Tag: feature

By Shereen Ghobrial

What is the Internet to you? Is it your morning newspaper, your recipe book of savory dishes for your family, or a social media portal for sharing news with your friends? Or, is it a monster trying to steal your soul? There are many myths about the Internet due to lack of information and because of personal assumptions developed through the opinions and experiences of others. Let us ask our first question again from a different perspective. What is the Internet to you, as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ? How do you see the Internet revolution from the Biblical perspective? How can you avoid some of the dangers of the Internet? These are some of the questions that we will try to answer together.

How Can The Internet Help Me Grow Spiritually?• Affordable And Accessible Resources. We all learn through different ways. Some prefer to read; others prefer to listen or watch a lecture (or a ministry). The Internet has a wealth of spiritual contents for all of us. Online, you can read books, listen to audio books or spiritual songs, or watch Biblically sound lectures. Most of that material is completely free, which eliminates the cost hindrance of accessing Christian material that can build you up spiritually.

In addition to reducing or eliminating the cost hindrance, the Internet has made that material easily accessible. Gone are the days where you cannot get a book because it is out of print or the bookstore has it on backorder. You can find a book that you like on Amazon, order it with one click, and it will appear on your tablet after a couple of minutes. For those of us who would prefer regular hard copy books, the Internet still makes it easy to find the book you are looking for and order it online.

Another aspect that is very useful is the portability of all this material. With smart phones and tablets accessing the Internet, you can have access anywhere to volumes of books that won’t fit in your normal suitcase. This can become very handy when you are commuting in a train and need to read the Bible, or if you are having a discussion with friends about a specific verse and want to consult your favorite commentary or Bible dictionary.

• Fellowship. Have you attended a virtual meeting? There are conferences and ministry meetings being streamed live on the Internet. Social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and Vimeo, has enabled all of us to share photos and news over the Internet. This includes meditations that touched us, invitations to gospel or revival meetings, and prayer requests. Many Christians use these social media tools for tighter fellowship across continents and for edification of saints in remote areas of the earth.

• Gospel Outreach. Brother Andrew from the Netherlands was known as “God’s smuggler” for his great service in bringing Bibles across the Eastern European border, which was then known as the “Iron Curtain.” Near the end of the last century the Iron Curtain disappeared and the Berlin Wall was destroyed. However, there are other walls and curtains, metaphorically speaking, existing around the world, especially in the Muslim world. Some of these walls are now falling apart because the gospel is reaching people across the Internet. Governments have devised different rules and controls to limit the spread of the outreach websites, but the technology is allowing everyone to access anything on the Internet (this can be bad in some cases!).

• Bible Study Tools. Computer technology has provided numerous tools to help personal and group Bible studies. Many of those Bible study tools are available on the Internet for easy access. For example, BibleGateway.com provides Bible translations in dozens of languages, with search functions, audio Bibles, devotionals and reading plans. YouVersion.com provides similar functions with more coverage for mobile devices. This means you can do a topical word search in your smart phone for a specific word or phrase, look up a verse in another Bible translation, and even find the original meaning in Hebrew or Greek using a Bible dictionary. Many of those tools, such as WordSearchBible.com, link a given Bible text to various Bible commentaries available online for you for free or for a small cost.

All these tools save time, but they do not eliminate the effort. A Bible study that would have taken Christians many hours 20 years ago, can now be done in less than an hour. That said, we still need the motivation and desire to study the Scriptures and dig for ourselves. The time saving should encourage us to do more, frequent and deeper personal Bible studies for our building up and for the edification of our brothers and sisters in Christ. How Can The Internet Cause Danger To My Spiritual Life?• Personal Relationships. The introduction of social media had irreversible impact on our social life that will last and grow in the next generations. Like a true social club, joining a group or being a friend or follower to another person has its own impact on human behavior. According to a study conducted by the universities of Birmingham, Edinburgh and the West of England,¹ over-sharing photography on social media causes negative effects on real life relationships. This is due to the fact we do not anticipate who will look at our photos or news and how they will react. According to another study,² social media websites are now contributing factors in divorces. Research indicates that one in seven married individuals “have considered divorce because of their spouse’s postings of Facebook or other online sites.”

As fallen human beings, we strive to get our self-worth from what people think of us. The larger number of “likes” we get for a posted picture gives confidence that we are loved or at least “liked” by many. But what happens if we do not get enough “likes”? That might cause us to feel alienated and isolated. As Christians we are reminded by the Lord to “stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?” (Isa. 2:22 ESV). Our true worth is not coming from people who love us, but from the Mighty God who created us and gave His Son to redeem us.

Another danger of social media is the fact not everyone is using it. You might start a conversation or an event in a social media website and assume everyone will check it out and get informed. However, by doing that you have already left out many of your brothers and sisters in Christ who might not have access to that website, and hence, they will be alienated. One can argue that in this age everyone should have access to the Internet and social media. For that argument we have the admonition of Paul to the Ephesians: “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2).

The dangers of social media alienation can also apply to email discussions or blogging websites. We have to remember three things:

• These are just tools for us to use,
• Our value is drawn from the Lord, and
• We need to be inclusive of all our brothers and sisters.

• Addiction. Did you meet anyone with IAD? With the invasion of the Internet, we now have individuals diagnosed with Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD), also known as Problematic Internet Use or Compulsive Internet Use (CIU). According to the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery,³ Internet addiction is an impulse control disorder caused by emotional attachment similar to pathological gambling. Here are some of the symptoms of Internet addiction:

• Occupied with the Internet all the time (thinking about past and future Internet experiences; such as blogging, chatting and browsing).
• A gradual increase of time spent on the Internet, and that usually leads to staying online longer than originally planned.
• Failed attempted to stop or cut back on Internet usage.
• Withdrawal symptoms (discomfort, moody, irritation) when not using the Internet for a long time.
• Willing to risk relationships, career or educational opportunities because of Internet use. This may include lying or hiding facts about personal use of the Internet.
• The Internet becomes the friend or outlet to relieve stress and escape from problems.

