Well, if you have your Bible with you this morning, I invite you to turn with me to 1 Timothy chapter six. Paul has given wonderful instruction to his protege Timothy, and we've spent quite a bit of time thus far considering each word of it. And as we continue to make our way through this concluding chapter in 1 Timothy, Our focus text this morning will be verses 11 through 16, 11 through 16, as Paul focuses his attention this morning on the good fight and the good confession. 1 Timothy chapter six, beginning in verse 11, Hear now the inspired, the inerrant, the infallible word of God written for you and for me today. But you, oh man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Lay hold on eternal life to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ appearing, which he will manifest in his own time, he who is the blessed, and only potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in inapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. Amen. Well, may God bless the reading of his word. Let's go before him asking his blessing on the preaching of it. Our gracious God and heavenly Father, as your word is read in our ears and to our hearts, we pray that your spirit would work in our hearts to embrace and receive your most holy word. Lord, every word of it, knowing that in you are the words of life, and these are such to us today. May we receive them, may we follow them, and by your Spirit's grace, may they be put into practice and application in our lives. We pray this in Christ's name, amen. Well, beloved congregation, an important question is, as was needed with Timothy and the Ephesian elders, Can the leaders in Christ's church, can the elders here at Heritage quickly identify, sniff out, and respond appropriately to false teachers around, and even those who have crept into the church? Another important question is, can you, the people of God, do the same? I pray the answer for all of you is yes. The Apostle Paul's instruction to Timothy demonstrates the need for qualified, well-trained, spiritually grounded, and growing men in office. It also demonstrates the need for consistent, solid edification for and in you all in the congregation, so that as you grow in the knowledge and grace of Christ, you are effectively alert and watchful. And therefore, keep yourselves well fed and nourished in the word and by prayer so that you are ready to detect any and all teaching of strange doctrines that deviate from the truth. And avoid such divisive men who do so. Don't have a curiosity, don't be drawn in by their lures, but avoid them, knowing who they are. And why are you all the better resolved to do so? Christ, through his apostle in this letter, has opened your eyes and understanding to follow his commands as you see what is true behind those divisive men's curtain. The magic show and the smooth sales pitch is on the outside, but pride and greed corrupt their hearts and fuel their words and actions. This becomes all the more evident in their attempts to use godliness as a means of selfish gain. But yet, as you pursue the path of godliness and the ways that Christ calls you to, your view of gain is much different, isn't it? Paul has reoriented that, hasn't he, even as he did so for Timothy, for true godliness with greed is no gain at all. No godliness with contentment is that sweet and that great gain that you need and really satisfies. Your gain in Christ and being at peace with his providence to you and your family is in view. He is your all in all, and he takes care of every single one of your needs, whether you have little or whether you have much. you learn to be content by his grace. Indeed, greed and pride have nothing to offer that can shake a stick at the jewel of contentment that you have in Jesus. And so what a blessing, then, that contentment is, as you are full in Christ and then protected from the snares and the lures of lust and greed. And so in light of this, Paul now teaches Timothy more of what his walk and really the walk of all believers needs to look like in regards to both fight and confession. Fight and confession. Let's consider Paul's words about the good fight and the good confession in verses 11 and 12. Keep the commandment blamelessly, he charges Timothy in 13 and 14. And the confession of Christ, as the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords in verses 15 and 16. And so my friends, knowing the reality that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, Paul in the preceding context has taught Timothy. Knowing the deadly nature of unchecked covetousness and envy in the heart and the piercing sorrows that come as consequences of it. See how Paul guides Timothy in verse 11. He says, but you, sharp contrast. This was true of them. This is true of what they do. These are the consequences and effects that come. But you, oh man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. My friends, see that as some strayed from the faith in greed, Paul said, and greed was supposed to get them so much, all that greed got them was sorrow-filled daggers right to their hearts. But Timothy was to be different, wasn't he? He was to be different in life, in focus, in heart, and in leadership. Notice that as a man of God, and that's important, as a man of God, he was commanded to flee from sin and to pursue that which is godly. See that as ministers and elders are men of God, we must then act as redeemed men accordingly, doing the same things, each and every one of us. And there are a few good lessons for you here as well in Paul's charge and words. Though there were many who told Timothy that being a man was characterized by being obsessed with self-interest and in the service of the world, nothing could be further from the truth. As was true for him, your flight away from sin and pursuit of godliness, your exercising yourself toward godliness, is to be grounded in who you are