After declaring
to Timothy, Paul's “dearly beloved son”, examples of
“vessels of honor” and “vessels of dishonor” to
describe those within the church, Paul told Timothy how to be a
“vessel of honor”. In chapter two and verse twenty-two of
his final letter to Timothy, Paul went on to tell Timothy to “flee
youthful lust” and then gave him four things he should “follow”
where we read:
Flee also
youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity,
peace,
with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
The
verse begins, “Flee also youthful lusts:”
Paul began with the word “Flee”
which means “seek safety by flight, shun, avoid, escape and vanish
from” “also” or
“moreover” “youthful”
which are “younger by a particular age” “lusts”
or “desires, cravings, longings and particularly desires for what
is forbidden”. Timothy was to run away and escape from desires
which were particularly attractive to those who are younger in age
which Timothy was.
The verse goes on to
say, “but follow righteousness,
faith, charity, peace,...” Paul
went on to add four characteristics which Timothy was to “follow”
as he declared, “but”
which is a disassociation conjunction meaning what is about to be
stated takes precedence over the previous words, “follow”
which means “to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to
run after or pursue” “righteousness”
which is “the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a
state approved of God, integrity, virtue,
purity of life, rightness and correctness of thinking feeling, and
acting”; Next Paul wrote, “faith”
which is “the conviction that God exists and is the creator and
ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation
through Christ and a strong and welcome conviction or belief that
Jesus is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the
kingdom of God”; Paul added, “charity”
which is the Greek word “agapē”
and
means “affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly and
unconditional love”; Finally Paul included, “peace”
which is “a state of tranquillity, harmony, accord and concord”.
Rather than pursuing “youthful
lusts”,
Timothy was to run after characteristics which were pleasing to God.
Finally Paul wrote,
“...with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
Not only was Timothy to pursue
these Godly traits himself, but also “with them that call
on” which means “alongside
those who put on the name of, are called by, surnamed and invoked by”
“the Lord” who is
“he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of
deciding and who is master with a title of reverence and respect”
particularly “the title given to God the Messiah” “out
of” or “from or by” “a
pure” which means “clean,
free from corrupt desire, sin, guilt and free from every
admixture of what is false”. It refers to what is “sincere
genuine, blameless, innocent and unstained with the guilt of
anything” “heart” or “the centre of all physical and
spiritual life which is the soul, mind, will, character, faculty and
seat of the intelligence and refers to middle or central or inmost
part”. Timothy was to “follow righteousness, faith,
charity, peace ” with those who had “pure hearts”
and who bear the name of “the Lord”.
When we
meditate upon Paul's words, we understand his exhortation to “flee”
“lusts” which are usually sought by younger people. The
attraction of the worldly things can promote coveting, and those who
are deceived by their empty promises will often seek them. Rather
than pursuing and running after empty things, Paul's desire for
Timothy and those who “call upon the name of the Lord” was
to seek after Godly traits such as “ righteousness, faith,
charity, peace”. Do we pursue
these? Have we taken the time lately to seek all four of these
characteristics in our lives? Do we seek them alongside others who
are pursuing them as well? Perhaps this is a good time to learn what
these traits truly are and begin adding them to our lives as the Lord
Jesus gives us the ability. Even so give us this desire and ability
Heavenly Father we pray, in Jesus' name, amen.
Next
time Paul tells Timothy what to do with “foolish and
unlearned questions”, so read
ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
http://www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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