Naturally, the results of Internet addiction can be severe on personal relationships, careers, finances and health. The Bible is very clear: “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Cor. 6:12). If I become a slave to the Internet, then I should seek freedom from that new master by seeking the freedom I have in Christ. “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (Jn. 8:36).

The best way to avoid Internet addiction is to ensure that you are getting your full satisfaction and pleasure from the Lord and fellowship with His people. The Internet will then be just a tool, not a virtual world for satisfaction. We have a responsibility toward our children and youth to create healthy environments in our families and churches to foster strong Christian relationships and spiritually nourish the younger generations.

If someone falls into the trap of Internet addiction, the first step to recovery is to admit the failure. Then one must seek help from the Lord and, quite possibly, an addiction professional.

• Laziness. With the abundance of spiritual resources on the Internet, one can be tempted to be lazy. Why would you memorize verses if you can easily search for them online? Why would you dig into and study the Bible by yourself if there are abundant Bible commentaries online? Even worse, why would you go to a meeting if you can hear a sermon online? These are snares that come with the privileges of the Internet.

The wise man said, “Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence [idleness] the house leaks” (Eccl. 10:18). This is also true for spiritual growth. If we do not invest enough effort and time in our spiritual growth, we will not reap any results. The Lord’s plan for our lives is not about gaining information. Rather, it is about changing our hearts and characters to be more like Him. This will happen by memorizing verses (Col. 3:16) – not by simply searching for them online. This will happen by personal Bible study (1 Tim. 4:13), instead of just reading about the Bible. This will happen by personally attending and participating, as is appropriate, in assembly meetings – not just by filling our minds with good spiritual thoughts. What is the use of spiritual food if it does not lead us to congregational worship with the local saints!

Paul was clear to the Galatians when he said, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:7-8). The Internet is a good tool to enrich our spiritual life, but it has to be complemented with personal effort and time.

• Wasting Time. It was mentioned before that one of the symptoms of Internet addiction is the amount of time spent online and how it is usually more than originally planned. Even if going online is not an addiction for you, think of the amount of time you spend doing emails, checking Facebook pages or just browsing for a new gadget you want to buy.

According to some statistics,⁴ teenagers spend more than a day per week online – 27 hours to be exact. Think about how many church meetings they could have attended or how many Bible chapters and spiritual books they could have read during that time. It is time that is gone with no return.

With that said, we have to be careful to distinguish between “spent” and “wasted.” If our priorities are correct and we use our time wisely on the Internet, we should have no wasted time even if we spend many hours online. The trick is to apply Paul’s hints in assessing “things,” including the Internet. First, is it helpful? “‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things build up” (1 Cor. 10:23). There are many activities that we can do online that are helpful to us and to the saints of God. This is not a wasted time because it is used for building up. Second, is it addictive? “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything” (6:12). If going online starts to dominate my behavior and occupy my thoughts, I am falling under addiction and I should stop this time-wasting activity.

• Easier Exposure To Sin. This is the most commonly realized danger of the Internet. With the benefits of having many spiritual resources free and accessible comes the danger of also having dangerous materials free and accessible. The most dangerous of all is Internet pornography, which is a $3 billion per year industry. In spite of its clear danger, statistics among Christians are very alarming. According to CovenantEyes,⁵ 64% of Christian men indicated they watch porn once a month. The danger on our youth is unprecedented. Nine out of ten boys and six of every ten girls are exposed to it before the age of 18. We can try to build cages to protect our children and youth, but that alone won’t work since 70% of them acquire their online behavior from their parents! The danger is there and it is real; what can we do to protect ourselves and our children?

First, we have to realize that watching porn is a sin. It is an act of adultery (Mt. 5:28) and an unnatural way to attain sexual excitement (2 Tim. 3:4). Hence, the Bible instructs us to stay away from it (Eph. 5:3). Watching porn causes wrong excitement and that messes with our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19-20; 1 Th. 4:4). As a sin, it grieves the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30) and it does not bring glory to God (Col. 3:17).

Second, we have to understand its dangers. Because it generates a special addiction it has severe results, including a continuous feeling of guilt, the loss of self-respect, the failure to have a healthy relationship with the opposite sex, and the destruction of one’s marriage. Also, addiction leads to escalation, which may lead to violence and criminal behavior.

Third and most important, we need to be occupied with the Lord. We all know that “one who is full loathes honey, but to one who is hungry everything bitter is sweet” (Prov. 27:7). If we are satisfied and occupied with the Lord, we won’t go hunting for cheap pleasures from the enemy.

For our children, there are many tools on the Internet that can help provide parental control. But they are only tools that can help. The best assistance we can give them is to plant the Word of God in their hearts richly so they can experience Paul’s admonition to the Thessalonians: “Test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Th. 5:21-22).

• Are You Digitally Sanctified? The Internet has already invaded our lives and we have three options on how to react to this invasion. The first option is “ignoring it.” We can avoid using emails and social media, pretending the Internet is a completely evil thing. This approach might work for a short period, but it will cause a big gap with the younger generations. The second option is to completely embrace it. This means we jump on every new app, check every new website and post every detail of our lives on social media for the whole world to know. This approach will negatively impact our time, security and spiritual life. The third, and my recommended approach, is to “harness it.” This means we use the Internet in a controlled fashion. Instead of letting the Internet control our time and heart, we should control it to get the best benefit while avoiding its dangers.