in Christ. See that? You are men and women of God who are governed by the Spirit and are to show His fruit, period. This is who you are. Not what they've told you you are, not what they've tried to convince you and the ways that you ought to go and the things that you ought to do that are contrary to sound doctrine. No, you are governed by the Spirit and are to show His fruit. but secondly, see that it isn't enough to merely run away from and escape sin. Some may think that it should be enough, but Paul here teaches you that you must also press hard after what's contrary to that, and that being righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. As men and women of God, Can others see such fruit on your trees? When they look at you, can they see such in your life and give glory to Christ, your King? But thirdly, another good lesson from this is that this list of spirit-wrought fruit is connected and helpful for you today. Righteousness and godliness need to be evident in your interactions and relationship with one another and other people as well as towards God himself. Faith and love are needed supports to help you in the practice of righteousness and godliness. As you walk day by day with these in play, indeed, you have a need for patience and gentleness. as you are content in bearing with various challenges in God's providence and even the reproaches of men. All of these are important attributes and characteristics and fruit of the children of God. But this further emphasizes the need for consistent biblical instruction coupled with your receiving and applying it. As Paul teaches Timothy in 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17, again, a well-known verse, but here it afresh today. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and what is true of it, and it is profitable. It is beneficial. It is a blessing for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and notice, for instruction in righteousness. that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Don't deviate or leave the scriptures on the shelf to gain dust or to put it down, never to pick it up in your daily life. Read on it, feast on it, and prayerfully seek the Lord to apply it in your life for these very reasons. Indeed, you were called to pursue godliness and righteousness. The scripture teaches you in such things. It gives you the definitions of these things. It shows Christ, who is the author and the definer and the epitome and the example of all these things. But it not only teaches you what they are, it teaches you how to walk in them. And by God's grace, bear such fruit. So your hunger should be for it all the more, isn't it? your hunger should be for it all the more, that you would be thoroughly equipped to do that which you are called to do, to do those good works that God has prepared beforehand for you to walk in. And so as Timothy both fled sin and as he pursued righteousness, Paul goes on to call him to, notice, maintain a good fight and a good confession. Look at verse 12. Fight the good fight of faith, laid hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Once again, see the connection and the flow of all that God declares to be good and godly in this epistle. the good conscience he begins with in chapter one, the good law of God, good works, the good work of the elder, having a good testimony even among the deacons and their duties, good ministers feeding you good doctrine, and here the good fight that is fueled by a good confession of Christ. Paul's specific words here should take your thoughts back to and connect them to his exhortation in chapter one, verse 18, regarding the need to wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, knowing that Hymenaeus and Alexander's apostasy and shipwrecking of their faith, along with their subsequent excommunication from the church was an important context as to why that was truly important and necessary. But similarly here, Paul gave Timothy the charge to fight well in life and ministry. And he gives you the charge here to fight the good fight of faith, knowing the pressure to sin and those who strayed from the faith in greed, knowing the lures of pride and deception. All the more reason why you need to fight well and why there's a fight. in men and women of God. For you have been redeemed. You have been brought from death to life in Christ. You are not who you once were. And so now therefore there is a conflict. There is a war between you and your flesh. And sin and Satan. And the world. And so there is this charge. To fight the good fight. Indeed, fighting the good fight is a metaphor for the Christian life viewed in your faithfulness to Christ. And therefore, be refreshed and confident that your fight is worth it. Here, God sets the standard. He gives you the definition. He says, fight the good fight. He gives the value to it, notice. He gives the value to and blesses your obedience. Your battle for Christ and his truth is hard, undoubtedly. But it's truly good. Never doubt that. Never let anyone tell you otherwise and believe them. Think of it this way. Your good fight is of faith, for the faith, as you are standing in the faith that Christ has given you. Let me say that again. Your good fight is of faith for the faith as you are standing in the faith that Christ has given you. In fact, the fruit of God's sustaining grace in the fight was what Paul attested to Timothy in regards to the end of his life. As he looked back at it, what did he say in 2 Timothy 4 verse 7? He said, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. By God's grace. In him, these things were true. These very things that he's charging his young protege and fellow minister in the gospel to do and to teach the Ephesian church to do. In fact, that which all churches everywhere in every generation need to do. Paul said, praise God for his grace in me, the chief of sinners. Praise