Preventing A Spiritual Shipwreck
Preventing A Spiritual Shipwreck
Text: 1 Timothy 1:17-20
Intro: We have already seen how Paul the Apostle was called by God, enabled by God, counted faithful by God, and put into the ministry by the Lord. Timothy was very dear to Paul, since Timothy came to God as a result of his ministry
Two men are mentioned in verse 20. Their names are Hymenaeus and Alexander. They are two that definitely shipwrecked.
HYMENAEUS- was a heretical teacher at Ephesus who was an opponent of the Apostle Paul. He is also mentioned in 2 Tim. 2:17 with Philetus.
He taught that the resurrection was a past spiritual experience, having occurred when they were raised from ignorance and sin, as they came to know the true God. The teaching of a future bodily resurrection was illogical and inconceivable to him. That is a teaching of error. The Bible clearly teaches there will be a bodily resurrection in the future.
ALEXANDER- There are mentions of other Alexanders in the Bible, but this appears to be the only place where this one is mentioned. Little or nothing is said about him, except the fact he had blasphemed the work of the Gospel.
"Blaspheme" (blas-phe-meo) which means "to speak reproachfully to or to speak evil about someone."
These two men were such troublemakers and even apostates.
So many today "shipwreck" spiritually speaking. It speaks of destruction or ruin.
Paul seems to mention this again in 1 Cor. 5:3-5:
1 Corinthians 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
It is possible for anyone to shipwreck as we pass around the treacherous shoals and rocks of life. How can we keep from doing so?
There are three things I want to briefly suggest to you that might keep you from crashing on the rocks of the sea of life.
- Look To The Captain The captain of the ship of the saved is clearly identified in verse 17. Let’s observe how our Captain is described in verse 17.
- His Constitution
1- He Is Indissoluble- (17a) -unable to be destroyed
The word "eternal" is the word used in our text passage.
It is the word Greek word "aion." It speaks of forever, an unbroken age, or a perpetuity or a continuation of time.
- When did God begin? He did not begin. He is eternal. That is difficult for the human mind to grasp, but it is so, whether we understand it or not.
- How long will God live? Forever.
- Will God ever have an ending? Sooner would all the stars fall from the sky or the sun or moon fail to give their light.
- If God ever began or ended, He would not be God. That is how we think of human beings. God is far transcendent above human beings. He is in a class all by Himself. There is none like Him.
Exodus 8:10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God.
Deuteronomy 33:26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
- He Is Immortal (17b)
That simply means He is not liable to decay or corruption.There is an aging process going on in our bodies that will one day end our earthly existence.
Illustration: I heard on the News the other evening about scientists who say they can reverse the aging process. They claim men can soon live hundreds of years and some are crazy enough to think it might be indefinite. God said, "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment".
God does not decay. He never even has a backache or a headache. There is no aging process with God, He is what He was and always will be what He is. That is part of what the name "Jehovah" means. He is the self-existent God.
3. He Is Invisible (17c)
There used to be a TV series years ago called, "The Invisible Man." Can you imagine waging a war against an invisible foe?
God is unseen –one whose being cannot be fully viewed with human eyes.
No one can stop my God. He can go anywhere He wants to go.
Though He be invisible, Jesus has revealed and declared Him.
John 1:18- "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."
- He Has Insight (17d) "the only wise God" He forms the best plans and brings about the best means for the execution of those plans. The word "sophos"(wise) was used of: Skilled craftsmen- Greek philosophers- Jewish theologians- Christian teachers- It can refer to being cultivated or learned.
God knows everything but He did not have to go to school to acquire what He has. He just knows everything.
- His Adoration
The Lord want us to adore Him. He is deserving of all of our praise.
- Give honor to Him.
Redemption- Purchased our salvation.
Rank- He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords- state or office
Riches -He owns everything in the universe.
- Give glory to Him.
"doxa" praise and worship ascribe to Him His worth.
- Give an Amen to Him.
We should say "amen" or so-be-it to all He says.
- Listen To The Charge
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;
- Fight With Weapons
We are to put on the whole armor of God (Eph.6).
- Fight To Win
- Fight To Please God
Paul said, "I have fought a good fight." When the going gets tough the tough should keep on going.
III. Live By The Faith
"Holding faith and a good conscience"
A. Do Not Deviate From The Truth
- Do You Have a Good Conscience
A defiled conscience does not produce the right quality of spiritual life. Holy upright conversation is the result.