保罗的最后嘱咐
提摩太前书六章11至21节
11但你这属神的人要逃避这些事，追求公义、敬虔、信心、爱心、忍耐、温柔。
12你要为真道打那美好的仗，持定永生。你为此被召，也在许多见证人面前已经作了那美好的见证。
13我在叫万物生活的神面前，并在向本丢彼拉多作过那美好见证的基督耶稣面前嘱咐你：
14要守这命令，毫不玷污，无可指责，直到我们的主耶稣基督显现。
15到了日期，那可称颂、独有权能的万王之王、万主之主，
16就是那独一不死，住在人不能靠近的光里，是人未曾看见，也是不能看见的，要将他显明出来。但愿尊贵和永远的权能都归给他。阿们！
17你要嘱咐那些今世富足的人，不要自高，也不要倚靠无定的钱财；只要倚靠那厚赐百物给我们享受的神。
18又要嘱咐他们行善，在好事上富足，甘心施舍，乐意供给人（注：“供给”或作“体贴”），
19为自己积成美好的根基，预备将来，叫他们持定那真正的生命。
20提摩太啊，你要保守所托付你的，躲避世俗的虚谈和那敌真道、似是而非的学问。
21已经有人自称有这学问，就偏离了真道。愿恩惠常与你们同在。
信息分享
保罗嘱咐提摩太做两件事：首先，要逃避前述经文所列的诱惑。「你……要」这个字语气强烈，意译为「我直接对你说」更好。有时我们在讲道中也需要直截了当地吩咐，以示警告和劝勉。
另一方面，保罗提醒提摩太要做甚么。这里列出的德行，与加拉太书五章22至23节列出的圣灵果子十分相似。仔细领会就会发现，「公义」可译作「诚信」，我们必须以正直和诚实的态度对待任何人。基督徒若失去诚信，实在是个很坏的榜样。
接着是敬虔。腓力思指出，「敬虔」这个字可解作「基督的样式」。我们在每天的生活中活出基督的样式，就等于结出圣灵的果子。「信心」可以代表许多内容，包括信靠基督、相信祂在我们生命中的计划；但同时也可解作值得别人信任。这是今日教会会众十分需要的品质。今天有不少经常失信的基督徒，实在令人婉惜。
忍耐不需要其他的词语解释。保罗希望提摩太在各样患难和试炼中保持忍耐；这绝不容易，但在任何情况下神的恩典够用。最后一项日常生活特质是温柔。我们很容易会对其他信徒严苛或论断他人，但保罗却要我们以温柔、仁爱和宽厚待人。
保罗嘱咐提摩太的这两件事，我们今天也当谨守遵行。总之，我们要在每天的生活中将他们活出来。父神已将圣灵赐给我们，使基督的生命能在我们里面成长。你愿意让圣灵动工吗？
PAUL’S FINAL CHARGE
1 Timothy 6:11-21
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing,
15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,
19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—
21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.
Message
Paul tells Timothy to do two things - flee from the temptations which he has listed in the earlier verses and chapters of this letter. The word “you” is very emphatic – “I’m speaking straight to you” would be a good paraphrase. Sometimes more straight talk is needed in our preaching both to warn and to encourage.
Timothy is told on the other hand what he should do. The list sounds like the fruit of the Spirit set out in Galatians 5:22-23. Looking at each carefully we discover that righteousness could be translated into integrity, being right and honest in our dealings with everyone. It is tragic when Christians set a bad example in this area.
Godliness is next. J. B. Phillips says this word could mean “Christlikeness”. The fruit of the Spirit is the character of Christ being seen in our lives day by day. Faith can mean many things - faith in Christ and in His plans for us, but it can also mean faithfulness or dependability, a much needed characteristics for people in our churches today. It is a great pity that so often Christians in our local churches fail to do what they are asked to do.
Endurance does not need to be paraphrased. Paul wants Timothy to keep on in spite of testing and problems. That is not always easy but God’s grace is sufficient for every situation. Lastly gentleness should be characteristic of our daily lives. It is easy to be hard on other Christians or to be judgmental, instead of being gentle, gracious, and kind.
These are Paul’s instructions to Timothy but they are also for us today. Put together, they should be seen in our lives each day. The Holy Spirit has been given to us so that the life of Christ may be developed in us. Are we allowing Him to do what He came to do?