I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ
1 Timothy 6:13-14 (ESV)
At the beginning of Paul’s letter to Timothy, he reminded him of his purpose in Ephesus. Paul had left him there to “command certain people not to teach false doctrines” (1 Tim.1:3). This was not an easy task for Timothy, and it would have been easy to give up. But Paul urged him to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Tim. 6:12). To be faithful to God’s call in his life and to the task that he had been given there in Ephesus.
And here, at the end of the letter, Paul charged Timothy to keep the commandment until the Lord’s return. The commandment Timothy was to keep could have been to command others not to teach false doctrines. But, more likely, it was to fight the good fight of the faith. Fight the good fight as long as the Lord leaves you here.
And do so, keeping it unstained and free from reproach. As you fight the good fight, do it well. Fight in such a way that God is glorified and no one can rightly accuse you of wrongdoing. Do your best, remembering who you are serving.
Paul’s charge to Timothy here is one we should all take to heart as followers of the Lord Jesus. To do the job the Lord has given you to do, fighting the good fight. To be strong in the Lord, putting on the whole armor of God, and taking our stand against the devil’s schemes (Eph. 6:10-11).
And do so, being faithful to our Lord (unstained), and maintaining an aboveboard reputation before all people (free from reproach). Don’t be satisfied with “good enough.” Give it your best because our Lord is certainly worth it.
