Chapter # 6 Paragraph # 3 Study # 3
Lincolnton, NC
March 26, 2006

• I. The Course of the Man of God.
  • A. Being a "man of God"...
    • 1. The Old Testament terminology typically signals a "prophet" as one who speaks and acts for God.
      • a. The "Ish" of "Elohim" is the "impregnating male" who "inserts the power of Elohim into the circumstances by means of the utterance of the Word".
      • b. Thus the "Ish" of the earth is a farmer whose work enables the earth to produce a helpful product and the "Ish" of the field is a hunter whose work enables those who depend upon him to eat of the production of the field because his work focuses the production of the field in a helpful direction.
    • 2. This text departs from the "Ish" of "Elohim": instead of the typical Greek word for the "male" (which we would expect for "Ish"), Paul uses the generic term for "human being".
      • a. This may signal the recognition of a reduction in status: Timothy is never indicated to be either apostle or prophet (the most "potent" of the "men" of God).
      • b. Yet the form ("man of God") cannot help but recall the Old Testament usage -- clearly Paul wanted Timothy to see himself in the position of being a tool of Elohim.
      • c. Paul's usage may well be indicative of the fact that though there is the "Ish" of God in the apostle and prophet, all of the children of God are gifted to be instruments of God by the empowering Spirit. There is a clear distinction in the potency of the gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31), but there is also a clear declaration from God that the "weaker" get the appellations of "necessary" and "more abundant comeliness" (1 Corinthians 12:22-23). By way of illustration, the "useless" appendix has been recently discovered to have a very important early role in the immunological protection of a baby as it is developing. Answers In Genesis says, "The appendix appears to be strategically placed and structurally composed of tissues which are vital in establishing and maintaining the various types of body defenses or immunity necessary in recognition of such assaults and having a part to play in their repulsion. The appendix is thus one of the guardians of the internal environment of the body from the hostile external environment."
  • B. Flight from...
    • 1. Flight.
      • a. The word typically means to run away from something that appears to be very dangerous.
      • b. Sometimes the word addresses the question of whether the "flight" has been effective -- i.e., "escape".
      • c. The fundamental issue is an attempt to deliver oneself from something that seems to have the ability to destroy.
    • 2. These things.
      • a. The over-all issue in the preceding context is the attitude one takes toward the acquisition of material wealth (beginning with 6:3-5 and those pretenders who have gone astray because they view "godliness" as a tool for obtaining wealth, and going through the extended treatment of 6:6-10 where the obsession with wealth is an indication of the idolatrous exercise of "ministry").
      • b. The immediate issues of "danger" are those which are addressed in 6:9-10: temptation, snare, hurtful lusts (destruction/perdition), and sorrows.
      • c. It is unremarkable (given the fact that the apostle considers covetousness to be, essentially, idolatry) that Paul insists that Timothy treat the desire to use his station in God's program as a way to accumulate wealth as a serious danger.
        • 1) Paul clearly believed that all who seek to obtain wealth are in danger (idolatry is always dangerous to everyone involved in it).
        • 2) But he also clearly believed that all who are so far off base as to use "ministry" as a means to wealth were in the most dangerous position of all.
        • 3) Just as clearly, the "American" religious leaders are not only in a most dangerous position (because the culture clearly worships wealth and all in it are, to some degree, in significant danger of absorbing that warped mindset), but are also the most dangerous people in the culture -- they are supposed to be the guards of the people of God against dangers, but are, instead, promoters of the danger (personal covetousness -- competing for a larger salary from the church -- leads to ministry covetousness -- haranguing the people to give more -- and that leads to multiple destroyed lives).
  • C. Pursuit of...
    • 1. Righteousness, godliness, faith.
    • 2. Love, patience, meekness.