Awake & Alive: 1 Timothy Reading Plan
Day 18
13Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. 14Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:13-16
Paul urges Timothy to dedicate himself to developing his spiritual gifts. A hasty reading might suggest Paul advocates for salvation by works. This isn’t the case. Paul connects the cultivated spiritual gifts with the believer’s testimony, both internally and externally. These gifts serve as reminders of God’s work in the believer’s life and for outsiders, a glimpse of God’s goodness.
While good works are part of a believer’s testimony, they aren’t the main focus. Instead, through good works and spiritual gifts, believers experience the freedom to follow Christ as an expression of their faith and forgiveness, not a way to earn them. Biblically, spiritual gifts and good works lead to increased joy in the believer’s life while also enhancing their ability to display God’s glory. These concepts are intertwined: portraying God’s glory through one’s life inevitably results in deeper joy.
If you are looking for ways to experience joy by sharing your spiritual gifts with others, have you considered serving in church? You can see a list of many different options on our Serving Opportunities page.