By Pastor Ronnie Wolfe -- January 11, 2008
The third instruction that Paul gives to young Timothy is holding
faith, and a good conscience . . . . (1 Tim. 1:19). The word
“holding” is the simple word “to have” in the Greek. In other words,
Paul is telling Timothy to always “have faith,” to be aware that he has
faith, to be conscious that his faith is always with him and that his
faith will persevere.
Of this perseverance Timothy was well aware, for in 2 Tim. 1:12
Paul tells him, For the which cause I also suffer these things:
nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and
am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him against that day. This was Paul’s teaching, that faith is
eternal; that is, true faith is eternal. Timothy never had to worry
about losing his faith, and he knew that his faith would persevere; so
all he needed to do is to be conscious of that faith and to use that faith
to serve Jesus Christ.
The Greek word translated conscience is SUNEIDESIS, and it
literally means “to see together.” In other words, you must see with
your literal and physical eyes in order to live and work in this life, but
you must also see with your spiritual eye in order to live properly for
the Lord.
This some have put away, seeing only with the physical eye, so
they have shipwrecked their faith in Christ by seeing everything
through physical eyes rather than both physical and spiritual eyes.
Many today, it seems, have put away their spiritual eyes; they do
not see from God’s vantage point. They do not read the scriptures, so
they do not see what God sees. With their minds and eyes on the
world, their judgments are shipwrecked or marred by their spiritual
blindness. Even believers do this, so we must be very careful how we
perceive God’s word and his work.
Is your faith shipwrecked? Spend some time getting the eyes of
your mind and the eyes of God’s mind together. This takes prayer,
study and meditation of God’s word. May he bless you thus!
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