Skip to main content

Being A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

(Midweek Devotion - 1 Timothy, 09 Aug 2023)

1 Timothy 4:6-10

6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

One of the metaphors used for disciples of Christ Jesus is that we are “Servants of Christ Jesus.” This comes from the illustration of “Master and Servant” relationship, which Master can be the Lord, the King, the Owner, or the Superior Being.

Paul in his honest message to Timothy, gave this apostolic advice of whom we (Christians) should also listen and abide in this wisdom, especially if we are claiming to be a Christian for ages now, that if you put “these things before the brothers”, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus.

What a great comfort to know that we CAN be good servant of Christ Jesus! But do we consider ourselves a servant of God? If yes, then such benevolence can come to us and be pronounced good servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, by our Lord Jesus Christ, our true Master, Lord, King, Owner, and Supreme Being over our lives.

As Christ Jesus is the true Master, therefore, He MUST be the Sovereign One, not ourselves. We are to follow His decree, His precepts, His words. Indeed, the Apostle Paul said that a good servant of Christ is one who are "being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed."

See how Paul have used the present tense to illustrate that a servant is actively involve in the business of continuous santification by means of the "the words of faith" and "the words of good doctrine". Sanctification is not a feeling of being pure, it is an active display or active process of cleansing from sins as the true manifestation of being in the state of grace. This process is not without the Word of God as Jesus himself said in John 17:17 - "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."

Paul have also equated the "words of faith" to "the words of good doctrine", as these are what we followed in our walk of faith. Observe clearly how he described the kind of doctrine that a good servant MUST follow, "A GOOD DOCTRINE." Christians, therefore, need to know what is "good doctrine" and "bad doctrine", for it will lead them to whether they will be a "good servant" or a "bad servant" of Christ Jesus.

And here Paul gave us a practical way by means of elimination, as to what we MUST avoid, and offer the remedy instead. He explicitly instructed Timothy, and by extension for all Christians, "But reject those myths fit only for the godless and gullible". I refer to this NET version to show the strong words of Paul that Christians not only have to avoid the silly myths flying around Christian (bad) doctrines but also reject them. Because Paul knew how dangerous it is when followed no only by promoter of it, but also of those who followed by religiosities.

So Paul gave us a remedy saying "Rather, train yourself for godliness." Yes, we hear it clearly that we can be trained to godliness if we want to. He is not referring to just external display of godliness only, but from the very core of our being, from the heart that is renewed in Christ Jesus who set his hope in Him through believing.

Training to godliness is not a head knowledge. Our aim of knowing (studying) the word of God is not for intellectual consumption only. The aim of our studying the Scripture is to know Christ and be like Him. It was looked forward by the old and looked backward by the new that one may see His light, received His light, and display His light unto this dark world.

Paul reiterates that if we are to be trained in godliness, its value will be reaped not just of the present time but also of the future time to come, where we set our hope on the Living God, who is the Saviour of all people who believes in Him.

Do you claim that Christ Jesus is your Lord and Saviour? If yes, then you can be good servant of Christ Jesus if you display "these things" before your brothers, being trained in the words of faith and of good doctrine that you have followed.

James 1:21-25

21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. 25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does. 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore The Most Read Post for the past year

Put Our Hope In God, not in uncertainties

(Midweek Devotions, 1 Timothy 6:17-21 - 25 Oct 2023) 1 Timothy 6:17-20 17  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  18  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  19  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 20  Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,  21  which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all. We are in the final last 5 verses in book of First Timothy, an important pastoral letter which is very helpful for any man of God...
Post a Comment
Read more

Respect - To Serve Them Even Better

(Midweek Devotion, 1st Timothy 6:1-2, 27 Sept 2023) 1st Timothy 6:1-2 1 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves. One of the great things about the Sacred Scriptures is that, it does not talk about God alone but also talks about His creatures behaviour, particularly human being, more specificallly those who are His people. 1st Timothy 6 gave us an idea of how both one who are UNDER authority and one who are IN authority should behave as bearers of the name of God. The Bible clearly values authority and how important one should submit to an authority over him. The Bible itself claims authority for Truth, thus, no wonder tha...
Post a Comment
Read more

Spiritual Gifts Are Free Gifts

Acts 8: 18-23 18  Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,  19  saying, "Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."  20  But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!  21  You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.  22  Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.  23  For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." All disciples of Jesus have given the power from God through the Holy Spirit. This is something Jesus had told us that He will send us an advocate or a helper and He will teach us with righteousness and will help us to remember everything that He taught us. T...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wake Up - Stand On Your Post!

2 Samuel 19:5-7: 5 So Joab visited the king at his home. He said, "Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines. 6 You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don't matter to you. I realize now that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, it would be all right with you. 7 So get up now and go out and give some encouragement to your servants. For I swear by the Lord that if you don't go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight! This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has overtaken you from your youth right to the present time!" The 3 chapters (17-19) of the book of 2nd Samuel narrated the story of the how the young Absalom, one of the Sons of King David dreamt to take over his Dad's kingship in Israel. Thanks to the loya...
Post a Comment
Read more

Know, Knew, and Known in Christ

(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 h...
Post a Comment
Read more