Feb 21
7
Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 15:1–9
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked. The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is acceptable to him. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but he loves him who pursues righteousness.” (Proverbs 15:1–9, ESV)
Sermon Text: 1 Timothy 6:11-12
“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11–12, ESV)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
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Introduction
In the passage that is before us today, Paul turns his attention from negatively warning against false teachers to positively exhorting Timothy to be faithful in the ministry. In verse 11 we read, “But as for you, O man of God…” So you see that Paul directly addresses Timothy here. And notice that he refers to him as a “man of God”. What does this phrase, “man of God”, mean?
Well, it can be taken in a generic sense and applied to all believers. All believers are called to be men and women of God. As followers of Christ, we are to love God. We are to worship and serve him in all that we do, living lives of holiness before him. Taken in this generic sense, all Christain men are “men of God”, and all Christian women are “women of God”, at least they should be.
But I do believe that the phrase “man of God” has a more technical meaning. It is sometimes used in the scriptures to refer to leaders within Old Covenant Israel and the New Covenant church. Moses was called “the man of God” in Deuteronomy 33:1. Prophets like Elijah were called “[men] of God” (i.e. 1 Kings 17:24). And here in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 we read, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV). Immediately after this Paul charges Timothy as an ordained minister of the gospel, to “preach the word; [to] be ready in season and out of season; [to] reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2, ESV).
So when Paul called Timothy a “man of God” it was to remind him, not only that he was a Christian man, but that he was a man set apart for Christian ministry. He was a minister within Christ’s church. The phrase is technical, therefore. Paul used it to remind Timothy of his ordination. So we must keep this in mind. What Paul says here he says to Timothy the Christian man and minister. And no, this does not mean that the passage applies only to ministers. It applies to all Christians generally, men and women, young and old. But it applies especially to Christian ministers.
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The Man Of God Must Flee From Evil
In verses 11-12 we learn that the man of God must flee from evil and pursue righteousness.
Verse 11: But as for you, O man of God,
flee these things.
Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
Fight the good fight of the faith.
Take hold of the eternal life
to which you were called
and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Notice the string of imperatives, or commands — flee, pursue, fight and take hold of, Paul says. In just a moment we will talk about what Timothy was to flee from, pursue, fight against, and take possession of. But let me first make this general observation. These are all things that are done in battle. The Christian life is a battle, friends. And so too is Christian ministry. In battle, a soldier will be constantly fleeing, pursuing, and fighting with the objective being to take hold of some prize. And so it is for the Christan and the Christian minister. The Christian life is a battle. And the battlefield is no place for idleness, complacency, or a lack of direction.
“Flee these things”, Paul says. What things?
Well, there are many things that we are to flee from in the Christian life. In 1 Corinthians 6:18 Paul says, “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18, ESV). In 1 Corinthians 10:14 Paul says, “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:14, ESV). And in 2 Timothy 2:22 he says, “So flee youthful passions…” (2 Timothy 2:22, ESV). So what are we to flee from? We are to flee from all that is sinful. The Christian is to “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good” (Romans 12:9, ESV). But when Paul tells Timothy to “flee these things”, he has in mind the things that he has just warned against in the previous passage. In particular, the love of money, lack of contentment, and the prideful, quarrelsome disposition characteristic of the false teachers. “Flee these things”, Timothy. Run away from these things, Paul says.
You know, brothers and sisters, there is a time to stand and fight but there is also a time to run. A skilled warrior knows the difference. And if you are to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ then you must learn to flee when the time is right. You must run away from sin, brothers and sisters. You must run away from temptation. I’m afraid that we are sometimes far too comfortable with sin and complacent in regard to the temptation to sin. Instead of running away when we see the prowling lion a long way off, we let it come near, and even walk towards it, so that we cannot escape when it decides to pounce. Perhaps it is the sin of lust. Perhaps it is pride. Maybe it is resentment or discontentment, anger, anxiety, or fear. In some instances, we are physically in places that we should not be. But more often than not, the battle is in the mind and the heart. Friends, so many of our battles are fought there in the mind and heart.
