1 Timóteo 1

Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin

1 Timóteo 1

Spurgeon - Notice the apostle’s triple salutation, “Grace, mercy, and peace.” Whenever Paul writes to a church, he wishes “grace and peace”; but to a minister he wishes “grace, mercy, and peace.” Ah! we want mercy more than the average of Christians; we have greater responsibilities; and, consequently, might more readily fall into greater sin, so to a minister Paul’s salutation is, “grace, mercy, and peace.” Wuest on peace (eirene) - One is reminded of the words of Hamlet, “The times are out of joint. Oh, cursed spite that I was ever born to set them right.” That is, when things become disjointed, separated, there is no feeling of tranquility, comfort, well-being. The latter come as a result of binding together things that have become separated. When the sanctifying grace and remedial mercy of God are operative in the life and ministry of Timothy, then that pleasant, satisfying feeling of tranquility, comfort, and well-being obtains. (Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 - used by permission)

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Spurgeon - Christ is our hope. We have not a shadow of a hope apart from Him. I remember, when on the Continent, seeing on a cross the words “Spes unica,” (Ed: Latin = "Our Only Hope") the unique, the only hope of man; and that is true of the Cross of Christ, and of Christ Who suffered on it, He is our hope. (Ed: Our Only Hope, and also Our Sufficient Hope) Spurgeon also said “look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the Source of thy hope...It is by His life that we live; He is in us, the hope of glory, the spring of our actions, the central thought which moves every other thought....The stability which the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a hold-fast, is like that which the Christian’s hope affords him when it fixes itself upon this glorious truth. With God “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” William Barclay on Christ our hope.- In the early Church this was to become one of the most precious titles of Christ. Ignatius of Antioch, when on his way to execution in Rome, writes to the Church in Ephesus: “Be of good cheer in God the Father and in Jesus Christ our common hope” (Ignatius: To the Ephesians 21:2). Polycarp writes: “Let us therefore persevere in our hope and the earnest of our righteousness, who is Jesus Christ” (Epistle of Polycarp 8)....(i) Men found in Christ the hope of moral victory and of self-conquest....(ii) Men found in Christ the hope of victory over circumstances.... (iii) Men found in Christ the hope of victory over death. (See 1 Timothy 1 Commentary) Hiebert observes: What a blessed realization is the truth that Christ Jesus is "our hope." Not only that He gives us hope, but He is our hope. He is the hope of the individual and of the world; personally, nationally, and internationally. He is our hope in every sense of the term, the object, the author, the foundation, the substance of our hope. (See First Timothy- Everyman's Bible Commentary)

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Spurgeon - There were some who put the law into its wrong place. They made it a way of salvation, which it never was meant to be, and never can be. It is a way of conviction. It is an instrument of humbling. It shows us the evil of sin (see Purpose of the Law); but it never takes sin away. Vine on the Law is good - The word kalos signifies that which is good morally, that which is excellent in itself. The Law stands here for the whole Mosaic Law, of which the false teachers made wrong use...The Law is good because it is an expression of the character of God Himself.

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Spurgeon: The holy faith of the persecuted saint comes to the front in these three verses. But I will hope continually. When I cannot rejoice in what I have, I will look forward to what shall be mine ("our hope"), and will still rejoice. Hope will live on a barren tract of ground, and sing on a branch laden down with snow. No date and no place are unsuitable for hope. Hell alone excepted, hope is a dweller in all regions. We may always hope, for we always have grounds for it: we will always hope, for it is a never failing consolation....(Re: praise...more and more Spurgeon says) "Superior" cries the eagle, as he mounts towards the sun: higher and yet higher is also our aim, as we soar aloft in duty and devotion. It is our continual hope that we shall be able more and more to magnify the Lord. Hope of future grace (not just "hope" but "hope fully", be intensely desirous and fully confident that Jesus is coming again which) motivates present girding of your mind for action and living life soberly in the power of the Spirit and His present grace - (1Pe 1:13+) Hope which is living, "lively", equips beleaguered saints with power to follow Christ in the costly way of love, with strong confidence that if we lose our life doing his will, we will find it again and be richly rewarded. (1Pe 1:3+)

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Spurgeon - He was a down-right, thorough-going blasphemer, who also caused others to blaspheme. From blasphemy, which is a sin of the lips, Saul proceeded to persecution, which is a sin of the hands. Hating Christ, he hated his people too. He was also injurious, which I think Bengel considers to mean that he was a despiser; that eminent critic says “blasphemy was his sin towards God, persecution was his sin towards the church, and despising was his sin in his own heart.” He was injurious—that is, he did all he could to damage the cause of Christ, and thereby injured himself. He kicked against the pricks, and by doing so injured his own conscience. Having sinned thus grievously Paul makes a full record of his guilt in order that he may magnify the grace which saved even the chief of sinners. Note here, before we come to the special purpose we have in view, that godly men never think or speak lightly of their sins. When they know that they are forgiven, they repent of their iniquities even more heartily than before. They never infer from the freeness of grace, the lightness of sin, but quite the contrary; and you shall find it as one trait in the character of every true penitent that he is rather inclined to blacken himself than to whitewash his transgressions. He sometimes speaks of himself in terms which others think must be exaggerated, though to him, and indeed to God, they are simply true. You have probably read biographies of John Bunyan in which the biographer says that Bunyan laboured under a morbid conscientiousness, and accused himself of a degree of sin of which he was not guilty. Exactly so, in the view of the biographer, but not so in the view of John Bunyan, who, startled into sensitiveness of conscience, could not find words strong enough to express all his reprobation of himself. Job said once, “I abhor myself.” That is a very strong expression, but, when he saw his own sin in the presence of God, the man of whom the Lord said unto Satan, “There is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil,” the man against whom the devil himself could not bring an accusation, yet says that when he saw God, the brightness of the divine holiness made him so conscious of his sin that he exclaimed, “Now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Those who have seen the exceeding sinfulness of sin by the light of the Holy Spirit, and who have been made truly penitent, are the last persons to speak lightly of evil. They dwell upon their own criminality with many terms to set forth how greatly they have felt it. (1 Timothy 1:13 I Was Before) Yet I was shown mercy (eleeo in divine passive) because I acted (poieo) ignorantly (agnoeo) in unbelief (apistia) - Yet is one of those great terms of contrast (change of direction) in Scripture (cf But God in Eph 2:4+), for when he was advancing toward catastrophe, God's Spirit stepped in and threw him a "rope of mercy!" Literally it could be read "I was mercied!" Mercy is God's "sovereign benevolence" (Yarbrough). Paul is not saying that his ignorance and unbelief were the grounds of God's mercy, but that God graciously granted him what he needed, not what he deserved (TRUE OF ALL OF US!)(cf. Acts 3:17-20+). Paul again mentions that he found mercy in speaking of his conversion below (1Ti 1:16). It is good for all of us to keep mercy in our remembrance because we sin every day and thus are in need of and benefactors of His mercy daily (yea, in my case, continually)! And the Lord's Supper gives us a perfect opportunity to ponder the wonder of our salvation for as our Lord commanded of both the bread and the wine "Do (present imperative) this in remembrance of Me." (1Cor 11:24, 25+). As an aside, Paul frequently alludes to mercy in his writings - Ro 9:15 (2x), Ro 9:18; 11:30, 31, 32; 1Co 7:25; 2Co 4:1; Phil 2:27; 1Ti 1:16.

