1 Timothy 6:11-17
Eternity Online: John Edmiston (Editor)
Eternity-Inspiration for Wednesday 17th March 1998
(1 Tim 6:11-16 NKJV) But you, O man of God, flee these things and
pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
{12} Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which
you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the
presence of many witnesses. {13} I urge you in the sight of God who
gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the
good confession before Pontius Pilate, {14} that you keep this
commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's
appearing, {15} which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the
blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, {16}
who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no
man has seen or can see, to whom be honour and everlasting power. Amen.
Verse 12 says.."Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal
life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good
confession in the presence of many witnesses." Faith is not just a
once off event when we believe in Jesus. It is a continuing struggle,
a good fight, a "wrestling match" to use Paul's illustration from
Ephesians. The verb for fight is "agonizo" from which we get the word
agony. It was an intense heart-wrenching struggle. The wrestling
illustration may still be in Paul's mind because Paul says to "lay
hold of eternal life" - grab it like a wrestler! It means "to get a
good grip on, lay hold of.." Faith can slip away from us. Life rushes
by and suddenly eternal life seems distant and faith far away. We let
slip the important. Like Jacob we need to wrestle until we are
blessed and not be like Esau who let the blessings slip away for a
bowl of stew.
In verses 14&15 we read "until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing,
{15} which He will manifest in His own time,". By the time Paul
wrote this there were mockers and scoffers wondering about if Jesus
was coming back at all. The apostle Peter writing within a few years
of this epistle says (2 Pet 3:3-4 NKJV) knowing this first: that
scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own
lusts, {4} and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since
the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the
beginning of creation." The immediacy was being lost and things were
beginning to drift along. How much has happened in church history
since then and how many millions have been won for the Lord because
of His great patience with this world. He will come "in His own
time". Not ours, not on your or my calendar. His time - He is in
charge!
Verses 15 and 16 expound on the transcendent glory of God the Son,
it isn't the Father, the subject of the sentence is still "our Lord
Jesus Christ's appearing" (see v14) this is one of Paul's LONG
sentences! "He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of
kings and Lord of lords, {16} who alone has immortality, dwelling in
unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be
honor and everlasting power." This is undoubtedly an anti-Neronian
polemic and a direct attack on the title "Pontifex Maximus" used by
Roman Emperors - Jesus is the only Potentate and He is the King of
Kings therefore Caesar is His subject. He alone has immortality - a
direct shot at the Graeco-Roman "immortals" - the pagan gods and what
the Emperors were aspiring to!
This Jesus dwells in "unapproachable light" now and in His exaltation
no man has seen Him or can see Him. This raises the problem of what
to make of visions of Jesus and of God. Even the apostle John, who
was a visionary, said "(1 John 4:12 NKJV) No one has seen God at any
time. ..." Now John may have seen the visions of Revelation
around the time he wrote this - and yet he still says it! He was also
well aware of Moses "seeing God face to face" and all the OT visions.
And He does not just say it once! "(John 1:18 NKJV) No one has seen
God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the
Father, He has declared Him." The incarnate Jesus reveals the
invisible God and declared Him in terms we can comprehend but now, in
His exaltation, at the right hand of God in power He dwells in
unapproachable light.
Manifestations of God and seeing visions are not "seeing Him" but
rather they are receiving are visual impression about Him.The
difference between a vision and direct seeing is like that between a
map and the territory. The vision is a generally accurate map - but
it is not literally standing in His presence like we will when we
have our resurrection bodies. To behold the full majesty and glory of
Jesus now would be a "million volt shock" and we would perish. I hope
that explanation helps a little.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus You are glorious, immortal and unapproachable in light and
glory and power. We worship You and give You praise and call out for
You to come soon. In Your time! Maranatha!
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John Edmiston ([email protected])
Editor - Eternity Online Magazine http://www.eternity-magazine.org/
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