"But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."
1 Timothy 6:11
“But thou, O man of God,”
Paul is writing to his son in the faith, Timothy. He is challenging the young pastor to live an exemplary, godly life. He calls him a “man of God.”
“A man of God is either a prophet, a messenger of God, or a man devoted to God; a man of another world” [1] (Wesley).
Paul wanted this title to be backed up by Timothy’s godly character, so he gave him this warning to be different from the world.
“Flee these things; and follow after righteousness,”
Timothy beware the dangers of pride, and of money that the wrong desires it elicits. The love of money has led many a man down the wrong path to their destruction (1 Timothy 6:8-10).
“The preacher can not afford to parley with such temptations” [2] (Robertson).
Keep your focus on the Lord “and follow after righteousness.” Timothy, you must actively do both, “flee” those things, and “follow after” these.
“Godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”
Note how these Christian virtues work together:
Righteousness and Godliness.
Faith and Love.
Patience and Meekness.
These virtues should be the goal of every believer, not just the “preachers.”
“This challenge to leave some things and follow hard after some other things isn’t just directed to Timothy, but to everyone who would be a man [or woman] of God – as opposed to being a man of this world” [3] (Guzik).
May God consider each of us who are His children, a man or woman, separated to Him. We are “of another world,” and will eventually go there to be with our Lord. So, meanwhile, as we live in this world, let us clearly be living for Him.
[1] John Wesley. John Wesley’s Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, the electronic version in eSword.
[3] David Guzik, David Guzik’s Enduring Word Commentary, the electronic version in eSword.