1 Timothy 6:13–16 - Confidence in the Lord Our God

Nearly every Christian has wondered at some point, “If God promises to keep His people, why do we need so many warnings in Scripture?” If He’s already determined to preserve us to the end, why are we repeatedly urged not to give up?

Why does the Bible call us to fight the good fight of faith, to persevere, and to guard ourselves against so many dangers?

Dr. R.C. Sproul addresses that question in his influential book Chosen by God. He compares God's preserving grace to a father walking hand-in-hand with his small child. The child holds his father's hand, but the child's safety ultimately depends on his father's grip. Even if the child's grip weakens, or he tries to pull away, the father doesn’t let go.

That’s how we understand the perseverance of the saints. The permanence of our salvation rests not in the strength of our hold on Christ, but in His unbreakable hold on us. We’re secure because we are united to Him.

So, why the warnings? Why does Paul charge Timothy to fight, to flee, to pursue, and to endure?

Dr. Sproul distinguishes between perseverance and preservation. He says, “Perseverance is both a grace and a duty…We are to strive with all our might in our spiritual walk…Yet as we strive we are to look to God who is preserving us.”

We grow weary. We endure much hurt. And our attention naturally shifts to our weariness and pain. It’s not uncommon to grow pessimistic and turn to self-centered pursuits. But as we saw last week, our strength to pursue God’s holy will for us comes from having first been pursued and embraced by Christ.

The spiritual union with Him which He establishes can never be broken. So we may grow tired, or be burned or betrayed by others, but we can trust that God will keep us and take us forward. And in spite of our weakness, weariness, pain, and disappointment – though at times pessimism and selfishness will probably creep in –  we will take hold of the eternal life that has taken hold of us.

And His warnings redirect our attention to where it should be: not to ourselves, but to the Lord our God. They call us to look backward, forward, and upward. Look back: the Giver of Life preserved our Substitute in adversity, Look forward: the Governor of Time has scheduled our Savior’s return, and Look up: the Ruler of All is presiding over everything He has made. Our confidence must be in the Lord Our God. He will care for us and keep us.

Now look at verse [13] again. Paul tells Timothy, “I charge you in the presence of God.” This is a serious appeal made by an apostle to the next generation of leadership. Paul was concerned for the continuation of the ministry after his own death.

Each of the Lord’s apostles shared this concern. 19th century Scottish minister James Bannerman points out that clearly “provision was made by the Apostles for a sufficient staff of pastors and teachers to succeed them after their removal, and to supply their absence in the churches from which they were separated…In every place, the first object of the Apostles was to provide for the continuance of the ministry.”

We often hear people speak about the kind of world they will leave to their children. People wonder “What will become of my loved ones and their world when I’m gone?” Something similar was on Paul’s mind, and so he makes this solemn plea – first to Timothy, but also, to all God’s people.

But Paul appeals not to Timothy’s ability, but to God’s. See the rest of the verse: “God, who gives life to all things.” Who gives life. Despite all our medical advancement, technology and discoveries, humans cannot give life as God does. Women give birth. Doctors affect both length and quality of life. But the raw material is from God alone. He is the Giver of Life. He created life.

Paul pleads with the pastor and the people to persevere, in the presence of “God, who gives life to all things and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession.” As Jesus stood before the Roman governor, He confessed that He Himself was a King and that His kingdom was not of this world. He confessed also that He had come to bear witness to the truth. Even in the face of death, Christ never compromised, He never denied His Father, and He never abandoned His mission.

Recall what we considered last week about the active obedience of Christ. Throughout His earthly life, Jesus rendered perfect obedience in our place. That complete righteousness – including His perseverance under great suffering – is credited to everyone who trusts in Him.

As we fight the good fight, our confidence must be in the Giver of Life who preserved our Substitute in adversity. Pilate was not Lord over the life of Jesus Christ. In John 10, Jesus said, “I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” We too have a charge – as God’s pastor and people. And in union with our Lord who persevered, we can keep that charge. Notice verse 14.

It’s a charge “to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Until the sands of time run out. Until the game clock reaches all zeros. Until either we die or we see Christ returning on the clouds, we have a commandment to keep. What is it?

Paul seems to be referencing what he said in verse 12: “Fight the good fight of the faith.” It is a battle to guard our hearts and minds, to guard our faith and purity, to guard our lives and doctrine.

When we look back on redemptive history, clearly God has demonstrated that He governs life. He preserved His Son, not only before earthly rulers but even in death. Christ rose from the dead, appeared before many, and ascended to heaven. And just as He ascended, He will one day descend again upon the earth.

