as legit?
The last thing the true Christian wants to be thought of is a pretender, or a fraud or a fake. The true Christian wants to be known as a legitimate, real follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, a lover of God. This passage of Scripture gives some identifiable characteristics that mark the true Christian. There are some marks by which true Christians are to be known. There are four main marks here in the text. If we ask, “How are Christians to be known” we would find these four identifiable characteristics of true Christians.
Now these four, incidentally, are nearly universal among commentators and expositors. You will find the wording of these four characteristics—all of them including words that begin with the letter “F,” among most popular preachers and writers I think in large part because they just naturally surface from the text. How are true Christians to be known? First:
I. By what we Flee from (11a)
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things
From what does the true Christian flee? Well, a number of things to be sure, but in the context of this letter Paul has in mind the things he has previously addressed. Most immediately, he has in mind the greedy behavior of those who love money. That’s what he’s just been addressing. Verse 10, “for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” That’s the way of a man of the world, Timothy, but you are a man of God. “But you, O man of God, flee these things.”
True Christians are known by what they flee from. Flee from a love of money and greed. Now we won’t go further on this because we addressed it last time when we talked about contentment and covetousness. But at the very least we would be wise to pause for a moment and resolve—along with whatever other New Year resolutions we have made—to purpose in our hearts to flee from greed.
True Christians are known by what they flee from. Not only greed, but the wider context suggests Paul probably also has in mind the things he mentioned back in v. 4, things like pride, an argumentative spirit, envy, strife and reviling.
Time does not permit a thorough treatment of each of these negative behaviors and most are self-explanatory. In fact, all of them could arguably be condensed into the first one: pride. In the context of Paul’s letter, this behavior from which true Christians will flee, is a behavior in which one person in the church habitually promotes himself or herself before others. You can detect this kind of behavior in a person immediately. There is a smugness about him, a haughty spirit lacking in Christ-like humility. This person is always wanting others to come up to him or her and fawn over them. They have an insatiable desire for others to love them as much as they love themselves. They don’t come to a gathering such as this to ask about others, to reach out to others. They come so that others will come up to them. It is a miserable state of existence, an inward self-love that leads to division and destruction. Flee from that grotesque behavior. True Christians are known by what they flee from. Secondly, true Christians are known:
II. By what we Follow after (11b)
So it’s not just that we’re “against” some things. We’re also “for” some things. We’re known not only by what we flee from, but by what we follow after. What are we to follow after? There are six things here:
and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience (or endurance), gentleness.
“Righteousness” refers to personal integrity and purity. We are to pursue that, to follow after it. “Godliness” has in view the way we carry ourselves before a watching world. If righteousness refers to personal integrity then godliness refers to public integrity. We are people of good character in the workplace and at school and in our communities.
“Faith” refers to growing in our faith or the idea of faithfulness, commitment to the Lord and His church. “Love” is self-explanatory and probably best sums-up all of these positive characteristics. Jesus said in John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples: that you have love for one another.”
I wonder how much we Christians really love one another. We’re talking about “Real Christianity,” but I am afraid there exists a great deal of “Unreal Christianity,” a nominal or superficial or artificial Christianity in much of our churches. Do you have a real love for the people sitting around you? How about the people across the room from you? How about that challenging person in your Sunday school class? How about that person who hurt you? Follow after love.
“Patience” is probably better translated, “endurance” or “perseverance.” It’s the “Don’t quit” characteristic. True Christians don’t quit. I see a lot of people quit. They make some profession of faith, but they don’t endure. They quit. Someone hurt their feelings or didn’t call them like they were hoping or didn’t rise to their expectations and they’re gone. They just quit. True Christians don’t live for themselves so they can endure. They persevere. They follow after endurance. “Gentleness” can also be translated as “meekness.” Remember that meekness is not—what?—weakness. Meekness is rather the idea of controlled strength. It’s like having all the power in the world to say or do something that will harm someone and make you look good, but your love for Jesus and your love for that person leads you to control your strength and to pursue a more Christ-like action. That’s gentleness. That’s meekness.
So how are you doing on these things? Think about them. Make a list and check it out from time to time. True Christians are known by what we flee from, what we follow after and, thirdly:
III. By what we Fight for (12)
12 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.
It is often pointed out that the word “fight” there is the Greek word from which we get “agonize.” It was frequently used to describe military fighting or the work of an athlete fighting for victory. And what is the Christian fighting for? He or she is fighting “the good fight of faith.” That is, he or she is battling the enemy in this fallen world, living for the Lord Jesus Christ in the midst of so many trials and temptations. Again the idea of perseverance and endurance is in view.
