1 Timothy 6:11-12 – From Good to Godly – Bible study

1Timothy 6:11-12 From Good to Godly Today is Fathers Day, a day to honor men who are not just biological dads, but who are loving, interactive, caring fathers. As with so many of the holidays that we share, Fathers Day was not created specifically by God, but its basis is found in the often-repeated command: Ex 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Paul wrote to Timothy, encouraging Timothy to be the kind of man God intended him to be. 1Tim 6:11 But thou, O man of God. Timothy was not a father, but there is a process of building that is good to go through. We start with a good man, make a godly man out of him, and then he can become a godly father. I know there are many good people, fathers and mothers, in the world today who do not know or obey God. However, no human being can reach their full potential without God and without yielding to Gods Word. Lets note a few things Paul mentioned in this men. I. Paul said the godly man would know when to flee. 1Tim 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things A. There is a time to fight and there is a time to flee or more appropriately, there are things that must be fought and there are things from which we must be flee. B. I do not know if television is an indication or not, but it seems that mans view of a real man and Gods are vastly different. The worlds view of man is. 1. Someone who can win any fight, physical or verbal. 2. Someone who can show you a real good time. 3. Someone who may not always be right but will always be the last one standing. 4. In short, the world today thinks Vin Diesel or Andre Ward. 5. Yet, God lists as His first requirement of a godly man one who knows when to flee! C. What things should a godly man flee? 1. The text gives us one. Godly men must flee the love of riches. 1Tim 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. a. Notice specifically in verse 10, it is the "love of money" that is "the root of all evil." b. You may be one of those that can have money and not fall in love with it, but they are very few. c. The love of riches has ruined many a man. 2. The Old Testament gives us another. Joseph, a godly man, fled from a married woman who desired him. Gen 39:11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within. 12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. 13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, a. A lot of men would not have considered that to be something to flee from but rather something to embrace, but not Joseph. b. Joseph knew that this was a sin against God. Ge 39:9 how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? D. What gives? 1. Money and women are two of the basic requirements of being a real man. 2. After all, James Bond has not been popular in the movies for the last 60 years by no reason. 3. Yet, God specifically tells us these things are to be fled? 4. Why? E. If you think on these two things, you might see that they are both temptations of the heart. 1. Gods greatest command is that we love Him above every other thing. De 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 2. Why does God give us that command? a. Because what the heart loves the body seeks. b. The least liked foods: garlic, tofu, oysters, mushrooms. c. Why? Not because they are bad for you but because the body doesnt like the way they taste! 3. Anything that we love more than God is our idol. 4. Greed is more of an internal temptation of the heart while adultery is more of an outward temptation, but they are both temptations from which the godly must flee. F. I think these two examples give us a precept or principal. 1. The godly man must flee anything or anyone that could steal his heart from God. 2. Most people think they can balance their loves. We spend a lot of time living on the edge. 3. God says, "Dont even risk it." God knows the risk is too great if you fail and He knows that eventually, we will fail. G. May I tell you a secret about most of the commandments in the Bible? Most of them are trying to keep you away from things that will steal your heart from Him. II. Paul said there are some things that we need to follow after. 1Tim 6:11 and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. A. Paul listed six things for the godly men to follow after. 1. The fact that we have to follow after them means they are not natural to us. a. Most men will readily admit that doing these things is not natural to us. (1) Love is in that list. (a) What husband does not figure out that love to him and love to his wife are two different things? (b) It is not easynot naturalfor men to put themselves in any other slot except number one. (c) That is not right but it is true. (2) Most men look at meekness like it was weakness. (a) Meekness is when you have the ability and the cause to defend your honor and you do not. (b) Most would call that weakness. (3) We see patience as a waste of time. (4) When it comes to faith and trust we will trust ourselves because we know what we can do. (5) And I have already mentioned that doing right by God and being God-like are not very high on most mens bucket list. b. So since these things are not a part of mens natural make up, God through Paul commanded that we seek after these righteous abilities. 2. These are righteousspiritualabilities. a. They are not naturally found in men because they are not natural abilities. They are supernatural abilities. b. No human can please God unless God does a work inside him to make it possible. (1) You are probably a pretty good man. (2) Perhaps some would even call you exceptional in your abilities to be patient, helpful, kind, and moral. (3) Butwithout Christyou simply cannot attain to what is telling us to follow after. c. Listen to what God says about our abilities to do right. Psalm 14:1 there is none that doeth good. Psalm 14:3 there is none that doeth good. Palms 51:1 there is none that doeth good. Romans 3:12 there is none that doeth good. d. Are you getting the idea? (1) God says that on our own, we will never do good. (2) That kind of behavior is not within us. It must be infused within us. (3) That is what part of salvation does. (3) When we are saved, God infuses us with spiritual abilities which are not our own. e. Some of them are listed: Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING (patience), GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, 23 MEEKNESS, TEMPERANCE (self-control): against such there is no law. (1) Notice, some of these behaviors are on the list that Paul gave to Timothy. (2) They are all by products of having God the Holy Spirit move in to you. (3) That happens at the moment of salvation. f. There are a lot of reasons to get saved. (1) To glorify God. (2) To have your sins forgiven. (3) To escape hell. (4) And many more. g. But another on that long list is so that you can be the kind of godly father that God wants you to be. B. Men, there is a reason why we struggle to be the kind of father we should be, the kind we want to be. 1. It is because we are running after the things we should be fleeing and fleeing from the things we should be running after! 2. Most men like to think of themselves as "breaking the mold," being "a leader, not just a follower." 3. However, most of us are nothing more than a carbon copy of the worlds man, a failure before God and in the home. III. \#12\ Paul said there are some things we need to fight. 1Tim 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith A. Some things must be fought for and some things must be fought against. 1. Paul called this "the good fight." a. That means a worthy fight. b. One that you could be proud to tell your family that you were in. 2. Paul is speaking to Christians about how to be godly men, not unsaved men. a. You cannot fight your way to salvation. b. To be saved requires humility and faith. c. Salvation is surrendering yourself to Jesus. B. What do Christians fight against? 1. We must fight against our old nature. 2. We must fight against Satan. 3. We must fight against the world. C. At the same time, we must fight for some things. 1. We fight for THE faith. Jude 1:3 ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 2. We fight for OUR faith.