Paul finishes his teaching to Timothy—and us—by emphasizing for us to live the Christian life consistently, to have proper attitudes towards finances and material goods, and to warn about false logic—not based on reality.
My translation and notes on 1 Timothy 6:11-21
Live the Christian Life Consistently
11 But yous, O man of God, run away from these things and diligently follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, [and] meekness.
[Instead of following a path of wealth, we are to follow the path of righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and meekness. These are true riches that bless us and others. Meekness is not weakness. It is an attitude of not forcing our opinion. It is gentleness. The idea of ‘follow’ is to pursue rigorously these character traits. These traits grow by reading and studying the Scriptures. William MacDonald writes (Believer’s BIBLE COMMENTARY): The opposite of man of God is “man of sin,” as found in 2 Thessalonians 2. The man of sin will be the very embodiment of sin. Everything about him will make men think of sin. Timothy is to be a man of God, a man who will make men think of God and glorify God].
12 Give vigorous effort in the good battle of faith, powerfully grip eternal life, to which yous were invited and have openly acknowledged the good profession [of faith] before many witnesses.
13 I command yous in the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and in the sight of Christ Jesus, who testified before Pontius Pilate the good confession,
[Only God has aseity (self-existence). See Colossians 1:16-17, Exodus 3:14, Hebrews 1:10, Acts 17:25, John 5:26, and John 1:10. Only God is the source of life. See Genesis 2:7, John 1:4, and John 1:13].
14 That yous obey this commandment spotlessly and blamelessly, until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[Specifically written to Timothy and yet applied to us. “Obey this commandment” is part of the Law of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:21 and Galatians 6:2). We are to obey spotlessly and blamelessly. Spotlessly is without stains of sin. Jesus Christ is the greatest example (1 Peter 1:19). We sin, but we can confess our sins and ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Blamelessly is our testimony and witness in the world. It pleases Jesus when we are the most moral of all people. God gives us His grace to accomplish this. We know what rules to follow by studying and reading the Scriptures. The Rapture is imminent, so we must always be ready for His coming. Compare Luke 12:45-46. Walvoord writes (PREMILLENNIALISM AND THE TRIBULATION PART IX: CONCLUSION JOHN F. WALVOORD [BIBLIOTHECA SACRA—VOL 113 #451—JUL 1956—PP. 193-199) of imminency:
24. The pretribulational interpretation is the only view which teaches that the coming of Christ is actually imminent.
25. The exhortation to be comforted by the coming of the Lord (1 Thessalonians. 4:18) is significant only in the pretribulational view, and is especially contradicted by posttribulationism.
26. The exhortation to look for “the glorious appearing” (Titus 2:13) loses its significance if the tribulation must intervene first. Believers in that case should look for signs.
27. The exhortation to purify ourselves in view of the Lord’s return has most significance if His coming is imminent (1 John 3:2-3).
28. The church is uniformly exhorted to look for the coming of the Lord, while believers in the tribulation are directed to look for signs].
15 Who will appear in his own [chosen] time [and who is] the blessed and highest authority, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
[This appearance of Jesus Christ is the Rapture. Jesus comes for His bride. The Second Coming for Israel (Zechariah 12-14 (specifically Zechariah 14:4), Matthew 25:31, and Revelation 19:11-16) is when Jesus’s feet touch the Mount of Olives to deliver Israel from her enemies, as He promised. God always comes at the perfect time, the correct time, and meeting all the conditions that He has set. Jesus’s birth and coming was at a perfect time as well (Titus 1:3 and Galatians 4:4). Lange (LANGE’S COMMENTARY OT & NT) writes on this passage: Blessed, signifies one who has in Himself alone the sources of the highest joy; the only Potentate, the one only who has and exercises power. Perhaps μόνος is indirectly contrasted with the Gnostic notion of the many Æons—a notion which existed in its germ already in the Pauline age. —The King Of kings and Lord of lords; not only in a spiritual, but a cosmical sense].
16 Who alone has immortality, living in light, which no one can approach, whom no human has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
[These are character traits of God. They are incommunicable traits (those only God has). Immortality—no beginning and no ending. Even though Jesus died; He resurrected and is alive today and forever. Living in light—a persona that is 100% different from the Kingdom of darkness (satan’s kingdom). ‘No one can approach’ refers to His holiness. No human has seen nor can see—God is spirit. See John 5:37, 1 John 3:2, and Revelation 22:4. Honor—in every decision, action, command, thought, desires, words, and deeds. Everlasting power—omnipotent. Compare Revelation 5:12.
Instructions to the Rich
17 Command those, who are rich in this present world, that they be not arrogant or trust in undependable riches, but [to trust] in the living God who abundantly gives us everything to enjoy.
[Money is good if used according to God’s rules. The best attitude is this—O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. 8 First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs—Proverbs 30:7-8 NLT. Let us remember this illustration. We know this, so let us live God’s way.
A missionary had been witnessing faithfully to a certain man who was an idol worshiper. One day the man placed a small statue and a silver coin on the table in front of the missionary. Then he took two slips of paper and wrote something on each. On the note by the idol he wrote the words “heathen god.” On the sheet next to the silver coin he wrote the words “Christian god.”
From what that man had observed in the lives of some people from so-called Christian nations, he had concluded that money was the main object of their adoration and the source of their confidence—Our Daily Bread by Richard DeHaan].
18 [Command] that they do good, be rich in good works, ready to donate, willing to share,
19 Storing for themselves a good foundation of treasure for the time to come, in order that they may take hold of eternal life.
[When and if God blesses someone with wealth, a Christian is to be serious about giving to the needs of other believers. Hoarding is wrong; worship of money is wrong; giving wealth away to look good, buy favor, or as an investment is wrong (giving to receive something in return].
Warning About False Logic
20 O Timothy, carefully keep safe what was committed to yours trust, avoiding ungodly and fruitless babblings and oppositions from, what is falsely called, knowledge,
[Our testimony, our adherence to the teachings of the Lord Jesus and His Apostles are the final and only standard of Christian. Paul pleads with Timothy (and every believer since) to remain faithful and steadfast].
21 Which some claiming expertise have turned away from the faith. Grace be with yours. Amen.