As was mentioned, the Internet is a tool that we can use for good or bad. We should consider all aspects of our life, including the use of the Internet, as ways to honor and glorify God: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). GT

END NOTES
1. See British Telegraph 12 Aug 2013, link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10238047/Facebook-over-sharers-alienate-real-life-friends.html
2. See British MailOnline, 29 April, 2015, link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3061616/Facebook-Twitter-factor-one-seven-divorces.html
3. For more information, check: http://www.addictionrecov.org/Addictions/index.aspx?AID=43
4. The Telegraph. For more details, see: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/digital-media/11597743/Teenagers-spend-27-hours-a-week-online-how-Internet-use-has-ballooned-in-the-last-decade.html
5. For more statistics, you can visit their website: http://www.covenanteyes.com/pornstats/

By Alfred Bouter

The so-called new age movement is very old – its beginnings are found in the garden of Eden. There the serpent seduced Eve (Gen. 3:1-6), and Adam became disobedient having transgressed God’s command (Rom. 5:14). More than 4,000 years later the apostle Paul warned the recently saved believers in Corinth to be careful so they would not be deceived by the serpent and his tactics or wiles of subtle deception (2 Cor. 11:2-4). Today this warning is more relevant than ever, for the enemy continues to attack in many different ways.

We thank the Lord that the Devil cannot undo the salvation we have as believers. Despite this truth, the Evil One tries to capture and control us, seeking to prevent us from living for Christ in this world. Therefore it is of the utmost importance that we have the right attitude, in honest self-judgment, and make sure that we do not walk according to the flesh even though we still walk in the flesh (2 Cor. 10:3). We should be in tune with God, relying on Him and His Word in true obedience because of love for Him.

Instead of trusting self, following outward appearance, or pleasing man or self, we should follow Christ’s example and not give any room to the Devil. All of Satan’s wiles and efforts failed when he attacked the Lord Jesus (Mt. 4:1-11), and we learn from Him as we take His yoke upon us (11:29). That is why it is so important for us to cast down wrong things; even though they seem to be right, they are in reality human strongholds of thought, opinion and prejudice. For this purpose we need to make everything, including ourselves, subject to the obedience of Christ. Everything needs to be tested by that measuring stick. Rather than following human influence, position or honor, we must obey Him and Him alone (2 Cor. 10:4-5). That is why we need to put on and keep on the full armor of God (consider Eph. 6:10-20).

A Multi-Faced System
The new age movement has many different names, concepts and ideas. They are linked loosely together in apparent harmony, yet sometimes they oppose each other. At the same time all these forms have some things in common. It is like an octopus with many tentacles: if one tentacle doesn’t get you, another will try. Likewise, this dangerous movement has numerous faces, attracting a lot of people in the western world in many different ways.

One such way is yoga. The “2016 Yoga In America Study” conducted by Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance shows that the number of people practicing yoga in the United States has increased to more than 36 million, up from 20.4 million in 2012. These people spend US$16 billion per year on yoga classes, clothing, equipment and accessories. However there are other matters related to the new age practice of yoga of great concern.

Some Quotes From A Few Experts
Caryl Matrisciana was involved in yoga, but the Lord in His grace liberated her from its yoke. She described the dangers of yoga in this manner: To experience the stilling or emptying of the mind, yoga practitioners must first master the physical postures and movements of yoga meditation. The physical exercises, themselves a religious Hindu ritual, are designed to bring a person into contact with spiritual beings.

Speaking of her yoga sessions, Cindy Senarighi said she noticed she was “in the presence of God in a way that I had never been before. The more I practiced, the more I experienced God’s presence.”¹ Yoga positions facilitate altered states of mind so one may experience a mystical presence. But does yoga facilitate God’s presence? Can the use of a mantra or yoga meditation really bring Christ into our lives? George Alexander, the author of Yoga, The Truth Behind The Posture, answers this important question: “You cannot force Jesus to come into your life. But [a] mantra is something that … force[s] a spirit to come into your life. [The] Bible very clearly teaches you cannot force the Spirit of God to come into your life by just repeating His name.”²

Scripture shows that the presence of God cannot be manipulated by man’s desire for His presence. One is granted access to the biblical God only through Jesus Christ His Son, who declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (Jn. 14:6 KJV). A born-again Christian has a personal connection with God because of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus has promised to abide with us as we abide in Him, through His grace and the power of His Spirit. There are no body movements or special positions necessary to bring one into communion with God’s Spirit. Jesus Christ made the only possible connection to God.

Demonic Influences
Satan’s servants, however, easily make contact with individuals using visualization, imaging techniques, mantras and so forth. In people’s minds, demons are able to make themselves appear as benevolent or superior beings – even as Jesus Christ Himself. Through Eastern meditation techniques, many mistake evil spirits appearing as Jesus for the actual Lord Jesus Christ. Yet the real Jesus is the only way to God the Father – no one else can also be a way to God: not Mary, an angel, a spirit claiming to be Jesus, nor any other being.

God is not deceived by appearances, and putting Christian labels on conjuring techniques does not change His mind about them. No matter what conjures up a spirit, it is always an offense to Him and sin for mankind. This includes ignorantly conjuring up a spirit by the “Kundalini” energy “released” by yoga exercises. Deliberately conjuring up spirit guides through meditation, the silence, or contemplative prayer is all part of enchantment or divination – “discovering things secret by the aid of superior beings, or other than human means.”³ God clearly forbids this kind of activity: “Ye shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times … Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God” (Lev. 19:26,31).

Interestingly, George Alexander also said that the serpent “is a very prominent deity” in Hinduism. He explained the significance: “If you look in the picture of Lord Shiva in Hinduism, you see a snake wrapped around his neck. They believe that the serpent power is in every person and the serpent power is sleeping in you. By practicing yoga, it awakens that Kundalini power in you … [W]hen the Kundalini power is awakened, that goes up to the brain and awakens the psychic power.”⁴ This is why the positions in yoga are so important; they are based on serpents’ movements to facilitate the flow of the Kundalini serpent energy. Western yoga practitioners think this energy is a neutral force. It is not. Yoga exercises do not release the energy from within a person’s own spine. The sensations of Kundalini energy and an altered state of consciousness are produced by a demonic presence.