God for his sustaining and preserving me to the end. And so Paul looked forward to what he would lay hold of. Now, as much as your learning and focus is to be on faithfulness in your walk today, the Christian life is also one in which you must gaze towards your future. your eternal inheritance as you persevere to the end, reaching forward to grasp the prize and to finally lay hold of eternal life. And my friends, what is so wonderful about the good fight that ends in the laying hold of eternal life? What is so wonderful about it is that eternal life isn't something you choose. No, Paul says, It's what God has supernaturally called you to. It's the inheritance that he has set for you and will bless you with as his beloved people. Such a wonderful crown. Such a wonderful gift. And so as Paul taught the saints in Rome in Romans 8, verse 30, Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called. Whom he called, these he also justified. And whom he justified, these he also glorified. Indeed, you see not just benefits in your union with Christ and the ordo salutis laid out before you, the order of salvation, but notice That inheritance is true and yours and guaranteed in Christ. You will be glorified and lay hold of that wonderful prize of eternal life and gift. But it was also important for Timothy to know that since he had become a soldier of Christ, he needed to fight well not entangling himself with matters that were inconsistent with his calling. We've seen Paul lay this out and flesh this out piece by piece in all the different facets that he has so far. But he needed to do so knowing also that he had confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. Since Timothy had made a clear confession of Christ in the presence and ears of many, he then had a stronger obligation to God to persevere in the right course. A lesson for you here is that a good confession of Christ, it leads into your good fight. Your confession is a foundational piece of your fight. Your fight in many ways, even as weak and as you go through the different waves and the ebbs and flows that you may struggle with, your fight is grounded in Christ and your confession of him. Though your faith may be weak, he sustains you. He sustains your faith, he gives you strength, he gives you comfort, he lifts you up, He preserves you. And so understanding this foundational piece of your fight, considering all that Paul has said thus far, he goes on to charge Timothy, calling God the Father and God the Son as witness. Notice, this is where it's a moment where you see that he gets very serious. All of it is serious, but here is solemnity. a solemn charge, notice in verse 13, I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things and before Christ Jesus, who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless, until our Lord Jesus Christ appearing. Indeed, beloved, this charge was a heavy and solemn charge for Timothy to persevere in being disciplined in ministry all of his days in ways in which he wouldn't be open to blame. See these words and to see how he was to be Christ like in his ministry. Spotless, blameless in what he did and said. For Timothy will give an answer to the God who sees all on that day. He will give an account of the talents that he has been entrusted with. He will give an account of all that he has done in the body, whether good or bad. He will give an account of his shepherding and the souls that he watched after. But notice how Paul speaks of the father and the son here. This isn't just a reference in passing. Even if it was, it would have been strong enough. But notice this. He says, the Father is the one who gives life to all things as he has life in himself and is the fountain of life. That's the significance here. And therefore, Timothy needed to be diligent in carrying out his God-given duties in ministry and service to him as he proclaimed the God who is life. as he proclaimed Christ and his life-giving gospel. Indeed, Christ is the one, notice, who made the good confession of his kingship before Pontius Pilate. And it's helpful to know that context as you then see this doxological praise in the coming verses. But Christ made the good confession of his kingship before Pontius Pilate. Christ is the perfect example and pattern that Timothy had and that you have of a good confession. And what was Jesus' good confession? Consider the dialogue in his trial before Pilate in John 18, beginning in verse 36. Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here. Pilate therefore said to him, are you a king then? Notice Jesus' answer. You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. Praise Christ, the King, whose kingship was proclaimed and bore witness to over and over again that he had even before he came, and as he came, even as a babe into this world, he was born a king. And so therefore, considering this, look at Paul's words in verse 15. He considers this blameless charge that Timothy had until the appearing of Christ, and his second coming, and notice, which he will make manifest in his own time. He who is the blessed and only potentate, the king of kings and the lord of lords. Praise God for these words. With the second coming of Christ in view, my friends, that coming of the king in his father's good timing, Paul gloriously puts the person and important titles of Christ to you in doxological praise. Again, you can't speak of Christ in these ways. You can't praise, you can't proclaim Christ in these ways without breaking into praise because of the Spirit's work in your heart. Indeed, praise God for how this connects to Christ's confession. Christ is the blessed and only potentate. Christ's deity is declared to you here. There have been, are, and will be many rulers, but he is the only potentate, or literally, the sovereign, the mighty one, the self-sufficient, and the independent God, who is infinitely and eternally blessed. Praise the Lord. He is the only one. Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. No earthly king or ruler stands in any remote comparison to Christ. Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who has sovereign dominion over them all. In fact, all the kings of the earth derive their power from him. Christ gave them their crowns and they are charged and commanded to submit to him in all things. And therefore the word of God goes and is proclaimed even to the magistrate. But consider the Apostle John's words regarding the 10 kings and the beast who war against Christ in Revelation 17, verse 14, and see how this title is sincere and legitimate and right. If anyone were to doubt it, if anyone were to say, oh, he's not the king, he's not the king of kings or the Lord of lords, hear these words. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them. For he is the Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with him are called, chosen, and faithful. Indeed, his title is also confirmed in his vision of Christ on the white horse in Revelation 19, verse 16. And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. No one can take those titles away from him, and everyone will submit to him, either in faith or rebellion, as the sovereign. as the true King and Lord. But further, Paul declares Christ as King who has other marvelous attributes, notice, in verse 16 of 1 Timothy 6, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power, amen. See how Paul bookends this epistle here. Here in the concluding chapter, as well as in the beginning chapter, in chapter one, see how he bookends this epistle with praising God for his attributes. Look back at chapter one, verse 17, if you would, briefly. Having declared his thankfulness for God's abundant grace and mercy to him in Christ, Paul said, now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, and God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever, amen. Here in chapter six, Paul repeats three of those very same attributes, immortality, invisibility, and Christ being worthy of all honor. But now, he adds his dwelling in unapproachable light and his everlasting power. Consider those for a moment. Christ dwells in unapproachable light. He resides fully encompassed with a glory that is unspeakable in its brightness and its magnitude. And because this is true, it's impossible that mortal eyes should bear the brightness of divine glory here. No man can see God and live, notice. But yet, what is that glorious promise when he takes us home and we are in full communion with him and we have been glorified and we have been changed, we will see him as he is. But he is also worthy of all honor and everlasting power, Paul said. The greatness of Christ's power has no equal and no end. It doesn't end. His kingship, his kingdom doesn't end at the end of time. No, it is forever. As is his power, as are all of his attributes. Indeed, to him be all the glory for this. Amen. As you consider this passage, beloved, and as the Lord presses it into your heart, I ask you, have you made a good confession of Christ? If you honestly hear my question and say, you know what, pastor? No, I haven't. Today is the day of salvation. Bow the knee to the Lord Jesus, who is the King and the Lord of all. But if you have, has your good confession of faith in the Lord Jesus led into a good fight in your life? How are you doing in the battle today? Are you engaging in standing in the fight by both fleeing from sin and pressing hard toward godliness? Praying that the fruit of the Spirit would blossom and display in your life? If you're like Timothy, though you struggle with either or both of these, hear what you're called to do, and seek to do it with your whole heart. If you are messing around with sin, today is the day to stop, and to run from it, to know the way of escape that the Lord has provided for each and every temptation that you will face, and to run and flee from such sin, run and flee from such false teaching, and cling to Christ and sound doctrine, feeding upon his word, and then by the grace and work of his spirit, engaging full force and with all your strength in godliness and the fruit of the spirit. I pray that this word to you today will strike your heart and walk in ways in which it hasn't before, giving you more and more strength and courage and grace to keep fleeing and pursuing that which you ought, looking unto Jesus and his confession as an example of a wonderful testimony of the truth regarding him and his kingship, regarding him and what he has come to do, regarding him and his person, and which stirs you up to praise. And then as men and women of God, join Paul and Timothy and all the saints in sincere praise, confessing Christ to be the only sovereign, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Christ is King. May all bow down and worship him. Praise him for his perfect execution of his kingly office in subduing you to himself in his ruling and defending you, in his restraining and conquering all of his and your enemies, even as that continues to happen and will. May your worship grow deeper and greater as the spirit presses this and the wonder of his glorious attributes in your heart, indeed. To King Jesus be all the honor and everlasting power. Amen. Praise God for his word. Let's pray together. Our gracious God and heavenly Father, indeed to you be the glory. Our Lord Christ, to you be all the honor and power and glory forevermore. We bow down. We confess you as King. Lord, help us in our fight. O Lord, we do pray that you would bless these truths to our hearts and lives today and make them fruitful. We pray, O God, also as well, that you would bless our offerings and tithes and that which we are about to give. Bless us as we give them and bless them for your service. May we use them wisely. We pray these things in Christ's name, amen.