The greatest purpose in life

Lately, I have been reading some of the letters the Apostle Paul wrote to the believers.

I appreciate the way Paul took seriously his mission to share the word of God and to encourage believers in their faith. His honest, heartfelt concern for those he was mentoring is obvious.

It is easy to be the type of teacher whose main concern is to be popular because all you have to do is simply teach what people want to hear. But Paul was not concerned about being popular, he was concerned about being a teacher of truth. He was concerned with ensuring that those he mentored were being guided in what was important for life, and not in what was simply “politically correct”. I really respect that.

I especially appreciate reading Paul’s letters to Timothy, because you can tell he had a deep love and concern for him – a love and concern that was reflective of a father and son relationship. We all need this type of relationship in our life. We all need a Godly person who cares enough to make our spiritual wellbeing their concern, someone who loves us enough to be a true mentor, no matter the personal cost of time, energy or emotional investment. Listen to the words Paul wrote to Timothy and notice the heartfelt concern for him as not just a person, but as fellow servant of Jesus Christ.

“Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith”.

1 Timothy 1:18-19 “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you…”. 1 Timothy 4:12-14a

“Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith”. 1 Timothy 6:20-21

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth”. 2 Timothy 2:15

These are true words of concern for Timothy’s spiritual well-being. They are words of instruction that are not only meant to benefit Timothy, but also those who Timothy was mentoring or would later mentor in the faith. I am not sure about you, but I need this in my life. I need to be more like Paul, more caring about others and their relationship with Christ.

Being a follower of Christ is not just about having my personal needs met. It is about me helping others in their spiritual growth. It is about me caring more about how I can be used by Christ to encourage and instruct others into growing and maturing as mentors. It is about me realizing, like Paul, that Jesus Christ has extended His grace and mercy to me, and it is because of this that I am saved from sin, not by anything I done, earned or been born into. It is not because of any good in me, but because of the goodness of Christ. Listen to what Paul wrote.

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus”. 1 Timothy 1:12-14

I encourage you to be like Paul and trust Jesus Christ with your life. Ask him to forgive you of your sins, ask him to create in you a love and concern for others. Ask him to use you like he used Paul … to use you to mentor others into a saving relationship with Him.

David Rayner is with Connection Point Christian Church. A guest sermon runs regularly in Saturday’s Guardian and is provided through Christian Communications.