A CHARGE OF LIFE & CONFESSION
One With Eternal Significance.
In 1 Timothy 6, Paul issues the following charge:
“Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you…” (1 Tim. 6:12b-13)
This charge is found in chapter 6 of 1 Timothy. Paul is signing off his letter to his pastoral apprentice. Within this charge, God leads Paul to connect Timothy with Christ through life and confession.
1. The Giver of Life
The first part of Paul’s charge states, “In the sight of God, who gives life to everything…” (6:13) In verse 12, Paul mentioned Timothy’s eternal life. But who is the Giver of that eternal life? God is.
In fact, God is the Giver of any and all life; everything in existence. God gave Timothy earthly life when we was first conceived in his mother’s womb. In that moment, an eternal existence was also created for Timothy.
Now in that moment Timothy was a sinful being facing an eternity in hell. However, when Timothy chose to follow Jesus, the trajectory of that eternal existence went from eternal death in hell to eternal life in heaven.
2. Christ’s Good Confession
The second part of Paul’s charge states, “…and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession…” (6:13)
This statement connects to verse 12 and Timothy’s good confession. The original word for confession is “homologia” (hom-ol-og-ee’-ah) and appears in verse 12 and 13, also carrying a meaning of profession, affirmation and/or agreement.
Jesus’ good confession (profession) is given before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate before He was crucified. But what was Christ’s good confession?
“28 …the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor…Pilate came out to them and asked, ‘What charges are you bringing against this man?’ 30 ‘If he were not a criminal,’ they replied, ‘we would not have handed him over to you.’ 31 Pilate said, ‘Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.’ ‘But we have no right to execute anyone,’ they objected. 32 This took place to fulfil what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.” (John 18:28-32)
“33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’ 34 ‘Is that your own idea,’ Jesus asked, ‘or did others talk to you about me?’ 35 ‘Am I a Jew?’ Pilate replied. ‘Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?’” (John 18:33-35)
“36 Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.’ 37 ‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’ 38 ‘What is truth?’ retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, ‘I find no basis for a charge against him.’” (John 18:36-38)
The Eternal Significance
Christ’s good confession is one of eternal significance. What Pilot wasn’t able to understand was that Jesus wasn’t some earthly religious figure with an earthly kingdom.
Our King, Jesus Christ is an eternal King with an eternal Kingdom that continues far beyond a Roman court, far beyond nails and a cross, far beyond a tomb and a giant stone, for beyond this earthly life.
Christ’s good confession is an eternal confession that has eternal significance for anyone and everyone who accepts it to be truth. The tomb is empty, death is conquered, Jesus wins!
