The Charge to the Man of God Text: 1 Timothy 6:11-16
Introduction: Two Opposing Marches
The Christian life is not a stroll through a well-manicured park. It is a forced march through enemy territory. And in this march, there are only two directions. You are either fleeing from something and pursuing something else, or you are doing the reverse. There is no standing still. The man who thinks he is standing still is simply being carried backward by the current. Paul has just spent the previous verses describing a disastrous pursuit, the pursuit of riches, which leads men into temptation, a snare, and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils, and in their eagerness to get rich, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
That is one way to march. It is the parade of the damned, a lemming-like rush toward a cliff, baited by the glitter of gold. But Paul turns to Timothy, his son in the faith, and gives him a different set of marching orders. He does not say, "Timothy, try to find a comfortable middle ground." He does not say, "Be moderate in your worldliness." No, the command is absolute and binary. It is a command to turn on your heel and run for your life in one direction, while simultaneously charging headlong into battle in another. This is the central dynamic of the Christian life: radical flight and radical pursuit. Flee and fight. Run from the junk, and pursue the good. This is the charge given to every Christian, but it is laid with particular weight upon the man of God, the one who stands to lead others.
Our culture is drowning in a swamp of sentimental, therapeutic mush that passes for Christianity. It is a faith with no flight and no fight. It is a faith that makes peace with the world, negotiates with sin, and redefines righteousness as "being nice." But the apostolic faith is a rugged, masculine, fighting faith. It is a faith that knows who its enemies are, sin, the world, and the devil, and it knows what its objectives are, righteousness, godliness, and eternal life. This passage is a divine commission, a spiritual draft notice. It is a charge that is as relevant in our compromised and cowardly age as it was in the first century. It defines our identity, clarifies our mission, and grounds our hope in the absolute sovereignty of the God we serve.
The Text
But you, O man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time, He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal might! Amen.
(1 Timothy 6:11-16 LSB)
Flee and Pursue (v. 11)
We begin with the great pivot in verse 11:
"But you, O man of God, flee from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, gentleness." (1 Timothy 6:11)
The first word is "But." This is a word of stark contrast. While the world, and those false teachers bewitched by it, are pursuing ruin, "But you..." Paul sets Timothy apart. And how does he identify him? "O man of God." This is not a throwaway title. It is a high and holy designation, used in the Old Testament for men like Moses, Samuel, and Elijah. It signifies one who belongs to God, speaks for God, and is defined by God. Your identity is not in what you want, but in who owns you. In an age that tells you to "find yourself," Paul says, "You have been found. You are a man of God." This identity is the foundation for the commands that follow.
Because you are a man of God, your first action is to flee. You are to run from "these things," from the love of money, from the desire to be rich, from the pointless arguments and the spiritual corrosion that false teaching brings. This is not a suggestion to gradually detach. It is the frantic urgency of a man running from a burning building. You do not stroll away from a plague; you flee. We are to have nothing to do with the covetousness that defines our age. We are to be marked by a radical contentment in God.
But you cannot simply run from something; you must run toward something else. Nature abhors a vacuum, and so does the human heart. If you empty your life of the pursuit of wealth, you must fill it with a greater pursuit. Paul gives us a six-fold list of virtues to chase after. Notice the athletic language. "Pursue" is a word of intense effort, like a runner straining for the finish line. We are to pursue righteousness, which is conformity to God's law and character. We are to pursue godliness, which is a practical reverence for God in every area of life. We are to pursue faith, a rugged, active trust in the promises of God. We are to pursue love, the self-giving agape love that is the bond of perfection. We are to pursue perseverance, the gritty endurance that refuses to quit when the battle gets hard. And we are to pursue gentleness, which is not weakness, but rather strength under control, the opposite of the arrogance and contentiousness of the false teachers.
Fight and Take Hold (v. 12)
The athletic metaphor intensifies in verse 12.
"Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:12 LSB)
The Christian life is not just a race; it is a fight. The Greek word here is agonizomai, from which we get our word "agonize." It refers to the struggle of an athlete in the arena or a soldier in battle. This is not a pillow fight. It is a fight for the faith, a fight against our own sin, against the temptations of the world, and against the spiritual forces of darkness. And it is a "good" fight. It is good because the cause is just, the commander is righteous, and the victory is assured. We are not fighting for victory, but from victory, the victory Christ has already won.