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Spurgeon - The case of Paul is not a singular one; it is the pattern one. If there are any here who feel that they have sinned like Saul of Tarsus, they may be forgiven like Paul the apostle. He is a pattern to all who should thereafter believe in Christ to life everlasting. Just as we often see things cut out in brown paper, and sold as patterns, so is the apostle Paul the "pattern convert." What God did for him, he can do for thousands of others. Demonstrate (1731) endeíknumi from preposition en = in, to + deíknumi = to show) means to point out, to demonstrate, to put on display, to prove, to show proof, to show forth, to show oneself, to give visible proof, to show in anything and implies an appeal to facts. The preposition (in) in the compound suggests more than the simplest demonstration. It is like laying the index finger, as it were, on the object. It means to to show something in someone. It can mean to do something to someone, as Alexander the coppersmith did (endeíknumi) Paul much harm (see 2 Timothy 4:14- note). In the papyri it could have a quasi-legal sense of proving a petition or charge or of proving that a charge was wrong. Josephus used endeíknumi to describe Herod Agrippa’s display of generosity to those of other nations (Josephus, Antiquities, 19:330). Longsuffering (3115) makrothumia from makros = long, distant, far off, large + thumos = temper, passion, emotion or thumoomai = to be furious or burn with intense anger) is literally long-temper (as opposed to "short tempered), a long holding out of the mind before it gives room to action or passion ("a long fuse!"). It describes a state of emotional calm or quietness in the face of provocation, misfortune or unfavorable circumstances. Makrothumia is the capacity to be wronged and not retaliate. It is the ability to hold one's feeling in restraint or bear up under the oversights and wrongs afflicted by others without retaliating. It is manifest by the quality of forbearance under provocation. It is used of God's patience toward sinful men (see note Romans 2:4) and of the attitude which Christians are to display. Example (5296) hupotuposis from hupotupóo = to draw a sketch or first draft as painters when they begin a picture) is literally an "undertype" and means a model for imitation, an outline, a sketch or model used by an artist. In literature it described the rough draft forming the basis of a fuller exposition. "In NT times, hypotyposis was used of a floor plan to guide a builder or of a first draft of written material used to guide fuller development. Paul's point is that life is to be founded on Scripture's revelation of reality. But each person and culture must move on to construction, not violating the principles laid down, but constantly seeking to flesh out the divine vision. (Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency) Believe (4100) pisteuo from pistis; pistos; related studies the faith, the obedience of faith) means to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one’s trust. To accept as true, genuine, or real. To have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something or someone. To consider to be true. To accept the word or evidence of.