The Father has already determined the day and time that the Son will return. See the end of verse 14. Paul was certain of “the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ [15] which he [God] will display at the proper time.” Paul pleaded with Timothy and the congregation in Ephesus to guard the faith and doctrine, the glorious gospel, the precious whole counsel of God. They could do so even in the face of adversity because the Governor of Time has scheduled our Savior’s return.

Only by the power of God at work in us – with the strength He supplies to pursue the life He gives – only through our union with Christ can we “keep the commandment,” first of all, “unstained.” This means we shouldn’t mix the truths of God with the beliefs systems of this world. And only in union with Christ can we “keep the commandment…free from reproach.”  In other words, above accusation.

Notice that Paul’s confidence was in the purpose and plans of God. God had preserved Christ through both earthly life and death. He raised Him from death and has appointed the day of His return. If God has determined – as the Giver of Life and Governor of Time – both the beginning and the end, then He will certainly preserve His people! He will keep His Church. And His Church will keep His commandment.

So, Paul appeals to God’s lordship over life, and over time, and He continues that appeal with this grand description of the Lord Our God. Who is this God who will send Christ back to earth at the appointed time?

See the rest of verse 15, “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign.” To be “blessed” means that God is entirely satisfied within Himself. He needs nothing outside of Himself. He’s completely independent. All powerful people want to feel and be perceived this way. But it can only be said of the one true God.

And He’s the “only Sovereign,” which means He outranks all worldly officials. This is our God in whom we trust. This is our God to whom we pray, who redeemed us. and who dwells with us as a church and within each of us in Christ.

See also, He’s “the King of kings and Lord of lords.” Christ is described this way in the book of Revelation. This means that God’s rule is absolute. Over all time and space, however far it goes.

The rulers of this world rise and fall. New leaders are elected, new nations come into power. But the one true God never relinquishes His throne. He has never once lost control of history.

And see verse [16], “who alone has immortality.” Eventually, we all die. Our God is the possessor of eternal life. He has always been and will always be. There was no “beginning” for Him.

And He “who dwells in unapproachable light.” This speaks to His moral purity. It reflects His impeccable character. And really, as it relates to our perseverance and growth to spiritual maturity, this describes God’s trustworthiness and wisdom.

We often think of God as bigger than us. But Paul says something greater. He describes God as altogether different from us. We are dependent. He is self-existent. We are mortal. He alone possesses immortality. We are stained and fragmented by sin. He dwells in absolute purity and wholeness. And yet He loves us with so great a love that He sent Christ into the world for us.

Additionally, the Lord Our God is He “whom no one has ever seen or can see.” At various times in redemptive history, some have seen His “glory,” or a visible manifestation of Him that a person could see. And of course, He appeared in the flesh as the Christ. But God is a Spirit and does not have a body as we do.

And now notice what Paul does. He seems to conclude not with an argument, but with worship. “To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen,” or, “So be it.” It appears that Paul’s heart and mind were so captured by the realities of God that this statement burst forth from within him. “To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” This is where our theology is meant to lead: to the proclaiming of God’s never-ceasing rule over all things, all realms, all realities. Here also is where our attention should be redirected: upward, for the Ruler of All is presiding over everything He has made.

Maybe you’ve heard the famous words of Psalm 121, “I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” The OT teaches us that God’s people made regular journeys up to Jerusalem for His appointed feasts. They would worship Him and remember His gracious works. At the feasts, they would receive God’s blessings and rest in His covenant promises.

And as they traveled upward to the city of Jerusalem, they would sing what were called “the Songs of Ascents.” One of those was Psalm 121. “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth…The LORD is your keeper;  The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life…from this time forth and forevermore.”

During His earthly life, Christ sang those words as He journeyed to Jerusalem. But His journey was different. He knew His earthly pilgrimage would end at the cross. Yet He trusted perfectly in His Father who preserved Him.

We too are pilgrims on a journey to the heavenly, eternal Jerusalem. And every Lord's Day, He gathers us and ministers to us. In a few moments, He’ll feed us at His Table. Then He’ll send us back into the world with His blessing.

So as we go to His table, remember that our confidence is never in the strength of our grip on Him, but always in the strength of His grip on us. He is the Giver of Life. He is the Governor of Time. He is the Ruler of All. And He will hold your hand tightly to the end.

Will you trust Him today, and believe in His Son who He sent? Let’s bow in prayer.