Author: BTP

“Our Savior Jesus Christ, who has annulled death, and brought to light life and incorruptibility by the glad tidings” (2 Timothy 1:10 JND).

God is presenting Himself to this world today as a Savior-God, through His Son Jesus Christ. As a Savior-God, He has done much more for us than simply saving us from hell for all eternity. He has annulled death, which simply means that as Christians, we no longer need to fear death, for it only brings us to Christ, “which is far better.”

Also, life and incorruptibility have been brought to light through the gospel. In the Old Testament, even the most godly individuals did not know what would happen when they died, nor did they know their eternal destiny. They definitely had a new life, but they did not know anything about eternal life, that fits us for God’s presence. Also, they knew nothing of the Lord’s coming for His saints, when they will receive glorified bodies, suited to heaven. All this has been brought to light through the gospel. What a wonderful Savior we have!

“God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power” (2 Timothy 1:7).

The book of 2nd Timothy was the last epistle the Apostle Paul wrote, when he was in prison for the second time, and knew that he would likely be executed. By that time things were starting to go downhill in some of the assemblies he had helped to establish, and some were rejecting the truth he had taught them.

However, Paul encouraged Timothy, as a young man, not to be discouraged. He was to use the gift the Lord had given him, and to remember that the spirit of fear was not of God. Rather, God gives us the spirit of power—His power. Today, we cannot pretend to have the power displayed in the days following Pentecost, but God’s power is always behind those who seek to honor Him, at any time in the church’s history.

“For the love of money is the root of all evil…But thou, O man of God, flee these things” (1 Timothy 6:10-11).

Yesterday we saw that the things of this world do not satisfy, but that great gain comes from godliness combined with contentment. Today we are warned that the love of money is the root of all evil, and then we have the expression “man of God.” If we wish to be men or women of God, we are to “flee these things.”

The expression “man of God” occurs a number of times in the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments. Actually, it occurs more than 70 times in the Bible, and only two of the references are in the New Testament; all the rest are in the Old Testament. Can you find the other reference in the New Testament?

The phrase “man of God” is always used to describe someone who faithfully follows the Lord, when many others are being unfaithful. It ought to be your wish and mine to be one of them.

“Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

When I was young, an older brother, now with the Lord, used to remind us that every advertisement was designed to make us discontent with such things as we have. This is true, and today some advertisements even tell us that “you are worth it,” or “you deserve it!” Even if we have to go into debt to get something, the world will tell us that we are entitled to it.

In our verse today, we are reminded that there is great gain in contentment, but it does not stop there. We need godliness as well. Why is this? Why are we not simply told to be content?

It is because godliness gives us an inner joy that lasts, while anything in this world will eventually only make us want something more. When we have Christ in our hearts, the enjoyment of Him is much more than anything riches in this world can give. When we live in a land where riches are within our grasp, there is a real temptation to go after them. But there is something much better than the things of this world.

“The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong…but time and chance happeneth to them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

At first glance this verse might seem hard to understand, but if we think about it, we realize that it is true. The fastest runner does not always win the race, for he may fall, or trip, or get a muscle cramp, or simply run out of energy. Likewise, historical battles have not always been won by the biggest army. Alexander the Great won battles several times when he had the smaller army, because of his superior strategy. Yet in the end, he died at the age of only thirty-two, from an illness.

The Lord orders things in this world, and often has intervened using weather changes, strategy, and other factors to control the outcome of battles. At the same time, even those who were victorious had to remember that they too would die one day, in spite of their success.

How good it is to know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and to know that whatever happens to us in this world, we will spend an eternity with Him forever, because of His suffering and death on Calvary’s cross.

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

What a practical verse! It is important not to waste our time! We should do our work to the best of our ability, and in order to get it done. Sadly, some young people today have not learned to work, and then, when they get a job, they do not seem to know how to do it well. But a sloppy and poorly done job is not worthy of a Christian; we should do our work as unto the Lord, and as if the Lord Himself were watching us.

Quite a few years ago, when I was in university, I sometimes worked in heavy industry during the summer. At that time, if a man worked a little too hard, the other men often told him to slow down, as his hard work was “showing up” the rest of them. Many of those men did not work very hard, and did not want a hard worker to do more than they did. But it is good for a Christian to be known as a hard worker, and a good worker. Not only will our employer like it, but it will also honor the Lord.

“Jesus answered and said unto him [Judas, not Iscariot], If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23).

On Saturday, our verse said, “In My Father’s house are many mansions.” In the original language of the New Testament (Greek), the word “mansions” and the word “abode” in today’s verse are the same. This word is not used in any other place in the New Testament. It has the thought of our living in a place continuously, for a long time.

In a coming day, when we leave this world, we will enjoy the many mansions in the Father’s house. But God wants us to enjoy something of that house now. What will make the Father’s house a home to us? It will be the presence there of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. But according to today’s verse, if we obey the Lord’s words, we can enjoy the presence of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in our everyday life, even before we get to the Father’s house.

After He went back to heaven, the Lord Jesus sent the Holy Spirit down to indwell every true believer, and it is the Holy Spirit that gives us joy in our hearts, as we walk with the Lord, in obedience and faithfulness.

“Peace I leave with you” (John 14:27)

As we mentioned yesterday, the Lord Jesus had told His disciples that He must go to the cross, and that after that He must go away from them for a while. However, He was going to leave something with them; He was going to leave peace with them. What does this mean?

This peace refers to our having peace with God about our sins, because of the work of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. All of the disciples (except Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Lord) already had new life in Christ, but they did not yet know the real peace of having all their sins forgiven, and that they had nothing to fear from God’s judgment for sin. After He had suffered for sin on the cross, the Lord would leave with them that wonderful peace—peace that the whole question of sin had been settled once and for all. And we now have the peace and joy of knowing His Father as our Father. If we are truly saved, you and I can enjoy that same peace. Have we thanked Him for it?

“In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you” (John 14:2).

At the time that the Lord Jesus said these words, His disciples were very concerned because He had told them that He was going away from them. He was going back to heaven—back to His Father. They had hoped for an earthly kingdom, but the Lord told them clearly that this was not going to happen at that time. But then He told them something better.

He told them that instead of an earthly kingdom, they would spend eternity with Him in the Father’s house—the place where He lived. What a wonderful prospect that is! It is really more than we can understand. God the Father, and His Son the Lord Jesus, love us so much that they want us to spend eternity in the Father’s house.

This is the only time in the Bible that the expression “My Father’s house” is used in connection with heaven, but it is enough to show us how much God loves us. He wants us to enjoy His presence for all eternity, in His home!

“The doctrine which is according to godliness” (1 Timothy 6:3).

When Paul wrote to Timothy, he impressed upon him “the doctrine which is according to godliness.” Not only was Timothy to learn this for himself, but he was to teach it to others.

In our Christian life, it is important to have a basis for all our actions, and the doctrine (or teaching) of the Word of God forms that basis for us. All the teachings of the Bible, if they are followed practically in our lives, will result in a godly walk. Then what we teach and what we do will be according to the Word of God. If a Christian is walking in a disorderly way, he cannot say that the Bible told him to act that way.

All this is most important, for false religions may teach some good things, and perhaps some good moral principles. However, they are always mixed with other things that are not good, and we can readily see the results in the practices of those who follow these false religions. The next verse in our chapter (1 Timothy 6:4) tells us that those who ignore the teaching of Scripture end up exhibiting pride, envy, strife, etc. But the Word of God always results in that which glorifies Christ.