Sunday, August 27, 2017

1 TIMOTHY 6:9-16 FERVENTLY FOLLOW AFTER FAITH

1 TIMOTHY 6:9-16
FERVENTLY FOLLOW AFTER FAITH

1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Susie: Paul is talking about people who have a consuming desire for more and more wealth. In the context, this refers back to the false teachers who see religion as a means to line their own pockets. However, the principle remains the same for all people— Greed leads to temptation.

Susan: Greed—having this world’s riches as one’s primary goal—promotes an endless cycle of gluttony. This results in sin in attitudes and actions that separates them from God. Money becomes their master. Therefore, their ultimate end is destruction.

Matthew 6:24 (AMP) No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].

Susie: This describes a person who is putting their trust in money and things rather than in the Lord Jesus Christ. Trusting their own ability to produce wealth and failing to acknowledge that everything is a gift from God is straying from the truth that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

Deuteronomy 8:18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Susie: Money itself is not evil because as we saw in the cross references from Deuteronomy and James above, God gives us the ability to earn and every good gift is from Him. It is the LOVE of money that causes the problem.

Notes from The MacArthur Study Bible:

Verse 10: Gold has replaced God for these apostates, who have turned away from pursuing the things of God in favor of money.

Susan: We learned in the previous lesson, that “godliness with contentment is great gain.” The opposite is true as well. Godlessness is fed by a gluttonous, greedy attitude. Discontent results from the delusion that grandeur can buy happiness.

1 Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Notes from The MacArthur Study Bible:

Verses 11-15 The man of God is known by what he: 1) flees from (v. 11); 2) follows after (v. 11); 3) fights for (v. 12); and 4) is faithful to (vv. 13, 14).

Susie: Timothy, and all who desire to live godly, contented lives, should flee these attitudes of greed and gluttony and their by-product of being willing to do anything, even sin, to gain more.

Susan: Instead, they are to passionately pursue the following:

·     Righteousness – having right relationship with God and people
·     Godliness – being set apart by God to be like Jesus in thought, word, and deed
·     Faith – having trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and being consistent (faithful) in that conviction and testimony
·     Love – loving in a social or moral sense rather than a response to emotion alone, choosing to love
·     Patience – to have perseverance, endurance, fortitude, wait with hope
·     Meekness – a humble attitude and demeanor

1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Susan: Paul encouraged Timothy to be tenacious in his faith in the fact that Jesus had called him to salvation. He was to continue testifying to eternal life through Jesus as he had already been doing. His perseverance in preaching the gospel was evidence of his calling from God.

Susie: Someone who has truly entrusted themselves to the Lord Jesus will exhibit a changed life and will continue to testify, to tell others how to have eternal life.

1 Timothy 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

Susie: Jesus Himself set the example of persevering in true testimony when He proclaimed Himself to be King of the Jews and therefore Messiah before Pontius Pilate even knowing this would lead to His death.

Susan: Paul exhorted Timothy not to be concerned with the consequences of his confession of faith in Jesus. Instead he was to proclaim the gospel, the good news of the scripture, boldly as God’s megaphone.

Susie: This instruction, though given directly to Timothy, applies to all who trust in Jesus. We are to faithfully share the gospel and proclaim the word of God found in the Bible until we die or the Lord returns.

Susan: Jesus who is God in the flesh is the Sovereign to whom Christians should give supreme allegiance.

Susie: God is the true King over all other kings.

1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Exodus 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Susan: Except in the person of Jesus Christ, God is a spirit and, therefore, invisible. He is too magnificent, awesome, and otherworldly for human eyes to experience.




QUESTIONS

1.       Is it sinful to be rich? Why or why not?
2.       Can a person depend on their money to make them happy? How is true contentment obtained?
3.       What should a Christian pursue more than wealth?
4.       Who is our example of fearlessly testifying to the truth of the Gospel?

5.       Why are we unable to see God with earthly eyes?

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