09/27/2026
Don’t Leave Before God Says Go
I was reading 1 Timothy this morning as I was finishing this book, and I got to 6:20: “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babbling, and oppositions of science falsely so called.”
As I read through this, a couple of things struck me:
-Committed to thy trust
-Oppositions of science falsely so called.
At first glance, I didn’t see much in the “oppositions of science,” and my thought was what I have heard preached before—that this word literally means science, as in the practice of science we have today. However, it just didn’t settle right.
Thus, I dug in a little more. The Greek word for science here means knowledge, but not simply what you know in your head. It’s a deeper knowledge that you know by skill and example. An example of this is that we took the kids to Washington, DC this year. Up until that point, they only knew of DC through reading about the city in books and in school. After visiting, they could see the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. They knew it by experience, not just head knowledge.
In this verse, Paul is telling Timothy not to lose sight of what was promised to him—but not just what was told, but what he knows by experience.
The phrase that is translated as “committed to thy trust” is not just “I trust you have this.” It’s much more, and much deeper. It’s a sacred trust—something that has been given to you for safekeeping. Timothy had been given something: a promise, a calling, a purpose that is his and his alone. Paul is reminding him not to lose that—to keep that promise safe in a safety deposit box, if you will, and not allow people who have vain babbling and are profane to try to take that promise from him. They will try to steal what God has ordained for Timothy in this season of his life—to rob him of the promise of God and the rewards of God. But Paul is stating, don’t you let them do it! This is yours, and you know it. You know it the same way that I know you—not just by story, but we’ve walked together. We’ve talked and cried together. Don’t you forget what your purpose is! People will try and sn**ch that from you, but this was given to you, and only you!
You know what is crazy? This verse—those few lines—means so much. This promise can point to several things that God has called you to do, and trust me, God has called you to this.
God has called you to be a follower of Him and a witness to the world of the loving kindness of Him!
God has called you fathers to be just that: a dad to your children and a husband to your wife! The world—the enemy—is trying to pull that from you; don’t you let him!
God has called you to the position you have at work. Just as you are placed in a church to be part of the body, it’s no accident that you were placed in your job the same way.
As men, we have so much on our shoulders, but that’s why God made them larger. All joking aside, Timothy was going through the same doubts that you and I are, and all the same things you and I are going through, and Paul, through the Holy Spirit, was reminding him: don’t stop; don’t give up! You have a purpose and a promise that you must fulfill. In talking about your job, when it’s time to move, God will let you know it’s time to progress to something different. In some cases, you are only at your place of employment for a season, but don’t leave until the Holy Spirit tells you to do so. In leaving too early, you can fall out of the will of God, just as King Saul did, which led the way to David being anointed king. Don’t be Saul.
