1 Timothy 6:11-21
"But thou . . .!" The man of God — and each child of God — must continually swim against the current of this world. He flees what the world loves and seeks: money and the things which money obtains (v. 10). He follows after what pleases the Lord: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness (v. 1). He awaits His appearing, that time when all will be revealed (v. 14).
The apostle does not confuse those who are rich (v. 17) with those who wish to become rich (v. 9). But he shines the light of eternity on the goods of "this world". The object of our trust is not the gifts but the Giver (v. 17 end); the true gain is godliness; the true riches, good works (v. 18); the true treasure, a good foundation for the future (v. 19). May we know how to discern and lay hold of "what is really life" (v. 19 JND trans.).
Flee . . ., follow after . . ., fight . . ., lay hold . . . are the words we have found in our reading (vv. 11, 12). In v. 20 the final command is especially solemn: "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust" (see also v. 14; 2 Timothy 1:14). Such is the final exhortation, in which we invite each of our readers to put his name in place of Timothy’s.