- Oct 12, 2004
- 727
- 11
- 47
- Faith
- Protestant
- Marital Status
- Married
Hi. I just came back from the Bible study (1 Tim 6:12-end).
Here's the verse: "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." and "17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." (in other versions v.19 reads like "...that they may take hold of eternal life").
My question here is, what "eternal life" is Paul talking about. In v.12 Paul put "eternal life comes" after "fighting the good fight", so I assume that here it does not necessarily mean salvation, because it would not make sence to put salvation after "fighting the fight".
Secondly, what does it mean "to take hold"? To keep it [salvation] in focus, as some say, or to actually hold on to this eternal life [like it can disappear if we let it go for a second]. Or maybe something else? Because to me "take hold" does not make much sence, as "take hold" is a phrase that can be applied to physical things in physical world, but "eternal life" is spiritual, so how can you actually hold something that is spiritual? This suggests that it's a figure of speach. In such case, what does this figure of speach mean?
Also, v.19 is phrased in a way that kind of says that if you do all these good things in vs.17-18, you MAYBE BE ABLE to take hold of eternal life, because it says "tell them to do that and that and that... that they may take hold of eternal life". In light of other passages in the Bible I believe that we do not receive salvation on the basis of good works, but because of faith, by God's grace. So definitely Paul would not contradict the rest of the Bible here. So what does he mean? Or is this a fault of translation? Or does this verse even talk about salvation, or maybe something else?
Please help me out here.
Here's the verse: "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." and "17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." (in other versions v.19 reads like "...that they may take hold of eternal life").
My question here is, what "eternal life" is Paul talking about. In v.12 Paul put "eternal life comes" after "fighting the good fight", so I assume that here it does not necessarily mean salvation, because it would not make sence to put salvation after "fighting the fight".
Secondly, what does it mean "to take hold"? To keep it [salvation] in focus, as some say, or to actually hold on to this eternal life [like it can disappear if we let it go for a second]. Or maybe something else? Because to me "take hold" does not make much sence, as "take hold" is a phrase that can be applied to physical things in physical world, but "eternal life" is spiritual, so how can you actually hold something that is spiritual? This suggests that it's a figure of speach. In such case, what does this figure of speach mean?
Also, v.19 is phrased in a way that kind of says that if you do all these good things in vs.17-18, you MAYBE BE ABLE to take hold of eternal life, because it says "tell them to do that and that and that... that they may take hold of eternal life". In light of other passages in the Bible I believe that we do not receive salvation on the basis of good works, but because of faith, by God's grace. So definitely Paul would not contradict the rest of the Bible here. So what does he mean? Or is this a fault of translation? Or does this verse even talk about salvation, or maybe something else?
Please help me out here.