“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 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time. “

1 Timothy 6:13-15a 

–

JULY 10, 2025

In these verses, Paul makes a very serious appeal to Timothy. Citing both God and Christ Jesus, he charges his young associate “to keep this command without spot or blame.” There is no greater authority that Paul could invoke to give weight to his charge to “take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 

To take hold of something is to make it your own. Paul admonished Timothy to take possession of the eternal life to which he was called and to which he had committed himself via public declaration. Eternal life is a qualitatively different life from mere human physical life on this planet. There is only one source of eternal life, and that is the One who gives life to everything. Only physical life can beget physical life in God’s creation, and only eternal life can beget eternal life. Timothy was called to this eternal life having received it from the everlasting God through faith in Jesus Christ.  

What was Paul’s point in bringing this to Timothy’s attention in such a profound way? We all have a tendency—Timothy included!—to fail to grasp what we have been given in Christ. The Bible gives us a window on God’s incredible purposes for His creation. He is a God of redemption. He takes people with no awareness or understanding of Him and transforms them into people who love and serve Him. Even more amazing, He uses us to be part of His work in our world! We, like Timothy, are engaged in something far beyond our comprehension.  

So how was Timothy “to keep this command without spot or blame?” This was not a directive demanding perfection. It was an admonition to remember that he had been redeemed from darkness and brought into the light of eternal life by the grace of God. Timothy came to understand that Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin, and instead of receiving judgment, he had been given the righteousness of Christ. The same has been true for every believer subsequent to Timothy! 

Although Timothy was commanded to take hold of eternal life, in reality eternal life took hold of him. He was changed into a man who loved God and loved his neighbor. He had hold of something he could never let go because his life had taken on an eternal quality that came from the Holy Spirit speaking wisdom into his heart and leading him to heed the words of Scripture. Why would anyone let go of something so wonderful? 

 Questions for reflection and discussion:  

  • How are you taking hold of the eternal life to which you have been called?  
  • What has the receipt of eternal life given you that you could share with someone else?  
  • How could you incorporate your anticipation of eternal life in heaven into your story? 

 Church Reading Plan: Joshua 12-13; Psalm 145