1 Timothy 6:11

“But flee from these things”: That is avoid, shun,. sharp contrast with those who are “reaching after” such things. Avoid the root cause and you can avoid the consequences. The word “flee” is. present imperative and denotes continuous action. “There is no safe distance at which one can stop fleeing” (Reese p. 282). Carefully note that Paul did not believe that. Christian can become so strong that they can flirt with temptation. Even the spiritual Timothy needs to flee!

1 Timothy 6:11 “You man of God”: “The designation ‘man of God' is one often employed of prophets (1 Samuel 2:27), characterizing the individual as belonging to God and representing Him. Timothy is reminded that the preacher is. man who belongs to God, rather than one whose heart is possessed by desire for wealth” (Kent p. 199). “The treasures which he must covet as ‘a man of God' were ‘righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (Reese p. 283). For the expression “man of God” see (Deuteronomy 33:1; Judges 2:6; 1 Kings 2:22; 2 Kings 2:9; Jeremiah 2:4; 2 Timothy 3:17; 2 Peter 1:21).

1 Timothy 6:11 “And pursue”: Seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire, strive for, aspire, and the tense is present, keep on pursuing. The Christian can flee from evil by at the same time pursuing what is good. “The verb ‘pursue' has the image of. hunter who pursues an animal with intensity of purpose, for if he fails to bag the game, he will go hungry. That's the kind of intensity the ‘man of God' exhibits as he pursues the six qualities and virtues about to be enumerated” (Reese p. 283).

1 Timothy 6:11 “Righteousness”: The character or quality of being right or just. “The conformity in character to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action” (Hiebert p. 116). Fulfilling one's duty to God and man.

1 Timothy 6:11 “Godliness”: “Is the reverence of the man who throughout all his life never ceases to be aware that all life is lived in the presence of God” (Barclay p. 156).

1 Timothy 6:11 “Faith”: Active reliance upon God and His word including the idea of faithfulness and trustworthiness. The person who is loyal to Christ in all the circumstances of life. The confidence that enables one to trust God in everything.

1 Timothy 6:11 “Love”: 1 Corinthians 13:4.

1 Timothy 6:11 “Perseverance”: This is not an attitude that sits with folded hands and simply bears things, rather as Barclay notes, it is “victorious endurance, masculine constancy under trial. The virtue which does not so much accept the experiences of life as it conquers these experiences” (Barclay p. 156).

1 Timothy 6:11 “Gentleness”: “It describes the spirit which never blazes into anger for its own wrongs, but which can be purely and devastatingly angry for the wrongs of others. It describes the spirit which knows how to forgive and yet knows how to wage the battle of righteousness” (Barclay p. 156). “He should not exhibit that proud, self-assertive, swaggering demeanor, which unsaved men admire as manly” (Kent p. 200). See Matthew 11:29; Matthew 5:5. “It speaks of control of strength to produce the best results, rather than using the strength to hurt” (Reese p. 284).