Jesus Christ–Our Hope…

1 Timothy 1:18-19

“Timothy, my son, here are my instructions (charge) for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord's battles. Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked."

Paul had been entrusted with the gospel of Jesus Christ by Christ Himself

1 Timothy 1:1

This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope.

Paul did not take this fact lightly when it was time to pass on the job of guarding and propagating the truth to others, and then he shows his Gratitude to God for His Mercy in 1 Timothy 1:2,13-16

1 Timothy 1:2 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him,

1 Timothy 1:13-16even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief.Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.…This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"-and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

1 Timothy 1:15 a trustworthy saying.There are three other "trustworthy sayings" noted by the Apostle Paul (I Timothy 4:9; 2 Timothy 2:11; Titus 3:8), all in the pastoral epistles.

1 Timothy 4:9 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it.

2 Timothy 2:11This is a trustworthy saying:If we die with him, we will also live with him.

Titus 3:8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.

1 Timothy 1:15 I am the worst of them all. Right near the end of a uniquely fruitful Christian life, Paul still considered himself the worst of all sinners.

Earlier he had called himself "least of all the apostles"…I Corinthians 15:9…For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I'm not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God's church.

And later again the "least deserving of all God's people"…Ephesians 3:8…Though I am the least deserving of all God's people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.

Following his praise to God for giving him such a function, Paul now “urges" Timothy to follow in his footsteps. The word “cling" finds usage in banking vocabulary and implies a deposit of something of great value.

Timothy was to continue to teach the valuable, life-changing truth of the gospel in love

1 Timothy 1:5…The purpose of my instruction(“charge” or “commandment.”)is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith

The Greek noun parangelia and its corresponding verb paranello appear six times in the book of 1 Timothy, translated as either “charge” or “commandment.” Paul was quite concerned for his young disciple Timothy and went to great effort to remind him of the truth and charge him to keep it and encourage its keeping in the lives of those in his care. Let us briefly look at these charges.

1 Timothy 1:18-19 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions (charge) for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord's battles. Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.

1 Timothy 6:13-14“And I charge you before God, who gives life to all, and before Christ Jesus, who gave a good testimony before Pontius Pilate, that you obey this command without wavering. Then no one can find fault with you from now until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again".

In a similar vein, Paul knew the dangers of false doctrine. And that Timothy should be guarding the flock against influence of false teachers. …1Timothy 1:3…When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. Don't let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations,[a] which don't help people live a life of faith in God.[]

Paul warning against false teachings and their refutations, …1Timothy 4:1-10

Warnings against False Teachers

Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead.[a]

3 They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth.4 Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.5 For we know it is made acceptable[] by the word of God and prayer.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

6 If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters,[c] Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed.7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives' tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly.8 "Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come."9 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it.10 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle,[d] for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.

Paul concludes, These things command and teach(4:11).

1Timothy 4:11

Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them.

…Even those who nominally adhere to proper teaching need direction.

1Timothy 6:17

"Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment."

Paul had not found such a responsibility to be easy. In our text he reminds Timothy of this fact, encouraging him to “fight well in the Lord's battles."

Note the two weapons of Timothy's warfare mentioned here.…1, faith, which, while not specified, certainly implies faith in God and Christ's atoning sacrifice, and faith that this cause is just and right. …2, a good conscience, yielding a life and ministry free from both controlling sin and the guilt of that sin. Such a conscience comes from a lifestyle brought into submission to God's Word. In fact, this couplet–faith and a good conscience– along with love is said to be “The purpose of my instruction " v.5,

Some (v. 19) had abandoned these vital weapons to the “shipwreck" of their own faith and the faith of their followers.

Nevertheless, such weapons, properly used, are “mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds"

2 Corinthians 10:4

We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.

In a similar vein, Paul knew the dangers of false doctrine. “I besought thee . . . that thou mightestcharge some that they teach no other doctrine” (1:3). Following a discussion of specific false teachings (4:1-10) and their refutations, Paul concludes, “These things command and teach” (4:11).

Even those who nominally adhere to proper teaching need direction. “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God” (6:17).

Living up to these charges (commandments) brings real benefit in this life as well as in eternity, as we see in our text a pure heart full of agape love, a conscience unfettered by sin and false doctrine, and a strong faith, not weakened by hypocrisy.

If we would be disciples, we should mind the charges given to Timothy.