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Online Text Sermon - Living for Christ, 1 Timothy ch.6 v.12

Date11/08/2000
Time18:30
PreacherRev. Vernon Higham, Cardiff
Sermon TitleLiving for Christ (Highland Bible Conference)
Text1 Timothy ch.6 v.12
Sermon ID164

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"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6, 12).

I have varied texts and yet I have one theme, the title of which came to me some months ago: Great Expectations.

1. THE PERILS THAT SURROUND US

2. THE PASSION OF TRUE FAITH

Normally, we would think of our expectations of God - delighting in them and being grateful for them - but here I have looked at it as God working amongst His own people. I am thinking of the verse - "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 2, 13) - yet, at the same time, our responsibility and God's expectations in His people. Each text will bring an area, I hope, to bless our souls as we learn from the Word.

In our text and various others throughout the chapter, we hope to discover God's will in our lives. It obviously has to address His people; otherwise, it makes no sense. If we should give these instructions to those who are not yet in a state of grace - who are not the Lord's people - then these instructions are well nigh unbearable and very hard for them to suffer. A very worthy person who attends my church, who, as far as he lives his life is concerned, you would think to be a very fine Christian - although he would not profess to be so although he desires to be so - said to me, "You set so high a standard." I said, "Yes, it is an impossible one but with the grace of God it is a very different matter - we are able to live to the glory of God when we are recipients of His grace." It is just that hurdle that he cannot understand until God enlightens him.

In each of these passages, there is an aspect of the same truth of who we are tonight in this place. "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (1 Timothy 1, 15). We begin with that great solid foundation: whom he is addressing. That verse is pretty well comprehensive. What is the faithful saying, the worthy saying, the noteworthy and important saying - worthy of our diligent attention, most profound thinking and all acceptation? It is that Christ Jesus - the only begotten Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, the altogether lovely One, the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley and the fairest of ten thousand to our souls, is our Lord and our Saviour and through Him alone we have the hope of salvation. Whether we describe Him in doctrinal terms or in Scriptural poetry, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" (1 Timothy 1, 15). In a sense, you could say that every believer is the fruit of the incarnation; we are the result of what happened because of that great visit of Jesus Christ to this world.

He has two natures, a divine one and a human one. The divine nature is absolute divinity, not one-third but total divinity. The fullness of divinity is the Father and the Son and the Spirit; it is a mystery, nevertheless, it is so. He is God and He has perfect humanity. They are not mixed together - they are united but have identity - and this is our Saviour. When you think about it, it has to be that way, "that Christ Jesus came into this world" for this purpose, "to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1, 15). Now let's understand that quite clearly so we know exactly what a Christian is. We do not decide sometime during our lives whether we will go to hell or whether we will go to heaven; it is not that kind of crossroads. We are born sinners and we are on the way to hell in any case until there is a divine intervention in our lives that puts us firmly in the direction of heaven; that is, when we come to an experience of the grace of God through our Lord and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. In Him, we have redemption. It is a very wonderful thing. "For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day" (2 Timothy 1, 12).

I am quite sure that He brought me to this great place when He woke my soul, and with the twin gifts of faith and repentance, brought me to my Saviour. Then the glorious thing that happens there: my sin is imputed to Him; the penalty is paid in full. The principle, the power of sin, past, present and future sin; the whole of my sin is nailed to that cross. It is no longer mine, the debt is paid but I am naked. Imputed to myself is the righteousness of Christ Who fulfilled the Law in my place. You can say that, in His passive obedience, He paid the penalty for our sin; in His active obedience, in our place, He fulfilled the Law for us. By the gift of the grace of God, we are recipients of these benefits - forgiven sinners. That is why He came and we are able to say today that we have peace with God and we belong to Him. I have spent some time on that deliberately because I want to make quite sure that the ones who are being addressed here are the Lord's people - a forgiven people, His people and the sheep of His pasture.

