The Man of God
Notes
Transcript
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
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;
That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Introduction:
Introduction:
We come to a portion of Scripture that contains my favorite descriptive phrase: “Man of God.”
It is the title by which Paul calls Timothy and it is a wonderful and rich designation.
What a privilege to called The Man of God, God’s Man, the man who personally belongs to God.
This designation shows us that Timothy belonged to God in a special way.
The fact is that the term “man of God” is a very common term in the OT, but it is a very uncommon term in the NT.
In fact, in the NT the term “man of God” is only used once when it refers to a person directly, and that is here in our passage.
Timothy was God’s man and Paul uses this phrase to increase the sense of responsibility Timothy had to discharge his ministry.
To be reminded that you are God’s Man, that you are the very possession of God is to be reminded of this great responsibility.
Though is uncommon in the NT, it is very common in the OT.
It first appears in designation of Moses.
And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
He is called the man of God again in 1 Chronicles 23:14 and Ezra 3:2.
The term “Man of God” one in the OT was used of an angelic messenger, one who came in the form of a man to bring a message from God to the wife of Manoah that she was to bring forth a child who came to be the man Samson.
It occurs in Judges 13:6-7.
In 1 Samuel 2:27, it was used to describe a prophet who spoke on behalf of God to the high priest Eli about the divine judgment soon to come on his sinful family.
It was used again in 1 Samuel 9:6 and following to designate Samuel himself as the man of God who spoke divine truth.
Anyone who was the prophet of God was called God’s man.
And the term “man of God” was always used in reference to one who bore the Word of God.
It was used of the prophet Shemaiah who was sent from God to prophecy against Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12:22.
It was used again for the prophet who spoke the Word of God to Jeroboam regarding his being replaced and then judged in 1 Kings 13.
Elijah was called the man of God in 1 Kings 17:18.
As was Elisha in 2 Kings 4.
David in Nehemiah 12:24-36 was called the man of God.
The prophet who confronted Amaziah is called the man of God in 2 Chronicles 25:7.
So all of the usage of the term “man of God” reflect in some way a person who was uniquely used by God to speak his word.
How is a man of God known?
How is a person of God known?
And while the exact context here is Timothy and the great calling that God has on his life, all believers are said to be people of God, but each believer has opportunities to be people that speak the Word of God to people.
What is the character of the person who is the man of God?
Four areas that I want to cover with you today that mark the man of God.
The Man of God is known by: 1) What he Flees from; 2) What He Follows After; 3) What He Fights for; 4) What He is Faithful To.
I. He is Marked by What He Flees From (vs. 11a)
I. He is Marked by What He Flees From (vs. 11a)
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
“Flee” is “φεύγω” it is a present imperative, keep on continually fleeing.
It is a continual running from.
The Greek word “φεύγω” is where we get our English word “Fugitive.”
Someone who is running to escape a pursurer.
It pictures a person who is running from a plague, running from a serpent that is poisonous, or running from an attacking enemy.
The man of God is a runner, the man of God does not stand still, he runs and he runs from things.
The man of God is known by what he flees from.
The man of God flees sexual sin.
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
The man of God flees idolatry.
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
The man of God flees youthful lusts.
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
The man of God is a running man and he is always fleeing at all times those kinds of corrupting things.
Now he says to flee those things, but what does he mean, exactly?
The things that he has just talked about.
The evils attached to the love of money.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Flee these things.
The man of God is not attached to the love of money.
He does not have an affection towards material things.
Paul is telling Timothy that as the man of God, he is to avoid these things.
Flee greed with all of its vices.
That is the sin of false teachers.
It is the sin of lying hypocrites who pervert the truth for personal gain, who make merchandise out of people, who really pursue filthy lucre and people are only a means to that end.
They people preach for money.
Form Baalam, the prophet who was bought by the highest bidder, to Judas, the apostle who sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
From the false prophets of Israel who were greedy dogs that never had enough and were concerned every one for his own gain.
Paul was so careful to avoid this.
I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.
Let me tell you something, there are those people that call themselves preachers, but if they are in it for money, then they are not a man of God.
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
You cannot be God’s man and money’s man are the same time.
The preacher who has a love of money has prostitutes the call of God into personal gain.
The preacher should never put a price on his calling.
He should never put a price on his ministry.
Now, the man of God should be paid, it is Biblical and we have looked at those things in some detail because Paul addressed them in detail in this letter.
But the man of God never has the attitude that he will not surrender to the call of God on a particular minstry unless certain financial obligations are meant.
I knew of a Pastor who was called by a Church to pastor and here was his list of requirement.
First, no less than 60k dollars a year take home salary.
Second, a Housing allowance.
Third, A new vehicle; and then a new vehicle every other year.
The Church agreed, believed it or not, and when he got to the Church, the Church had a “fairly” new mini van waiting for him (that is the kind of vehicle he requested having a family).
He looked at the van and decided that it was not new enough and refused it and the Church went with him and bought a brand new van.
Notice, that not only as those requirements, to me, beyond the realm of comprehension, but everyone of those requirements are financial.
The man of God does not put a price tag on his ministry.
So the man of God is known by what he flees from.
He flees sexual sin.
He flees having other gods in his heart.
He flees youthful lusts.
He flees the love of money.
II. The Man of God is Marked by what he Follows After (vs. 11b)
II. The Man of God is Marked by what he Follows After (vs. 11b)
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.