Paul's Exhortations & Instructions to Brother Timothy 1st Letter Volume 72

Paul Gives Timothy a Message to the Rich in the Church Part 2

1 Timothy 6:18-19 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;  Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. KJV

Instead of and in contrast to those in the Church of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ trusting in the temporary things of this decaying, dying, and doomed world, the redeemed, regenerated, and resurrected child of the living God should use those things placed under his or her stewardship to do good with as Paul now instructs Timothy to instruct the rich men and women in Christ Church to do with these words, "That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;" (1 Timothy 6:18) (KJV). This little English phrase that begins this verse 'That they do good' is translated by the Greek word agathoergeō (used this one time only in the entire New Testament) which means to work good: - do good. It is the desire of our Lord Jesus Christ that we do good to all men (even those who hate us and use and abuse us) Note: "I find myself being tested in this area right now dealing with a lying tenant trying to con me for a whole months rent. Do I evict or not evict knowing that the person never has paid me any rent for the time in question? Sadly, if the lie is continued to be perpetrated, I will have no other choice but to evict." However, our primary requirement from our Lord Jesus Christ is to do good to our brothers and sisters 'in Christ' just as this same Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatian believers with these words, "And let us not lose heart {and} grow weary {and} faint in acting nobly {and} doing right, for in due time {and} at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen {and} relax our courage {and} faint. So then, as occasion {and} opportunity open up to us, let us do good [morally] to all people [not only being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God's family with you, the believers]." (Galatians 6:9-10) (Amplified Bible).

When Paul writes, 'that they be rich in good works', that is, bountiful and plenteous in valuable and morally excellent deeds. He means that to be inferred toward God the Father who has placed every rich man or woman steward over His things and so He desires that each one would use some of the Lord's treasures for His earthly work in bringing lost sinners to a saving knowledge and faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. Being 'rich in good works' for all we believers means that then we are 'rich in faith' trusting in our Lord Jesus Christ alone to keep His Word to us in supplying all our needs and this must be our aim and desire because of Christ Great love which He has shown to us redeemed sinners just as this same Apostle Paul wrote to Brother Titus to remind him of this same fact with these words, "He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but because of His own pity {and} mercy, by [the] cleansing [bath] of the new birth (regeneration) and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Which He poured out [so] richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. [And He did it in order] that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved), [that we might be acknowledged and counted as conformed to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action], and that we might become heirs of eternal life according to [our] hope. This message is most trustworthy, and concerning these things I want you to insist steadfastly, so that those who have believed in (trusted in, relied on) God may be careful to apply themselves to honorable occupations {and} to doing good, for such things are [not only] excellent {and} right [in themselves], but [they are] good {and} profitable for the people." (Titus 3:5-8) (Amplified Bible).

The little English phrase 'ready to distribute' is translated by the Greek word eumetadotos (used this one time only in the entire New Testament) meaning good at imparting, that is, liberal: - ready to distribute. The little English phrase 'willing to communicate' is translated by the Greek word koinōnikos (also used this one time only in the entire New Testament) meaning communicative, that is, (pecuniarily) liberal: - willing to communicate. Here is what Adam Clarke had to say concerning this, "That they give nothing through partiality or favor, but be guided in their distribution by the necessities of the objects presented to them; and that they confine not their charity at home, but scatter it abroad." Paul knew that in doing these things the believer would be depositing for himself or herself a treasure chest in heaven (not of material wealth), but of the eternal wealth that cannot be monetized and that would be the soul of another human being, so he writes these words to Timothy, "Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (1 Timothy 6:19) (KJV). The little English phrase 'Laying up in store' that begins this verse is translated by the Greek word apothēsaurizō (another word used one time only in the entire New Testament) meaning to treasure away: - lay up in store. In other words the believer is participating in a lay away plan that far exceeds the ones offered by the earthly department stores here on the earth, for those things will decay and be destroyed one day, but the spiritual treasures layed away in heaven for the believer will not fade away, but will be the source of providing resources for one of our Lord Jesus' servants to declare the Gospel on radio or the internet or in a Church service or on TV or in any other method of taking this message of 'be ye reconciled to God' (2 Corinthians 5:20) to lost souls and knowing when we are in heaven that some of these souls there are there because of our gift to get out the Word of God to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20).

Our Lord Jesus told us of the great unmeasurable value of a person's soul with these words, "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life/soul [in the eternal kingdom of God]? For what can a man give as an exchange (a compensation, a ransom, in return) for his [blessed] life/soul [in the eternal kingdom of God]?" (Mark 8:36-37) (Amplified Bible). In these very two verses, our Lord Jesus Christ is saying that a man or woman's soul is more valuable to Him than the whole earth and everything in it that He created and that there is nothing any lost sinner could give from their earthly riches or treasure that could be valuable enough to exchange it for their soul and entrance into heaven, Wow! You want to be rich? Trust Jesus Christ and be born again into His eternal heavenly family, this is true riches, remember these penetrating words of our Lord Jesus Christ reminding humanity again of this truth/this reality, "He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest {and} unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest {and} unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the [case of] unrighteous mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions), who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not proved faithful in that which belongs to another [whether God or man], who will give you that which is your own [that is, the true riches]? No servant is able to serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by {and} be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches, or anything in which you trust and on which you rely)." (Luke 16:10-13) (Amplified Bible).

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.
Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…