S) "19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith."
1 Timothy 1:19 (NASB)
O) Paul was giving a fairly lengthy greeting in this opening chapter. The purpose of the letter was to instruct Timothy in how he should provide leadership to the church where he was. In the previous verse, Paul makes a reference to some prophecies given to the young leader, and says that by them he must fight the good fight, and then he gives the warning of the verse above. Apparently, there were some in leadership (and two are named in the following verse), whose ministries were shipwrecked. While that still happens, and still it almost always comes as a shock in the individual cases, there should be no mystery as to why it happens. They have rejected the principles of keeping faith, keeping a good conscience, and fighting the good fight. Those are very active terms. There is an enemy who opposes every good form of ministry. If we are not actively working to keep faith and good conscience, if we are not willing to fight, we will be shipwrecked in regard to our faith.
A) When I was younger in my faith, having seen less of ministry up close, I had some amount of naiveté. I was surprised over and over when I saw people getting divorced, or following some strange doctrine, or leaving their faith altogether. These were supposed to be leaders. These were supposed to be men and women who took their faith seriously and were in it for the long haul. Whenever I would see that kind of tragedy, I would get a little scared for myself. I would think things like, "If he didn't see it coming, would I?" What I came to realize with some time, and with some more experience and exposure with Christians more mature than me, was that my questions had answers in their very existence. By wondering, I was becoming more vigilant. My faith is an active faith. I choose every day to place my trust in Jesus Christ. Every day, I choose to humble myself to His lordship over me. Every day, I choose to submit myself to the authority of Scripture. Every day, I choose to love my wife as Christ loved the church. Some days I am less successful. Some days I have outright failures. But, every day, I am choosing again. Every day I am fighting that good fight. Every day I am working to keep my faith, through prayer and studying the Bible, and giving my testimony, or listening to others' testimonies. Every day I am working to keep a good conscience, by submitting myself in obedience, or else confessing and repenting of my sins. Rejection isn't always bold or eventful. I know that, because of how I fell away from my faith as a teenager. It was a rejection through passivity. I rejected my pursuit of God. That's a mistake I won't make again.
P) Father, thank You for Your grace and patience. You are full of lovingkindness, and You kept me until I returned to You. You prevented my self-destruction. I know what it means to reject because of passive negligence. I know that our relationship takes investment. I also know that You are worthy it. You are worth my time, my energy, my money, my everything. You are worthy of pursuit. It is still grace, that I am able to keep faith and a good conscience. It is grace that I am even able to fight for my faith and ministry. It is grace that I am able to fight for my marriage and kids. Help me to remain vigilant, to remain diligent. Open my eyes to see when I am in dangerous waters. Open my ears, to hear the warning of the Holy Spirit, when I am becoming passive and risking the things that really matter. Let Your will be done, and be glorified above all else. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
A) When I was younger in my faith, having seen less of ministry up close, I had some amount of naiveté. I was surprised over and over when I saw people getting divorced, or following some strange doctrine, or leaving their faith altogether. These were supposed to be leaders. These were supposed to be men and women who took their faith seriously and were in it for the long haul. Whenever I would see that kind of tragedy, I would get a little scared for myself. I would think things like, "If he didn't see it coming, would I?" What I came to realize with some time, and with some more experience and exposure with Christians more mature than me, was that my questions had answers in their very existence. By wondering, I was becoming more vigilant. My faith is an active faith. I choose every day to place my trust in Jesus Christ. Every day, I choose to humble myself to His lordship over me. Every day, I choose to submit myself to the authority of Scripture. Every day, I choose to love my wife as Christ loved the church. Some days I am less successful. Some days I have outright failures. But, every day, I am choosing again. Every day I am fighting that good fight. Every day I am working to keep my faith, through prayer and studying the Bible, and giving my testimony, or listening to others' testimonies. Every day I am working to keep a good conscience, by submitting myself in obedience, or else confessing and repenting of my sins. Rejection isn't always bold or eventful. I know that, because of how I fell away from my faith as a teenager. It was a rejection through passivity. I rejected my pursuit of God. That's a mistake I won't make again.
P) Father, thank You for Your grace and patience. You are full of lovingkindness, and You kept me until I returned to You. You prevented my self-destruction. I know what it means to reject because of passive negligence. I know that our relationship takes investment. I also know that You are worthy it. You are worth my time, my energy, my money, my everything. You are worthy of pursuit. It is still grace, that I am able to keep faith and a good conscience. It is grace that I am even able to fight for my faith and ministry. It is grace that I am able to fight for my marriage and kids. Help me to remain vigilant, to remain diligent. Open my eyes to see when I am in dangerous waters. Open my ears, to hear the warning of the Holy Spirit, when I am becoming passive and risking the things that really matter. Let Your will be done, and be glorified above all else. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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