“Flee these things”, Paul says. What things? Love of money, discontentment, pride, and a quarrelsome disposition. All who are in Christ must flee from these things, but especially ministers within Christ’s church, for when they stumble in these things, the damage to the congregation and the name of Christ can be very great. Brothers and sisters, are you running away from sin — even those sins that reside within the heart and mind?
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The Man Of God Must Pursue Righteousness, Godliness, Faith, Love, Steadfastness, Gentleness
Not only are we to “flee” from sin, we must also “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, [and] gentleness.”
Some think that the Christian faith is all about running away from evil. It is that. Those who have Christ as Lord are to run from wickedness. But the Christian faith also involves running toward God and godliness through faith in Christ. He has atoned for all our sins. He has freed us from the curse of the law and from bondage to sin. And he empowers us to live right before him by his word and Spirit. And so Paul not only says, “flee”, but also, “pursue” — “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, [and] gentleness.”
This is similar to what Paul says elsewhere using the language “put off” and “put on”. In Ephesians 4:22 he says. “put off your old self… [and] put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22–24, ESV). To merely “put off the old self” will not do. That would leave us unclothed. In Christ, we must also “put on the new self” so that we are clothed in righteousness and holiness. Do not only “put off”, but also “put on”. And do not only “flee” from sin, but also “pursue” holiness.
This is very important, friends. Christ did not only die to remove the stain of your guilt but also to make you holy and to sanctify you according to the truth. And his desire is that we would, not only run away from doing evil in thought, word, and deed but that we would also do what is right in Christ Jesus.
I’ve put it this way to my children before: “I’m not only telling you to not be mean. I’m telling you to be kind.” Do you see the difference, brothers and sisters? The difference is profound. Husbands, do not be harsh with your wives. Instead, honor them and love them. Put off harshness but do not forget to put on the gentleness. Christian, do not covet. Instead, be thankful to God. Put off and put on. Flee and pursue. And do not be prideful. Instead, be humble. Put off and put on. Flee and pursue. Apply this principle to whatever sin is plaguing you. It is plaguing you, in part, because you are trying to put it off, without putting on righteousness and holiness in its place, by the grace of God. If you have put off the old self, that is good. But now you are unclothed. And if you neglect to put on the new self, you will revert to putting on the old self, for we cannot go about unclothed. Put off the old self and put on the new. Flee from evil and pursue what is right in God’s sight. With God’s help, replace the fear with faith, the lie with truth, the discontentment with thanksgiving, the harshness with gentleness, the hate with love.
Flee from evil, and “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, [and] gentleness.” I ask you, are you pursuing these things? To pursue something means to strive after it “with intense effort and with [a] definite purpose or goal” (LouwNida, 662). Are you pursuing these things? They will not fall in your lap, brothers and sisters. They will come to you by the grace of God alone. But do you see that God calls you to strive after these things with intense effort? Every good Calvinist knows this. We know that in sanctification God, by his grace, enables us to pursue these things so that we might obtain them. Are you pursuing these things? Or have you grown complacent?
Are you chasing after righteousness? Of course, the scriptures in other places teach so very clearly that no man (except Christ) is righteous (Romans 3:10). All have broken God’s commandments and stand guilty before him. The only way for fallen sinners to be made right in God’s sight is through faith in Christ. We must have Christ’s righteousness given to us. Our filthy, sin-stained garments must be removed, and we must be clothed in Christ’s pure white garments. All of this — the removal of our guilt and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness — is received by faith alone (read all of Romans, particularly 3:21-22). But this is not what Paul is here exhorting Timothy to pursue. Timothy already had Christ’s righteousness as his own. That came to him the moment he believed. He did not need more of it, for there was no more of it for him to get! When we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness we are clothed fully and forever. No, Paul is not talking about imputed righteousness here, but personal righteousness. Having been made righteous by the grace of God and through faith in Christ, Timothy was then to pursue righteousness — that is to say, he was to strive with everything in him, and with the strength that only God can give, to live right before God.
