The Minister and Money

begins with the words, “But you, man of God.” The title “man of God” occurs 82 times in the Bible (NIV); the other 81 are in the OT, referring to Moses, Elijah, and various other men of God. But this is the only place in the NT in which the title “man of God” is applied to anyone, indeed the only place in the NT where anyone is called a “man of God.” (This in itself is interesting given that “man of God” is a favourite designation in Africa for anyone in ministry, and is often used to exalt the person so designated.)

Why does Paul address Timothy as, “But you, man of God”?

In , he called Timothy “my true son.” Timothy had been Paul’s spiritual son and protege for many years. His identity was as Paul’s helper, his right hand man. Perhaps by calling him “man of God,” Paul was signalling that it is time for Timothy to come out from under Paul’s shadow. He is no longer a child, but a man in his own right. He can no long live under the protective shadow of Paul’s fatherly wings; he needs to be his own man of God.

Children need fathers desperately, but there also comes a time when they need to become men in their own right. We need mentors in our walk with Christ, but the mentor-protege relationship does not last forever. There comes a time when the protege becomes a colleague, his own “man of God.”

Reuben was a mentor and a father figure to me for years; he remains a trusted friend, but the dynamic has changed.

1 Timothy 6:13–14 NIV

1. Flee Vices

The apostle’s father’s charge to his son includes two prohibitions, two things that he commands Timothy to avoid. The first is found in verse 6:11, while the other appears in verses 6:20-21.

Before I unpack them, take a moment to ponder. If you were a father giving a final charge of manhood to your son, what would urge him to avoid?

First of all, Paul tells Timothy to

1.1. Flee the love of money

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1 Timothy 6:11 NIV

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Paul charges Timothy to flee from all this. Both part of this clause are important: (a) “flee” and (b) “from all this.” Let us start with the second part.

To what does “all this” refer?

Obviously, it refers back to the previous paragraph. Let us see what that paragraph was about.

1 Timothy 6:6–10 NIV

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.

Here Paul cautions that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. He reminds Timothy that men who chase after riches wander from the faith and pierce themselves with many griefs. He teaches Timothy that godliness with contentment is invaluable. So his opening charge to his beloved son is to guard against the love of money and the pursuit of riches.

Why is the word “flee” significant?

Flee is an emotive word. It evokes emotions of danger, urgency, and fear. The sense "flee" occurs 261 times in the Bible, most of them depicting physical flight from danger, often a vanquished army fleeing the battlefield. In the NT, Paul uses it metaphorically to command believers to "flee" three dangers: (1) sexual immorality (), (2) idolatry (), and (3) the love of money (). The sense is clearly that these pitfalls will devour us like ravenous lions. We should not avoid them in a blasé manner. We should flee like our lives depend upon it. The image of Joseph fleeing Potiphar’s wife is the most graphic example in the Bible.

I need to investigate a little, but I expect to find that it communicates an intense sense of urgency, such as fleeing from wrath or judgement. In a sense, fleeing the love of money is fleeing a serious pitfall. The notion of “fleeing” in the OT immediate brings to mind Joseph fleeing from Potiphar’s wife.

Why the urgency? Perhaps he recalls Jesus’s warning about money being the greatest idol of the heart. A quick Bible search throws out 261 “flees”: Jacob flees from Esau (, ), Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife (), Moses fled from Pharaoh (), countless losing armies flee in defeat, David refused to flee during difficult times (), those coming to John the Baptist were fleeing the coming wrath (), sheep flee a stranger’s voice (), we should flee sexual immorality (), idolatry (),

Avoid the lure of debate

1 Timothy 6:20–21 NIV

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.

The major challenges facing the church in Ephesus came from false teachers. Paul left Timothy there to put matters in order (), but he repeatedly told him to avoid becoming embroiled in frivolous and pointless theological disputes.

1 Timothy 4:7 NIV

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.

2 Timothy 2:14 NIV

Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.

2 Timothy 2:16 NIV

Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.

Titus 3:9 NIV

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.

As a man of God, Timothy should have the wisdom both to correct error and to avoid quarrelling about doctrine. Paul does not mean that he should acquiesce and tolerate heresy, just that he should not spend countless hours trying to win debates with the heretics (see for a fuller treatment of this theme).

Pursue Virtues

1 Timothy 6:11–12 NIV

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.

1 Timothy 6:11-12

This is the essence of Paul’s charge to Timothy. Earlier in the same chapter Paul counselled that godliness with contentment is great gain. Therefore, he commands his protege to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness.

Paul made ostensibly the same exhortation in two other passages. In both instances, these exhortations were in the context of conflict with false teachers.

1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

2 Timothy 2:22 NIV

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

The point is obvious: the servant of God must embody a counter-cultural way of living that demonstrates the life-changing power of the gospel. These qualities, as the fruit of the Spirit at work, are what make ministry authentic and effective.

1 Timothy 4:8 NIV

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

I would like to unpack some of the virtues, but space may not permit.

Fear God

1 Timothy 6:13–16 NIV

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.