Faith That Does Not Get Shipwrecked

The topic on faith today is taken from Paul's charge to Timothy, a young pastor and mentee of Paul, in 1 Timothy 1: 18-19:

"Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith."

1. Faith founded on sound doctrine

Paul is a defender of the gospel he clearly illustrated in Romans 3. We are made right with Christ not in keeping the requirements of the law but by placing our faith in Jesus Christ (v. 21). "And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are," he says in verse 22. The goal of the command to be grounded on the doctrine of righteousness by faith is love, not controversies, not endless discussions about the law which would go on about genealogies, but an emphasis on a "pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5).

Paul cites how some have turned away from the simplicity of the gospel of faith in Christ and have so "shipwrecked their faith."

2. Faith bearing a "good conscience"

A good conscience is hard to come by these days apart from the grace of Jesus Christ. We can try to do an endless cycle of trying not to sin and still miss out the point of the blemishless perfect cleansing that only Christ's blood can bring.

Sin requires blood for it to be cleansed. A man-made eraser won't solve it. "Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews  9:22) Unconfessed sin not brought to the throne of God and not cleansed by His blood is like an unremovable stain as I recall the time God called me to confess a sin that I committed in childhood that I forgot to confess. He basically had to remind me so I can be free from it! Whatever God reveals, He intends to heal.

We cannot underestimate the power of what Jesus did on the cross. He paid the ultimate penalty and the wonder and power of that blood is its ability to cleanse a guilty conscience and purify the heart. That we are "made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Hebrews 10:10)

"Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." (Hebrews 10:22)

The Christian life will not be immaculate all the time. What Paul calls us to have when guilt, condemnation, and accusation are showing itself again at the door, whispering about your unworthiness, is to take that shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (the Word of God) that Jesus is still for you and will forgive you - if not forgiven already - as what would defend us when the arrows of the enemy come knocking at our door. 

It will keep us secure in Christ's love even when we have failed. Christians get accused from time to time by the enemy but God has forgiven. He sees Jesus's perfection in you and you are blameless before Him not because of anything we have done but because of His perfect grace.

Armed with that hope, it's never too late and you can start again and stand up once more. :-) Not shipwrecked but propelled forward as Christ brings out His best in you. God's final victory only serves to bring good out of evil; eternal comfort, redemption, glory, reward and sanctification from trials and circumstances; and an overcoming Spirit by the strength and power of Christ.

3. Faith that is encouraged by other people

1 Thessalonians 3:2-3 speaks about being "unsettled" by trials, kind of like a ship being rocked by the waves. And it tells us that the apostles sent Timothy to the Thessalonian church for their encouragement and strengthening, which brings us to a point that faith that does not get shipwrecked is faith that is encouraged by other people.

"We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials..."

Romans 1: 12

"...that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith."

I have written in previous posts about the mutual encouragement and support we get from people of the faith, how the Christian life is not one we take alone. It was designed to be a journey with other people. The importance is in the continuation in 1 Thessalonians 3:3 "...so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them."

Tests of faith can come and we won't always be strong to handle them. I would like to consider myself strong but the last five years point out the opposite unfortunately. So I'm very thankful for the encouragement and rubbing off of faith I find in Church and other people.

We really need that and since we are on the topic of faith that does not go down the drain, it has to be pointed out. The Christian will not last or grow further in the faith if he or she is left alone. It is not us but it's God's design for His Church (Ephesians 4:11-12) that by each other we will grow mutually in our faith.

There is a certain level of growth that comes from Christ, certain growth we get from our own Christian walks, and growth that we get from other people. All of them work hand in hand. Paraphrasing Pastor Dennis Sy from the last Expedition Singles Camp, I get that full healthy growth is not possible without relationships. We actually need relationships to grow as well-balanced people. We cannot discount that people contribute to growth and well-being.

4. Faith that is protected and established by God Himself

Last but not the least, the reason not to get shipwrecked in the faith, is simply because it is protected and established by the Almighty God Himself. Neither death nor life, nor angels and demons, the present (what is happening in current events now) or the future (speculations about the future), neither height nor depth, nor anything in all creation will ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

If faith were all up to us, where will we be? But we have a faith that is "shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time," an inheritance kept safe in heaven for us that will never perish or fail. (1 Peter 1:4-5)

We have a God who keeps His promises. 

"Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'" Matthew 19:26

I like that. It is possible to have an overcoming faith because of a God who can do the impossible.

What seems to be impossible to you right now in your faith?