We want to know His way in our lives. I will start with an illustration to make this very clear. I found myself in a highly embarrassing situation in which I didn't want to hurt the people involved. I was asked to take a funeral of a person not in any way connected with our congregation, or with any congregation for that matter. A young man, who was also a young father, had died after being on holiday and getting stung by something. He was a strong young man in his late twenties and he died in a matter of minutes. It was a tragedy all round - for the wife, for the children and his parents. His parents were friendly with members of our congregation and they said, "I'm sure our minister will help you," but, of course. I went to see the parents and they asked me if I would take the funeral. I said that I would. All seemed to be quite all right. I visited them for some time and, to be fair to them, for some considerable time they did attend the church but there was no real interest there. There was sympathy and a sort of nice feeling towards me, but there was no spiritual awakening of any kind. Nevertheless, at the time of the funeral, they needed my help and I was glad to be there.

On my last visit, the evening before the funeral, they asked me if a song could be sung during the funeral. Well, we don't do that kind of thing in our church; you are probably the same. We stick to the ordinary means of grace and a formal service. They asked if they could have it played on the piano or something. I felt very embarrassed by this because I could see they were in very deep pain. I asked them what it was they wanted and they gave me a copy. Most of you, if not all of you, will be totally unaware of this song - I knew nothing about it. I am glad I took it home to have a look at it. It is a secular song but don't be shocked, it is from people who have no concept of spirituality. He said it summed up his son's life in a wonderful way: 'I did it my way.' They said, "He did you know, he always did things his way." I have forgotten the words of the song and I have no wish to recall them but what I do remember is that they were a total expression of paganism, of pure self-centred conceit and self-gratification - that's all it was. It was very sentimental and I suppose the tune was presentable - I don't remember it. I thought, "What do I do?"

During the week, we had someone who couldn't tackle that tune so well and I thought I would make that excuse then I thought, no. I went to them and said, "It is not appropriate for me to read the words or to do anything of the kind. Forgive me for telling you but it is not appropriate." They were disappointed but they accepted what I said and I was glad that I had faced it head on. That is how people think, "If I do it my way, if I do my best, if I do what I can." That is the thinking of the world and of some Christians, I'm afraid. "I will have my way. I will have my way on a committee. I will have my way." It is a very similar kind of spirit. Whereas for Christians it should be, "Lord, show me Thy way and I will live according to Thy will and Thy way." This is what my theme is all about - for us to know the ways of God and to have them apply in our hearts, and to trust implicitly that His way is right.

This evening my main thrust is - the expectations of God in me. I know that sounds as though I was working for myself but that is not so. We know that we cannot do anything without the grace of God, nevertheless, there is our co-operation, so I am putting it that way: His expectations regarding the faith.

In my text, there is an appeal to fight the good fight of faith. I believe it would be linked with what the apostle says later: "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4, 6-7). I would be inclined to regard this as something very similar. He is asking Timothy, a comparatively young man, to stand by the faith - the faith once delivered to the saints. We have a great responsibility there, as well as living it out, because what we believe, how we worship and how we behave are very much linked together. Of course, the thrust of it all is, "Here I stand" - the faith.

1. THE PERILS THAT SURROUND US

Paul comes to the main thrust of this great verse with some preparatory statements.

(a) THINGS THAT CAN HINDER US

Do you find yourself hindered - hindered from the way that you know is right; hindered sometimes from speaking when you should?

A long time ago, when Christian Unions used to adhere to a very lovely discipline in Christian things - which they have wandered far from today - there was a book published at that time called Our Guilty Silence. I don't remember the contents of the book but the title sticks in my mind because it was very convicting. It is a terrible thing to be silent when we should speak. He is telling us here we have a responsibility to be faithful ambassadors.

What are the hindrances, the perils that surround us? He takes one theme here where there could be many. "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (verse 6). Look at that lovely picture with me. I am almost afraid of using the word 'evangelical' because it has become such a broad word. A 'godly' man or woman: to be a man or a woman of grace, to be unmistakably a child of God. We have 'godliness' if we are in a right relationship with Christ, but "godliness with contentment" - content with my circumstances, with the measure of strength He gives me, with the measure of ability He has endowed me with, little honour - whatever it may be; whatever our situation may be, we are content.