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Spurgeon - Paul could not help this outburst of praise. He must put in a doxology. When he remembered his own conversion and pardon, and his being entrusted with the ministry of the gospel, be was obliged to put down his pen, and lift up his voice in grateful thanksgiving to God. So may it be with us, as we remember what great things the Lord hath done for us! Hiebert - The word “wise” in the King James Version is omitted by most ancient manuscripts and is perhaps inserted here from Ro 16:27. (First Timothy- Everyman's Bible Commentary) Immortal, invisible, God only wise, in light inaccessible hid from our eyes, Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise. Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might; Thy justice like mountains high soaring above Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love. To all life thou givest, to both great and small; In all life thou livest, the true life of all; We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, And wither and perish but naught changeth Thee. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light, Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight; All praise we would render, O help us to see 'Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee. QUESTION - Will we be able to see all three members of the Trinity in Heaven? ANSWER - Before considering if we will actually be able to see God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, we need to establish that they are three Persons. Without delving too deeply into the doctrine of the Trinity, we need to understand that the Father is not the same Person as the Son, the Son is not the same Person as the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit is not the same Person as the Father. They are not three Gods. They are three distinct Persons, yet they are all the one God. Each has a will, can speak, can love, etc., and these are demonstrations of personhood. They are in absolute perfect harmony consisting of one substance. They are coeternal, coequal and co-powerful. If any one of the three were removed, there would be no God. So in heaven, there are three Persons. But will we be able to actually see them? Revelation 4:3-6 gives us a description of heaven and the throne that is occupied by God and by the Lamb: “the one sitting there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian… a rainbow resembling an emerald encircled the throne. Before the throne… a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” Since God dwells in “unapproachable light” and is one “whom no one has seen or can see” (1 Timothy 6:16), God is described in terms of the reflected brilliance of precious stones. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” Because of God’s holiness, it may be that we will never be able to look upon His face, but again, this is speculation. Revelation 5:6 tells us that in heaven, the Lamb stands in the center of the throne and there are descriptions of Him clothed in brilliant white. Since the Lamb represents Christ Jesus, and we know that human eyes have beheld Him after His resurrection and glorification, it seems reasonable to conclude that in heaven, we will be able to look upon our Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit, by the very nature of His being, is able to move at will and take various forms. When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:13-17). At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was accompanied by a loud rushing noise and was seen as tongues of fire (Acts 2:1-4). It may not be possible to see the Holy Spirit unless He chooses to manifest Himself in some form, but that is speculation. Mere mortals do not have the ability to grasp the wonders of heaven—it is entirely beyond our comprehension. Whatever heaven is like, it will far exceed our wildest imaginings! All we know is that we will be worshiping our great God and full of wonder that He died to save sinners.GotQuestions.org Edwards’ Great Awakening Despite his staunch Puritan background, Jonathan Edwards struggled spiritually during his years at Yale. My convictions wore off; and I returned like a dog to his vomit, and went on in the ways of sin. Indeed, I was at times very uneasy, especially toward the latter part of my time at college; when it pleased God to seize me with pleurisy; in which He brought me nigh to the grave, and shook me over the pit of hell. And yet, it was not long after my recovery, before I fell again into my old ways of sin. The turning point came while … reading 1 Timothy 1:17. As I read the words, there came into my soul a sense of the glory of the Divine Being, quite different from anything I ever experienced before. Never any words of Scripture seemed to me as these words did. I thought to myself, how excellent a Being that was, and how happy I should be, if I might enjoy that God, and be rapt up to Him in heaven, and be, as it were, swallowed up in Him forever! I kept saying and singing over these words of Scripture to myself; and went to pray to God that I might enjoy Him, and prayed in a manner quite different from what I used to do. From about that time, I began to have a new idea of Christ, and the work of redemption, and the glorious way of salvation by Him. Jonathan shared his experience with his father, and was pretty much affected by the discourse we had together; and when the discourse was ended, I walked alone in a solitary place in my father’s pasture, for contemplation. And as I was looking up on the sky and clouds, there came into my mind so sweet a sense of the glorious majesty and grace of God that I do not know how to express. Edwards spent the rest of his life trying to express it, and his sermons sparked the greatest revival in American church history. (From This Verse) The one true God "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."—1 Timothy 1:17 One is struck by the limitations of the Greek gods. The god Zeus was considered the most powerful of the gods. But Zeus was not eternal; he was born. In Greek mythology some of the gods died. The scope of their power was limited. Zeus was lord of the sky and was the rain god, but he did not exercise power at sea. That realm was under his brother Poseidon's power. Another god, Apollo, was forced into servitude. Morally the Greek gods lacked integrity. Zeus had many affairs and other gods committed murder, adultery, and displayed treachery. Hermes, the illegitimate son of Zeus, was a cattle thief. He was a messenger god and had the appearance of either an old man or a young man. Hermes was limited because he was invisible only when wearing a special helmet. The God of our Lord Jesus Christ is unlimited—eternal, immortal, invisible, with no contradiction. Jesus Christ is the rock when all else fails. In Christ we have the one true God. Today in prayer praise the Lord who is like no other. "We impoverish God's ministry to us the moment we forget he is Almighty; the impoverishment is in us, not in him."—Oswald Chamber (Kennedy, P - From Generation to Generation) THE CHILDREN’S NEW CLOTHES - Joseph Stowell HONOR AND GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN. —1 Timothy 1:17 Honoring God is an important part of living out His glory in our lives. He clearly deserves it. It’s just that often we aren’t quite sure how to extend it. Or, worse yet, we would rather live to honor ourselves. One night, Martie and the children came home from the mall bearing new clothes for the summer. A style show ensued, and excitement ran high. I began to feel good about how I had earned the money to provide for my family. I’m a pretty good dad! crossed my mind as I wondered if anyone in the room who was sporting the new clothes would recognize it! While I was patting myself on the back, the Lord reminded me that all I was able to provide was really because of His gracious provision in my life. Suddenly I felt small for basking in the honor that was His. As I tucked the kids into bed, I asked them if they knew where their new clothes had come from. My youngest said, “God gave you the job that gave us the money to buy our clothes.” Good answer! God got the credit He deserved (1 Timothy 1:12–17). Honoring Him is giving Him the credit for what He does in and through our lives. God takes it seriously when we take credit for His glory. Moses was denied entrance to the Promised Land because he claimed that he and Aaron would provide water from a rock. In reality, the water was God’s provision (Numbers 20:1–12). Nebuchadnezzar was banished to the field to roam as a wild beast because he claimed the glory for his kingdom (Daniel 4:30–37). Herod was struck dead for accepting praise as a god (Acts 12:21–23). President Reagan kept a sign on his desk that read, “There is no limit to what a man can do if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.” Biblically, there is no limit to what God can do through us if we are willing to give Him the credit. Which is exactly what it means to honor Him. Look for God’s hand in your achievements. Let your world know! King (935) (basileus) occurs throughout Greek literature, including the Septuagint (e.g., Genesis 14:1; Exodus 1:8; Judges 3:8; et al.), with the same meaning, i.e., “a king.” It is used 118 times in the New Testament. It refers to secular rulers such as kings and emperors: Herod (Matthew 2:1), David (Matthew 1:6), Agrippa (Acts 25:13), Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1), and kings in general (1 Timothy 2:2). Basileus refers to divine rulers: God (Matthew 5:35); Christ, as King in general (Luke 23:2), as King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15), as King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2), as King of Israel (Matthew 27:42), and as King of saints (Revelation 15:3). Among the church fathers, Christ was also referred to as King of all creation, and King of the Church; and the Holy Spirit was referred to as King. Among the secular writers basileus was used to refer to pagan deities such as Zeus. Basileus also is used in the New Testament to refer to the saints who will rule and reign with Christ (Revelation 5:10), and to evil powers such as Abaddon (Revelation 9:11; cf. Abaddōn [3]). See 7 Page Discussion of King, Kingship in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery page 1624 See 19 Page Discussion of King in The New International Dictionary Of New Testament Theology page 372 Basileus - 105v - Matt. 1:6; Matt. 2:1; Matt. 2:2; Matt. 2:3; Matt. 2:9; Matt. 5:35; Matt. 10:18; Matt. 11:8; Matt. 14:9; Matt. 17:25; Matt. 18:23; Matt. 21:5; Matt. 22:2; Matt. 22:7; Matt. 22:11; Matt. 22:13; Matt. 25:34; Matt. 25:40; Matt. 27:11; Matt. 27:29; Matt. 27:37; Matt. 27:42; Mk. 6:14; Mk. 6:22; Mk. 6:25; Mk. 6:26; Mk. 6:27; Mk. 13:9; Mk. 15:2; Mk. 15:9; Mk. 15:12; Mk. 15:18; Mk. 15:26; Mk. 15:32; Lk. 1:5; Lk. 10:24; Lk. 14:31; Lk. 19:38; Lk. 21:12; Lk. 22:25; Lk. 23:2; Lk. 23:3; Lk. 23:37; Lk. 23:38; Jn. 1:49; Jn. 6:15; Jn. 12:13; Jn. 12:15; Jn. 18:33; Jn. 18:37; Jn. 18:39; Jn. 19:3; Jn. 19:12; Jn. 19:14; Jn. 19:15; Jn. 19:19; Jn. 19:21; Acts 4:26; Acts 7:10; Acts 7:18; Acts 9:15; Acts 12:1; Acts 12:20; Acts 13:21; Acts 13:22; Acts 17:7; Acts 25:13; Acts 25:14; Acts 25:24; Acts 25:26; Acts 26:2; Acts 26:7; Acts 26:13; Acts 26:19; Acts 26:26; Acts 26:27; Acts 26:30; 2 Co. 11:32; 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 Tim. 2:2; 1 Tim. 6:15; Heb. 7:1; Heb. 7:2; Heb. 11:23; Heb. 11:27; 1 Pet. 2:13; 1 Pet. 2:17; Rev. 1:5; Rev. 6:15; Rev. 9:11; Rev. 10:11; Rev. 15:3; Rev. 16:12; Rev. 16:14; Rev. 17:2; Rev. 17:10; Rev. 17:12; Rev. 17:14; Rev. 17:18; Rev. 18:3; Rev. 18:9; Rev. 19:16; Rev. 19:18; Rev. 19:19; Rev. 21:24 There are over 2000 uses in the Septuagint. Immortal (862) aphthartos from a = negates what follows + phtheiro = to corrupt) means nothing can corrupt or ruin, not liable to pass away, not subject to corruption, decay or dissolution and so imperishable. Absolutely nothing can ruin your eternal inheritance beloved. The root verb phtheiro was sometimes used of the ravaging of a country by hostile armies! In secular Greek aphthartos described something that had not been ravaged by an invading army. Invisible (517) aoratos from a = without + horáo = see) is that which cannot be seen with physical eyes. That which cannot be seen or is imperceptible by the sight. ISBE article on Invisible - This term is used as an attribute of God in every biblical occurrence except Col. 1:16, where it refers to ranks of unseen angels and other spiritual powers. That no one had seen God at Sinai is stated in the OT (Ex 34:20; Deut. 4:12), and, in spite of God’s special self-disclosure to Moses (Ex. 33:18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23; Nu. 14:14), it became axiomatic in Judaism that no one had seen or could see God in this present age (SB, II, 362f; cf. Mt. 5:8). The influence of this concept is reflected in the Johannine writings, with their emphasis that “no one has seen God” (Jn 1:18; 5:37; 6:46; 14:9; 1Jn. 4:12), and in the Pauline tradition as well (Rom. 1:20; Col. 1:15, 16; 1Ti 1:17; 3:16). The use of aóratos in the context of a doxology (1Ti 1:17) and in an adjectival clause with the pronoun “who” (“who is invisible”; Heb 11:27) shows that “invisible” was one of the ascriptions to God used in early Christian liturgy (Bromiley, G. W. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised. Wm. B. Eerdmans) Honor (5092)(time) basically is the worth ascribed to a person or the value ascribed to a thing. Nuances include (1) The amount at which something is valued, the price, value Mt 27:6, 9; Ac 5:2f; 7:16; 19:19. times - for a price 1 Cor 6:20; 7:23. (2) manifestation of esteem, honor, reverence, respect Jn 4:44; Ac 28:10; Ro 2:7,10; 12:10; 13:7; 1 Ti 6:1; 2 Ti 2:20f; 1 Pe 3:7; Rev 4:9; 5:13; 21:26. A right that is specially conferred, a privilege 1Pe 2:7. Respectability 1 Th 4:4. Place of honor, office Heb 5:4. The honor conferred through compensation = Honorarium, compensation may be the sense in 1 Ti 5:17, though honor and respect are also possible.