1 Timothy 4:14, commentary and pictures

The charge belongs to Paul's final instruction to Timothy given just before Paul's death, as God's word spoken through Paul to Timothy. The gift was Timothy's gift for ministry, entrusted to him by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, and he was not to neglect it. Not neglecting it stands together with trusting in the living God, commanding and teaching these things, and being an example to believers in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith and purity. It stands together also with devoting oneself to reading, exhortation and doctrine, meditating on these things and giving oneself wholly to them so that progress is seen by all, and with watching oneself and teaching and continuing in them so as to save both oneself and hearers.

The passage teaches man's business to work out his own salvation with fear and trembling in cooperation with God. It forbids walking even one step in mere human wisdom, in which the feet slip even on the safest path, and calls for walking without fear by knowing that Christ's hand holds firmly. That firm hold is known only by searching the Word of the living God. What was spoken to Timothy extends to every student and to young men and young women, including those in school preparing for ministry and those engaged as canvassers or in any other line of work. Each has an inner gift that must not be left unused but learned in God's school to use.

For a student, keeping the gift means showing zeal and earnest effort, learning how to study, and forming the habit of hard work. It means allowing no poor or second-class work to come from the hand. It means taking Paul's charge to Timothy as a personal charge to give full care to reading, teaching and right belief, to think deeply on these things and give oneself wholly to them so that growth is seen by all. It means watching one's life and teaching and remaining in them, which saves both oneself and those who hear.

Using the gift means God calls for fresh ability to be taught as co-workers with Jesus sharing His life of self-denial and self-sacrifice, to be made chief of His staff as instruments for the salvation of souls. It means looking one's calling fairly in the face and devoting time, strength and influence to the work nearest to God, putting on the armor of righteousness and making no provision for the flesh or use of power in selfish projects. In the very last period of earth's history every person is obligated to do his best and advance God's cause by individual toil, talent or wealth without drawing back. For a minister, the verse forbids letting temporal duties occupy time and mind instead of the calling for which he was set apart, requiring whole devotion to the spiritual gift and to the ministry of the word, as in the case of Brother D.