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"That... you may wage the good warfare."

Text: 1 Timothy 1:18

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

The apostle Paul saw ministry in the light of “spiritual warfare”. The false teachers were not seen as misguided people. These were to be seen as enemies hostile to the kingdom of God.

“This charge I commit to you, son Timothy,
according to the prophecies previously made concerning you,
that by them you may wage the good warfare.”

1 Timothy 1:18

1. “This charge I commit to you”

a) The word “charge” literally means “command”.

b) It may be used

i) By an apostle giving instruction.

ii) By a commander giving military orders.

c) Seen in the light of warfare, Timothy was commissioned to go into battle as an officer.

d) Paul had received a similar charge from the Lord.

e) He was now giving orders to Timothy.

2. “Son Timothy”

a) This was an “emotional moment”.

b) A spiritual father is giving an important “military assignment” to his son.

c) His son was also going into “military service”.

d) This was a proud moment for a spiritual father who had himself served with great distinction.

3. “According to the prophecies previously made concerning you”

a) There were prophecies made concerning Timothy.

b) The occasion for these prophecies could have been made when he was ordained for the ministry.

c) The Scriptures are silent as to when this took place though.

4. “That by them you may wage the good warfare”

a) One of the prophecies may have been to intimate that Timothy would be engaged in spiritual battle.

b) Another could have been that he would do valiantly in the battle field.

c) The exact details of these prophecies however are not known.

d) Nevertheless these must have been positive and encouraging words.

e) Paul urged Timothy to remember them and to apply them well in this spiritual warfare.