Paul wraps up his letter to Timothy with these words: "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen." (1 Timothy 6:11-16)
What Does It Mean to Flee Evil and Pursue Godliness?
Flee from all of this!
From false teaching and meaningless words!
From disrespect and laziness!
From discontentment and from tight-fistedness!
Flee from it, fight against it, and pursue godliness and faith and love and endurance and gentleness.
Flee from evil, pursue good. This is a good principle for life in general. Resist evil and get away from it; seek good and embrace it!
This is the Christian life, in the end - a life where Jesus saved us both from evil and for good.
Often we tend to lean one way or the other! We become very focused on avoiding evil and we forget to do good. Or we become do-gooders but allow evil to slip in.
Paul here reminds us: man or woman of God, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called - and live it!
When Does Eternal Life Begin?
Eternal life doesn't begin in heaven, for the man or woman of God! It begins now, if we will take hold of it, and reject evil and live in God's ways.
Our God is so good, so worthy, so wonderful! In fact, Paul says He is so amazing that He is wrapped in light, and that light is so bright nobody has seen it or can see it!
What's your life's purpose? Give glory to this wonderful God, who loves you and gives everything life - by fleeing evil and pursuing good.
Will Jesus Find You Faithful?
When Jesus comes and you meet Him face to face, will you be found faithful? Will you be found living for Him responsibly and passionately?
Or will you be found
With a heart full of disrespect and bitterness?
With a head full of empty and meaningless teaching?
With a full bank account and an empty soul?
Pursuing evil and resisting good?
Choose to be faithful. Choose God's way.
Paul closes 1 Timothy by calling the man or woman of God to flee evil and pursue godliness. Name one thing to flee and one thing to pursue today, then ask God for the strength to do both.