Waging the Worthy War #4: Future Fight
Part 3 Future Faith Fighter - 1 Timothy 4:6-16

6  If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7  But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8  For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 9  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 11  These things command and teach. 12  Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13  Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14  Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15  Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Paul Instruction Of Fighting For the Faith

After Paul gives his warning about the future false teachers and prophets, those who would depart from the faith, leaving the plain and true teaching of God’s word, he then instructs Timothy how he was to wage this future fight.

First, Timothy was to constantly and consistently, Remind the Church. In vs. 6  Paul says, “If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

Secondly in vs 7, he was to Refuse, “But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.” Paul is telling Timothy to not be side tracked not distracted but to keep the main things of the truth of God’s word, the main things of his teaching and doctrine. Down that path of distraction many pastor have gone and never come back to their true calling.
He also tells Timothy to Exercise. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

No, Paul is not telling Timothy to join a gym and get in shape, though the phrase bodily exercise profits little actually is saying there is some profit in bodily exercise and most of us preacher should heed that, but Paul is saying get your priorities in order and exercise yourself toward godliness, because it gives us life now and in eternity, something that working out at the gym can’t do. If Timothy and if we are to combat the lies of the false teachers we better exercise ourselves unto godliness.

Paul goes on and tell his son in the faith to Command and Teach in vs. 11  These things command and teach. 12  Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Timothy was to be an example of that which he taught, in other words the opposite of the hypocritical false prophets. He was to teach in six ways, through his word, through his lifestyle, through his love, through his attitude, through his faith, and through his purity.
He was to also Give attendance (devote), himself to these actions of a warrior for the Word, a soldier of the cross, 13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14  Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Timothy was to pay to devote himself to these three activities as a preacher.

1) the reading of scripture, the word here means public reading. Which means that it was the reading of God’s Word in the Lord’s church.

2) He was to exhort. The word can mean comfort, encouragement, admonition, exhortation, everything that a faithful man of God is called to do as a pastor, but here in the context of fighting for the faith, means Paul is telling Timothy to preach. As he would later tell Timothy in his last letter, 2 Timothy 4:2-5, 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

3) Finally, He was to give himself to doctrine. Doctrine is the truth being taught as instructions and directions for living. It is truth put into practice. Paul tells Timothy you need to teaching them the truth and that truth must be put into practice.
The final three exhortations that Paul give to Timothy in order to for him to prepare for the fight of the future is Meditate on these things, Take Heed to thyself and Continue in these things. Vs. 15-16  Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

To meditate as its used here, means to practice these things, to cultivate them, to be diligent in their application in his life. By doing this then Timothy’s profiting, would show to all, By doing these thing Timothy would continue to grow spiritually, to progress as a pastor and as a man of God. He was told also to take heed to theyself. We would say take care of yourself. In his fight for the truth, his care of the church, his giving to others, he had to be careful that he neglected his one care. In being a blessing to others, he also must find a blessing from others. In emptying himself for others, he must find a way to be refilled and restored.
Paul closes this chapter with a final action, “Timothy, continue.” Continue in these things, continue in the fight, continue in the truth, continue in the faith, continue in God’s love, continue. Be faithful, steadfast and loyal to the cause of Christ and His calling in your life.