Most cultures view the serpent positively and worship it for its “wisdom.” Only the Bible describes the serpent as man’s enemy, a usurper who wishes to take the Creator God’s rightful place in the mind of mankind. In Hinduism the serpent (Kundalini) is believed to be awakened through yoga meditation, grant-ing the practitioner an awareness of God, a stillness or a god-consciousness. But we remember that the Bible records that Satan, in the serpent, cunningly beguiled Eve and seduced her mind, corrupting her from a sincere, whole-hearted and pure devotion to God. He deceived her into believing a lie: that she, through her mind, could be like God (Gen. 3:5). Ironically, yoga, through arousal of snake power – the mind-altering experience of the Kundalini spirit in the body – continues to deceive its practitioners with the same lie.⁵

God’s Word Gives Many Warnings
The New Testament, especially in the Epistles, has unmasked many facets of this old movement, which today is sometimes called “New Age.” It is a counterfeit to God’s new age that He will introduce publicly through the Messiah, also called “the world to come.” The enemy’s counterfeit is a system of deception coming from the father of the lie (Jn. 8:44).

The Bible provides the needed help. First of all, we read about the Lord Jesus, who, as we already mentioned, said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn. 14:6 NKJV). This excludes alternative routes suggested by the enemy or our own thinking.

The Lord Jesus is now in heaven, from where He has sent the Holy Spirit to guide the believers on earth: “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (15:26). “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come” (16:13).

In accordance with this statement, the Lord in the glory, through the Holy Spirit, provided the needed help through His apostles. I quote, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Col. 2:8). The Holy Spirit indwells all true believers, and He has given gifts so “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting” (Eph. 4:14).

A Solemn Reminder
When people know the truth but reject it, they place themselves by default under the power of the enemy. That is what happened after Noah’s flood, when people fell into idolatry. According to Genesis 10-11, what took place in connection to the tower of Babel was itself a form of the so-called “New Age.” About this the apostle Paul wrote: “Although they knew God,⁶ they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom. 1:21). The consequences of this development in God’s moral government⁷ are spelled out in the following quote and show the seriousness of such unconcern for Him: “… knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death” (v.32). He gave them over to wrong thinking because they gave up the truth for the lie (vv.25-32).

Our days are marked by a similar development of hardening and rejection of God’s truth as revealed in creation and redemption. For this reason, “God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie” (2 Th. 2:11). It will be in full bloom after the rapture, but in divine discipline we already see it today in various ways.

Even in the apostle John’s days the enemy was busy, “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour” (1 Jn. 2:18). About twenty years earlier Paul had a similar word of warning: “From among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (Acts 20:30).

Therefore we need to cling to our Lord in heaven, who is sufficient for every challenge and able to provide help in every need. Let us always turn to Him and keep serving Him, until He comes to snatch us away from this scene of deception and turmoil, taking us to Himself (Jn. 14:3; 1 Th. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:51-58). Praise His name! ENDNOTES
1. Yoga Uncoiled: From East To West, (Menifee, CA: Caryl Productions, 2007) quoting George Alexander, quoting Cindy Senarighi.
2. Ibid., quoting George Alexander.
3. Smith’s Bible Dictionary, http://www.bible-history.com /smiths/D/Divination
4. Yoga Uncoiled: From East To West, op. cit., quoting George Alexander.
5. From Out Of India. To understand the true spirituality behind Yoga, read Chris Lawson’s booklet tract, “Yoga And Christianity: Are They Compatible?” and Caryl Matrisciana’s book, Out Of India.
6. This is as He had revealed Himself as Creator and Sustainer to humankind, and as Judge in the flood. The memories of this catastrophe have been kept in many different records.
7. See the warning not to be deceived, “for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7-8).

By Roger Penney

A New Age Wish
New Age beliefs can be regarded as a hodge-podge of ideas from eastern mysticism, ancient shamanism and the spiritism of Madame Blavatsky. The Romantic Movement and the psychoanalysis of Carl Jung are mixed in as well, with some of the social evolutionary theory of Herbert Spencer. Added to the toxic brew are the anti-rationalism of some artistic movements and the hopes for a global society as expressed by people like H.G. Wells. Nietzsche’s longing for an “overman” and a dash of the peace and love protests could be included also. It would take too long to trace the histories of all these diverse trains of thought as they intertwine into the New Age ideas and, sometimes, diverge once again.

Many years ago I set up my Christian witness stall at an arts festival. Soon the grounds were filled with all sorts of stalls selling experiences, books, exotic foods and herbal remedies. This is all part of the New Age movement.

I had many conversations there, but my working class accent was decidedly out of place in what was mostly a gathering of people from the upper-middle class. I recited some of my poems until a man in a suit cut me down. Later, I had a long correspondence with this man who claimed to have the ability to mediate with the spirit world, or shamanic skills. Sadly, his skills at rational dialogue were not impressive and his understanding of the Bible was even worse, despite his claim to have answered an evangelist’s altar call.

The threads of belief and culture which run through most of what is called “The New Age” are ones Christians might recognize, but only to the extent that there is a yearning for something better in our personalities and self. This wish however is doomed among New Agers, for they strongly believe in self-improvement. They claim to need no help – and certainly not from God or the Lord Jesus. We cannot be sure what the gods are that New Agers mention, but we know they deny the true God.

Their ethical values are rather vague and formless, but they do include non-violence, diversity and community. They argue for global unification while rejecting the idea of a powerful central world government. A future happy “Age of Aquarius” is their hope – a time of doing whatever they please as they lounge around on the grass grooving in the sunshine. Alas, the sun does not always shine.

New Agers seek a sort of beneficial social evolution. Intriguingly enough, they take a leaf out of Vladimir Lenin’s writings, which are ideologies written in blood if there ever were, and hope for an elite mass of informed, committed and spiritually aware men and women to bring about the desired great social, religious and political changes.

Real Change
We who are Christians understand that we are a spiritual people working for the transformation of the human race, and we know that positive change in the world will not come through our efforts or by our commitment. On a personal level it only comes through faith in the Son of God. World change will only be by the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 4:6 KJV). Before this prophecy of Zechariah is fulfilled, another spoken by Ezekiel will come to pass: “I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is, and I will give it to Him” (Ezek. 21:27). The LORD also spoke through Malachi, saying, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Mal. 4:5-6).

