1 Timothy 1:18-20

Introduction

1 Timothy 1:18–20 “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; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”

In verses 12-17, Paul digressed from the subject of Timothy’s commission to the grace and calling of God. He concluded the digression with a doxology in 1 Timothy 1:17 “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

In verse 18, he resumes and in verses 18-20 brings this charge to a close.

These last three verses should not be viewed as a literary function within he introduction; rather, with sobriety because of the serious content within.

Paul describes a warfare, one that is not fictional but very real, and one in which not everyone comes out as more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. He warns that some will be "shipwrecked," as were Hymenaeus and Alexander.

The purpose of the conclusion was to encourage, and embolden Timothy, and to remind him He is on the winning side.

And tho this world, with devils filled Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:

The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure; One little word shall fell him. -- Martin Luther, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Encourages

1 Timothy 1:18 “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;”

The charge goes back to 1 Timothy 1:3-4. There are two points I want to highlight in the opening phrase.

First, the word “charge” is a military term that speaks of a superior giving an inferior an order that must be followed. Timothy did not have an option to accept or reject the order. This charge was not just to align the teaching. There are many churches that have unity and harmony in their teaching and preaching but are deficient in truth. Timothy’s charge was to align the teaching within the sphere of truth.

Second, v.18, the word “commit.” Three points about commit: first, “Commit” means to “entrust to a person something of great value for the purpose of preserving;” second, a person who was committed something would have to give an account (Matthew 25 Parable of the servants); third, commit "always implies that a trust has been reposed in someone.”

Here is where the twist. You would think that at this point Paul would say: you have been entrusted with this ministry becasue you have proven yourself over the years of serving the Lord with me to be:

Passionate about truth

Humble student

To love the Lord’s church

Desirous of Gospel Preaching

Taking on added responsibility when given the chance.

Instead, he says that you have been entrusted with this ministry “according to the prophecies which went before on thee.” These prophecies probably came at his ordination by prophets. 1 Timothy 4:14 “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”

This means the kind ministry that Timothy was engaged in came from God through the prophets. Paul’s charge of Timothy was based upon God’s word to Timothy at his ordination.

“These prophecies were Timothy's call and fitness for service in Ephesus. They speak of Timothy’s fitness as a soldier to conduct the battle against error in the Ephesian church. Timothy was to remember these prophecies and be inspired by them in the struggle.”

Why did Paul bring up Timothy’s past? Usually, when we bring up someone’s past, we do so with the intention of hurting. Yet, Paul brought up Timothy’s past to strengthen and motivate him to fight the good fight.

Let me explain: If Paul commissioned Timothy, it would have been easier for Timothy to say that he was not cut out for this kind of ministry.

However, God commissioned Timothy. This means that God enabled him to be faithful in this ministry.

In seasons of doubt it is easy to have second thoughts when you think the ministry was authorized by man. Yet, if the ministry was authorized by God, then these seasons of doubt can be conquered by the authority of God!

Timothy needed to be reminded that he was there by God’s authority!

Purpose of these prophecies

1 Timothy 1:18 “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 war.”

Another way of saying the same thing in a more contemporary way is The purpose of the prophecies was so that he could fight the good fight.

The word “good” speaks of beautiful, virtuous, and valuable. The war for truth and the hearts and minds of people is noble, virtuous and good.

The word that follows “good” is “war” a verb in the present tense, implying this is not just one battle, but a "military campaign." Two things about Timothy’s war: Timothy’s fight was against men who were in the church; the war was spiritual.

Jesus said to Peter on the night He was arrested this is a spiritual battle that must be fought with the scriptures.

This explains why the charge (1 Timothy 1:11) “According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”

Strategy necessary to fight a good fight

1 Timothy 1:19 “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:”

Every war needs a good strategy. Battles are not won without plans. We cannot be successful in this good and noble fight where truth and the souls of men are at stake without proper strategy. Without Biblical strategy we will be shipwrecked.

The first good strategy is “holding faith.” “Holding” is not just having but firmly gripping.

Paul used the same word in 2 Timothy 1:13 “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.”

We are to firmly grip and protect faith and a good conscience.

Faith - The revealed body of scripture. it is not just focused on 1 piece of scripture but all the counsel of God. The parts we want to read and the parts we do not want to read. The parts we want to embrace in and the parts we do not want to embrace. The parts that are simple and the parts that are more complex. The idea is holding fast to the revealed truth of God’s word. Once we question the veracity of one part of God’s word, all of God’s word loses her rightful place in our life. If one part of God’s word is questioned than all the Bible is questioned. Adam and Eve fought a bad fight of faith in the Garden of Eden because they did not hold firmly to the words of God. On the flip side, Jesus fought a good fight of faith with Satan in Matthew 4 because each temptation was defeated by God’s word. Why is holding tightly the revealed word of truth important in having the right strategy?

