1 Timothy – Week 2 – Day 3

READ 

1 Timothy 1:18-20 

18 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. 19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God. 

It is not recorded in the Bible what prophetic words had been spoken about Timothy earlier. They may have been made by Paul himself, or some other apostle who had that ability. Notice that in addition to clinging to his faith, Paul wanted Timothy to keep his conscience clear. This reveals just knowing the truth is not sufficient; one also needs a clear conscience. As an apostle, Paul had the authority to hand over Hymenaeus and Alexander to Satan. It was not for punishment but so they would learn not to blaspheme God. 

REFLECT 

Do you have a clear conscience? Are there things that the indwelling Holy Spirit is convicting you about that you need to confess to the Lord and make right with others? As 1 John 1:9 says, if you confess, God will forgive. 

RESPOND 

With your disciple, read 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 to see an example of when Paul urged church leaders to expel someone from their fellowship. Here again, the purpose was so he would come to his senses and wish to come back into the fellowship.