—The expression ouk en time tini Col 2:23 is probably they are of no value in. Gilbrant - Classical Greek Throughout the classical period the noun timē reflected three general meanings. First, there was the idea of “worth” being ascribed to an individual. (The etymological roots of the English word worship, i.e., “worth-ship,” maintain this sense.) This ascribed worth or “honor” was given to Roman senators, kings, and those considered superior (socially or materially). In addition, heathen gods were honored or “esteemed” through hymns of praise and worship. In return, they supposedly “honored” men with wealth, gifts, and a variety of material rewards. This latter aspect of material wealth conveys the second meaning of timē which relates to the concept of “worth, value, price.” It also parallels a third, almost synonymous meaning which has to do with “commendations, awards, rewards.” Some, in fact, believe that the original sense of timē was “compensation” (Schneider, “timē,” Kittel, 8:169). Concerning the early Greek concepts of timē Schneider reports, “Gradually timē detaches itself from real possessions and becomes an abstract concept of honour. That the original elements in the meaning of the word were never wholly lost can be seen in the fact that in the Koine timē can mean both ‘honour’ and ‘price’ ” (ibid., p.171). Plato, Aristotle, and later Stoic philosophers refined the concept of honor and applied it more strictly to inward morality. Aristotle, for example, concluded that the “high-minded man must be virtuous, for there is no honour without virtue” (idem). The fullest development of honor as an inward virtue was set forth by the Stoics who believed that a wise person is one who is free from passion, unmoved by grief, pain, or pleasure, and who is submissive to the natural laws. They viewed timē, “inward honor,” as the sense of one’s own worth and therefore of primary importance. As in classical Greek literature, the Septuagint use of timē shows a variety of meanings. This can be seen in that 11 different Hebrew terms are translated by this Greek word. Among the range of possible meanings are examples in Ezekiel 22:25 where timē refers to “treasure” or valuable things, and in Job 31:39 where it is translated as “payment” in the New International Version. (See also Exodus 34:20, where timē refers to the ransom paid for the firstborn, and Numbers 20:19 where it denotes the price offered to the Edomites by Israel as they neared their borders en route to the Promised Land [see Septuagint research section above for other examples].) The more significant use of timē in the Septuagint can be seen in passages where it refers to honor in the sense of affording due regard or esteem. Of course, God is honored and given glory (Psalms 29:1 [LXX 28:1]; 96:7 [95:7]), but the Scriptures teach that God has also crowned man with “glory and honor” (Psalm 8:4-9). In other words, man has “value, honor,” or “worth” because the Creator has “crowned” (Hebrew ‛āṯar, “to surround or encircle”; Greek stephanoō [4588], “to crown, honor, reward”) him with value, honor, and worth. A man’s or woman’s self-worth, therefore, exists not as a result of achievement, power, wealth, class, appearance, etc., but because God has attributed or imputed worth. The sacrifice of the only begotten Son reflects the price the Father was willing to pay in order to redeem fallen man. The Old Testament records that honor (i.e., reverence, respect, esteem) must be given to various individuals not only because of their God-given worth but because of their social position in the culture. Kings, for example, are to be honored (Job 34:19; Proverbs 24:21; 25:6), as are the elderly (Leviticus 19:32) and one’s parents (Exodus 20:12). Others who receive honor include wealthy individuals (Genesis 31:1) and people of influence (Job 29:20). New Testament - As in classical Greek, the word timē conveys several meanings in the New Testament. First and foremost, God is to be honored and given glory (see 1 Timothy 6:16; Revelation 4:11). Christ too is crowned with “glory and honor” (Hebrews 2:7,9). Next, the New Testament teaches that all people—regardless of position, sex, race, social status, etc.—are to be honored (1 Peter 2:17). Again this is true because God has crowned man with “glory and honor” (Psalm 8:4-9) and because the image of God remains as an element of man’s basic nature even though this image is warped and perverted due to sin. Beyond the basic honor given to all, the New Testament requires that special honor be given to certain individuals such as rulers (Romans 13:7), wives (1 Peter 3:7), slave owners (1 Timothy 6:1), church elders (1 Timothy 5:17), widows (1 Timothy 5:3), and “responsible leaders of the congregation in general (Philippians 2:29)” (Aalen, “Glory, Honour,” Colin Brown, 2:50f.). In a unique contrast to the above standards (and to standards of the world) 1 Corinthians 12 teaches that the “parts of the body (of Christ) that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we (should) treat with special honor” (verses 22,23, NIV). Each of the above examples employs an aspect of the word timē which relates to “worth, honor, respect,” or “esteem.” As noted earlier, however, the Koine Greek (including that of the New Testament) did not altogether lose the aspect of timē’s meaning which relates to “price.” First Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23, for example, state that the believer has been bought with a timē, “price,” i.e., the blood of Jesus. Contrary to a popular but erroneous doctrine, this “price” was not paid to the devil but served as a “propitiation” to God for the sin of man (see hilasmos [2410]). The idea of “price” is seen also in Acts 4:34 and 5:2,3 where Ananias and Sapphira claimed to be presenting the “price” that a certain possession brought when sold. Similarly, Acts 19 records that, having been seized by conviction, Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus burned scrolls that were used in the practice of sorcery. The “value” (timas) came to 50,000 drachmas—a drachma being the equivalent of a day’s wage. (See the Concordance above for other such uses of the word.) (Complete Biblical Library - Incredible Resource) Time - 40v - honor(28), honorable use(1), marks of respect(1), precious value(1), price(7), proceeds(1), sum(1), value(1). Matt. 27:6; Matt. 27:9; Jn. 4:44; Acts 4:34; Acts 5:2; Acts 5:3; Acts 7:16; Acts 19:19; Acts 28:10; Rom. 2:7; Rom. 2:10; Rom. 9:21; Rom. 12:10; Rom. 13:7; 1 Co. 6:20; 1 Co. 7:23; 1 Co. 12:23; 1 Co. 12:24; Col. 2:23; 1 Thess. 4:4; 1 Tim. 1:17; 1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Tim. 6:1; 1 Tim. 6:16; 2 Tim. 2:20; 2 Tim. 2:21; Heb. 2:7; Heb. 2:9; Heb. 3:3; Heb. 5:4; 1 Pet. 1:7; 1 Pet. 2:7; 1 Pet. 3:7; 2 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 4:9; Rev. 4:11; Rev. 5:12; Rev. 5:13; Rev. 7:12; Rev. 21:26 Time in the Septuagint - Gen. 20:16; Gen. 44:2; Exod. 28:2; Exod. 28:40; Exod. 34:20; Lev. 5:15; Lev. 5:18; Lev. 6:6; Lev. 27:2; Lev. 27:3; Lev. 27:5; Lev. 27:6; Lev. 27:7; Lev. 27:8; Lev. 27:13; Lev. 27:15; Lev. 27:16; Lev. 27:17; Lev. 27:19; Lev. 27:23; Lev. 27:25; Lev. 27:27; Num. 20:19; 2 Chr. 1:16; 2 Chr. 32:33; Est. 1:20; Job 31:39; Job 34:19; Job 37:22; Job 40:10; Ps. 8:5; Ps. 29:1; Ps. 44:12; Ps. 45:9; Ps. 49:8; Ps. 49:12; Ps. 49:20; Ps. 62:4; Ps. 96:7; Ps. 99:4; Prov. 6:26; Prov. 12:9; Prov. 22:9; Prov. 26:1; Isa. 10:16; Isa. 11:10; Isa. 14:18; Isa. 35:2; Isa. 55:1; Ezek. 22:25; Dan. 1:9; Dan. 2:37; Dan. 4:30 Forever (165) aion generally means an extended period of time and has various meanings depending on the context. Age, referring to an age or time in contrast to kósmos, referring to people or space. Denotes duration or continuance of time, but with great variety. Friberg on aion - era, time, age; (1) as a segment of contemporary time lifetime, era, present age (Lk 16.8); (2) of time gone by past, earliest times (Lk 1.70); (3) of prolonged and unlimited time = eternity (1Ti 1.17); (4) of time to come = eternity, age to come (Lk 20.35); idiomatically eis ton aiona literally into the age, i.e. forever, eternally (Jn 6.51); eis tous aionas ton aionas literally into the ages of the ages, i.e. forever and ever, forevermore (Heb 1.8); (5) plural, as a spatial concept, of the creation as having a beginning and moving forward through long but limited time universe, world (Heb 1.2; 9.26; 11.3) (Analytical Lexicon) Amen (281) amen is a transliteration from the Hebrew word amen which in turn is from the Hebrew verb aman = to be firm, to believe, this word conveying the idea of certainty) Amen is transliterated into Latin and English and many other languages, so that it is practically a universal word. In fact amen has been called the best-known word in human speech. To say “Amen” confirms a statement by someone else. In Revelation 3:14 Amen is used as a title of Christ, through whom the divine purposes are established. 1 Timothy 1:18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, BGT 1 Timothy 1:18 Ταύτην τὴν παραγγελίαν παρατίθεμαί σοι, τέκνον Τιμόθεε, κατὰ τὰς προαγούσας ἐπὶ σὲ προφητείας, ἵνα στρατεύῃ ἐν αὐταῖς τὴν καλὴν στρατείαν Amplified This charge and admonition I commit in trust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with prophetic intimations which I formerly received concerning you, so that inspired and aided by them you may wage the good warfare, Barclay I entrust this charge to you, Timothy lad, because it is the natural consequence of the messages which came to the prophets from God, and which marked you out as the very man for this work, so that, in obedience to these messages, you may wage a fine campaign, BBE 1 Timothy 1:18 This order I give to you, Timothy my son, in harmony with the words of the prophets about you, so that by them you may be strong, fighting the good fight, CSB 1 Timothy 1:18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle, ERV 1 Timothy 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, my child Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that by them thou mayest war the good warfare; ESV 1 Timothy 1:18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, Grundy I’m entrusting this order to you, Timothy [my] child, in accordance with foregoing prophecies [spoken] about you, in order that by them [the prophecies] you may be fighting the good fight GWN 1 Timothy 1:18 Timothy, my child, I'm giving you this order about the prophecies that are still coming to you: Use these prophecies in faith and with a clear conscience to fight this noble war. KJV 1 Timothy 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Lock paraphrase This charge, then, I now in my absence place in your care, my own son Timothy; recalling to mind the words of the Christian prophets which led me to choose you to help me in my work, that in the strength of these words you may carry on God's true campaign, NKJ 1 Timothy 1:18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, MIT 1 Timothy 1:18 To you, my protégé, Timothy, I am personally issuing this strict order in conformity with the initial prophecies pertaining to you. Strive to implement them, fight the virtuous battle, NAB 1 Timothy 1:18 I entrust this charge to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophetic words once spoken about you. Through them may you fight a good fight NET 1 Timothy 1:18 I put this charge before you, Timothy my child, in keeping with the prophecies once spoken about you, in order that with such encouragement you may fight the good fight. NIV 1 Timothy 1:18 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, NJB 1 Timothy 1:18 Timothy, my son, these are the instructions that I am giving you, in accordance with the words once spoken over you by the prophets, so that in their light you may fight like a good soldier NLT 1 Timothy 1:18 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord's battles. NLT (non-revised) Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they give you the confidence to fight well in the Lord's battles. NRS 1 Timothy 1:18 I am giving you these instructions, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies made earlier about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, Phillips Timothy my son, I give you the following charge. (And may I say, before I give it to you, that it is in full accord with those prophecies made at your ordination, which sent you out to battle for the right REB In laying this charge upon you, Timothy my son, I am guided by those prophetic utterances which first directed me to you. Encouraged by them, fight the good fight Wuest This charge I am entrusting to you, son Timothy, in accordance with the prophetic intimations which were made long ago concerning you, to the effect that in their sphere you are to wage the good warfare (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) YLT 1 Timothy 1:18 This charge I commit to thee, child Timotheus, according to the prophesies that went before upon thee, that thou mayest war in them the good warfare, This command I entrust to you: 1Ti 1:11,12 4:14 6:13,14,20 2Ti 2:2 4:1-3 Timothy, my son: 1Ti 1:2 Php 2:22 2Ti 1:2 2:1 Tit 1:4 Phm 1:10 in accordance with the prophecies: 1Ti 4:4 that by them you fight the good fight: 1Ti 6:12 2Co 10:3,4 Eph 6:12-18 2Ti 2:3-5 4:7 1 Timothy 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Acts 16:2+/acts-16-commentary#16:2 And he (TIMOTHY) was well spoken of (martureo = Timothy "was testified to") by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. Exodus 14:13, 14 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." 1 Samuel 17:47 (DAVID) and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands.” 2 Chronicles 20:17 ‘You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you 2 Chronicles 32:8 “With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. Nehemiah 4:20 “At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” 2 Corinthians 7:5 For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; MARCHING ORDERS FROM "GENERAL" PAUL In 1Ti 1:18-20 Paul describes a warfare, one that is not fictional but very real, and one in which not everyone comes out as more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. He warns that some will be "shipwrecked," as were Hymenaeus and Alexander. We all do well to recall our enemies = the world, the flesh and the devil (see MacArthur's sermon discussing Satan's activity)<> Sin = Principle <> hamartia <> flesh. The war is for the souls of men. The battleground is the mind. The battle is over truth versus error. And tho this world, with devils filled Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo, his doom is sure; One little word shall fell him. -- Martin Luther, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God This command (paraggelia) I entrust (paratithemi) to you, Timothy, my son (teknon) - In giving this command Paul is exercising his apostolic authority by way of command. The Greek verb entrust speaks of entrusting something of great value to another's safe keeping (as in making a deposit in a bank). Why would Timothy need to be guarding the treasure so to speak? In context (especially 1Ti 1:3-4+ and the goal in 1Ti 1:5+), Paul has described false teachers who have begun to sneak into the church at Ephesus and teach what amounts to "another gospel" which is really not a gospel at all! On the phrase Timothy, my son see comments on my true child in the faith in 1Ti 1:2.