The apostle in another epistle says an amazing thing. It used to astonish me and I think it still does. The tense challenges me. "I have learned" (Philippians 4, 11), he says. I wish he had said, "I am learning". "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am," and that is saying something, "therewith to be content" (Philippians 4, 11). Why does he say that? Because it rests upon his relationship with God; then he is able to say, "I have learned". He doesn't lean on his own strength or even in his own knowledge of scriptural doctrine but rather beyond that - to know Him and a relationship with God - it "is great gain" (verse 6). That is gain: to be godly and content with what God gives us and with where He places us. Say, "I am content, Lord, to do Thy will exactly where Thou hast placed me."

My father and my grandfather on my maternal side were slate quarrymen in northwest Wales. I don't know if you know much about quarries but they have sheer slopes on the side of the mountain which have been dynamited - almost like a glass front. You were given an area and suspended by ropes and a little seat to sit or stand on. Sometimes you would have what was called a 'poor wall' but you did not complain or else you would lose your job. You had to be content with the wall you had and how much rock or slate was there. You had to be content and they learned to be content in very hard circumstances. It is a very wonderful thing because that surely is "great gain"; it is overcoming gain - we rise up like eagles. We run and walk with even greater strength than that of youths.

"Godliness with contentment is great gain" (verse 6). Paul says, "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content" (verses 7-8). He is talking about ordinary things. You have clothes; you have food - don't seek after other things or be jealous or envious of other people, because in godliness there is contentment that spreads into every part of your life and its circumstances. Be like that. However, there is a danger - he points it out briefly: "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" (verse 9). He says there is a danger there. Not that the riches are wrong, not that poverty is a disgrace - it is a matter really of that secret of godliness. There are, however, more dangers there - "But they that will be rich" - and develop and nurture an inordinate affection saying they must have more and better -"fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition" (verse 9). Then he goes on with this little statement, which is well known: "For the love of money" - when that which is not worthy of my love becomes the love of my heart - "is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (verse 10).

I can remember not far from the building where our chapel is, there was a grocer shop that was failing and falling on hard times. Eventually the gentleman who ran gave up and sold it to another man who was very industrious and hard working. I made his acquaintance and he sent his son to one of our young people's meetings, which I was very glad of, hoping that this might be a way of reaching him. I often spoke to him and, at first, he was very ready to listen. He was open on Sundays, sadly; I don't think there was any day in the week that he wasn't open. He was open till midnight - I often wondered if he slept at all or slept without dreaming about his shop. As you talked to him, you found him to be more 'shop' than 'person'. He bought four shops eventually, making them into one. He was very successful and very prosperous. He was a very nice man but you could have no conversation with him; you could not reach him. At the beginning you felt you were getting somewhere with him but you could not reach him; he had become a shop. Do you see what I mean! Even one of his fellow countrymen further up the road said he didn't know what had happened to him; he said his shop had eaten him up, and it had.

There is a "snare". You might think not with believers - that is so - but it is nevertheless a warning to us as well or it wouldn't be here. If we go that way, it is the way of temptation; we "pierce ourselves through with many sorrows" (verse 10). What is he really saying here? Look out for the tyranny of things! It is possible for a wife to have her house clean and tidy and for that house to become a tyrant. It is possible for her to be diligent and industrious in her work - it is right and commendable to be so - but there can be a thin line between where it is right to be so and where it is wrong to be so and it becomes our god and a tyrant to us. I have seen it happen to nice Christian folk who seem to be going on with God and then suddenly you find they go further and further away and then they are gone. They are very successful and prosperous - the tyranny of things. Many things can be tyrants and that is one of them.

Be careful of anything that will hinder you from progressing spiritually and being champions of the faith. Paul makes an appeal here, "But thou, O man of God, flee these things" (verse 11) - run for your life and don't think you are so strong that you cannot be tempted or even fall. He pleads with them and says - "But thou". He is telling them to listen because they are Christians, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:" - a new creation - "old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5, 17). There is an area where you say, "Run for your life!" Have nothing to do with it. Stop it in its infancy. John Owen, the Puritan, said that Satan comes with temptation to the frontiers of our mind; guard the frontiers. Set no worthless things before our eyes, or what our ears listen to, or our lustful desire - any of these things - "But thou, O man of God, flee these things"; run for your life!

