The Christian Message

The Good Fight of Faith The Pastor Himself (1 Tim. 6:11–16, 20–21) Commentary by Warren Wiersbe While caring for the needs of his people, Timothy needed to care for himself as well. “Take heed unto thyself” (1 Tim. 4:16) was one of Paul’s admonitions. The phrase “But thou” (1 Tim. 6:11) indicates a contrast between Timothy and the false teachers. They were men of the world, but he was a “man of God.” This special designation was also given to Moses (Deut. 33:1), Samuel (1 Sam. 9:6), Elijah (1 Kings 17:18), and David (Neh. 12:24); so Timothy was in good company. Paul gave four admonitions to Timothy that, if obeyed, would assure him success in his ministry and a continued testimony as “a man of God.” Flee (v. 11a) . There are times when running away is a mark of cowardice. “Should such a man as I flee?” asked Nehemiah (Neh. 6:11). But there are other times when fleeing is a mark of wisdom and a means of victory. Joseph fled when he was tempted by his master’s wife (G...

Question: "Can a Christian lose salvation?" Answer: First, the term Christian must be defined. A “Christian” is not a person who has said a prayer or walked down an aisle or been raised in a Christian family. While each of these things can be a part of the Christian experiences, they are not what makes a Christian. A Christian is a person who has fully trusted in Jesus Christ as the only Savior and therefore possesses the Holy Spirit ( John 3:16 ; Acts 16:31 ; Ephesians 2:8–9 ). So, with this definition in mind, can a Christian lose salvation? It’s a crucially important question. Perhaps the best way to answer it is to examine what the Bible says occurs at salvation and to study what losing salvation would entail: A Christian is a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ). A Christian is not simply an “improved” version of a person; a Christian is an entirely new ...