1942 Bible Studies - page 3

" UNTO TIMOTHY, MY TRUE CHILD IN FAITH. "

Timothy is named twenty-four times in the New Testament.

His first association with the Apostle Paul at Derbe (see Acts 16. 1)

took place when he was young in years, as is evident upon reading 1 Timothy 4. 12.  Any doubt about the advisability of such a young man to " g o forth " is dispelled immediately when we read : --

44

The same was well reported of by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium" (Acts 16. 2).

Those who knew him thoroughly were satisfied, and " him would Paul

have to go forth with him. "

Subsequently the Apostle, writing of him to the Philippians (2. 22), says :

" For I have no man like-minded, who will care genuinely (margin) for your s t a t e . . . , but ye know the proof of him, that, as a child serveth with a father, so he served with me in -the furtherance of the Gospel. "

This is a striking tribute by the Apostle to a young man.  Small wonder t h a t the measure of affection the Apostle had for Timothy was great.

His affection for Timothy was deepened by his constant observation of his work with him in his missionary journeys. Hence such a tribute--

"I have no man like-minded. "

The thought is " n o man equal-souled " ; another similar tribute is found in 1 Corinthians 16. 10:

" For he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also d o : let no man therefore despise him. "

Between that spiritual mind in Timothy, which was such a source of delight to the Apostle, and the course of his life, there existed no dis-p a r i t y ; Timothy was genuine throughout.  Paul had sad disappoint-ments regarding certain ones who had commenced the Christian pathway (see 2 Timothy 4. 10, 14, 15), and Timothy stands out in

marked contrast to these men as one " holding faith and a good conscience, "

whereas some, having thrust from them faith and a good conscience, made shipwreck concerning the Faith (1 Timothy 1. 19).  Shall we

not be well rewarded if we reverently study the " charges " given by

the aged Apostle, in a day when faithfulness was fast being exchanged for unfaithfulness, when many were falling away ?  No easy task was

presented to Timothy by the Apostle in his charges to him. As Timothy surveyed the condition of the churches of God, with the " knowledge falsely so-called " making progress and inroads, his heart may have easily quailed as he pondered the difficulties.  It is evident that certain

disciples were swerving aside from the " dispensation of God in faith "

to the speculative reasonings of the " knowledge" which the Apostle designates 44 falsely so-called. " We understand that [though flow is not clear I] this " knowledge " and its expounders had three charac-teristic features which we quote : --

(1 ) It makes a distinction between those who were content with faith, and the select few who have knowledge ; it introduces a separate intellectual c a s t e . . . and an exclusive aristocratic spirit.

(2) Its field of speculation is natural and moral knowledge.

(3) Its rules of life and practice were moulded by these views that a

man might avoid the principle of evil and keep his higher nature