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Spurgeon: Faith cometh by hearing (Ro 10:17+). Those who know the Name of the LORD will set their hope in Him, and that they may be led to do so is the main end of all spiritual teaching. "Their hope was to be set not in the law which punishes, but in grace freely given which redeems; therefore is it added and not forget the works of God." Johannes De Turrecremata RELATIONSHIP OF JOY AND HOPE Hope gives us a reason to exult or to feel joy or great delight. In short hope gives us joyful confidence in our glorious future, this truth enabling us to even "exult in our (present) tribulations" and to wait in patience, not wondering if our life will end well, but that it will end with us forever sharing in Christ's glory! That's a truth to boast about! Through Whom (Christ) also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand and we exult (boast, feel great joy) in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance (Ro 5:2-3+) John

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Spurgeon - It is reported that in the Tamul language there is no word for hope. Alas! poor men, if we were all as destitute of the blessed comfort itself as these Tamul speakers are of the word! What must be the misery of souls in hell where they remember the word, but can never know hope itself! June Hunt has an interesting note on the use the anchor to symbolize hope... For centuries, anchors have been a symbol of hope. This emblem was especially significant to the early persecuted church. Many etchings of anchors were discovered in the catacombs of Rome, where Christians held their meetings in hiding. Threatened with death because of their faith, these committed Christians used the anchor as a disguised cross and as a marker to guide the way to their secret meetings. Located beneath the ancient city, 600 miles of these tomb-like burial chambers served as a place of refuge during perilous times of persecution. Thus, the anchor—found even on some tombstones today—has become the symbol of guaranteed hope for the eternal security of true Christians. (Biblical Counseling Keys on Hope: The Anchor of Your Soul) Chuck Swindoll writes in one of the few books in the last 100 years to specifically address the subject of Biblical "Hope" (Hope) is something as important to us as water is to a fish, as vital as electricity is to a light bulb, as essential as air is to a jumbo jet. Hope is basic to life....Without that needed spark of hope, we are doomed to a dark, grim existence. How often the word "hopeless" appears in suicide notes. And even if it isn't actually written, we can read it between the lines. Take away our hope, and our world is reduced to something between depression and despair....hope is more than wishful thinking. Hope is a vital necessity of life--a gift that God wants to give to you. And in a world that regularly writes dreams off as foolish and drains the hope from the heart with dark pessimism" (Biblical hope) "is a voice crying in the wilderness...a word of enthusiasm for life in the midst of any difficult situation you are in....If you want to smile through your tears, if you want to rejoice through times of suffering, just keep reminding yourself that what you're going through isn't the end of the story...it's simply the rough journey that leads to the right destination...Solid, stable, sure hope. Hope to press on. Hope to endure. Hope to stay focused. Hope to see new dreams fulfilled" Charles R. Swindoll in his book Laugh Again Hope Again A W Tozer - Hope is a word which has taken on a new and deeper meaning for us because the Savior took it into His mouth. Loving Him and obeying Him, we suddenly discover that hope is really the direction taken by the whole Bible. Hope is the music of the whole Bible, the heartbeat, the pulse and the atmosphere of the whole Bible...Hope means a desirable expectation, a pleasurable anticipation. As men know this word, it often blows up in our faces and often cruelly disappoints us as human beings. Hope that is only human will throw us down and wound us just as pleasurable anticipation often turns to discouragement or sorrow. Do You Have Hope? - Several years ago, millionaire Eugene Lang was asked to speak to a class of sixth-graders from East Harlem, New York. What could he say to inspire these students, most of whom would drop out of school? Scrapping his notes, he decided to speak to them from his heart. “Stay in school,” he admonished, “and I’ll help pay the college tuitions for every one of you.” That was a turning point. For the first time in their lives, these students had hope. One said, “I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling.” Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school. People without hope are people without a future. But when hope is restored, life is restored. This is especially true for those who come to know Christ. He gives a sure basis for hope. He has promised to return to earth to take us to our eternal home (Jn 14:3; 1 Th. 4:17). Till then, there is help through the power of the Holy Spirit (1Th. 1:5). The believer experiences a new kind of life now and anticipates its fulfillment when Jesus returns. Is that hope alive in your heart? If not, admit that you are a sinner. Trust Christ as your Savior. And He’ll give you a hope that makes life worth living. A strong defense to guard the soul Is ours from heaven above; God fills our hearts with steadfast hope And gives us faith and love. — D J De Haan If Christ lives in your heart, You have a living hope. Related Resources: THE DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIP OF BIBLICAL HOPE & JOY The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary describes JOY as “the passion or emotion excited by the expectation of good (this latter phrase is an excellent description of Biblical HOPE!).” Why is frequent...meditation on BIBLICAL HOPE so important? Because “the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (joy produced by the Spirit as we meditate on Biblical HOPE).” (Romans 14:17) Biblical HOPE is vital because when we LOSE HOPE (we call this “despair”) in the future, we LOSE JOY (we call this “grief” or “sorrow”) in the PRESENT because we have no firm foundation for confidence in the FUTURE. In short, the soothing balm of Biblical “HOPE (allows us to) see heaven through the thickest clouds.” (Puritan Thomas Brooks) Spurgeon has a pertinent question about hope: “The JOY OF HOPE—who shall measure it? Those who are strangers to it are certainly strangers to the SWEETEST MATTER in spiritual life. With the exception of present communion with Christ, the JOY of a believer in this present state must be mainly the JOY OF HOPE. “It does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He is (OUR HOPE).” (1John 3:2) We thank God that we shall be satisfied when we wake up (from the sleep of death) in the likeness of Jesus! This ANTICIPATION (HOPE) of Heaven makes (the hurt of) earth become endurable! And the sorrows of time lose their weight when we think of the “far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory (Our future HOPE).” (2Corinthians 4:17) And so Spurgeon encourages us to continually focus our “TELESCOPE OF HOPE to the starry promises of heaven” because HOPE of our future time in heaven serves to stir up a lively JOY during our present sojourn on earth! Is your JOY at low ebb? Then drink deeply from the springs of BIBLICAL HOPE and the Holy Spirit will empower you to “REJOICE in the Lord (Our “Best HOPE” and JOY of our Desire) always and again I say REJOICE” (Philippians 4:4) because “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the GLORY (OUR HOPE) that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). Dearly beloved of God, “Do not be grieved (joyless), for the JOY OF JEHOVAH is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10b) and that JOY grows well when watered by the good HOPE found in God’s Word of Truth. (See below for link to study on Hope). In Romans Paul links JOY with HOPE writing “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand and we REJOICE IN HOPE of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2) “Peace with God” takes care of the PAST: God will no longer hold our sins against us. “Access to God” takes care of the PRESENT: we can come to our Father at any time for the supernatural enablement we continually need. “REJOICING IN THE HOPE of the glory of God” takes care of the FUTURE: the promise that one day we shall share in His glory! Notice again that it is the certainty of our bright FUTURE HOPE that is the grounds for our PRESENT REJOICING, and this hope fueled joy enables us to live as lights "in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation" (Php 2:15), as God's ambassadors of reconciliation (2Cor 5:18-20), "filled with JOY and with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 13:52) Who enables us to radiate His JOY which is not natural (like happiness which depends on what happens) but is supernatural, independent of circumstances, be they benevolent or bad! This great truth begs the question dear child of the Most High God, "Are you rejoicing in hope today?" If not take a moment to meditate on Romans 5:1-2 (memorize it!), asking God’s Spirit to renew your thinking and enable you to set your mind on the things above and not on the things that are on the earth (Col 3:2). Spurgeon would agree for he observes that Ro 5:1-2 “is a golden staircase (Ed: A “Staircase” which transports the eyes of our heart “heavenward”, focusing them on our Great God and His glorious plan of redemption!)—justification brings peace and peace brings access into this Grace wherein we are established! And then comes the JOY OF HOPE—and that HOPE fixes its eyes on nothing less than the GLORY OF GOD. GRACE is the stepping-stone to GLORY—and they who are JUSTIFIED BY FAITH shall in due time be GLORIFIED BY LOVE!” Hallelujah! In Romans 12:12 Paul writes that we are to be “REJOICING in HOPE, persevering in tribulation” or as Piper paraphrases it we are to “Let our joy be the JOY that comes from HOPE.” In other words “hope is the soil in which joy is rooted—the ground where joy grows.” Like a fish needs the environment of water to thrive, JOY needs HOPE to be alive in our heart. When a believer's HOPE is fresh and full and focused on CHRIST JESUS our HOPE (1Ti 1:1) and the glorious FUTURE He promises us, this great HOPE functions like “spiritual rain” falling on our heart, bringing forth the fragrant fruit of JOY, birthed by the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