In Romans, after establishing that no one is righteous, and that to be righteous one must be clothed in Christ’s righteousness, which is received through faith in Christ alone, Paul then says this: “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:12–14, ESV). In other words, having been made righteous by the grace of God and through faith in Christ, now be righteous — that is to say, live right before God — with the strength that God supplies. Pursue righteousness. Strive with intense effort to do what God requires of you as revealed in his word. Pursue righteousness.
And notice that we are to pursue godliness too. Godliness is similar to righteousness, but it is not the same. The word means to have “appropriate beliefs and devout practice of obligations relating to” God. To be godly is to be religious and pious (LouwNida, 530). The word “pious” has fallen on hard times. When people hear it they tend to think of someone who has a pious — that is to say, an arrogant and snooty — attitude. That is not what we are chancing after. But piety in the form of humble, warm, heartfelt, religious devotion to God and the things of God is to be pursued. Godliness is something we must regain in the church today. We must regain and maintain right belief and devout religious devotion within Christ’s church. Pursue godliness.
And pursue faith. Faith here refers to trust in God through Christ. Pursue faith, brothers and sisters. Walk by faith and not by sight. What does that mean? It means live your life in obedience to God being propelled by faith in God and his promises, and by not what you see with your natural eyes. Your natural eyes might tell you that God is losing and that it would be better to live for the pleasures of this earth. But if you see with eyes of faith you will me moved to trust God and obey him, even if it costs you the world. If fear is hindering you from serving God faithfully in this world, then you need to grow in faith. I am not calling you to live foolishly. But I am calling you to live faithfully, being freed and empowered to live courageously in this world because you trust in God. You are to trust his promises. You are to trust that he will accomplish all of his purposes. You are to trust that he will keep you and bring you safely into his eternal kingdom. You already have faith in Christ. Now walk by faith, and pursue even greater faith. Grow in knowledge of God and the promises of his word. And in prayer say, Lord “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24, ESV). Pursue faith.
Pursue love too. Love refers to love for God and our fellow man. God is love. And love is to be the distinguishing characteristic of the Christian. The Christian is to love God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the Christain is to love his neighbor as himself. Hear John 4:7ff: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:7–12, ESV). Pursue love.
Add to this steadfastness. Steadfastness is the ability to “continue to bear up under difficult circumstances…” (LouwNida, 307). To be steadfast is to endure in the face of difficulty. If someone told you that Jesus died to make your life easy, they told you a lie. Jesus died to make you holy. He died to reconcile you to the Father. He died so that you might have life eternal. But he was honest. He spoke to his disciples saying, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, ESV). And his disciples did experience tribulations. Many were killed for their faith. The author of this letter we are studying suffered greatly and was eventually killed for his faith. And this is why wrote to his co-worker Timothy saying, you are going to need “steadfastness”. All Christians will need steadfastness, for life in this world is plagued with difficulties. But ministers especially need it. If they are not steadfast, they will certainly shrink back from the work of the ministry. In times of persecution, it is the ministers who suffer the greatest. And in times of peace, the church is still plagued by troubles of many kinds.
We must pursue steadfastness, but we will not obtain it if we do not first have faith and love. It is strong faith and a sincere love for God and neighbor that will move us to endure. This is what Paul says in Romans 5:1ff: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:1–5, ESV). Pursue steadfastness, brothers and sisters.
But how does a Christian cultivate steadfastness? How does a child of God develop the ability to persevere in the faith while bearing up under difficult circumstances? Three things come to mind besides the general things I have already said about the need for strong faith and sincere love.
One, the Christian who wishes to be steadfast should consider carefully those who were steadfast who have gone before us. Consider Job. Consider Abraham. Consider Joseph and David. Consider Christ and his Apostles. Indeed, there are many others in the history of the church who suffered patiently through trials and tribulations of various kinds and counted it all joy. Learn from them, brothers and sisters. See how they walked by faith and not by sight. See how they lived, not for this world, but for the world to come. See how they believed that God was with them in the suffering to bring good from it, though his purpose remained a mystery.
