The Challenge to Keep the Lord’s Commandment

by Mitchell Tan
April 13, 2017

OBEYING THE COMMANDMENT

What is the most important thing when it comes to walking with the Lord and serving Him? Obedience is what He would look for. As Paul comes to the end of his first epistle to Timothy, he would naturally focus on what was most crucial for Timothy to focus on. He challenged him to keep the commandment.

“That you keep this commandment”
1 Timothy 6:14

The commandment is not a reference to a particular one but rather a reference to all the lessons and commandments given by Paul. It would be better seen as “these things” that Paul had repeatedly challenged Timothy to practise and conform to.

THE MOTIVATION TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENT

What would motivate us to keep the commandment of the Lord?

1. HAVING THE FEAR OF THE LORD

“I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things …”
1 Timothy 6:13

Paul charged Timothy that he was to be most conscious of the Lord God. The fear of Him should cause him to keep His commandments. He is omniscient. He is able to see everything that we do. He is also the Lord God who is source of life for all living things including us human beings. Psalm 139 speaks of the omniscience of God and He as the Creator of all human life. Our consciousness of Him and our reverence for Him should cause us to obey Him.

2. CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE LORD JESUS AND HIS GOOD CONFESSION

“… And before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate”
1 Timothy 6:13

Another motivating factor is our consciousness of the Lord Jesus and His good confession. The Lord Jesus is our best example of what it means to confess the good confession. When He was brought before Pontius Pilate, He showed tremendous courage and calmness as accusations were hurled against Him. He bore witness of the kingdom of God and that He is indeed the King of the Jews (John 18:36-37). For this reason, He was born into this world and bore witness of this truth. He confessed the good confession. We too should be unafraid to bear witness of the truth.

THE WAY TO KEEPING THE COMMANDMENT

“Without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing”
1 Timothy 6:14

1. AS JESUS KEPT THE COMMANDMENTS

The Lord Jesus kept the commandments of God without spot and blamelessly. He did not err in any way with regards to keeping the word of God. He witnessed the good confession. Let’s also do the same during this Easter time. Let’s seek to follow His example in keeping all His commands.

2. WITH HOPE IN THE LORD’S COMING

Let’s also seek to keep His commandments as we wait for the Lord’s second coming. Our definite hope is that He will indeed come again. Let’s keep His commandments till He comes for us.

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