1 Timothy 6:11
But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
Tag: The Central Focus of Believers
There are many distractions in this world. We can follow many interests and pursuits. Timothy was a young pastor in a very progressive and sinful town: Ephesus. The town was the epicenter for the worship of the love god, Diana. The main commerce was derived from everything associated with that worship. When Paul first went to the town and people became believers the silver smiths (who made their money from making figures of Diana) almost had him killed. The pursuit in Ephesus was money. In the above verse when Paul writes to Timothy, "... flee these things ...", he is referring to the pursuit of riches. In the verses just before these Paul tells him the problems with "loving money." As a young pastor Timothy is to flee that pursuit (riches) and to, rather, pursue "righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness." These are holy pursuits. Just prior to Paul mentioning money he wrote about how worthless it is to pursue godliness as a "means of gain." The false teachers saw there was a market in teaching false teaching ... people would pay for it. The same is true today. We love to hear a great speaker and we can often, as believers, be persuaded to follow and believe their teaching because it tickles our ears. What Paul is telling Timothy is to pursue the righteousness in Christ. That is our goal as believers. Pursue Christlikeness.
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