I loved Hacksaw Ridge. A movie about a conscientious objector named Desmond Doss who wanted to serve his country during World War 2. He decided that he would join without carrying a weapon. He became a field medic that save 75 lives on Hacksaw Ridge. He was awarded 3 Purple Hearts and the Congressional Medal of Honor. His courage cannot be questioned but we wold have never one a single battle if the army was filled with Desmond Doss’. Soldiers carrying and using weapons of war are needed for victory. In this spiritual battle that we are engaged in our weapon of war is God’s word!

Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Revelation 1:16 “And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.”

God’s word brings stability and balance to our life. Hebrews 1:3 “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” Our nation is so chaotic becasue their is no foundation that upholds this nation. We are shifting foundations at light-speed. Who we are today is not what we will be tomorrow. If we are not careful as Christians, we can be absorbed into the shiftiness of society as galaxies are pulled into a black whole. The only hope we have to stay above the fray is God’s word. When temporal foundations crumble or shift as sand, our feet must be on the Solid Rock that upholds all things by the word of His power. Our society, government, family, economy, and community may change But the revealed truth of God’s word is settled in Heaven and never changes. Therefore,

We need to sow God’s word into the foundation of our life. So that our foundation will produce God’s fruit.

We need God’s word to be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our way so that we do not unintentionally stake a shifting sand position that takes away from Him who upholds all things by the word of His power. If our stability is His word then our value system has to be His word.

In this battle to fight the good fight, we need to have proper balance. As Jesus said: Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” The proper balance comes from the power of His word.

Holding onto God’s word is the key to exhorting and convincing. Titus 1:9 “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” "We live in a day that has gone crazy over methods. Hardly a week goes by without my receiving a flyer promising me proven techniques to increase attendance in this church. While there may be some helpful methods, I tend to avoid such techniques like the plague. The best method for any ministry is to hold on to faith and a good conscience. If you have reality with God, He will use you in fruitful ministry in the lives of others. If you do not, methods will avail you nothing, and you will suffer shipwreck in the faith."

Good Conscience - The second weapon we need to have in a fighting a good fight is a good conscience.

In 1 Timothy, Paul unites a good conscience with faith 3x - 1 Timothy 1:5, 1 Timothy 1:19, and 1 Timothy 3:9. In what way does a good conscience relate to faith? “What the eye is to the head, and the heart to the body, the conscience is to faith.--It is very tender, and must therefore be well guarded....In the conflict which we wage outwardly against the enemy, our chief concern is with the inner state and disposition of the heart” “A good conscience serves as the rudder that steers the believer through the rocks and reefs of sin and error.” Our conscience is the seat of moral decisions.

John Calvin wrote: “A bad conscience is the mother of all heresies.” There are 3 consciences that describes a lost person

Titus 1:15 “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” An unbelieving person has a defiled conscience. That is, their conscience is contaminated so that everything they do is impure.

Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” Lost people have an evil conscience. Evil - Mischief, Malice or guilt. People that have been save transformed from an evil to a good conscience.

1 Timothy 4:1–2 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;” This is not just lost people but people that have been enlightened with truth and participate in grace events without ever being saved. Eventually, like the 2nd or 3rd soils in the parable of the sower, they either have no root or are chocked by the cares of the world and return to fellow-shipping with lost people.

Christians can have 3 kinds of consciences:

Weak - 1 Corinthians 8:7–12 “Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.” The foundation of a weak conscience is to be poorly informed.

Pure (clean) Conscience - 1 Timothy 3:9 “Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.”

1 Timothy 1:19 “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:”

We should understand good in light of pure conscience.

Hebrews 10:22 - By the blood of Jesus Christ

Romans 7:17 “Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”

Romans 7:20 “Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”

Romans 7:23 “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

How can we have a good conscience before God. Getting back to what Paul wrote to Timothy - How can Timothy's conscience be a weapon he can use in order to fight the good fight?

Matthew 6:11–12 “Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

1 John 1:6–10 “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

We need to fellowship with God.

This is accomplished through walking in the light.

The blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sins.

If we say we have not sinned, we are deceiving ourselves.

Confessing our sins, God will cleanse us.

If we say we have not sinned, God’s word is not in us.

Conclusion

1 Timothy 1:19 “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:”

“Some”

1 Timothy 1:3 - Some teaching false doctrine.

1 Timothy 1:6 - Some having swerved are vain janglers.

1 Timothy 1:19 - Some have put away have been made shipwrecked.

Put away - Willful violence against their conscience.

to reject, repudiate, refuse to listen to, to cast away or to put away (from).

Their faith is shipwrecked.

Spiritual drifting is usually a slow and imperceptible process. (ED: READ THAT AGAIN DEAR BROTHER OR SISTER!) We know it has occurred (ED: OR IS IN PROCESS OF OCCURRING!) when we have lost the strong resistance to evil and the passionate desire for truth that we once knew.

1 Timothy 1:20 “Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.”