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Spurgeon adds “To be with Christ in Glory is the JOY OF HOPE, the HOPE which makes not ashamed. Our HOPE is no dream—as sure as we are here today, we who are trusting in Christ will be in Heaven before long—for He prays that we may be with Him where He is and may behold His Glory! (John 17:24) Let us not wish to postpone the happy day! Shall our bridal day be kept back? No, let the Bridegroom speedily come and take us to Himself. WHAT A JOY to know that this head shall wear a crown of glory and these hands shall wave the palm branch of victory! I speak not of myself alone, my brothers and sisters, but of you also and of all who love His appearing (2Ti 4:8). There is a crown of life (James 1:12, Rev 2:10) laid up for you which the righteous Judge will give you. Therefore, have patience a little while. Bear, still, your cross. Put up with the difficulties of the way, for the end is almost within sight!” And so undergirded by God's grace, enabled by His Spirit and for the glory of the Lamb we declare with C H Spurgeon "Away dark thoughts! UP, faith and HOPE!" Not gloom but gladness, not dreariness but delight, for Jesus Himself declares "Yes, I am coming quickly." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." (Rev 22:20) Annie Johnson Flint writes... I look up -- into the face of Jesus For there my heart can rest, my fears are stilled; And there is JOY, and love, and light for darkness, And perfect peace, and every HOPE fulfilled. SEE IN DEPTH STUDY OF GOD'S WORD OF HOPE...

