(Midweek Devotions - 1st Timothy)
1 Timothy 1:1-2
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Today we are starting a new devotional series referencing an epistle of the Apostle Paul to Timothy. As this letter is personal, let us try to understand the intentions and purpose of Paul to his younger brethren in Christ and co-labourer in the vineyard of God.
This first and second letters to Timothy gives us many apostolic teachings, instructions, exhortations, and encouragement in individuals walk of faith in Christ.
As the common format of Paul’s letter, he always make a careful introduction and addressing appropriately to whom a letter is intended for. I am always astonishing the way Paul gives introductions and addresses as it reminds us some ethical standards of how we know, knew and have known our identity in Christ.
A. KNOW
Paul wants his identity in Christ to be identified at all times, and that does not exempt even to the very ink of pen he invested to his letters. This is a non-negotiable ethics he exhibited both in speaking testimonies or in writings.
His Introduction tells about himself attributed commonly in nothingness. Instead, he elevates Christ and His sovereign authority for appointing who he is after the call in Damascus. First century Christians knew who he is very well and how he rose to one of important senior leaders of the Christian movement. But He never considered those as His accomplishments, rather, as the accomplishment of God’s sovereignty over His choosing on him as one of his treasured apostles.
We can see clearly that He has a strong grasp of respect of knowing his theological understanding of his position as an elect, called, and commanded by One who is in Supreme Authority which most of Christians in our day and age have undermine the primary cause of the effect of being saved by God. Paul uses the word by command which is a dogmatic and authoritative word of one who is in authority, in this case is God, Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Hope. Apart for the command of the Lord to come to Him, He won't be an apostle of Christ at all.
In simple sentence, Paul is an apostle of Jesus Christ by virtue of his command to become one. You will notice how Paul know the authority of Jesus when He appeared to Him in the road of Damascus. He did not even say I accept you as my Saviour, but he followed him by being obedient to His command to become an apostle of Christ through the irresistible grace granted to Him by God, which is the material cause of salvation.
This is Today's biggest problem, that professing Christians settled in their acceptance of Christ as the first cause of faith, rather than referring to the internal call of God, the Holy Spirit and the external call of God by His command (the preaching of His Gospel) as the first cause of faith which is the instrumental cause for our justification.
B. KNEW
Paul has a strong convition of the knowledge of the God he is acknowledging. This is quite evident in both of His introduction and in his addresses and an important ethics for every Christians who are trusting Jesus with intellectual ascent and not just a 'leap of faith'. Instead, there is an empirical systematic understanding of the truth of God which is perceived by our understanding.
Christians in our day stagnates in knowing Christ in their conviction of leap of faith. As dangerous it may be, we stop knowing God in His divine revelation made in the pages of Scripture. We enticed in thetickling words of modern day preaching by touching the very applications of our day-to-day life and relates with the scriptures, instead of the other way around.
How much we know of Christ as our God? How much we know of Christ as our Saviour? How much we know that God gave us faith in Christ? How much we know that we are true children of God?
Can you all stand to the answers of these questions in front of those who mocks or will challenge your faith? Can you defend of what you are believing in Christ Jesus?
We cannot, if its just a blind leap of faith.
If faith is the instrumental cause of our justification, then we have to be sure of such faith is genuine and true. The protestant doctrine of salvation through faith alone, is understood in relation to salvation by grace alone. With such, we can undertand more the works of our Triune God from the beginning of this world to its final consummation, to save his elect which starts from the foreknowledge of God, to call them to faith in Christ and be justified in Him alone, to glorification for all eternity future. Thus, the bible says, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)
C. KNOWN
Christians has to name themselves in Chirst, unashamed of this identity whether in public, in private, or within fellowship. We must be known to be in Christ, rather than separated of Christ in some aspects of our lives. We are not Christian in our spiritual being alone, we are Christians in all being - in our intellectual being, emotional being, social being, and actual being.
You do not want to be called ALMOST CHRISTIAN. You go to weekly Worship Service. You join in fellowship with Christians. You listen to preaching of the Word. Yet, you are still almost Christian. Why waste those things and just be called Almost Christians?
We must be KNOWN Christians. This is how Paul addresses Timothy by confirming that one of his young son in faith, is a true child of God. Paul recognizes Timothy's calling as child of God by calling him as 'True Child of Faith'. If there are one that can recognize your genuineness as treasured possesion of God, that is your own family of faith WHO are faithful to the authority of God.
Paul establish such faithfulness in his introduction, and later gave him authority to recognize Timothy as true and genuine child of faith. Ultimately, the Bible is so clear of the evidences of true and genuine believers and possesor of faith. If we will become more faithful in diving to the Truth of the Bible, we will become more faithful in all of our being. Our obedience to Christ will no longer alien to us as if just a matter of doing, instead, our obedience to Christ is embedded in core of our being as volitional creature. Thus, we are called human being not human doing. We are known genuinely through obedience in volitional relationship to our core (our being).
To have Christ Centered Christian, we must KNOW our faith in Christ, KNEW the object of our faith in Christ, and Known to the very core of our being in Christ.
Have a blessed midweek to everyone!
Comments
Post a Comment