Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Though Timothy was younger in the faith than Paul, he had a spiritual maturity that equipped him for the pastoral work that was entrusted to him. However, the old apostle knew the cunning ways of the devil who prowls around as a roaring lion seeking to shipwreck the faith of all God’s children, through the evil desires and the pride of life. And so we discover Paul warning Timothy, his son in the faith, to separate himself from wicked men and to shun the many evils, the temptations of the eye, and passions of the heart, that are designed to separate us from fellowship with our heavenly Father and the many negative consequences that sin brings into the life of a Christian man or woman. “Flee from evil desires of youth,” was his dismal warning, “and pursue righteousness, faith, and love,” is Paul’s earnest plea. The action to pursue righteousness, faith, and love, is a definite decision of the will which can only be achieved as one purposes in one’s own heart to turn away from every kind of evil pursuit and craving for self-recognition and follow after righteousness, faith, and love. The pursuit of righteousness is characterized by the integrity, honesty, justice, and grace we extend to others…both to the saved and the unsaved. Faithfulness towards our Father and fidelity towards our fellow men, is reflected in a sincere and energetic confidence in the Lord and an unswerving trust in His Word; while the divine love of Christ is manifested through the words we speak and the actions we carry out. A deep love for God and consideration for the needs of others before ourselves, is the criterion that marks a person who is a man or woman after God’s own heart. Only those that renounce evil and seek after good are the ones that have an inner, supernatural peace that flows from God, and enjoy peace with those that call on the Lord with a pure heart. Only those that live as Christ lived and who choose to walk in spirit and truth, through the power of the Holy Spirit, can resist the evil and pursue the good. Let us live as God intended all His children to live when He created us in His own image. Let us earnestly pursue righteousness, faith, and love, and live in peace with those that call on the Lord with a pure heart…for the honor of His holy name, and for our own eternal benefit.
Spiritual Steve 