The apostle John teaches that the believer now possesses eternal life in the Son of God, while the writers of the synoptic Gospels and the Apostle Paul look forward to the full realization of eternal life in the coming day. John shows that eternal life is possessed in our spirits, and enjoyed in communion with the Father and the Son; but Paul views eternal life as about to be fully ours when the Lord Jesus comes, and we have glorified bodies like to His. In both aspects, eternal life is a life that belongs to heaven; it is the life that we shall live in eternity, when taken by the Son of God into the Father’s House to be His companions there, and to be in the constant enjoyment of the Father’s love.
There should not be a shadow of a doubt in any believer’s mind as to his possession of this divine life, for Jesus said, “He that hears my word, and believes on Him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). We have it now in our spirits; we shall have it soon in our bodies of glory. Both Paul and John desire that we should even now enjoy the life that shall be ours in heaven eternally; John insisting that we have it to enjoy, Paul telling us to lay hold of it.
In 1 Timothy 6, the apostle twice speaks to Timothy of eternal life; in verse 12 he writes, “lay hold on eternal life;” and in verse 19 the better translation is, “laying by for themselves a good foundation for the future, that they may lay hold of (what is) really life.” Eternal life is really life, for after life on earth has for ever gone, we shall live in eternal life with God in heaven.
Man's desire and object in this world is to get as much out of life as he possibly can, but God is not in his thoughts. Many, like the rich man of Luke 12, in prosperity, think only of life as an opportunity to take their ease, and to “eat, drink, and be merry.” Others seek prosperity with the same object in view; while some, against whom the apostle warns Timothy, suppose “that gain is godliness” (1 Tim. 6:5). None of these have any thought that “godliness with contentment is great gain;” for they neither pursue piety nor true contentment.
It is impossible for the ungodly to lay hold on eternal life; but even true Christians may be hindered from so doing by the desire for present things. The pursuit of present possessions will very effectively prevent the enjoyment of the life that we have in Christ, so that the apostle says, “For we brought nothing into the world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” This being so, is it not foolish for a Christian to accumulate wealth in this world? Therefore we have the exhortation, “Having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” Even the poorest in most of the countries of the West have “food and raiment,” and there are opportunities to enjoy ease and luxury; but there is much less contentment and piety than formerly. Scientific invention has brought so much for the gratification of the flesh within the reach of those with money that there seems to be a greater desire for money on the part of most than ever before.
Whatever may be professed, the desire for riches is not that God may be glorified, but rather that the desires of nature may be gratified; and here we are warned, “they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.” The Christian who pursues riches cannot escape from the temptations and snares, and may very well succumb to the foolish and hurtful lusts which plunge the men of this world into destruction and ruin.
Untold damage has been done to and by those whose hearts have been set on money, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some have coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” The covetousness of Achan, the desire to enrich himself with the spoil of Jericho, not only brought destruction upon himself, but humiliation and trouble upon Israel. The love of money led Judas to betray the Son of God, and brought Balaam to the King of Moab to advise him how to overcome God’s people.
Paul here warns that the love of money caused some to err from the faith. In their hearts money took the place of Christ, so that it was no wonder that they pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Money may be needed for the work of the Lord, but the Lord will provide it in His own way; for all things are His, and He can direct all to serve His will. When the Son of God was here, He was the possessor of all things, yet had nothing; but He fed the multitudes, and there were women who ministered to Him of their substance. If the Lord has not given money to us, there is no excuse for us setting our hearts to acquire it. The widow’s two mites were used for the maintenance of God’s House, and in the sight of the Lord she gave more than all those who were rich in this world’s goods.
The injunction to Timothy is also for us, “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” If we are to be men of God, we are to flee what naturally attracts the men of this world, and to follow what has been seen in Jesus here below; for all these precious moral features were seen in their fulness and perfection in the Son of God.
The man of the world fights to maintain the things that belong to the life in which he lives, all that he values and in which life for him consists; but the man of God will “fight the good fight of faith,” and “lay hold on eternal life.” Money will neither help us in the good fight of faith, or enable any to procure or enjoy the life eternal to which God, in His grace, has called us. Timothy had confessed the good confession before many witnesses; he had manifested in his life and words that his hopes were not in this world, or his life in present things, but in Christ in the ages yet to come.
Our calling as Christians is a high calling, and holy and heavenly, and like Abraham we are to be pilgrims and strangers while waiting for all that God has promised us. We have not been called to present ease and enjoyment of the worlds pleasures, but to conflict with the powers of darkness, and to the present enjoyment of heavenly things. Timothy had shared the rejection of Christ with Paul, and with him had engaged in the conflict of good against evil, suffering imprisonment and many hardships; but he had also learned of the heavenly blessings that belong to the Christian, and these the Apostle would have him lay hold of, while suffering for Christ.
But Timothy was a special vessel for God’s testimony, and is therefore charged by the Apostle, “I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickens all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in His times He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only has immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach to; which no man has seen, nor can see; to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.”
The solemnity of the charge to Timothy indicates how gravely the Apostle viewed the dangers that beset the assembly of God, and the evils that were to come. There was to be constant fidelity until the coming of the Lord, who is viewed in His faithfulness before Pilate, in the greatness of His royal glory, and in His essential glories. Paul had spoken of Timothy confessing the good confession; but this was seen in perfection in Jesus, who, before Pilate, confessed that He had a kingdom, but it was not in this world. Our confession is that we seek no portion here, but with Christ in His kingdom.
If we are not to love money, we are to use it well if we possess it. Some have inherited riches, others, though not seeking it, have yet become rich. Here is a special charge for them: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy; 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 of eternal life.”
The rich have special dangers, and special responsibilities; and to these the Apostle calls attention. There is the danger of being like the rich men of the world, high-minded, and trusting in their riches, instead of having the lowly mind of Christ and trusting in Him. Of the rich the Lord said, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24); and the Christian who trusts in his riches will deprive himself of the enjoyment of the things of eternal life. Riches are uncertain, and it is better far to trust in Christ for what is eternal than to have the heart set on what we must leave behind or that may take wings at any time.
When the Lord was here He commended the wisdom of the unfaithful steward because he used what he had charge of in view of the future (Luke 16:1–12). So here, the Apostle exhorts the rich to use their money in view of the future by being rich in good works, and freely distributing and communicating as stewards in the service of God. This is how they are to enjoy themselves with their riches; not gratifying the flesh, but expressing the divine nature in meeting the needs of the poor, and using their substance in the service of the Lord. Such service for the Lord and His people will bring its own joy and gratify the divine nature.
God has given to the rich this means of laying up treasure in heaven in view of Christ’s kingdom. It is indeed wonderful that natural riches can, in this way, provide spiritual riches; though the poor can also lay up treasure in heaven, for God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith. What is laid up against the time to come will assuredly be found with Christ in the day of His glory.
But there is not only the future to provide for: we can even now lay hold of what is really life. The poor worldling desires riches so that he may enjoy what life in this world holds for men; but the world cannot give what is really life. What the world offers professes to be life; but Christ alone gives what is really life. All that the world gives will pass away; and men pass from all that they have enjoyed in this world; but those who know what eternal life is, know that it is the life that was with the Father and was made known down here in the Son, and that it is theirs in the Son now, and it shall be theirs with the Son before the face of the Father, in His own house, for evermore.
We do well then to go in now for what is really life; to refuse the things of this world that hinder the enjoyment of the heavenly and eternal blessings that are even now ours in Christ, and will so soon be ours with Christ.
R. 4.11.63