We long for improvement in our lives and spiritual development, yearning too for the return of our “Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body” (Phil. 3:20-21). His eternal reign of peace, justice and love is our strong desire.

Churches – the local gatherings of believers – should be the nearest things on this side of eternity to a truly loving community, where there is both diversity and unity. At the same time we form a dedicated and well-informed band of spiritual envoys: the ambassadors of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:20; Eph. 6:19-20). These things can only exist and take place through Him, in view of His death at Calvary and the sending of the Holy Spirit. God alone can make us fit for such things, having addressed our sin.

Liar And Deceiver
Satan has perverted the things of God in an attempt to make them his own. The testing of the Lord Jesus (Mt. 4:1-11; Lk. 4:13) shows us clearly how Satan works, so we are “not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11). Satan presents himself as “an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness” (11:13-15). This is the case with the New Age Movement and its mixture of the occult, idealism and ancient superstitions. As of old the Devil’s promise, “ye shall be as gods,” has its ancient appeal (Gen. 3:4-5).

Fuelled by the arts, false science and worldly philosophies, modern man has no values – nothing on which to express his God-given moral nature. Nietzsche gave academia the lie that “God is dead.” Freud and Darwin supplied the falsehood that salvation is in the material world by one’s own efforts. Industrialization made man a servant of the machine and greed.

The lasting influence of the youth and protest culture of the 1960’s has turned man against God and the truth of the gospel. The violent values of survivalism have been turned to its own use by competitive commercial and industrial society. To a vast extent, many in the modern working class have become dull consumers of television and media – a far cry from the active, self-educating men and women of earlier times.

The Danish philosopher Kier- kegaard taught that faith is a leap in the dark. It is therefore no wonder that classes of people have been recruited to the pseudo spirituality and false fellowship of the New Age.

In the midst of the carnage of World War 1 a group of artists and writers in Switzerland formed a protest group. Since war seemed to them as madness, they decided that the world had gone mad. They then led the world into the abstract and absurd world of Modern and Post Modern Art, and into a whole celebration of the absurd until even that seemed ridiculous.

Workers of the world settle for things and entertainment. People choose the occult or other beliefs and practices while rejecting right institutions and values. These decisions are destructive to humanity, and their wide acceptance can be seen by recent decisions of nations and secular churches.

Aquarius is now alive and well in all denominations of Christendom, the professing Church. While some worshipers bow before the idols in their church, others fall on the floor after being given a mystic pat on the forehead. How grave things have become in that even born again Christians look for a euphoric experience given by a guru channeling the power of a goddess.

Be Steadfast, Looking
Churches are infested with searches for experiences and feelings, while Bible reading and understanding is at an all time low. Yet, we who are believers may commune with the Lord Jesus and our heavenly Father. We can read God’s Word and be truly enlightened by the leading of the Holy Spirit as He reveals to us the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is the age for which we live. It is the true, new age of justice, peace, truth and love. We who are believers will live closely with the Lord Himself, enfolded in the warmth of His love and devotion for us. “God … hath highly exalted Him,” and the day is coming when “every knee should bow … and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord [the sovereign God, Jehovah], to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11).

By David Anderson

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue • righteousness • godliness • faith • love • patience • gentleness.” —1 Timothy 6:11 NKJV

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As Timothy’s spiritual father, Paul wrote two letters to encourage him to persevere in the faith and the work that God had assigned to him. In these letters, Paul made many “charges” to Timothy. But in 1 Timothy 6:11 Paul used, for the first time, the emphatic Greek pronoun for “you.” ¹ This meant it was very important for Timothy² to give careful attention to what Paul was writing, and by extension it becomes important to anyone who would aspire to be a man or woman of God.

The Lord had used Paul to establish the testimony at Ephesus, the place where the apostle’s missionary work reached its climax (Acts 19:10,20). The apostle had tearfully warned the Ephesian church elders about false shepherds who would lead the believers astray after he departed (20:28-31). Hence he left Timothy there to continue the work (1 Tim. 1:3; Acts 20:20,27). In his first letter Paul explained to Timothy how he should confront these false teachers by teaching and demonstrating the truth through proper, godly conduct in the church (3:14-16).

As he ended his letter, Paul became more direct in his exhortations to Timothy: not “you ought” (3:15) but “you must” (6:11), followed by “I urge you” (v.13) and ending with the personal appeal “O Timothy” (v.20). Continuous personal application to godliness was the only way Timothy would succeed in the hostile situation developing at Ephesus. “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (4:16 ESV).

By using “follow” (KJV) in 1 Timothy 6:11 instead of “pursue” (NKJV), Paul’s charge condensed into two main issues: “flee these things” and “follow after” other things.

1. Flee!
“But you, O man of God, flee³ these things.”

I remember a preacher speaking about Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. He said, “There are situations in life where you must run away! That day, Joseph found himself in one of those situations and he fled.” Paul’s instruction to Timothy was like that. You and I are not to confront “these things,” we are to run away as far as possible from them.

In the immediate context “these things” are greed and covetousness with all their attendant evils, of which the love of money is a prime example. Covetousness is idolatry (Col. 3:5), meaning it replaces God’s supreme place in a believer’s life. The Lord Jesus said, “No servant 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 money” (Lk. 16:13 ESV). King Money reigns supreme in our world. People are not content with their wages or what they have. They want more money to get more possessions and extend their leisure pursuits. Hence gambling and lotteries are very popular. By contrast, Paul advised Timothy of the great gain in godliness with contentment (1 Tim. 6:6-8).

In the wider context of 1 Timothy 6, “these things” include false teachings, which are contrary to the spiritually healthy teachings of the Lord and His apostles (v.3). These “different doctrines” have the potential to lead believers away from the practice of godliness. They:

• Manifest themselves in rules and regulations which starve believers of the true liberty they have in Christ (4:1-7),
• Are fundamentally evil in origin, and
• Suggest there is financial gain by practicing their kind of godliness (6:5).

