Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
Paul's dying charge to Timothy as his son in the gospel is to hold fast the pattern of sound teaching heard from him, receiving the word carefully, keeping its principles, and passing it on faithfully so he can preach, reprove, rebuke and exhort with doctrine. The form is the pattern of apostolic teaching, and the sound words are God's own authoritative word, the standard of doctrine and character and the guide for faith, centered in His law as an eternal covenant and requiring obedience to the ten commandments in supreme love to God and love to neighbor as self. That holding fast is to be in faith and love in Christ Jesus, keeping through the indwelling Holy Spirit the good trust committed as a sacred talent, which is especially vital where eternal interests are at stake. The word so kept is to be prized above every earthly attraction because it gives eternal life and makes wise in Christ, and it is to be stood upon, contended for, practiced and defended as truth in Jesus, guarding against fables, seducing spirits and deceptive powers that would turn ears from the truth. Sound doctrine must be brought into living contact with the soul until it controls the life, stamps itself on the heart, brings thoughts into captivity to Christ, and produces sound practice, practical godliness and gracious Christlike speech, fitting believers for courage without fear, unity in service, and mission to teach others faithfully in church and home.
Charge and Sacred Trust
Paul's charge is as a spiritual father to Timothy his son in the gospel, given as a dying testimony to a minister of the gospel to hold fast the pattern of sound teaching heard from him in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Timothy was to preserve that sound teaching carefully received from Paul and keep its principles of truth as preparation to teach and to pass them on faithfully. That keeping belongs with the faithful minister's responsibility to preach the word and to reprove, rebuke and exhort with doctrine rather than shun unpleasant duty. It means clinging to apostolic teaching received, reading and teaching the Word, becoming a diligent student of the Scriptures, and keeping by the Holy Ghost the good thing committed to him. It is not mere head knowledge but knowing the true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent, cared for with responsibility for spiritual welfare and with prayer together.
The form is the pattern of apostolic teaching, and the sound words are the Word of God from God as the great Source of light and life, a Thus saith the Lord to be preserved sacredly, with nothing to be preserved so sacredly. It is the Lord's authoritative word, the standard of character and the standard of doctrine, the guide and textbook and the pure fountain from which to draw the reasons of faith. That standard is centered in the law of God as the covenant with the Maker in life, in death, in the resurrection, and through eternity and through all eternity. Loyalty to God revealing the covenant relation with Him and glorifying Him comes by personal and perpetual obedience to the ten commandments in spirit and letter, loving God supremely and neighbor as self as was required of Adam and Eve from the beginning.
Holding fast is to be done in faith and love rooted and centered in Christ Jesus, holding firmly to Christ's sound teaching and to the sound teaching Paul gave. The truth entrusted to believers is to be kept through the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, guarding the entrusted good through the Holy Spirit. The sound teaching Timothy received from Paul was a trust to preserve, holding to its pattern in faith and love in Christ Jesus. Those enlightened by the Holy Spirit have in their keeping a most important talent with height and depth and breadth, an important talent entrusted to them, to guard and use and bring forth like a householder bringing forth out of his treasure things new and old and to pass on to faithful teachers who can teach others. This faithfulness is especially vital where eternal interests are involved.
Truth Prized, Defended, Lived
The pattern of wholesome teaching is to be treasured, valued and fully appreciated above every earthly attraction and above gold or silver. The Lord's word gives eternal life to those who receive it, carries life-giving power to lift up and save like the tree of life for people of every age, can make people wise in Christ, and helps them grow as they look to Christ as the pattern. The talent of speech is entrusted to be used to advantage for God's glory and not abused to do evil, and the form of sound words is of high value when used to His glory to bring the Word into actual contact with souls for whom Christ died so they may have eternal life through His merits, representing Christ in spirit and practice instead of misrepresenting Him. Parents especially must bring sound doctrine into home life, for only by faithfully doing that duty can they hope to see sound practices in the lives of their children.
Holding fast is standing on the platform of eternal truth and contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. It means possessing, practicing and defending the truth as it is in Jesus as a savor of life unto life, for truth held in unrighteousness becomes a curse. Holding rightly calls for entering the narrow pathway where every step denies self, denies appetite and unholy lust. Keeping it in faith and love centered in Christ Jesus requires a higher grade of spirituality, purification of heart, self-denial at posts of duty, and purging the exalting of men placed in positions of trust.
