Spiritual progress
Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you (1 Timothy 4:15-16).
Paul encouraged Timothy not to neglect his gift, thereby reminding him he was gifted and set apart for a specific ministry. Timothy’s gift was God-given, it was recognised by the Church, and he was sent out in service with the blessing and prayers of the eldership and the people of God. Paul then reminds Timothy of his responsibilities.
Timothy had to consider his ministry carefully and immerse himself in it. Ezra is an excellent Old Testament example of what Paul was speaking about: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10). Ezra sought to understand God’s word, apply it to his own life, and then teach it to the people of God. As Timothy allowed God’s word to speak to his heart and mind, it transformed him, making him more Christlike, and powerfully influence his fellow Christians. Paul had been a man characterised by distance from God, wilfulness and cruelty. Astonishingly, he was transformed by Christ into someone who lived close to His Lord, obediently following Him, and, in the grace and gentleness of the Saviour, building up God’s people.
Paul understood that the work of caring for God’s people had two aspects to it. And we see this in the way he guides Timothy. To effectively fulfil his ministry, his younger fellow worker had to “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching” (1 Tim 4:16, ESV). His first responsibility was to ensure he was in a fit spiritual state to serve; and he had to ensure that what he taught was based entirely on God’s word. We live in a world of spiritual, moral and physical dangers. We have to “keep a close watch” on ourselves. We must never think we are immune to these dangers. The Lord reminds us to “watch and pray”. In doing so, we can anticipate danger and respond accordingly and avoid harm. In Ephesus, Timothy ministered in an idolatrous world, and the Church was faced with heresies. What Paul said to Timothy, he also spoke to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”
Paul encourages Timothy to heed his spiritual advice and fulfil his primary responsibility to faithfully walk with God and teach His word. In doing so, he would personally know Christ’s present salvation and help his fellow believers to know it too. Christ has died for us, and we are saved. Christ also lives for us, and we are enabled by Him to live in the power of His present salvation. One day we will enjoy the fulness of Christ’s redemption and be delivered from the presence of sin. In the meantime, the Lord keeps us in the love of God. We progress by His grace, the Holy Spirit’s power and the living word of God. And we can know the joy of living victorious Christian lives, encouraging and building each other up, and witnessing to our Saviour’s saving grace.
