The New Testament book of 1 Timothy is a letter written by the apostle Paul to advise and encourage his former disciple. As part of that advice he writes:
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:11-12).
If you read the entire letter (go ahead, it’s fairly short) you’ll see that a major theme is Timothy’s role in opposing false teachers, who were creating division and controversy in hopes of making money. In the paragraph just before this passage, Paul talks about the love of money, and its consequences. That’s the “all this” that Timothy is to flee.
This passage, then, highlights the difference between those troublemakers, who were only interested in their own profit, and Timothy, the “man of God.” I want to look at what Paul advises Timothy to do, because this is the behavior that comes from his identity as a man of God. And not for Timothy alone, but for every one of us who also wants to live as a man or woman of God.
There are four things that are listed in this passage:
– Flee from “all this.”
– Pursue righteousness godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
– Fight the good fight.
– Take hold of eternal life.
Notice all the actions words here: flee, pursue, fight, take hold. This is not a “let go and let God” philosophy, it’s actively striving to live as a child of God should live. Not as the means of salvation, but as the result of it. According to this Scripture, Timothy is already a man of God; these instructions are aimed at helping him live out the identity he already has.
That’s true of you and of me as well. God is the one who took the initiative, in his infinite mercy and grace, to redeem us and bring us into his family as his sons and daughters. That’s not remotely what we deserve, but by God’s grace, it’s what we’ve received. Now he calls us to live as his children. To live in freedom, not as the slaves to sin we used to be. This is what it means to live out the truth of your identity.
Remember who you are is a message that keeps coming up, over and over again, in my quiet times. But who I am – my identity – is not just an abstract thought to keep in mind; it needs to define my priorities, how I use my time, how I spend my money, in short, it should determine the way I live every part of my life. Remembering who I am means more than just affirming an idea; it means acting on that knowledge, living as myself. It means actively pursuing the things that I know please my Father, all the while knowing that it is only because of his grace, and because his Holy Spirit is living in me, that I’m able to pursue them. And it has to be intentional because I don’t automatically do what pleases God, although I trust that someday I will (2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 John 3:2-3).
If you are also a follower of Jesus, then be like Timothy. Flee, pursue, flight and take hold. Actively live in the identity you’ve been given, as a son or a daughter of the creator of the universe. Remember who you are.