A Final Word of Instruction and a Call for Protection | 1 Timothy 6:17-21

Introduction

Paul concludes his first letter to Timothy with two final words: a word of instruction and a word of protection. He calls Timothy to instruct those with money to know why they have been blessed and use that wealth to honor God. Paul states that Timothy is to guard that which God had entrusted to him: his life and ministry.

Focus Passage

1 Timothy 6:17–21 Wordstudy KJV

17 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; 18 That they [do good,] that they [be rich] in good works, [ready to distribute,] [willing to communicate;] 19 [Laying up in store] for themselves a good foundation against the [time to come,] that they may [lay hold on] eternal life. 20 O Timothy, keep [that which is committed to thy trust,] avoiding profane and [vain babblings,] and oppositions of science [falsely so called:] 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

Outline

Use the blessings of God as tools of service (vv.17-19)

1 Timothy 6:17–19 Wordstudy KJV

17 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; 18 That they [do good,] that they [be rich] in good works, [ready to distribute,] [willing to communicate;] 19 [Laying up in store] for themselves a good foundation against the [time to come,] that they may [lay hold on] eternal life.

Previously, Paul wrote to Timothy...

1 Timothy 6:10 Wordstudy KJV

10 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.

The idea that Paul was bringing to light for Timothy was many, who strived for earthly wealth, have caused themselves great pain by falling into varying temptations...

1 Timothy 6:9 Wordstudy KJV

9 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.

With this stated, Paul was not stating wealth is a bad thing. It would prove vain to try to convince those that had wealth that they were sinning because they did have wealth. In response to this, Paul gives Timothy instructions that needed to be given to those that had wealth, Charge them that are rich. For wealth was not to be the end all to be all for them. With wealth, which was and is given by God, came responsibility.

1) Paul identifies two responses to personal wealth (v.17)

A. Negative response - ‘that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches

Paul tells Timothy to go to those with materialistic and wealth and remind them that they are not to self-inflated because of their wealth, they be not highminded. Often, we let our possessions or even the lack thereof determine our joy, our peace, and our self-worth. Our wealth, materialistically does not determine who we are as a person. It is the inner man that determines who we are. We should never let our wealth or the for the majority of us, the lack thereof determine our spirits and attitude. I have known both the rich and the poor. I know a multi-millionaire who is one of the humblest people you will ever meet. I’ve known some very poor people who are the rudest and most disrespectful people you have met and I’ve have also seen the flip side of that coin. Our spirit, our attitude should never be determined by our wealth. We are to keep a humble spirit about us.

Not only should our attitude not be determined by wealth, our hope and faith should not be in our checking accounts either. Paul writes, not trust in uncertain riches. People too often trust what they have for success. Yet, we must all know that what we have today could be gone tomorrow. As Solomon wrote in the book of Proverbs...

Proverbs 23:5 Wordstudy KJV

5 Wilt thou set thine eyes [upon that] which is not? for riches [certainly make] themselves wings; they [fly away] as an eagle toward heaven.

We should never put trust in anything or anyone outside of God. We should never make plans for the future without first seeking God’s direction in those plans. Our lives are nothing but smoke that is here today and gone tomorrow.

James 4:13–14 Wordstudy KJV

13 [Go to] now, [ye that say,] Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and [buy and sell,] and [get gain:] 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, [that appeareth] for a [little time,] and then [vanisheth away.]

B. Positive response - ‘that they…trust…in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy’

The positive response for the believer is to realize where their blessings (wealth, family, careers, etc.) all come from God. None of us are self-made. All that we have is a gift from God. He has provided these blessings and gifts for enjoyment, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.

While we, as believers, may enjoy the blessings and provisions of God, our trust should not be in them. They can be here today and gone tomorrow. As I asked last week, If all that you had today was gone tomorrow, would you still be okay with God alone? Brothers and sisters wealth is not the end all to be all and if we do have it, God gave it to us. Let us enjoy it, but let us remember the blessing of wealth comes with responsibility.

2) Better to be rich in good works (vv.18)

Within the Scriptures we find two types of people who are rich: those that are fiscally rich and those that are spiritually rich.

Those that are truly rich, are spiritually rich

Paul writes, that they do good, that they be rich in good works. Remember, we are not blessed for our own good. We are not created to honor ourselves. We are created to honor God. We are created serve God by serving others.

Ephesians 2:10 Wordstudy KJV

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath [before ordained] that we should walk in them.