Two, the Christian who wishes to be steadfast should pay special attention to what the scriptures say regarding God’s purpose for suffering. In other words, be sure that you hold to sound doctrine. If your doctrine of God is off, you will not suffer well. If your doctrine of man, sin, and salvation is off, you will not suffer well. I might even say, if your eschatology is off, you may not suffer well. Doctrine matters, friends. And one question you must have settled is, is it God’s will for his people to suffer in this life? The answer is, yes! Listen to 1 Peter 2:20: “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:20–21, ESV). And consider how Paul’s preaching ministry is summarized in Acts 14:22. There we are told that he went about the cities of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22, ESV). Those who have believed the lie that God’s will for them is that they have health, wealth, and prosperity in this life, will not suffer well. They will certainly believe that God has failed them when they suffer. But we know that God cannot fail his people, for he has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, ESV). And when we suffer we know that our loving Father has a purpose in it. Doctrine matters, friends. And you had better get sound doctrine before the trial comes. It is much more difficult to get sound doctrine regarding suffering and the sovereignty of God in the midst of the trial. It is not impossible. But the best time for laying a foundation is when the skies are clear and the sea calm. If you wait until the rain falls, the wind blows, and the waves crash ashore, it may be too late. Get sound doctrine now if you wish to be steadfast.
And thirdly, the Christian who wishes to be steadfast must be steadfast in the little things today. Be steadfast in the little trials and tribulations if you wish to be steadfast in the big ones. Have you ever wondered how the martyrs came to have the faith and courage to stand for Christ even when faced with the threat of death? Or have you ever watched a brother or sister suffer greatly and yet maintain a deep love for God with joy and thankfulness in their heart? Where does that strength come from? Well, it comes from God. It by his grace that we stand. But it most likely also comes from practice. Be steadfast in the little things, brothers and sisters. Endure suffering well from day to day, and teach your children to do the same. We must learn to deal with dangers, difficulties, and disappointments, big and small, in a faithful way, entrusting our souls to God, who is sovereign over all. Do not be easily discouraged or dismayed, brothers and sister. Trust in God. Be steadfast.
And to all of this add gentleness. I’m afraid that in the world, and perhaps even in the church, gentleness is equated with weakness. And I suppose that some who are gentle are weak. But the two do not go together. It is possible to strong yet gentle. Our Lord was strong and gentle. He was the strongest, most mature, and uncompromising man ever to live, and yet he was meek and mild. The truth is this — it is those who are harsh who tend to be inwardly weak. They are harsh because they are afraid. They are harsh because they are immature and insecure. But those who have strong faith, sincere love, and a steadfast spirit may also be gentle. Pursue gentleness, brothers and sisters.
Gentleness is a very important Christian virtue. Listen to Galatians 6:1: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Galatians 6:1, ESV). Ephesians 4:1: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1–3, ESV). And listen to the way that Paul described his own ministry. He wrote to the Thessalonians saying, “But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children” (1 Thessalonians 2:7, ESV).
All Christians are to pursue gentleness. But it is essential that ministers be gentle. This was one of the qualifications for elders, remember. An elder must not be “violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money” (1 Timothy 3:3, ESV). Ministers must be gentle because they are called to serve hurting people. And even when they must rebuke the rebellious, they are to do in humility and with self control.
Perhaps I can put it this way. Harshness reveals weakness. We are harsh when we are tired, frustrated, fearful, selfish and prideful. Do not hear me forbidding firmness. Christ was sometimes firm. Paul was firm. There is a place for that. But never should we be harsh — nasty, mean, cutting, and rude. We must pursue a gentle and loving disposition.
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The Man Of God Must Fight The Good Fight Of The Faith
Thirdly, we learn in this passage that the man of God must fight the good fight of the faith.
The word translated as “fight” means to struggle or strive. The Greek word is ἀγωνίζου. Perhaps you can hear in that Greek word the English word, agonize. The Christian life is a struggle, friends.
In other places, Paul uses athletic and even military metaphors to describe the Christian life.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24 we read, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete [ἀγωνιζόμενος] exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27, ESV). We are to struggle and strive in the Christian faith just as an athlete struggles and strives in the gymnasium.
