Keeping the Charge

Paul has now finished giving his own testimony and has spoken praise to God for the glorious attributes of God who had had such mercy on him, a sinner. But now he returns to his original train of thought, his charge or command to Timothy, not to permit errors of doctrine to come into the church, but to preserve pure and intact the gospel and all the truths related to Christ and salvation. The purpose for which men are raised up to the Christian ministry is no different today than it was in Timothy’s day. Men in the ministry are entrusted with the invaluable truth of salvation in Christ and how people may come to know God. And they are entrusted with teaching the sound doctrine found in all parts of the Word of God, and flowing from that, how people should worship and serve God acceptably. The faithful minister must wage a good warfare, to guard and promote God’s truth in the church and in this fallen world of sin. In doing so he will encounter persons who will pervert the gospel or water it down, or try to replace it with something else. But there are 3 things which Paul wants Timothy to remember that will enable Timothy to keep the charge and honor God. He will keep the charge by remembering the importance of some things good and bad.