This steadfast hold is the guard against false representations that lead many into darkness, against turning ears from truth to fables, and against departing from the faith to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. It means remaining faithful to the sound teaching heard from Paul, with the faith and love found in Christ Jesus, even when people in the church have gone astray. The guard is urgent as the time nears when principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places are fully brought into warfare against the truth and deceptive power seeks to deceive the very elect. Discernment therefore must be sharpened by divine enlightenment, and the good thing committed is to be kept by the Holy Spirit dwelling within believers.
Sound words and sound doctrine must be brought into actual contact with human lives and souls so they produce sound practice, right actions and practical godliness through Christ's grace. God's truth is essential to genuine saving elevation, and there is no such elevation apart from it; God's word must be worked into mind and soul to control the life, sanctify the whole life, and elevate, sanctify and ennoble both teacher and receiver. Words without pure principles have no value, and unless the words lead to right acts the work is left unfinished. Its teaching brings holiness, mercy, truth and love together to shape Christianity in the heart, is to be presented in clear simple form people can grasp, and calls for gracious Christlike speech in home and church rather than harsh, angry, trifling or evil speech that misrepresents Christ.
Transformed Life and Mission
To hold fast the pattern of sound words heard in faith and love in Christ Jesus is to give the whole life into the control of truth, and when the life is so given its power becomes unlimited. Then truth becomes truth to the receiver, stamped upon the heart, with thoughts brought into captivity to Jesus Christ and fitting words brought forth from the treasure of the heart. This keeping is done by the Holy Spirit dwelling within, who guards the good thing committed in trust, and it especially governs speech. It brings sunshine to the soul in the evidence of sins forgiven, true nobility in the restoration of the moral image of God, and peace from the Prince of Peace with light in darkness, even though all who live godly shall suffer persecution without cause for intimidation.
Keeping the truth in this way calls for a higher grade of spirituality, purification of heart, and self-denial of appetite and unholy lust at posts of duty. It requires purging the exalting of men placed in positions of trust, and entering the narrow pathway where every step denies self. This holding fast is standing on the platform of eternal truth and contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, possessing, practicing and defending the truth as it is in Jesus as a savor of life unto life. Held in unrighteousness truth becomes a curse, but held rightly it gives life. The guard is urgent as the time nears when principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places are brought fully into warfare against the truth and deceptive power seeks to deceive the very elect, requiring discernment sharpened by divine enlightenment.
Faithfulness to the sound teaching received belongs with courage in the afflictions of the gospel, and with courage, love and a sound mind rather than fear, shame or intimidation when following Christ brings suffering. It belongs with a holy self-denying life free from self-glory, standing upon eternal truth and defending the faith while following the call to self-denial. It is to be kept even when people in the church have gone astray. In life and work this steadfastness is shown in unity and service, in genuine conversion, Christlike unselfishness and faithfulness to the gospel.
Clinging to the apostolic teaching received is not mere head knowledge but knowing the true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. It means reading and teaching the Word and becoming a diligent student of the Scriptures, with responsible care for spiritual welfare and prayer together. It means studying Christ and the lives of His followers, whose testimony of His care strengthens faith and helps believers know Him better.
The sound teaching received is a most important talent entrusted in keeping to those enlightened by the Holy Spirit, with height and depth and breadth, to be guarded through the Holy Spirit and kept by Him dwelling within. It must be guarded and used and brought forth like a householder bringing forth out of his treasure things new and old, received carefully with its principles kept in order to pass them on faithfully. Those enlightened must pass it to faithful teachers who can teach others, prepare workers to teach faithfully, share truth with those outside the faith, and use every opportunity to teach it. Those who have experienced its life-giving power through belief and practice are to make determined efforts to hold it forth to those perishing in sin, for the Lord's Word gives eternal life and is like the tree of life in bringing salvation to people of every age. Parents especially must bring sound doctrine into home life and fully appreciate and hold it fast, for only by faithfully doing that duty can they hope to see sound practices in the lives of their children, since unless words lead to right acts the work is left unfinished.