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Spurgeon: The Lord is self existent and true, and therefore worthy of the confidence of men; He will live when all the creatures die, and His fulness will abide when all second causes are exhausted; to Him, therefore, let us direct our expectation, and on Him let us rest our confidence. Away from sand to Rock (Ps 95:1) let all wise builders turn themselves, for if not today, yet surely ere long, a storm will rise before which nothing will be able to stand but that which has the lasting element of faith in God to cement it. David had but one hope, and that Hope (the Person of Jesus) entered within the veil (Ed: Heb 10:20-note, cf Heb 6:18-20-note), hence he brought his vessel to safe anchorage, and after a little drifting all was peace. SPES UNICA "OUR ONLY HOPE" C H Spurgeon Christ is our hope. We have not a shadow of a hope apart from Him. I remember, when on the Continent, seeing on a cross the words “Spes unica,” (Ed: Latin = "Our Only Hope") the unique, the only hope of man; and that is true of the Cross of Christ, and of Christ Who suffered on it, He is our hope. (Ed: Our Only Hope, and also Our Sufficient Hope) Pulpit Commentary The object of the Christian's hope is the Savior — our "Lord Jesus Christ, Who is our Hope" (1Ti 1:1) We hope for Him — for His gracious presence revealed in fuller measure now, for the blissful vision of His glorious beauty hereafter (Titus 2:13, 14, 15-notes). That hope is patient. The husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the earth (James 5:7); the Christian waits patiently for Christ. It works patience in the soul. He can endure the troubles of life who is blessed with the lively hope of the inheritance reserved in heaven (1Pe 1:3,4-note). (Pulpit Commentary) W. H. G. Thomas No Christian life is complete which does not include in it a forward look of joyous certitude toward a bright future, for hope as a grace is not a mere spirit of what we call hopefulness, or a natural buoyancy of temperament. It is a distinctly Christian virtue, the result of union with God in Christ; and it has for its immediate object the Lord Jesus at His glorious appearing, and for its ultimate, eternal and exhaustless substance the glories of heaven and God as our All in All. MacArthur... Christians have hope for the future because Christ purchased salvation for them on the cross in the past (Ro 5:1, 2), sanctifies them through His Spirit in the present (Gal 5:16–25), and will lead them to glory in the future (Col 1:27; 1Jn 3:2, 3). Geoffrey B. Wilson Our risen and glorified Lord is Himself our Hope, because His triumph over sin and death provides the objective pledge of our final redemption. John Trapp The law is a super-introduction to Christ our hope, Who is the end of the law to every believer, Ro 10:4. Ron Mattoon Christ is our hope. This is where our joy comes from. Some Christians repeat a common slogan, "Keep hope alive." I've got news for you. Hope is alive because our hope is in a living, resurrected Savior and His promises are found in a living book, the Bible. We don't have to keep it alive because He will never die! Amen! Dave Branon Corrie ten Boom lived through the hellish life of Nazi concentration camps—a place where hope was lost for most people. She survived to tell her story of unfaltering faith and tight-fisted hope in God. She saw the face of evil up close and personal. She saw some of the most inhumane acts man can do to man. And when she came out of it all, she said this: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.” Where are you looking? Are you focusing on the world and its dangers? Are you gazing at yourself, hoping to find your own answers? Or are you looking to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith? (Hebrews 12:1-2). (Ed: Are you looking to "Christ Jesus our Hope"? 1Ti 1:1) In an uncertain world, we must keep looking to Him. The hope we have in Jesus Christ Replaces all despair; He fills us with His joy and peace And shows His love and care. —Sper The stability which the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a hold-fast, is like that which the Christian’s hope affords him when it fixes itself upon this glorious truth. With God “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”- Spurgeon Spurgeon says “look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope.” “Holy hope” It is by his life that we live; he is in us, the hope of glory, the spring of our actions, the central thought which moves every other thought. -Spurgeon our piety is our pleasure, our hope is our happiness, our duty is our delight. Our trials will then seem light and momentary afflictions. Let us go on boldly; if the night be never so dark, the morning cometh, which is more than they can say who are shut up in the darkness of hell. Do you know what it is thus to live on the future—to live on expectation—to antedate heaven? Happy believer, to have so sure, so comforting a hope. It may be all dark now, but it will soon be light; it may be all trial now, but it will soon be all happiness. What matters it though “weeping may endure for a night,” when “joy cometh in the morning?” Hope (1680)(elpis) is a simple but fascinating word because the definition one arrives at is directly dependent on one's worldview, specifically non-Biblical or Biblical. And so we shall see that hope in Scripture is (with few exceptions) not the world's definition of hope. HOPE FROM A SECULAR WORLDVIEW The unregenerate, godless world says "I hope so" with a few rare exceptions (e.g., Acts 27:20). Hope, as the world typically defines it, is a desire for some future thing which we are uncertain of attaining. Worldly "hope" is pessimistically defined by the little boy who quipped “Hope is wishing for something you know ain’t gonna happen.” The world says "I hope...this or that will happen" and it is this type of "hope" which explains why the lottery system is thriving in many states! Hope identified as cultural hope is merely an optimistic desire that something will be fulfilled. This hope is not a guaranteed hope because it is subject to changeable people and unforeseen circumstances. And so often when we use the word "hope" in casual conversation, it has a wavering, uncertain sound. (cf Lk 23:8, Acts 24:26 - neither Herod's nor Felix's hope materialized!). Most people live in hope that things will improve for them and that they will finally be satisfied, fully content, but such a hope is ill founded and destined to disappoint in the end. One of the frightening observations of our day is that there are so many, particularly young people, who have no hope. Suicides are on the increase annually, and a recent poll observed that the majority of teens in our day say they have little or no hope for the future. It is not surprising then in view of such a negative sense of hope in the future, that so many young people choose to live so recklessly hoping to find satisfaction and contentment in the moment. As of September, 2012, the American dream is rapidly fading because of accelerating moral decay and continued bureaucratic mismanagement of taxpayer funds, with the result that many in our society are beginning to be gripped with a pervading sense of hopelessness. Unfortunately the Church is not immune to this hopeless feeling. Many who claim to be born again believers in Jesus Christ are searching for fulfillment in life in every place except Christ Jesus our Hope (1Ti 1:1)! The truth of Scripture is that human beings we were not made solely for the present, and the present was never intended to fully satisfy us. "If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied" (1Co 15:19). True fulfillment and contentment comes only when one places their faith wholly in the Holy One, Christ Jesus our Hope. Are you feeling hopeless? Hope in God. Hope in Christ Jesus your only sure hope! You will not be disappointed in this life (Ro 10:11-note) or the life to come when hope becomes reality. HOPE FROM A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW On the other hand, Biblical hope is defined as a desire for future good with the expectation of obtaining it. Hope is the Christian’s attitude toward the future. Hope is an absolute assurance of future good (Heb 6:11-note). Hope is a strong confidence that God will do good to me and for me in the future! Hope is always an expectation of something good as well as descriptive of something for which we must wait, which in turn depends on faith or trust that it is going to happen just as God said it would! RELATIONSHIP OF FAITH, HOPE & LOVE Biblical hope means confidence in the future, a confidence born of faith. Faith, hope and love go together (1Cor 13:13). Hope relates to love, for Paul writes "hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us." (Ro 5:5-note) Hope relates to faith for when we have faith in God, we claim His promises, and His promises energize our hope in the future. Hope for the Christian is not a feeling of "I hope it's going to happen" but is an exciting expectancy and certainty it will happen because God controls the future. The tragedy for many saints is that their hope has dwindled, causing them to lose joy in their present life because they have no sure confidence in the promises to be fulfilled in their future life.

