1 Timothy 6:2b-21: Take Hold of the Eternal

These are the things you are to teach and insist on. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 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. 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 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 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.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.

Grace be with you all. - 1 Timothy 6:2b-21

This passage is structured with an outward-in (chiastic) structure. Verses 2b-5 echoes verses 20-21. Verses 6-10 echo verses 17-19 and the central thought can be found in verses 13-16. Here we see Paul's challenge to Timothy: to "keep this command without spot or blame". What is this command? To "take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (vs. 12) Timothy could become distracted by the opportunities use conflict as a means of building up personal influence and status and gain--personal kingdom building. Many people have won arguments not because the thought it was right (or didn't care if it was right) but rather to gain power. The church is no different in this sense and the rhetoric can be so absolute ("God told me.")

But I see Paul calling Timothy back to their common experience together, when Timothy said seized on the eternal and chose God's rather difficult direction for life.  It must have been a continual temptation for Timothy, because Paul reminded him  in 2nd Timothy: No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer..(2 Timothy 2:4)

So I ask myself, what commissions have I accepted from the hand of God? What commitments have I made in the presence of many witnesses? Certainly, to my wife. Not just a passable effort, but a commitment that I fight for against the other opportunities, both subtle or not so subtle, to relegate her to a backup role in my life. To my kids, whom I dedicated to God in front of many witnesses. If my work is truly a vocation, then there is a challenge there. 

And to God, whom I confessed as a young boy in front of a church congregation. Relationships are eternal, stuff is stuff. So much is temporary. God has called me into these and I want to hold on to them without spot or blame before him. 

I pray that God will call these to my mind as I pray these days and not let them slip into the haze of the day to day.

There is a real sense that we