Paul's dying charge to Timothy as his son in the gospel is to hold fast the pattern of sound teaching heard from him, receiving the word carefully, keeping its principles, and passing it on faithfully so he can preach, reprove, rebuke and exhort with doctrine. The form is the pattern of apostolic teaching, and the sound words are God's own authoritative word, the standard of doctrine and character and the guide for faith, centered in His law as an eternal covenant and requiring obedience to the ten commandments in supreme love to God and love to neighbor as self. That holding fast is to be in faith and love in Christ Jesus, keeping through the indwelling Holy Spirit the good trust committed as a sacred talent, which is especially vital where eternal interests are at stake. The word so kept is to be prized above every earthly attraction because it gives eternal life and makes wise in Christ, and it is to be stood upon, contended for, practiced and defended as truth in Jesus, guarding against fables, seducing spirits and deceptive powers that would turn ears from the truth. Sound doctrine must be brought into living contact with the soul until it controls the life, stamps itself on the heart, brings thoughts into captivity to Christ, and produces sound practice, practical godliness and gracious Christlike speech, fitting believers for courage without fear, unity in service, and mission to teach others faithfully in church and home.
Charge and Sacred Trust
Paul's charge is as a spiritual father to Timothy his son in the gospel, given as a dying testimony to a minister of the gospel to hold fast the pattern of sound teaching heard from him in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Timothy was to preserve that sound teaching carefully received from Paul and keep its principles of truth as preparation to teach and to pass them on faithfully. That keeping belongs with the faithful minister's responsibility to preach the word and to reprove, rebuke and exhort with doctrine rather than shun unpleasant duty. It means clinging to apostolic teaching received, reading and teaching the Word, becoming a diligent student of the Scriptures, and keeping by the Holy Ghost the good thing committed to him. It is not mere head knowledge but knowing the true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent, cared for with responsibility for spiritual welfare and with prayer together.
The form is the pattern of apostolic teaching, and the sound words are the Word of God from God as the great Source of light and life, a Thus saith the Lord to be preserved sacredly, with nothing to be preserved so sacredly. It is the Lord's authoritative word, the standard of character and the standard of doctrine, the guide and textbook and the pure fountain from which to draw the reasons of faith. That standard is centered in the law of God as the covenant with the Maker in life, in death, in the resurrection, and through eternity and through all eternity. Loyalty to God revealing the covenant relation with Him and glorifying Him comes by personal and perpetual obedience to the ten commandments in spirit and letter, loving God supremely and neighbor as self as was required of Adam and Eve from the beginning.
Holding fast is to be done in faith and love rooted and centered in Christ Jesus, holding firmly to Christ's sound teaching and to the sound teaching Paul gave. The truth entrusted to believers is to be kept through the Holy Spirit dwelling within them, guarding the entrusted good through the Holy Spirit. The sound teaching Timothy received from Paul was a trust to preserve, holding to its pattern in faith and love in Christ Jesus. Those enlightened by the Holy Spirit have in their keeping a most important talent with height and depth and breadth, an important talent entrusted to them, to guard and use and bring forth like a householder bringing forth out of his treasure things new and old and to pass on to faithful teachers who can teach others. This faithfulness is especially vital where eternal interests are involved.
Truth Prized, Defended, Lived
The pattern of wholesome teaching is to be treasured, valued and fully appreciated above every earthly attraction and above gold or silver. The Lord's word gives eternal life to those who receive it, carries life-giving power to lift up and save like the tree of life for people of every age, can make people wise in Christ, and helps them grow as they look to Christ as the pattern. The talent of speech is entrusted to be used to advantage for God's glory and not abused to do evil, and the form of sound words is of high value when used to His glory to bring the Word into actual contact with souls for whom Christ died so they may have eternal life through His merits, representing Christ in spirit and practice instead of misrepresenting Him. Parents especially must bring sound doctrine into home life, for only by faithfully doing that duty can they hope to see sound practices in the lives of their children.
Holding fast is standing on the platform of eternal truth and contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. It means possessing, practicing and defending the truth as it is in Jesus as a savor of life unto life, for truth held in unrighteousness becomes a curse. Holding rightly calls for entering the narrow pathway where every step denies self, denies appetite and unholy lust. Keeping it in faith and love centered in Christ Jesus requires a higher grade of spirituality, purification of heart, self-denial at posts of duty, and purging the exalting of men placed in positions of trust.