There is a reason why Paul writes elsewhere, do not grow weary in well doing. We have been created in Christ Jesus for good works. Part of the good works of those that are blessed fiscally is to serve those that are in need around them, ready to distribute.

It goes beyond just the act though. Many times we find those that are give and give, but the act isn’t all that God sees. He also see the heart behind the act. God knows why we do what we do. We can hide our motives all that we wish too, but God knows. This is why Paul writes, willing to communicate. Those that give and those that help others must do it from a willing heart and not out of necessity or force. They must give, not with the idea of what they will get from it, but because they love God and they love others. They give from a willful and willing heart.

Our primary focus is not to be on the materialistic blessings of this world, but for the eternal blessings to come.

3) Build up treasures for yourself in Heaven (v.19)

Paul reminds Timothy to focus on the eternal rather than the temporal. May we be reminded that all that this world affords us will be no more.

1 John 2:15–17 Wordstudy KJV

15 Love not the world, neither [the things] that are in the world. If [any man] love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world [passeth away,] and the lust thereof: but [he that doeth] the will of God abideth forever.

May we be reminded that what good is it to gain the whole world and let lose your own soul.

Mark 8:36 Wordstudy KJV

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose [his own] soul?

All that we do in this life is to be for the life to come not the here and now, Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come. May we realize all that we do for the Lord now, with a pure heart and motive willingly, produces rewards to come in eternity. We are to serve others, not for salvation but because of our salvation, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Guard your ministry and life (vv.20-21)

1 Timothy 6:20–21 Wordstudy KJV

20 O Timothy, keep [that which is committed to thy trust,] avoiding profane and [vain babblings,] and oppositions of science [falsely so called:] 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

1) Guard your ministry and life (v.20)

Paul tells Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust. Two keys words or phrases that need emphasis to bring about the point of this verse are the words, Keep and committed to thy trust. Paul says guard, keep what has been committed to you. He wanted Paul to truly be alert and focused about the influences that came into his life and ministry. He needed to be on guard with the people (false teachers) he allowed to influence his life. He needed to be on guard with the worldly influences (money, greed, pride) that would influence his life. He needed to guard against all that was not of God from being an influence in his life and ministry.

Paul tells him that this life and ministry he had been called was deposited into his trust. The word cluster, committed to thy trust, gives the idea of the banking term deposited. Just as when you deposit money into your checking or savings account and trust the bank to guard it and protect it, we are to guard that which has been deposited into our trust.

God has entrusted with us our life and ministry. He has given us the rules/boundaries of engagement with our lives. We are called to guard that which He has deposited into our life.

Are you we being faithful stewards with our life? Are guarding that which God has intrusted to you? Are you guarding against the lies of the enemy, avoiding profane…babblings. The enemy will say whatever he can to get you to fall and stumble. He will use sweet words and a sharp deceptive tongue. He will get your doubt yourself and your decision follow the Lord and His Word and His will for your life. There is a reason why Paul tells Timothy to deflect and turn away, avoiding, from those that were bringing profane babblings. We too, no matter who the person(s) may be in our lives, we too must deflect and turn away from those that are going to cause us to fail, falter, and not be true that which has been deposited/committed to our trust. What they say and what they have for us are of no value to the kingdom of God, our eternity, or our spirituality, vain babblings.

2) Guard against deviating from the faith (v.21)

Paul tells Timothy that those that have not guarded their life and ministry have truly deviated from the faith, have erred concerning the faith. They erred by engaging in and asserting these false truths. They not only have not only deviated themselves by following their own lies, they have caused others to deviate from the faith. Let us guard ourselves from the influence of those that are lost and that do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ as their primary focus. Let us not err from the faith by following false truths, the flesh, and giving into the deceptive tongue of the devil.

Conclusion

We are called to use that which God has blessed us to help others. Yes, we can enjoy the blessings of God, but let us also learn to use it to honor Him by serving others. Let us be on guard from the influence of the enemy (People, Self, Materialism, etc.) let us be on guard. If it hinders our growth in the Lord, let us avoid that influence at all cost for our we must faithfully keep the life and ministry that the Lord has deposited into our trust.

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 3108 Chapman’s Rule of Life

Dr. Wilbur Chapman had this which he called “ “My rule for Christian living.” The rule that governs my life is this: anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it.” This simple rule may help you find a safe road for your feet along life’s road.

—The Sawdust Trail