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"But you, O man of God..."

Text: 1 Timothy 6:11

MAN OF GOD

Despite the solemn words of warning about the danger of the pursuit of wealth, many are still drawn by the love of the world. How did the apostle help Timothy to be delivered from this temptation?

“But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.”
1 Timothy 6:11

1. “But you, O man of God”

a) Paul could have appealed to Timothy as his son.

i) That would have counted for something.

ii) The strong bond that they shared would have helped Timothy to be strong.

b) Instead Paul appealed to Timothy to remember.

i) That he was “a man of God”.

ii) This was a special word of appeal in itself.

c) People who were described as “a man of God”.

i) The prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 9:6)

ii) The prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:9,11,12)

2. What a true “man of God” would do

There are two actions that a wise man of God would take into careful consideration.

a) He would flee.

i) This would be an imperative for him.

ii) He recognises the danger of having a love for money.

iii) He understands that he cannot compromise.

iv) He takes the wisest course of action and flees from the temptations associated with the love of money.

b) He would pursue the following things instead.

i) Again he chooses this course of action as an imperative.

ii) He recognises that fleeing from the love of money in itself is an incomplete action.

iii) He must actively pursue the things that really matter.

iv) Without a focused pursuit of eternal and moral values he will not succeed.

v) With deep commitment he pursues the things that will make him stand out as a man of God.