The Man of God, Part 5 – 1 Timothy 6:11

In today’s message, Pastor Paul covers the fourth command in what a man of God pursues. The Lord commands the righteous, godly and faithful Christian to pursue specifically the love of God. In Scripture, the two most common Greek forms of love are agape and philia. Agape love is selfless. It is this agape love that the Apostle Paul uses in this verse. An example of this agape love is stated in John 3:16 – “For God so loved (agape) the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Agape love is not learned but is given by God. And without knowing the love of God, people cannot love others. Therefore, only Christians, who know the love of God, are able to love others. The Apostle Paul exemplifies this truth once persecuting the church and at enmity with God met the risen Lord and believed. His transformation by the Holy Spirit led him to pen the well-known passage describing the love of God in 1 Corinthians 13.

If Christians are commanded to pursue the love of God, He comes first. This must be evident in the Christian life. Love for God cannot be divided nor be substituted with the love of anything else. Evidence of a God-fearing life demonstrates the Christian’s love for the Lord. Obedience also hinges on wholehearted love for God. The obedient believer deeply understands the Lord’s personal love He has for them.

The Apostle Paul also couples faith and love (v 11). Faith expresses itself through love. As the Christian loves God first (vertical relationship), their faith is demonstrated in their love for others (horizontal relationships). In the church, believers can practice their love for each other through edification. In the Christian fellowship, the best way to build up one another is to speak about Jesus and encourage them to become more like Him.

Fellowship and edification are to be practiced despite the infirmities seen in each other. Christian love covers each other’s sins and shortcomings. The duty of the believer is to love one another as Christ loved the church. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Moreover, loving others include a love toward unbelievers. God saved us so that we would love those that are unsaved by sharing and declaring the love of God through the gospel of Jesus Christ. “If you have lived to bring one sinner to Christ, you have not lived in vain” (C.H. Spurgeon).

If we love God the most, we are able to love others best.