Even in running, you must run in a certain direction. "And follow after righteousness" (verse 11) - lovely, think of the heart of God. Think of the divine Being of God, without beginning or end. God is Spirit - all the communicable and incommunicable attributes of God in absolute perfection. Some describe His holiness and His righteousness as a crown for "There shall in no wise enter into it (heaven) any thing that defileth" (Revelation 21, 27) and "Be holy; for I am holy" (1 Peter 1, 16). "Righteousness, godliness" - the practice of it - "faith, love, patience, meekness" (verse 11) - a full time occupation. It is not as if you are asked to flee one thing and then stand and do nothing, glad that you have escaped the former, no. Occupy yourselves in these things and along this way. This is His way: the way of righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness.

That is my first point and if we accept that and are willing to say, Lord, "lead me in a plain path" (Psalm 27, 11) as the Psalmist puts it, let us walk the narrow way - and it is narrow all the way - then he says he would like us also to be champions for our faith.

2. THE PASSION OF TRUE FAITH

My second heading is 'the passion of true faith,' and it is a passion. "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good confession before many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6, 12). I said earlier that I regard that as meaning, "I have kept the faith". "Fight the good fight of faith." May I put it like this: it is worth fighting for, it is worth living for, it is worth dying for is this glorious faith in the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. If I may, I will single out one key doctrine here - justification by faith. I do so deliberately because you probably are well aware today that this is the doctrine that is being compromised - even by well-known evangelicals having conversations with the Church of Rome - to see if it is possible to have a sentence that will satisfy Rome with her 'faith and works' and the Protestant, beginning with the Lutheran. How can you? How can you have a partial faith? Hasn't faith got to be total - absolutely so! It is a long and involved argument and some of you may be interested in reading about it but, nevertheless, this faith is given to our charge: "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3).

Let me give you a little illustration. In the midlands of England, in the heart of Birmingham, there is a tiny little church building. It belongs to a denomination called the Quakers. I have never been to any of their meetings, I know very little about them, except historically, but they are still there. Towering on either side of the little church were two very prosperous buildings, department stores I believe. This little chapel was a source of irritation to those who owned the towers. Why should this little building, which made them look a bit silly, be there between the two towering blocks? Therefore, they decided to buy it. One offered to buy the little building out and then the other offered to buy the little building out. The elder of that church decided that because he was the General Manager of his works, he would use his works notepaper; it was Cadbury's. Have you heard of Cadbury chocolate? He was Mr. Cadbury - yes, the real one. He signed it with his name, offering to buy both of them up. They were very silent. Why was it so important? Because of the power and the authority that man had with his headed notepaper. He was only an elder in a Quaker church, that's all. Nevertheless, he belonged to an organisation that made these men tremble.

We seem to be small, insignificant and terribly unimportant but on our notepaper is our great God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8, 31). It matters not whether there be ten in the congregation or a thousand, we are His people and the sheep of His pasture and we are maintaining 'the faith' - this glorious faith. Justification by faith of a sinner awakened by the grace of God - elect in eternity but awakened by the grace of God - becomes aware of what he is and becomes conscious of something of the greatness and holiness of God. There is planted in the very spirit and heart of his soul, life or death and in embryo, faith and repentance. When under the preaching of the Word of God - and that is an independent, sovereign act of God - the Word of God and suddenly it flames into life. Regenerate, he becomes convinced of his sin. He sees his need and then by the grace of God, he sees the beauty, loveliness and glory of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God - the only way to God, the only way to heaven. He said Himself, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14, 6). This is a wonderful and glorious thing.

Do you believe that when we come to Him we come as sinners repenting of our sin towards God and exercising something that we hadn't got before? I have had many people coming to the little room that we have when people visit me after a Sabbath evening service. I have had many people embarrassed for their sin and wanting to believe but it is usually because they have been caught or are afraid of being caught, or they are temporarily ashamed and have failed themselves or someone else in their own eyes and they want to unburden a little. You have to be discerning and try to be a good spiritual midwife. Is the person really repenting or is he just in a mess? Does this person desire God with all his heart or is it a convenience? There is a vast difference between believism and the real thing, there really is.