As we fight, we are to "take hold" of eternal life. This seems odd at first. Isn't eternal life a gift? Yes, it is. But it is a gift we must actively possess and live out. It is not just a ticket to heaven when you die; it is a quality of life that begins now. We are to seize it, to lay hold of it, to live in the reality of it every day. This is a call to experiential Christianity. You were called to this life, and you have already confessed it publicly. Paul reminds Timothy of his baptism or his ordination, a moment when he made his "good confession" before many witnesses. That public declaration was his enlistment in this fight. He is to remember his oath of allegiance and live up to it.
The Solemn Charge (v. 13-14)
Paul now elevates the command to the level of a solemn, legal charge, given in the presence of the highest authorities.
"I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Timothy 6:13-14 LSB)
This is a courtroom scene. Paul puts Timothy under oath. The witnesses are God the Father, the source of all life, and Christ Jesus, our ultimate example. Just as Timothy made his good confession before men, Jesus made the ultimate good confession before Pontius Pilate. When asked if He was a king, He did not waver. He spoke the truth, knowing it would lead to His crucifixion (John 18:36-37). His confession was a testimony to the truth of His kingdom. He fought the good fight to the finish.
The charge itself is to "keep the commandment." This refers to the whole body of apostolic teaching, the faith once for all delivered to the saints, which Paul has entrusted to Timothy. He is to guard this deposit of truth and keep it "without stain or reproach." He is to live in such a way that no one can bring a legitimate charge against him or the gospel he represents. His life is to be an illustration of his doctrine.
And what is the timeframe for this charge? "Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is the blessed hope. Our service in this fight is not endless. The Commander is returning. This reality should shape everything we do. We live and fight in eager expectation of His return, knowing that we will give an account to Him on that day. This keeps us from growing weary and from being seduced by the temporary trinkets of this world.
The Unveiling of the King (v. 15-16)
The thought of Christ's appearing leads Paul into a magnificent doxology, a burst of praise that describes the God who is in absolute control of this future event.
"...which He will bring about at the proper time, He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal might! Amen." (1 Timothy 6:15-16 LSB)
The second coming is not a contingent event. It is a divinely appointed certainty. God "will bring it about at the proper time." Our God is not wringing His hands in heaven, hoping things work out. He is the "blessed and only Sovereign." The word for Sovereign is dunastes, meaning potentate or ruler. He is the only one who holds ultimate power. All earthly rulers, presidents, and prime ministers are temporary placeholders, and they rule only by His permission. He is the King over all kings and the Lord over all lords.
This God is then described in the most transcendent terms. He "alone has immortality." This means He is the uncreated source of all life. He does not derive His existence from anything else; He simply is. All other life is derived and dependent. He "dwells in unapproachable light." His holiness and glory are so pure, so intense, that no sinful man can approach Him and live. He is utterly transcendent, "whom no man has seen or can see."
This vision of God is the fuel for the fight. Why do we flee sin? Because we are pursuing a holy God. Why do we fight the good fight? Because we serve an unconquerable King. Why do we persevere? Because our hope is not in our own strength, but in the sovereign plan of the God who holds all of history in His hands. The proper response to such a God is exactly what Paul gives: "To Him be honor and eternal might! Amen." All glory, all power, all dominion belongs to Him, and our little lives are to be caught up in that great purpose.
Conclusion: Your Marching Orders
This passage is not just for Timothy. It is for every believer. This is your identity, and these are your marching orders. You are a man or woman of God. Therefore, you must be characterized by a decisive break with the world's values. Flee the love of money, flee sexual immorality, flee pride, flee empty arguments. Run as though your hair is on fire.
And as you run from, you must run toward. Pursue a life that reflects the character of your God. Pursue integrity, reverence, robust faith, sacrificial love, stubborn endurance, and a gentle spirit. This is not optional. This is the family resemblance of the children of God.
And you must fight. The Christian life is a glorious struggle. Take up your post, stand your ground, and contend for the faith. Take hold of the eternal life you have been given. Don't treat it like a dusty heirloom on a shelf. Live in its power. Remember your baptism. Remember the day you confessed Christ as Lord.
And do all of this with your eyes fixed on two realities. Look back to the cross, where Christ Jesus made His good confession before Pilate, securing your salvation. And look forward to the horizon, to the glorious appearing of that same Jesus, who is coming again as the King of kings. He is the sovereign God, transcendent and all-powerful. Your little fight is part of His great, cosmic victory. Therefore, do not lose heart. Flee, pursue, fight, and take hold. To Him be the glory, now and forever. Amen.