This steadfast hold is the guard against false representations that lead many into darkness, against turning ears from truth to fables, and against departing from the faith to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. It means remaining faithful to the sound teaching heard from Paul, with the faith and love found in Christ Jesus, even when people in the church have gone astray. The guard is urgent as the time nears when principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places are fully brought into warfare against the truth and deceptive power seeks to deceive the very elect. Discernment therefore must be sharpened by divine enlightenment, and the good thing committed is to be kept by the Holy Spirit dwelling within believers.
Sound words and sound doctrine must be brought into actual contact with human lives and souls so they produce sound practice, right actions and practical godliness through Christ's grace. God's truth is essential to genuine saving elevation, and there is no such elevation apart from it; God's word must be worked into mind and soul to control the life, sanctify the whole life, and elevate, sanctify and ennoble both teacher and receiver. Words without pure principles have no value, and unless the words lead to right acts the work is left unfinished. Its teaching brings holiness, mercy, truth and love together to shape Christianity in the heart, is to be presented in clear simple form people can grasp, and calls for gracious Christlike speech in home and church rather than harsh, angry, trifling or evil speech that misrepresents Christ.
Transformed Life and Mission
To hold fast the pattern of sound words heard in faith and love in Christ Jesus is to give the whole life into the control of truth, and when the life is so given its power becomes unlimited. Then truth becomes truth to the receiver, stamped upon the heart, with thoughts brought into captivity to Jesus Christ and fitting words brought forth from the treasure of the heart. This keeping is done by the Holy Spirit dwelling within, who guards the good thing committed in trust, and it especially governs speech. It brings sunshine to the soul in the evidence of sins forgiven, true nobility in the restoration of the moral image of God, and peace from the Prince of Peace with light in darkness, even though all who live godly shall suffer persecution without cause for intimidation.
Keeping the truth in this way calls for a higher grade of spirituality, purification of heart, and self-denial of appetite and unholy lust at posts of duty. It requires purging the exalting of men placed in positions of trust, and entering the narrow pathway where every step denies self. This holding fast is standing on the platform of eternal truth and contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, possessing, practicing and defending the truth as it is in Jesus as a savor of life unto life. Held in unrighteousness truth becomes a curse, but held rightly it gives life. The guard is urgent as the time nears when principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places are brought fully into warfare against the truth and deceptive power seeks to deceive the very elect, requiring discernment sharpened by divine enlightenment.
Faithfulness to the sound teaching received belongs with courage in the afflictions of the gospel, and with courage, love and a sound mind rather than fear, shame or intimidation when following Christ brings suffering. It belongs with a holy self-denying life free from self-glory, standing upon eternal truth and defending the faith while following the call to self-denial. It is to be kept even when people in the church have gone astray. In life and work this steadfastness is shown in unity and service, in genuine conversion, Christlike unselfishness and faithfulness to the gospel.
Clinging to the apostolic teaching received is not mere head knowledge but knowing the true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. It means reading and teaching the Word and becoming a diligent student of the Scriptures, with responsible care for spiritual welfare and prayer together. It means studying Christ and the lives of His followers, whose testimony of His care strengthens faith and helps believers know Him better.
The sound teaching received is a most important talent entrusted in keeping to those enlightened by the Holy Spirit, with height and depth and breadth, to be guarded through the Holy Spirit and kept by Him dwelling within. It must be guarded and used and brought forth like a householder bringing forth out of his treasure things new and old, received carefully with its principles kept in order to pass them on faithfully. Those enlightened must pass it to faithful teachers who can teach others, prepare workers to teach faithfully, share truth with those outside the faith, and use every opportunity to teach it. Those who have experienced its life-giving power through belief and practice are to make determined efforts to hold it forth to those perishing in sin, for the Lord's Word gives eternal life and is like the tree of life in bringing salvation to people of every age. Parents especially must bring sound doctrine into home life and fully appreciate and hold it fast, for only by faithfully doing that duty can they hope to see sound practices in the lives of their children, since unless words lead to right acts the work is left unfinished.