I can remember once learning a serious and deep lesson. I was being a little on the hard side at that time when a young man came to see me. I saw him for three hours and then he said he desired to be a Christian. I thought he was motivated by the wrong motive. I told him to go home and seek the face of God. I should have listened a little bit more to my heart. He said something I will never forget; He said he could not go home without Him. I realised that this soul was in earnest; it wasn't just a convenience but a faith. He is an elder with us now. A faith made in heaven - "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12, 2). "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2, 8). That's faith! People say they have lost their faith. Nobody can lose that faith. You can lose a kind of believism, a human activity but this 'faith' will hold us in this life, in the valley of the shadow of death and until it turns into sight. This is the faith that saves! Cherish it my people; I entrust it to you. He does; here we stand, we can do no other, so help us God.

It goes on in expression of how we worship God in a day of such confusion and disgraceful attitudes of behaviour - what I really would imagine hell to be like very often. We would seek to keep the dignity and the reverence of the worship of God. Remember that you are coming into the presence of God. Here am I, a preacher, a servant of the Lord; and here are you, His people - but is that all? Isn't there a company of angels that helps us to worship - but more than that? He has promised that "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18, 20).

Evan Roberts the revivalist in 1904, when meeting people coming from the Prayer Meeting of his own church where he was a member, would ask one question. Not how many people were there, not how many prayed or what the singing was like, no. He asked the degree of the presence of God that was known there. How conscious were they of God's presence. Sometimes I think we have almost forgotten this. More than anything else we should desire - in the reading of the Word, in praying, in preaching - that all would be cradled, surrounded and kept by His presence and that the beauty of the Lord would rest upon us in our worship. All we do should be presented as sweet incense in the merit of Christ to God and the worship of Him. Our faith should do that to us.

This faith also comes into our living. We are men and women of faith; whatever our circumstances or lot may be, we look to Him. Our faith is in Him: "He hath done all things well" (Mark 7, 37). Are you a little afraid sometimes? We all are - that is why we love the Psalms. We see in them every move and it is comforting to us. We are always turning to the source of our strength and we know that our faith in Him will see us through. We believe promises like this: "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8, 28). All sorts of things - difficult things, hard things, easy things, cruel things, beautiful things - "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8, 28).

Men and women of faith, Paul says to Timothy, "Fight the good fight of faith," - don't deny it, not in word, heart, deed, worship or behaviour. Fight for it, hold on to it, cling to it. Why does he say this? There is a certain timidity about Timothy. Very knowledgeable people could very often browbeat him in Ephesus. Now there is a sudden reticence about him and he has to have this encouragement. There are many references to him in the book of Acts; what a diligent worker he was. Despite his fearful disposition, he overcame it by his trust in God and he was encouraged by the older apostle. "Fight the good fight of faith," Timothy. Fight it - it will and does cost us but it is worth it. If you think it is costing too much then consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners for the joy that was set before Him. "Lay hold on eternal life" - God expects that of us, these are His expectations. Is it too much? No, we may be like the Quaker's little church, very small and insignificant in our generation, but we belong to a great firm, the greatest of all - an eternal firm.

"Lay hold on eternal life" - I love that phrase. When did you begin to live? I could say that I was born in 1926 and I suppose I could say that I began to live then. Alternatively, we might say it was when we came to an age of understanding - six, seven, eight years old. Speaking from experience only now, I was converted at the age of twenty-six and although I appreciate the many friends, family and good and lovely people I knew before that date, I began to live then. I cannot really put it into words. The new life that is in you is, as it were, a portion of heaven. "Lay hold on eternal life" (text). Paul is very daring in Romans 8, 30. He speaks of being called and justified, and goes so far as to say in the present tense, "glorified". We are not yet but he said that. What is he saying? I have laid hold on eternal life but this eternal life, still awaiting its fullness, somehow is in me now. It is an exciting and thrilling thing. I'm spiritually alive towards God. "Lay hold on eternal life".

