Fri.’s Devo - Paul’s Fatherly Advise

Read: 1 Timothy 1-6
Timothy was a boy born of a Gentile father and a Jewish mother, Eunice. Timothy’s father refused to allow Timothy to be circumcised but his mother raised him in the Jewish faith. I would assume Timothy was a misfit because of this. Eunice was converted to Christianity when Paul came to Lystra and Paul took Timothy under his wings. They had a special bond which we see in Paul’s letters to Timothy. Paul calls Timothy his own son in the faith. He warns Timothy to stay away from “vain jangling”. This is arguing with the Gnostics or the Jews about the law and those that tried to reason God into a formula. Paul explains that the law isn’t made for the person who desires to be righteous, but to the person who doesn’t. It shows him the error of his way. To the righteous our law is love.
I don’t know how old Timothy was but I can assume he is a young man who might be considering becoming a bishop or a deacon. Paul gave him the guidelines of a bishop and a deacon. Then Paul throws in another “mystery” statement. This time he is talking about the “mystery of godliness” which is, in his definition, the fact that God was manifested the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory. That is the gospel in a nutshell.
Several times in his letter, Paul warns against seducing spirits and falling away from the faith. He calls their teaching “doctrines of devils”. Today, I would call it “coexisting” and “New Age”, and “Rakki”. The Gnostics had laws that forbid them to marry, called them to fast from meats and gave other self-imposing steps to righteousness. He also encouraged him not to let his age stop the power of God in him from being released or hindered. Paul had laid his hands on Timothy and given him a word of prophecy concerning his gifts and Paul exhorted him to walk in this gift.
Last of all, Paul gave Timothy some father advise on how to treat his elders, women, and servants. He told Timothy to be content at what has been given him and not go after money and position. Instead, follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness and fight the good fight of faith.
Lord, let us be teachable to the advise Paul gave Timothy. Help us to walk in Your light and fight the good fight of faith.