And remember what Paul has already said to Timothy: “This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:18–19, ESV). We are to struggle and strive in the Christian faith just as warrior struggles and strives on the field of battle.
Do you? Are you fighting the good fight of the faith? Or have you chosen a life of leisure and ease instead? The Christian life is a struggle, friends. We must fight against temptation and sin. We must fight against unbelief. We must contend with the world, the Evil One and his schemes, and even our own flesh.
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The Man Of God Must Take Hold Of Eternal Life
Fourthly, and finally, we learn that the man of God must take hold of eternal life.
What does Paul mean when he commands Timothy to “take hold of the eternal life”? Didn’t Timothy already have eternal life? Isn’t eternal life ours the moment we believe upon Christ? Yes and no.
Eternal life is ours now because Christ has earned it for us. Eternal life is our inheritance, and the Spirit of God is our deposit and guarantee. The Spirit seals us when we believe. He puts his mark on un in the waters of baptism. But we will take possession of eternal life in the future when we pass from this earth, or when Christ returns to make all things new. This is what Paul says in Ephesians 1:13ff: “In [Christ] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:13–14, ESV). So you have eternal life now. It is yours by way of promise and inheritance. But we have not taken full possession of it.
When Paul commanded Timothy to “take hold of the eternal life” he meant, persevere in the faith until the end. Yes, God will preserve all who are his. And one of the means that God uses to preserve his people are the commands of scripture to persevere. God will preserve his elect. And he preserves his elect, in part, by commanding them to persever, and empowering them to obey.
Notice that eternal life was the thing “to which [Timothy was] called.” Timothy, just like you and me, was called to faith in Christ so that he would have eternal life.
And notice that eternal life was the thing “about which [Timothy] made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” I take this as a reference to Timothy’s baptism, though it could also refer to his ordination. The point is this, Timothy was to persevere. He was to follow through on his profession of faith and his commitment to serve as a minister in Christ’s church.
Consider this, dear brethren. The pressures on Timothy to turn back were probably very great. We should not forget that Paul, his mentor, had been imprisoned, would be would imprisoned again, and eventually killed for his faith in Christ, and particularly his work in the ministry. Do not underestimate the pressures that Timothy felt. Do not underestimate the dangers. Remembering the dangers helps us to better appreciate Paul’s exhortation to perseverance.
Brothers and sisters, I do hope that you are comforted by the promise that Christ will keep all who are his and will lose not one (see John 17; Romans 8:29ff). He will surely finish the work he started in you (Philippians 1:6). But it is also important for you to hear these exhortations to persevere. They are found throughout the scriptures. And they are very important. God uses these exhortations to move us to perseverance. He preserves us by his grace. And how does he do it? By enabling us to persevere! Friends, you have a part to play. Do not grow slack. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9:24, ESV). “[Press] on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14, ESV). “While the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it” (Hebrews 4:1, ESV).
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Conclusion
The man of God, and all of the saints with him, must flee from evil, pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness; fight the good fight of the faith, and take hold of the eternal life. All of this requires living with intentionality. The Christian must not simply drift through life. No, the Christian must count the cost, pick a side, and have only one King, for the Christian life is not a stroll in the park, it is battle.
Friends, this passage that we have studied today and the one that follows it really do belong together. Time will not permit us to give adequate attention to both of them today, and so I have saved verses 13-16 for the next Lord’s Day. But I thought it would be good to at least mention the message of the following passage by way of conclusion, for there is good news there, comfort, and hope,
In this passage that we studied today, Timothy, and we along with him, are exhorted to run, fight, and persevere in the Christian life. And how important it is for us to be exhorted in this way! In the following passage, Paul charges Timothy again. But in that text he emphasizes, no so much our responsibility, but the source of our strength, life, and hope — namely, God and Christ.
Let me simply read that text to you as we close. “I charge you 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, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:13–16, ESV).
How will the people of God persevere in the faith when faced with trials and tribulations of many kinds? By trusting in God and Christ who is our life. Amen.