We are to “lay hold on eternal life.” That is, as we battle in this world we must remember the ultimate prize is life in Christ. We grab hold of it and we don’t let go. It is this life to which we were “called and have confessed, the “good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
Paul likely has in view here Timothy’s public profession of faith that was evidenced in his baptism. When I baptize people I ask them, “Have you in fact received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?” They reply, “Yes.” Then I ask, “And is it your desire to walk in a new way of life in Christ?” They reply, “Yes” and they are baptized in the presence of many witnesses. This seems to be what Paul has in mind here in verse 12. Timothy lay hold of eternal life in Christ and made that decision public through the ordinance of baptism, a time during which he “confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
So remember your confession. Remember that you have grabbed hold of eternal life in Christ and “fight the good fight of faith.” Endurance and perseverance is in view.
When I was at my father-in-law’s in Atlanta the other day, the TV was tuned to one of the sports channels and we found ourselves watching these cage-fighting competitions. These guys battle one another inside of a cage wearing these small gloves, not like boxing gloves—much smaller, and they’re kicking each other and hitting each other. Great sport! (Come to think of it: I don’t remember the ladies being in the room at the time). I was watching the featherweight champion defend his title and one of the comments made over and over again was how “conditioned” he was. And it was evident. The guy was just in excellent shape. This served as a great advantage to him because when the two found themselves pressed against the cage or down on the floor, his opponent would be taking a quick breather while the champ just kept battling. Most would be resting for a moment or two, but the guy never rested because he was so well-conditioned. And this is the best way for us to fight the good fight of faith. We must always be ready for a long, sustained battle. Know the Word. Read the Word. Study it. Live it. Listen to the preaching of it. Be conditioned to fight.
True Christians are known by what they flee from, follow after, fight for and, finally:
IV. By what we’re Faithful to (13-21)
13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing,
Paul is saying, “Timothy, keep your confession.” Stay faithful to the Lord. Don’t back down. Don’t give in. And Paul gives our Lord Jesus Christ as an example to follow. Christ Jesus “witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate.” That is, in the Gospels, when Jesus Christ stood before Pontius Pilate, He did not cave. He stood his ground. You do the same, Timothy. Stay faithful to the Lord.
And perhaps as an added incentive, Paul says God the Father is watching and Christ Jesus is watching, and Christ Jesus will soon return to reign with those who are faithful to Him. Our Lord Jesus Christ will return, Paul says, at a time of God’s own choosing. Verse 15:
15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
That’s just a nice doxology or praise there at the end of the passage. Verses 15 and 16 refer to God as “the blessed and only Potentate (or Sovereign), King of kings and Lord of lords” and, furthermore, the One “how alone has immortality.” That is, it is God’s nature to be immortal. We are immortal only through Christ. And God is holy: “dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power.”
Now we dealt with verses 17-19 last time so skip down to the last two verses of the book, verses 20-21 and read this little “P.S.,” this postscript, which is really not so little, after all. Paul continues talking about our being known by what we’re faithful to. We’re faithful to the Lord and faithful to the Truth. Verses 20-21:
20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge —
21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.
Paul says, Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust! That is, “Guard the Truth!” Be faithful to the Word! It contains the precious treasure of the Gospel! It has been entrusted to your care so guard it with your life.
As pastor of this great church I have this solemn responsibility to guard what has been committed to my trust. Guard the truth of the Gospel. How? By teaching it correctly and warning about those who teach otherwise.
Paul says, “avoiding the profane and idle babblings (that is, “empty talk”) and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge.” Avoid that stuff. See that it is not taught in the church. There’s a lot of false stuff out there against which the pastor must speak. Why? Because, verse 21, “by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.” That is, some have left true Christianity altogether.
Now that’s how it ends! Oh, we have the nice concluding phrase to Timothy, “Grace be with you, amen,” but the last thing Paul says is that some followed after false teaching, a false kind of supposed “knowledge” and wandered away from the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see, this whole letter is about the church getting under the corrective Word of God. It’s about knowing the truth and living the truth. We must regard the truth of the Gospel as a truth to be treasured, guarded, kept, followed. We must know the truth of God’s Word if we hope to win the everyday battles of life. We’ve got to know the precious promises if we ever hope to stand upon them. We must know the Word.
That’s why when I do counseling I tell people one of the best things they can do is get under the regular preaching and teaching of the Word of God. There’s just no substitute for getting under the twice-a-day preaching of the Word on Sundays and getting under the teaching of the Word in Sunday school and then reading the Word daily, using the Bible-reading guides that we provide or something similar.
Only by doing these things do we learn what it means to be a “Real Christian.” Only by doing these things do we avoid becoming a play actor or a pretender. Let’s be for real at school this week and at work this week. Let’s live the truth of the Word for the glory of God.
- Stand for prayer.
COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: The text contained in this sermon is solely owned by its author. The reproduction, or distribution of this message, or any portion of it, should include the author’s name. The author intends to provide free resources in order to inspire believers and to assist preachers and teachers in Kingdom work.