A Good Warfare | The Institute for Creation Research

A Good Warfare

“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; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck” (I Timothy 1:18,19).

We find in our text for today Paul’s commission to his young disciple Timothy. As any pastor today knows, shepherding a flock is a most difficult task, and opportunities for discouragement and defeat are many.

The word “charge” is a military term, a command from one in authority. The same word was used in verses three and five regarding the teaching of the truth in love and opposing any form of false teaching. Paul reinforces the charge here, reminding Timothy that the truth committed unto Paul by Christ was now being entrusted to him. Such a responsibility must have been expected by Timothy, for it had been prophesied of him (I Timothy 4:14).

“War a good warfare,” Paul charged, using a verb tense implying the war would be an ongoing one. Paul knew from experience the vicious nature of the enemy and the brutal nature of the fighting. Of course the battle would not just be between Timothy and false teachers, this would be only symptomatic of the great conflict of the ages between the forces of evil and the forces of light.

Notice the two tools at the good warrior’s disposal. First, he must hold on to sound “faith.” Such faith is the result of the truth taught in love (v.5). Our faith is well founded, for our commander has assurred us of ultimate victory. He is just, and our cause is a just cause. We also need “a good conscience,” unencumbered by unconfessed sin or unmended relationships. We must be obedient in all respects to the teaching of God’s word. To abandon these weapons leaves us open to “shipwreck.” JDM

The Latest
CREATION PODCAST
Homo Naledi: The Lies Behind Evolution's Rising Star | The Creation...
Homo naledi, once evolution's 'rising star,' was considered to be a prime example of human evolution. But is it really proof? Or...

NEWS
A Subsurface Ocean on Mimas?
Scientists have analyzed data obtained from the Cassini spacecraft and concluded that irregularities in the orbit of Saturn’s moon Mimas indicate...

NEWS
In Theaters March 20 & 21: The Ark and the Darkness
Is Genesis true? What about Noah’s Flood? How did Noah fit the animals on the ark? Wasn’t it a local flood? Have you asked these questions? Though...

NEWS
Enigmatic Fossil Plants
The pre-Flood world thousands of years ago was unlike the world of today.1 Unfamiliar animals and plants were common, and there were a lot...

NEWS
Surprisingly Colorful Fossil Snail Shells
Finding organic compounds such as flexible dinosaur collagen and complete bone cells1,2 is becoming common, much to the shock and consternation...

NEWS
March 2024 ICR Wallpaper
"He is not here; for He is risen, as He said." (Matthew 28:6 NKJV) ICR March 2024 wallpaper is now available for mobile, tablet,...

CREATION PODCAST
Homo Erectus: The Shocking Truth About the "Ape Man"...
Homo erectus, or "Upright Man," has been upheld as a piece of mankind's "evolutionary history" since its discovery in 1891....

NEWS
Mystery of Moths' Warning Sound
Insects of all types continue to amaze entomologists with their design and physiology. Cleveland Hickman, Jr., et al. stated, “insect ears are...

NEWS
Geneticist Fired for Affirming Humans Once Lived 900 Years?
Geneticist Alexander Kudryavtsev, the head of the Russian Academy of Science’s Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, has been fired, reportedly...

ACTS & FACTS
Creation Kids: Solar Eclipses
Designed by Susan Windsor* You're never too young to be a creation scientist and explore our Creator's world. Kids, discover fun facts...