THE FIGHT OF FAITH
SEPTEMBER 6, 1992
I TIMOTHY 6

INTRODUCTION

A. Faith: essence of relationships; esp. relationship with God

1. There is an enemy of our Faith who wants to destroy our relationships
2. There is a fight for personal faith

B. Paul gives Timothy some instruction on the fight of faith

1. "Agonize the good agony:" i.e. as a runner go past the pain
2. Take hold of the eternal life: i.e. as a prize to reach

C. Things to flee; Things to pursue

I. THINGS TO FLEE (3-11a)

A. False doctrine and its snares

1. "sound" lit. "healthy" instruction of Jesus (3)
2. "He has an 'unhealthy' interest in investigations & word-battles" (4)

a. Satan's ploy to distract and to pollute the heart (Devil's 3 d's)
b. "Unhealthy interest" it isn't healthy to always know who said what...
c. Call is to love God and our neighbor: problem... knowing too much yet... (Phil 1:9)

3. Unhealthy teaching & interest in controversy results in:

a. envy, quarreling, malicious talk, evil suspicions, constant friction=carnal, 1 Cor 3

B. The specific false teaching: Godliness brings financial gain

1. False assumptions:

a. God thinks His kids should live like the kids of earthy kings
b. God gives money to those He trusts
c. God gives money to people to reward godliness
d. The way to wealth is to tithe and give

2. Truth:

a. Naked into the world and naked out of the world (7)
b. God does faithfully reward giving, but not always financially (Mark 10:30)

C. The love of money

1. Not the exclusive sin of some wealthy people; many poor lust after it
2. The root is the love of it
3. It is just "a" root not the only root

II. THINGS TO PURSUE (11b-21)

A. "Keep on Pursuing"

1. Running track; pursuing the goal (Phil 3:14)
2. Righteous: right standing
3. Godliness: right behavior (God like ness)
4. Faith, love, endurance,
5. Gentleness: a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23)

B. "Agonize the good agony"

1. What is a healthy spiritual life worth to you?

a. How many other things do you want to carry?
b. What is the price you are willing to pay to grow in Christ?

2. A lawyer friend who has seen too much of the "soft belly" of the church (Heb. 12:1)

C. "Take hold of eternal life"

1. Interesting that he reminds Timothy here of his confession & Jesus'
2. Keep the commandment until Jesus appears (14)

III. TWO PS's

A. To the Rich (17-19)

1. Command against arrogance/pride
2. Command against putting hope in wealth e.g. one who needed just a little more
3. Command to put hope in God: He gave us all things to enjoy
4. Command to be rich in good deeds laying up treasure for the coming age (Matt 6:19-20)

B. To Timothy (20-21)

1. Turn away from godless chatter
2. Turn away from the opposing ideas i.e. keep doing what God called you to do