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'How To'
Instructions in Righteousness
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Lesson 34:
Keep this commandment
Be without spot
Be unrebukeable
Remain fervent to the end
Key verse:
1
Timothy 6:14
That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the
appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Keep this
commandment |
Referring particularly to the solemn injunction
which he had just given him, to "fight the good fight of faith," but
perhaps also including all that he had enjoined on him.
–Barnes
Two things are mentioned here:
1. That the commandment itself-the whole doctrine
of Christ, should be kept entire.
2. That his life should be agreeable to that
doctrine. Keep it without spot-let there be no blot on the sacred book;
add nothing to it; take nothing from it; change nothing in it. Deliver
down to thy successors the truth as thou hast had it from God himself.
–Adam Clarke
That thou keep this commandment. Commandment seems to be used here as a
comprehensive word for the Gospel, as Christ used it in John 12:50
–Wycliffe
And I know that his commandment is life
everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto
me, so I speak. –John 12:50
Keep this commandment-Greek, 'the commandment;' i.e., the Gospel rule
(John 13:34; 1 Tim 1:5; Titus 2:12; 2 Peter 2:21; 3:2).
–JFB
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye
love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
–John 13:34
Now the end of the commandment is charity out
of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.
–1 Tim 1:5
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present
world. –Titus 2:12
For it had been better for them not to have
known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn
from the holy commandment delivered unto them. –2 Peter 2:21
That ye may be mindful of the words which were
spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the
apostles of the Lord and Saviour. –2 Peter 3:2
It is clear that "this commandment" is in reference to the entire gospel
rule. This is how the church is taught today. It is taught
doctrine which is the whole Word of God and Christ in particular.
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Be without spot |
It seems harsh, and is unusual, to apply the
epithet, "without spot"-aspilos (NT:784)-to a command or doctrine, and
the passage may be so construed that this may be understood as referring
to Timothy himself-"That thou keep the commandment so that thou mayest
be without spot and unrebukeable. The word here rendered "without
spot," occurs in the New Testament only here and in James 1:27; 1 Peter
1:19; 2 Peter 3:14. It means without any "stain" or "blemish; pure." If
applied here to Timothy, it means that he should so keep the command
that there would be no stain on his moral character; if to the doctrine,
that that should be kept pure.
Pure religion and
undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and
widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the
world. –James 1:27
But with the precious blood of Christ, as
of a lamb without blemish and without spot. –1 Peter 1:19
Wherefore, beloved,
seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of
him in peace, without spot, and blameless. –2 Pet 3:14
--Barnes
Keeping the commandment spotless and without reproach means both
teaching and living above reproach.
–Wycliffe
Without
spot, unrebukeable-agreeing with "thou" [as aspilon (NT:784),
anepileempton (NT:423) are applied in the New Testament only to
persons]. Kept the commandment; so be without spot, etc. "Pure" (1 Tim
5:22; Eph 5:27; James 1:27; 2 Peter 3:14).
–JFB
There is much more here than what meets the eye and mind on the first
read. The new minister, Timothy, is being given a four-fold set of
instructions:
1) Keep the doctrine pure.
2) Teach this pure doctrine without adding anything to it or taking
anything away. Do not stray from it.
3) Conform yourself to the doctrine, which is the mind and character of
God, the Father and Christ.
4) Do not allow the elements of the world to battle with or degrade your
conformation to the doctrine.
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Be Unrebukeable
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So that there be no occasion for reproach or
reproof. –Barnes
Let there be nothing in thy conduct or spirit contrary to this truth.
Keep the truth, and the truth will keep thee.--Clarke’s
Most
biblical rebuke is from the Lord and this is the clear intent here.
These elements of being without spot and unrebukeable are personal and
between God and the firstfruit. The verse is not an encouragement
for one in the congregation to go looking for "spots" in their brethren
or to personally rebuke them. The whole verse is taking about the
overall concept of lifelong character development in the Salvation
Process rather than the event of a sin being committed. In other
words, a "spot" is not necessarily a committed sin. It is
development of conduct, habit or thinking that is contrary to doctrine
and the character of Christ. Only God can ultimate judge this.
If we, over a period of time [a process],
stray from the doctrine and the Salvation Process [backsliding],
we open ourselves to rebuke from God.
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Remain fervent
to the end |
Hand it
down pure, and let thy conduct be a comment on it, that it may continue
in the world and in the church until the coming of Christ.
–Clarke’s
Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ-in person (2 Thess 2:8; 2
Tim 4:1; Titus 2:13). Believers then used to set before themselves as a
motive the day of Christ as at hand; we, the hour of death. The fact has
in all ages of the Church been certain; the time as uncertain to Paul as
it is to us (cf. 1 Tim 6:15): the Church's true attitude is, continual
expectation of her Lord's return (1 Cor 1:8; Phil 1:6,10).
–JFB
And then shall that Wicked be
revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and
shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. –2 Thess 2:8
I charge thee therefore before God, and the
Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his
appearing and his kingdom. –2 Tim 4:1
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
–Titus 2:13
Who shall also confirm you unto the
end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
–1 Cor 1:8
Being confident of this very thing, that he
which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of
Jesus Christ. –Phil 1:6
The church, the ministry and the individual firstfruit are to
continue in the ways of righteousness, in the Word of God and in the
Salvation Process until the end. We are to be fervent in our
journey to this end. God is giving us His promise that He will
finish this molding process unto the end as we remain fervent in the
Salvation Process.
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Lesson 34: Instructions
1) Keep the whole Gospel rule.
2) Know the ways of righteousness.
3)
Keep the doctrine pure.
4) Teach this pure doctrine without adding anything to it or taking
anything away. Do not stray from it.
5) Conform yourself to the doctrine, which is the mind and character of
God, the Father and Christ.
6) Do not allow the elements of the world to battle with or degrade your
conformation to the doctrine.
7) Remain fervent in the ways of righteousness unto the end.
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