Other things Timothy had to flee from were the conceit and the associated evils of self-centered teachers (v.4), the corruption and impurity they bring (v.5), a discontented spirit (vv.6-8) and foolish and harmful lusts (v.9).

In the context of the letter as a whole, “these things” include all of the deceiving and misleading teachings with their accompanying bad practices that the church at Ephesus was being exposed to by the “some.” ⁴ Therefore, “these things” can be defined as any teaching or practice which does not have the pure motive of promoting the stewardship from God that is by faith (1:4). Spiritually healthy teaching always has the objective of producing love that “issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1:5). At first, Timothy had to confront the false teachers and use his God-given authority to charge them not to teach other doctrines (1:3). If they did not heed his injunctions, then he had to “flee” from them. He had to have nothing to do with them; and he was to reject (4:7), refuse (5:11), withdraw from (6:5), avoid (6:20; 2 Tim. 2:16) and purge, or cleanse, himself from (2:21) these teachers. But all the while he was to continue teaching in the things he had learned from Paul (3:14).

2. Follow!
“But thou, O man of God … follow³ righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” — 1 Timothy 6:11 KJV

Paul knew Timothy was a “man of God” who followed in his spiritual father’s footsteps and was already exhibiting these six practical things. But Timothy had to keep doing so. We too must make them our aim in discipleship. The six things divide into three groups:

• Righteousness and godliness, which are God-ward,
• Faith and love, which are inward, and
• Patience and meekness, which are outward.

Righteousness is living in a right way before God and according to what He requires. It is the character of being right in His sight. An example would be using riches in a correct way (vv.17-19). Righteousness is part of godliness – an attitude of always seeking to live in ways pleasing to God – and applies to the whole manner of a believer’s life. It is having a sense or awareness of God and what is due to Him in all that one thinks and does. Lifestyle must be consistent with one’s profession of faith in God. First Timothy 1:5 shows the elements necessary for the pursuit of godliness:

• A pure heart – my mind and will, or motives, must be tuned to God’s will.
• A good conscience – I must be sensitive so there will be nothing in my life which God would disapprove.
• A sincere faith – there must be nothing hypocritical, or fake, about my faith. I cannot fool God. I must not disguise anything toward others. I must be a genuine Christian.

Faith is belief in God and trust in His Word. To pursue faith means I believe that everything in the Scriptures is God breathed (2 Tim. 3:16). I accept they are inerrant – without a single mistake. Therefore if there is any conflict between the philosophies, or “science,” of men and the Scriptures, I believe God not men. I know that God cannot lie and Scripture is all-sufficient for all aspects of belief and practice.

Love is the other inward power of godliness. To pursue love is to be taken over by the love that God has deluged, or poured, into my heart (Rom. 5:5). This love must also be seen in my life. Paul describes how it acts in 1 Corinthians 13. Jointly, faith and love are the salient, or prominent, features which must dominate a believer’s life (1 Th. 3:6, 5:8; 1 Tim. 1:14, 2:15; 2 Tim. 1:13; Rev. 2:19).

Patience means endurance. Thus, to pursue patience is to keep going despite the trials and circumstances of life – whatever their character. Gentleness means to exhibit a meek disposition, and it is especially necessary when opposing false teachers and distracters (2 Tim. 2:24-25).

3. Fight!
“Fight³ the good fight of the faith.” —1 Timothy 6:12 ESV

Paul’s charge to Timothy continues in verse 12 with another command requiring continuous action. The apostle had warned him about those who would:

• Depart from the faith (4:1),
• Deny the faith by their lifestyle (5:8),
• Stray or wander away from the faith (6:10),
• Swerve and err from the faith (6:21), or
• Be disqualified (“reprobate” in KJV), having corrupt minds (2 Tim. 3:8).

He also advised that the Christian warfare would continue to intensify and worsen, so Timothy must not cease to fight against them (2 Tim. 3:13-14, 4:1-5). Hence Timothy was to follow all of these commandments from Paul until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 6:13-14). Timothy had to keep the faith by laying hold of eternal life (v.12) and by guarding the deposit of truth entrusted to him (v.20, also consider 2 Tim. 1:13-14). The fight also involved withstanding the irreverent babble and contradictions of all falsely called “know-alls” (vv.20-21).

Finally, To All Men And Women Of God
These charges made to Timothy challenge all the people of God who read Paul’s letters. Like Timothy we must continue to stand and live for God and His truth. “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:1).

ENDNOTES
1. Other usages of the emphatic pronoun in Paul’s letters to Timothy are found in 2 Timothy 1:18, 2:1,3, 3:10,14, 4:5,15. See The English-Greek Testament by Thomas Newberry.
2. Compare “if anyone” (vv.3-5) and “But those … some” (vv.9-10) with “But you, O man of God” (v.11).
3. Literal translations would read: 1) “keep on fleeing,” 2) “keep on following” and 3) “keep on fighting.” See also 2 Timothy 2:22.
4. In 1 Tim. 1:3,6,19, 4:1, 5:15,24, 6:10,21; 2 Tim. 2:18.

By Milton Jamieson

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

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The Charges Given To Timothy
The charge here is not one of indictment, allegation, accusation or blame. Rather it is one of commitment, as if a superior military officer gave an order to a soldier to keep watch over a person, thing or place. He or she would be under obligation to guard it with his life.

There are many other charges that the apostle gave to Timothy, and in some cases these were given so he could charge others also. I just make mention of some of them:

• “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine” (1:3).
• “This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare” (v.18).
• “And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless” (5:7).
• “I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality” (v.21).
• “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” (6:13).
• “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy” (v.17).
• “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:1).

The Men Of God
The charge of 1 Timothy 6:11 was given to the only man in the New Testament who was called a “man of God.” In Scripture there are seven named men of God. Each of these men were marked by one or more of the six things mentioned in our verse, though doubtless there were other good features in their lives. We may remind ourselves that the man of God comes on the scene when there is a challenge to the honor and rights of God, at a time of departure and decline.

