1 Timothy 6:11 – Ripples of Righteousness in Perspective
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness… 1 Timothy 6:11, New King James Version
This morning in his Morning and Evening devotional which is nearly ubiquitous in mine, Charles Spurgeon takes off on Exodus 8:28, on Pharaoh's caution to the Hebrew slaves to go and serve God, but not to go too far. I think this exhortation of controllable degree is applicable to Paul's next commendation to Timothy on what to flee toward that the young minister would not be controlled by money or spiritual pride.
For, as we begin to sense God's work in us in outwardly visible ways, that work of righteousness, pride beckons, and in this a sense of common purposes with the world. The world would, in fact, enlist us at this point, did we not, by grace, look up and perceive that godliness is our real standard. Our righteousness as God works it is but a drop in the ocean of the vastness and wonder of His character. It is a drop for which we are grateful, as we are desiccated and decaying otherwise, but we are never to mistake that we are thereby meeting our own or the world's standards.
Instead, whenever we perceive qualities in ourselves which neither our parentage or our culture could bequeath, our response is humble gratitude, and sweet anticipation for the Christ-likeness which will be ours in His time. Meanwhile, we can healthily rehearse His perspective-keeping mantra when the disciples demanded faith in order to undertake obeying Him.
He taught them, and us, to constantly remind ourselves that we are wicked and unprofitable servants. If this isn't the most cheerful thought, we consider His steadfastness in working in us while He is making no sort of a profit from us. He is nevertheless conforming us to His character to such an extent that we, praise be, will be described as godly.
This morning in his Morning and Evening devotional which is nearly ubiquitous in mine, Charles Spurgeon takes off on Exodus 8:28, on Pharaoh's caution to the Hebrew slaves to go and serve God, but not to go too far. I think this exhortation of controllable degree is applicable to Paul's next commendation to Timothy on what to flee toward that the young minister would not be controlled by money or spiritual pride.
For, as we begin to sense God's work in us in outwardly visible ways, that work of righteousness, pride beckons, and in this a sense of common purposes with the world. The world would, in fact, enlist us at this point, did we not, by grace, look up and perceive that godliness is our real standard. Our righteousness as God works it is but a drop in the ocean of the vastness and wonder of His character. It is a drop for which we are grateful, as we are desiccated and decaying otherwise, but we are never to mistake that we are thereby meeting our own or the world's standards.
Instead, whenever we perceive qualities in ourselves which neither our parentage or our culture could bequeath, our response is humble gratitude, and sweet anticipation for the Christ-likeness which will be ours in His time. Meanwhile, we can healthily rehearse His perspective-keeping mantra when the disciples demanded faith in order to undertake obeying Him.
He taught them, and us, to constantly remind ourselves that we are wicked and unprofitable servants. If this isn't the most cheerful thought, we consider His steadfastness in working in us while He is making no sort of a profit from us. He is nevertheless conforming us to His character to such an extent that we, praise be, will be described as godly.
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