1 Timothy 6:16-21
 
1 Tim 6:16 (KJB)
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
 
Paul continues his description of the Lord Jesus Christ in His glorified state in Heaven. Paul had just spoken about the return of Christ but here he is speaking of Him in Glory. First Paul describes Him as immortal. Those who were familiar with Greek Philosophy would instantly recognize this word because both Plato and Socrates taught the immortality of the soul. Here Paul is stating that the true immortality goes from eternity to eternity. Then He states that Jesus is dwelling in the light, that is, the light of His glory that no man can approach because if they did in an unqualified state, they would be consumed in an instant. (Rev 1:17 KJV) And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: John had walked with Jesus but when he saw Jesus in Heaven in his vision, he fell down as if he were dead. If that would have not been a vision and he was not qualified to see Him, John would have been consumed. No man can see Jesus nor has anyone seen Him in His full glory but that will be reserved for the believers when they are gathered to Heaven on the last day. Jesus being King of kings and Lord of lords will have both honor and power for eternity.
 
1 Tim 6:17 (KJB)
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
 
Charge - Command
Highminded - Proud or arrogant
Trust - Have hope
Uncertain - Lacking certainty
 
Paul is commanding Timothy to command those that have wealth in this present world that they should realize their wealth is only “in this world” and not the next. Paul wants Timothy to remind the wealthy that they should not have an arrogant mindset because of their wealth and their hope must not be in their wealth. Paul goes on to explain why they should not place their hope in their wealth. It is the fact that riches are not something which are stable or certain. A person can be wealthy today and broke tomorrow. The financial markets of the world are manipulated and can be set up for prosperity or depression. Finances that are here today can be gone tomorrow. Just ask those who lost the majority of their retirement funds in the last recession. Paul then states that instead of placing trust in uncertain riches, it should be placed in God who never can be manipulated nor is unstable. God gives His children much to enjoy in this world such as all the beaches if you like swimming, all the mountains if you like skiing, all the parks if you like trees, all the sky if you like flying, and He does not charge for any of it. The greatest thing God gives us to enjoy is salvation with all the fruits of the Holy Spirit such as Joy, which underlies the Christian even in the midst of hard times. We have joy because we know that God is in control of everything and nothing can happen to us unless it is for our own good.
 
1 Tim 6:18 (KJB)
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
 
Ready to distribute - Generous, ready to give
Willing to communicate - Ready to share, liberal, sharing what is one’s own
 
Timothy is to charge those who are true believers already that instead of seeking the riches of this world, they should be rich in good works. These are the works which come out of salvation in which a person will have the ability to do good. Whenever we are sharing the Gospel, we are doing good. Then in contrast to the wealthy who hoard their money and possessions, true believers should always be ready to give of their possessions and money to help others and to help send the Gospel forth. They need to be ready to share what is their own. Liberal giving is the way of the true believer. (2 Cor 9:6 KJV) But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Reaping bountifully does not always mean that if you give $100, you will get $1000, it may mean reaping a harvest of souls bountifully because of bounteous giving. We will not know the extent of our ministries until we reach glory. Unfortunately, there will be many Christians who will have a lean harvest because of their lack of giving. God may bless, according to His will, a person financially for giving of their finances and when we give liberally, we may never know till we get to glory how many problems which God took out of our lives because of the promises He makes for those who give. (Prov 11:25 KJV) The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
 
1 Tim 6:19 (KJB)
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
 
This continues the thread from the previous verse that those who are willing to give according to their means, are laying up a good foundation which is in Heaven. The foundation in view is the stable and enduring foundation of Heaven in contrast to the unstable foundations here on the earth. The time to come will be when they enter the gates of Heaven. They are using their wealth wisely in investing in the Kingdom of God because they have become saved and have obeyed the commandment to be liberal in their giving. Then Paul finishes this verse by stating that may hold on to eternal life. This is not speaking of buying one’s salvation but it is stating that these people who give liberally for the sake of the Gospel, have laid hold or grasped the reality of eternal life, in that, this life is only transitory and the next life is permanent. It shows they grasped the understanding of the difference in the transitory life and eternal life.
 
1 Tim 6:20 (KJB)
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:
 
Profane - Worldly, common, unsanctified
Vain babblings - Chattering, empty talk
Oppositions - Contradictory positions
Science - Knowledge
 
Paul ends the letter to Timothy by commanding him to keep all that the Lord has committed to his trust. The word trust can also be understood as a “committed deposit.” Just as one deposits money in the bank, each true believer is a bank of spirituality. They have the Holy Spirit living in them, they went from being spiritually dead to alive, they will never see judgment, they now proclaim the word of God to the unsaved people of the world. Timothy is to continue in these things and not be diverted when approached by those who are void of the truth. The profane and vain babblings are just talk with no substance or any reputable source. This would be the opinions of others who are just set against the Gospel because it causes them to fear the judgment, so they would much rather quash it than heed it. Then there is the crowd which comes with false knowledge such as evolution who try to destroy the Gospel with their so-called scientific positions. These may sound good but they are deficient in reality. Since this world is temporary, all this knowledge is temporary and the only thing which will survive this world will be the true Gospel. Timothy is not to get involved with debates that will take him away from the study and dissemination of the Gospel.
 
1 Tim 6:21 (KJB)
Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
 
Paul ends this epistle abruptly by stating that some have already accepted false teachings and this has caused them to err or miss the mark of the true Gospel. The unbeliever will attach themselves to these education gospels because it makes them sound so eloquent but salvation is not by eloquence, it is by Christ alone. This is why Paul wants Timothy to avoid these false teachings because they have the ability to get you to thinking and maybe divert you from the true faith and this is what Paul wants to avoid in the life of Timothy. He then bids Timothy Grace to be with him. Amen.

Back