Consider these men of God and the virtue of Christ which showed most brightly in each of them:

• Moses. “And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death” (Dt. 33:1). One of the features of Christ that radiated ever so brightly in Moses was meekness, the meekness of Jesus Christ.
• Samuel. “And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go” (1 Sam. 9:6). Samuel is known as an honorable and dignified man of God, setting forth the dignity of Christ.
• Shemaiah. “But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying, Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from Me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord” (1 Ki. 12:22-24). Shemaiah, the man of God, was clearly a man of peace, setting forth the peace of Jesus Christ.
• Elijah. “And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.” (2 Ki. 1:13). Elijah displayed the righteousness and justice of God.
• Elisha. “And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually” (4:9). Elisha as man of God presented the grace and holiness of Jesus Christ.
• David. “And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded” (2 Chr. 8:14). David as man of God showed the love and forgiveness of God.
• Timothy. “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Tim. 6:11). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Timothy as man of God gave testimony to the faithfulness of Christ.

Like The Men Of God
Having been made right with God through faith and on the basis of the blood of Jesus Christ, we ought to pursue a life of righteousness for His glory. Godliness is next, bringing in God in all that we say or do. God’s will must be prominent, seeking His will, His honor and His glory. Faith is third, by which we please God and do exploits for Him. After faith is love. Love is the grace, mercy and compassion of Christ in action. Next is patience, expressing the endurance of Christ even in suffering and various kinds of adversity. Finally, meekness is the gentleness and mildness of Christ on display.

Like the men of God we ought to be filled with and display all the moral fullness of Him. B

These excellent things are the expression of eternal life – which itself is the portion of those who believe on the Son of God. The life is ours, as is made so abundantly plain by the apostle John. Yet we are exhorted to lay hold of it, for it is a dependent life – Christ being its Source and Object. We lay hold of it in laying hold by faith in Him and of all those things which find their center in Him. The men of the world lay hold of earthly gain, or of as much of it as they can compress into their fists. We are called to eternal life; and we lay hold of that life by going after all those things of which, from a practical standpoint, it consists. —F. B. Hole (adapted)

By Alfred Bouter

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue • righteousness • godliness • faith • love • patience • gentleness.” —1 Timothy 6:11 NKJV

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Our Lord Jesus Christ has been the true “Man of God” on earth and He is so now in heaven. He will always remain the true Man of God because He will never stop being a Man, even though He is also God (Phil. 2:8). While He is absent from this world, all true believers are to represent Him here.

Paul’s instructions were given on behalf of the Lord Jesus and were addressed to Christians – many of whom were literal slaves or bond servants. They knew the master-slave relationship, and therefore Paul applied that association to believers in general: All Christians are bondmen, serving the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to the prerequisite of being a true, born again believer, we need certain qualities to properly carry out what the Lord wants us to accomplish. These qualities are summarized in the charge Paul gave to Timothy (1 Tim. 6:11).

While the apostle was in prison in Rome for the testimony of our Lord Jesus (Acts 28; Eph. 3:1), he sent his young, timid disciple – but who was devoted to Christ’s interests – as his representative to Ephesus. We don’t know exactly when Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy, but its instructions as to how to behave in the House of God (1 Tim. 3:14-15) are still valid today. Second Timothy suggests to us that, sadly, the majority of Christians in Ephesus did not follow these instructions. However, God’s truths do not change because of failure or rejection. They remain the same, standing fast, firm as a rock in stormy seas.

Even while in a Roman prison, bound ¹ to a soldier (Acts 21:33, 28:20; Eph. 6:20), the apostle Paul represented Christ who is in heaven. Paul learned to introduce the Lord Jesus Christ into all the details of his life. Timothy, in a scene of rejection here on earth, needed to do the same. As believers and disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ we are left here to follow Him in all the details of our lives and to represent our Lord in the same world that crucified Him – even among those who profess Christ yet reject His claims. Timothy represented Paul in an area where the apostle had diligently worked several years earlier with remarkable results for the honor of the Lord in heaven (Acts 19-20).

This younger servant of the Lord was devoted to his tutor – learning much and following faithfully just as Paul followed Christ (see 1 Cor. 11:1). Many Christians are not willing to learn from Paul or to follow him in this world, for they find fault with him or criticize his teaching.² They may not realize this, but by rejecting Paul they also reject the One who sent him – our Lord in the glory.

Challenges Then And Now
Timothy faced many challenges in order to remain a faithful disciple and loyal servant, without compromise, of the Lord Jesus. To stay away from dangers and vices and to pursue what was right, he needed certain positive qualities, as Paul elaborated in detail. Timothy also had to flee from the lust of money.

The apostle mentioned the simplicity of contentment as shown in his own example, which was also valid for slaves (1 Tim. 6:2). This kind of contentment, linked with godliness or piety, was under attack by the enemy (see vv.3-5). By depending on God and introducing Christ into every detail of life, a true man of God or genuine believer will be led into satisfaction and contentment. Those who reject the simplicity of the life of faith and godliness have a different agenda, causing themselves and others to be hurt by lust and the wiles of the enemy, with sad consequences (vv.7-10).

But You … Rely On God
In contrast to the disobedient (4:1-3), Timothy was to face the challenges before him and be different from the people who surrounded him – including the worldly, or carnal, believers and mere professors (1 Tim. 6:11). Likewise, Hebrews 11 lists encouraging examples of believers who truly learned to rely on God. This made them different, for without faith we cannot please God (v.6).

Enoch lived in a godless society that was marked by rebellion, sin and corruption (Gen. 4-6). When he turned 65 he had a son whom he named Methuselah. As far as we know, this son lived to be the oldest man, dying at an age of 969 in the year of Noah’s flood (Gen. 5:27). Scripture specifically says that Enoch – whose name means “instructed” – walked with God day by day until He took him from the earth (vv.22,24). Similarly, the Lord wants to teach us in the school of God to rely on Him until He will come and take us away (1 Th. 4:16-18).