1 Timóteo 1:1-2

Spurgeon: The holy faith of the persecuted saint comes to the front in these three verses. But I will hope continually. When I cannot rejoice in what I have, I will look forward to what shall be mine ("our hope"), and will still rejoice. Hope will live on a barren tract of ground, and sing on a branch laden down with snow. No date and no place are unsuitable for hope. Hell alone excepted, hope is a dweller in all regions. We may always hope, for we always have grounds for it: we will always hope, for it is a never failing consolation....(Re: praise...more and more Spurgeon says) "Superior" cries the eagle, as he mounts towards the sun: higher and yet higher is also our aim, as we soar aloft in duty and devotion. It is our continual hope that we shall be able more and more to magnify the Lord. Hope of future grace (not just "hope" but "hope fully", be intensely desirous and fully confident that Jesus is coming again which) motivates present girding of your mind for action and living life soberly in the power of the Spirit and His present grace - (1Pe 1:13-note) Hope which is living, "lively", equips beleaguered saints with power to follow Christ in the costly way of love, with strong confidence that if we lose our life doing his will, we will find it again and be richly rewarded. (1Pe 1:3-note)

1 Timóteo 1:1-2

Spurgeon: Faith cometh by hearing (Ro 10:17-note). Those who know the Name of the LORD will set their hope in Him, and that they may be led to do so is the main end of all spiritual teaching. "Their hope was to be set not in the law which punishes, but in grace freely given which redeems; therefore is it added and not forget the works of God." Johannes De Turrecremata RELATIONSHIP OF JOY AND HOPE Hope gives us a reason to exult or to feel joy or great delight. In short hope gives us joyful confidence in our glorious future, this truth enabling us to even "exult in our (present) tribulations" and to wait in patience, not wondering if our life will end well, but that it will end with us forever sharing in Christ's glory! That's a truth to boast about! Through Whom (Christ) also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand and we exult (boast, feel great joy) in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance (Ro 5:2-3-note) John

1 Timóteo 1:1-2

Spurgeon has a pertinent question about hope: “The JOY OF HOPE—who shall measure it? Those who are strangers to it are certainly strangers to the SWEETEST MATTER in spiritual life. With the exception of present communion with Christ, the JOY of a believer in this present state must be mainly the JOY OF HOPE. “It does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He is (OUR HOPE).” (1John 3:2) We thank God that we shall be satisfied when we wake up (from the sleep of death) in the likeness of Jesus! This ANTICIPATION (HOPE) of Heaven makes (the hurt of) earth become endurable! And the sorrows of time lose their weight when we think of the “far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory (Our future HOPE).” (2Corinthians 4:17) And so Spurgeon encourages us to continually focus our “TELESCOPE OF HOPE to the starry promises of heaven” because HOPE of our future time in heaven serves to stir up a lively JOY during our present sojourn on earth! Is your JOY at low ebb? Then drink deeply from the springs of BIBLICAL HOPE and the Holy Spirit will empower you to “REJOICE in the Lord (Our “Best HOPE” and JOY of our Desire) always and again I say REJOICE” (Philippians 4:4) because “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the GLORY (OUR HOPE) that is to be revealed to us (Romans 8:18). Dearly beloved of God, “Do not be grieved (joyless), for the JOY OF JEHOVAH is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10b) and that JOY grows well when watered by the good HOPE found in God’s Word of Truth. (See below for link to study on Hope). In Romans Paul links JOY with HOPE writing “Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand and we REJOICE IN HOPE of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2) “Peace with God” takes care of the PAST: God will no longer hold our sins against us. “Access to God” takes care of the PRESENT: we can come to our Father at any time for the supernatural enablement we continually need. “REJOICING IN THE HOPE of the glory of God” takes care of the FUTURE: the promise that one day we shall share in His glory! Notice again that it is the certainty of our bright FUTURE HOPE that is the grounds for our PRESENT REJOICING, and this hope fueled joy enables us to live as lights "in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation" (Php 2:15), as God's ambassadors of reconciliation (2Cor 5:18-20), "filled with JOY and with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 13:52) Who enables us to radiate His JOY which is not natural (like happiness which depends on what happens) but is supernatural, independent of circumstances, be they benevolent or bad! This great truth begs the question dear child of the Most High God, "Are you rejoicing in hope today?" If not take a moment to meditate on Romans 5:1-2 (memorize it!), asking God’s Spirit to renew your thinking and enable you to set your mind on the things above and not on the things that are on the earth (Col 3:2). Spurgeon would agree for he observes that Ro 5:1-2 “is a golden staircase (Ed: A “Staircase” which transports the eyes of our heart “heavenward”, focusing them on our Great God and His glorious plan of redemption!)—justification brings peace and peace brings access into this Grace wherein we are established! And then comes the JOY OF HOPE—and that HOPE fixes its eyes on nothing less than the GLORY OF GOD. GRACE is the stepping-stone to GLORY—and they who are JUSTIFIED BY FAITH shall in due time be GLORIFIED BY LOVE!” Hallelujah! In Romans 12:12 Paul writes that we are to be “REJOICING in HOPE, persevering in tribulation” or as Piper paraphrases it we are to “Let our joy be the JOY that comes from HOPE.” In other words “hope is the soil in which joy is rooted—the ground where joy grows.” Like a fish needs the environment of water to thrive, JOY needs HOPE to be alive in our heart. When a believer's HOPE is fresh and full and focused on CHRIST JESUS our HOPE (1Ti 1:1) and the glorious FUTURE He promises us, this great HOPE functions like “spiritual rain” falling on our heart, bringing forth the fragrant fruit of JOY, birthed by the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).