"Whereunto thou art also called" (text). Don't you remember? We know doctrinally of the general call, don't we? When I heard Him effectually, I may have heard the Gospel many times before, from a friend or in a congregation. When someone comes to me after such a conference as this, seeking God in a very serious way and says, "Why don't you preach like that every Sunday?" I say, "Yes, I should, shouldn't I?" It is quite a harmless thing to say. I see what has happened. It has dawned upon them - at last they see with the eye that sees with enlightenment and spiritual understanding. At last, they understand; as a one-time schoolmaster, I'm used to that. When a child didn't understand me, I would go and sit beside him and explain and then give an illustration - the way our Lord taught - you go from the known to the unknown, like the parable of the seed sown - and showed the application. When you do that to a child, he might look up suddenly and say, "I see. I understand." But in a much more wonderful way, that calling, when it penetrates the darkness of our understanding and sight, the inner eye and ear - it becomes clear. He is calling us to Himself, to faith in Him. The awakened soul finds the grace of God irresistible and makes its way to Calvary and to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But is that all the call? I think not. The calling is a light thing as well; He calls me on that one day He will also call me home. It is a great call. It is a call ultimately to Himself - to our ultimate destination - for God is the end of our journey; God is our destination. Therefore, the call must ultimately mean that in the last analysis, He calls me out of the pit and darkness, and out of my sin, to His Son during my life; and He calls me as I come to the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and to Himself. What a high and wonderful calling.

Then Paul says, "...wherefore unto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses" (text). You have done this: you have been faithful; but these are my expectations of my people." "It is hard Lord," I say. Yes, it is very hard but He gives us grace. Will He give us enough grace? He promises unlimited grace - all that we require for our every need, and He will. Keep the faith, live the faith, lay hold on eternal life. Remember who you are. You are the called of God and you have made a good confession. "Keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (verse 14), so when we come to the culmination of all things, He will be able to say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant", for in these things we were found faithful and we live by the grace of God and by His strength to His expectations.Lastly - the place of trust and security. "Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches", now, see the opposites here, "but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy" (verse 17). We are not to trust in dead things but in the living God. Where should your trust be? Paul says, "Now, look Timothy, this is your secret, where your trust is: trust in the living God".

A quotation by the late Dr. Lloyd-Jones says, "We are not interested in numbers but in truth and in the living God." That does not mean that we are not interested in people but we are not interested in numbers for numbers sake. We are not slaves to 'numbers', as a person can be. We are interested in truth and in the living God. Why? "Who only hath immortality" (verse 16) - He is a living God. He is the heart of all life and anything outside of Him savours of eternal death and damnation; He alone hath immortality. Do we believe in this and is our trust in Him?

I read in a book, entitled Immortality by Boettner, a description of the death of a Christian. I take it as of one who has been living life in the expectations of God by His grace. He gives a picture of a sailing ship in the harbour with family and friends around her. The ship seems to be shaking a little as the anchor is drawn up and she moves towards the entrance of the harbour and out to the wide ocean. She becomes smaller and smaller in our sight, though not in actual fact, until where the sky and sea meet together, she becomes a little spot then disappears. There is a little harbour at the other side.

This describes the death of a saint. We leave this harbour and go out of sight and go - go where? Out of sight, that is all. We are in the harbour of glory where God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit with a whole host of angels is saying, "Here she comes in full sail, into the harbour of glory." Such is death. God Himself will be there to wipe away all tears from our eyes and to tell us that in heaven there will be no suffering, hunger, thirst, death or any of these things, for they are passed away. He alone hath immortality. Is anything worth going after to sacrifice this? Is anything too much for us to sacrifice of our time, our bodies, our money; is anything too great to sacrifice? Nothing is too great; we give our all and gladly, for He alone hath immortality. Keep the faith.

Then Paul says something very lovely and friendly. "O Timothy," he says in verse 20. In Welsh spiritual history, they used to measure things by how long the 'O' was. It was a very important thing and in fact became very artificial in the end as it depended on how long you could hold your breath. But, "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust" (verse 20); these are his expectations - individually or as a corporate body. O fellow believers, as one, may we keep that which is committed to our trust, to cherish the faith and to fight the good fight for it. It is worthwhile. We lay hold of eternal life, and to this end, we are called.

Paul writing in a factual not a boastful way nearing the time when he would have to die says, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4, 6-7). He never asked Timothy to do anything he had not done himself. How wonderful to meet your end like that - "I have kept the faith" - this lovely crossing that I mentioned to you. He has great expectations in us and we have great expectations of Him, and the wonderful thing is that He is expecting us home. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him" (1 Corinthians 2, 9).


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