Abraham, although a descendant from the godly Seth (Gen. 11:10-32), was steeped in the idolatry which had started with the Tower of Babel (Gen. 10-11). God called Abraham away from this idol worship (Josh. 24:2-3; Acts 7:2-3) to make him the father of all believers (Rom. 4). This fits with our key verse, “flee these things” (1 Tim. 6:11), in order to be a man³ of God. Despite some failures in Abraham’s life, he was marked by true love of God and therefore was called “the friend of God” (Jas. 2:23). This love motivated Abraham to be different from the people around him, including his nephew Lot who was a believer but fell short in showing his faith. Abraham learned to persistently rely on the God ⁴ who had called him and promised to give to him a son and heir (Gen. 17, 21). As Abraham and Timothy had to learn to rely on God, so we must learn to rely on Him, for the Lord Jesus said, “Without Me you cannot do anything” (Jn. 15:5).

“Pursue Righteousness”
A man of God must flee certain things: lust, sin and idolatry – a study in itself. He or she is marked by practical righteousness by doing what is right and by being in tune with God, who is just. Such a believer actively pursues a path of what is right and just. Of course God desires every believer to live in this way, but a man of God pursues a path of righteousness in the midst of unrighteousness, even in the presence of believers who fail to do so and do not maintain God’s rights.

God is always characterized by what is right – He never can be “un-right” – just as He is light without the possibility of darkness (Jas. 1:17). We are God’s children (v.18), and it is pretty clear what He expects of us. God cannot compromise His divine standards and features. Consider the Lord Jesus: In order to maintain God’s rights – He “loved righteousness and hated wickedness” (Ps. 45:7) – He gave Himself as a sacrifice to be the Substitute for those who had sinned and would never be able to pay their debt or undo their sins. On the basis of what Christ accomplished once and for all, God desires us, all believers, to follow Christ’s example. We are to do what is right in a world opposed to God’s rights.

In the world to come, under the Lord’s perfect rule, God’s rights will be enforced (Ps. 2). But now we live in the period when “grace reigns through righteousness” (Rom. 5:21). Surrounded by all kinds of unrighteousness, God wants Christ’s disciples to follow closely after righteousness, to pursue what is right in moral and practical agreement with Himself who is light and whose children we are.

Godliness, Faith, Love, Patience, Gentleness
Although separated from Paul who was in prison and rejected by many Christians, Timothy was to do seven things. We need to do these things as well, following Paul’s instructions. The first is to flee from certain things, as we already mentioned. Then there are six⁵ things to closely follow or pursue with great zeal: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Having pondered points as to righteousness we will briefly consider the remaining qualities that are needed to be a faithful disciple.

• Godliness means the fear of God – the reverential respect because of love. This is “the fear of the Lord” mentioned often in the Old Testament. It implies the quality or ability to introduce God and Christ into the many and varied details of our daily lives, while serving God and others. Contentment is linked to godliness (6:6) and implies that one has learned in daily life that God is sufficient. A believer can rely on Him without fearing defeat or failure because He is faithful (v.8). This is how Paul had learned to rely on the Lord Jesus Christ, who strengthened him in all his circumstances and provided for all his needs – as He does for us (Phil. 4:13,19).
• Faith implies that one puts his trust in God (see Heb. 11), but it also means to be faithful in the calling, position, relationship or task He has given. Timothy needed this faith and faithfulness in Paul’s days, and we are still in need of them today. We need to have faith in God and be faithful so the Lord can rely on us as we rely on Him.
• Love is the opposite of the love of money, which makes money its best friend (v.10) and is truly idolatry. Love represents the new nature God gave to us the moment we believed, when His love was poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit whom He has given us (Rom. 5:5). The new nature needs to be nurtured, and our relationship with God and the family of God must be cultivated through prayer, and reading and obeying Scripture. Paul emphasized this point in his counsel to Timothy knowing that faith and love go together with hope (1 Cor. 13:13).
• Patience literally means the ability to endure, or to go on while being under a burden. For more details, read Romans 5:3-5.
• Gentleness is another quality⁶ we learn from the Lord Jesus (Mt. 11:29) and Paul’s example. It implies an attitude of humility, courtesy and meekness (not weakness).

Paul’s urgent and personal appeal to Timothy⁷ is as urgent today as it was then. May the Lord help us to follow these instructions which He has passed on to us through the apostle Paul, so we will honor His name.

ENDNOTES
1. Probably almost five years later Paul was chained in Rome (2 Tim. 1:16) once again, but under conditions that were much worse than during his first Roman captivity.
2. This is why Paul introduced his instructions with the words “but you,” making a contrast between Timothy and those who opposed Paul’s example and teachings. The same words for the same reason are also found in 2 Timothy 3:10,14, 4:5; and later with respect to Titus (Ti. 2:1), but they are not always translated literally.
3. To avoid misunderstanding, the term “man of God” could be translated “human of God,” and it implies a challenge for all believing men and women, brothers and sisters in Christ, to be exercised and function according to Paul’s instructions. This is never to be done in a boastful way but always as an instrument fit for the Master’s use.
4. Romans 4:16-22 outlines seven points: 1. Abraham believed God, for he put his trust in the One who quickens, or makes alive, the dead (v.17); 2. He did so against hope, facing an impossible situation (v.18); 3. He was not weak in faith, despite his own and Sarah’s physical condition (v.19); 4. He hesitated not at God’s promise (first part of v.20); 5. He was strengthened in his faith (middle of v.20); 6. Abraham gave glory to God, before anything was fulfilled (end of v.20). 7. For he was fully convinced that God was able to fulfill His promises (v.21). How great was Abraham’s faith, and how great is our God!
5. When we list the various instructions Paul gave Timothy in 1 Timothy 6, in addition to his “charge” that we study in this paper, ten points can be counted: the number of responsibility.
6. The root of this word occurs 16 times in the Greek New Testament, found in different words. The word used in 1 Timothy 6:11 is linked to the verb “to suffer,” and it only occurs here. Following Christ’s example of humility implies suffering.
7. His name may be interpreted as “honoring God” or “whom God honors.”