My God and My Country

1 Timothy 1:18-19 - 1599 Geneva Bible

18 This commandment commit I unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies, which went before upon thee, that thou by them shouldest fight a good fight,
19 Having faith and a good conscience, which some have put away, and as concerning faith, have made shipwreck.

Father God, open my heart and mind to your word this morning; amen

Brethren:

Just a short notation this morning. The Apostle Paul doth closes the first chapter by instructing Timothy to remain steadfast in the faith and in Christ Jesus.
R.P. Woitowitz


“How solemn and important, honourable and delightful, is the trust which God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ have committed to gospel-ministers! how thankful should they be for it, and how desirous of an abundance of grace and mercy from these Divine Persons, to help, pity, and prosper them, that they may be supported under their numerous trials from without and from within, and enabled to be faithful in their Lord's work, according to the qualifications that he has given them, and the reasonable expectations which they afford. They may indeed meet with many virulent and subtle adversaries; some, furious persecutors like Paul before his conversion; others, apostates like Hymeneus and Alexander; and others, who would propagate fabulous traditions and strange doctrines, and introduce doubtful disputations and vain janglings, to the overthrowing of the faith of many, instead of promoting spiritual edification. But as all such are to be shunned and rejected, while the truly sincere and pious are to be affectionately loved as genuine children in the faith, with what courage may the servants of Christ stand to their charge, in which they are called to war a good warfare! and with what pleasure may they recommend the glorious gospel of the blessed God, in hopes that other sinners, by their preaching, may embrace the same offers and the same grace which have been proposed and bestowed upon them! for they well know, and can assure all around them, on the credit of a divine testimony, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save even the chief of sinners. O wondrous, super-abounding grace! It turns the hearts, and pardons the sins of blasphemers, persecutors, and injurious persons, and frees them from the condemnation of the law, which does not stand in force against those who are righteous through faith in Christ, but only against obstinate, impenitent unbelievers, who persist in ungodliness and immorality, which are forbidden by the good and holy law of God, and are equally contrary to the sound doctrine of the gospel. But how should sinners tremble at the thought of continuing to oppose and reject the gospel, and of making a wrong use of the law: and how solicitous should preachers and hearers be, that they may live under the power of evangelical love, as proceeding from a sanctified heart; and also, that unfeigned faith and a good conscience may be always preserved together; lest, by violating conscience, they soon make shipwreck of faith! and with what gratitude and praise should all who are experimentally acquainted with Christ, according to the gospel revelation of him, unite their adorations of him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, as he in his divine nature is inseparably, one with them, the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God! to whom be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Thomas Coke