1 Timothy goes green, with a shipwreck!

Posted 25 Nov 2015

/>
1 Timothy 01 – False teacher warning – Scene 04 – Shipwrecked faith

Follow this link to see this Bible Cartoon on the BC Gallery page, with download & purchase options:
Bible Cartoon: 1 Timothy 01 – False teacher warning – Scene 04 – Shipwrecked faith

I have just completed my very first Bible Cartoon for the New Testament book 1 Timothy – hurray! Once again that means on the Search by Bible Book page, the previously red box (indicating no Bible Cartoons drawn for that book) has now turned green (indicating that a Bible Cartoons HAS been drawn for that book) – yippee!

The picture shows a man lying on a storm raged beach, with his boat holed by a large rock. He appears to be unconscious, with an outstretched hand having dropped a wooden box or casket. The box has the word Pistis (Green transliteration) on it, which is the word meaning faith in, & from God. The contents of the box (a glowing, mysterious golden dust or liquid) is pouring out onto the beach & seeping into the sand. That signifies the shipwrecking of the man’s faith. Quite a tragic illustration really!

1 Timothy 01 – False teacher warning – Scene 04 – Shipwrecked faith – PARTIAL
Close-up of the man & casket.

The apostle Paul was warning the young pastor Timothy in his letter, not to forget his faith & not to forget the prophesies Timothy had received regarding his own faith; keep a good conscience.

Even though this was early on in the Christian church (mere decades after Jesus had died & been resurrected) already the Devil was hard at work, bringing confusion, doubt & error in thinking to people, so that they “shipwrecked their faith” & fell away from the gospel of Jesus the Christ. We all have to be vigilant & careful to hear what God is saying & to correctly interpret the Word of God, so as not to shipwreck our own faith.

Below are several versions of the same passage from 1 Timothy, for you to read & compare.

1 Timothy 1:18-20 Anglicised New International Version (ANIV)
18 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

1 Timothy 1:18-20 New Life Version (NLV)
The Good Fight of Faith
18 Timothy, my son, here is my word to you. Fight well for the Lord! God’s preachers told us you would. 19 Keep a strong hold on your faith in Christ. May your heart always say you are right. Some people have not listened to what their hearts say. They have done what they knew was wrong. Because of this, their faith in Christ was wrecked. 20 This happened to Hymenaeus and Alexander. I gave them over to Satan to teach them not to speak against God.

1 Timothy 1:18-20 Amplified Bible (AMP)
18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, so that [inspired and aided] by them you may fight the good fight [in contending with false teachers], 19 keeping your faith [leaning completely on God with absolute trust and confidence in His guidance] and having a good conscience; for some [people] have rejected [their moral compass] and have made a shipwreck of their faith. 20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have [d]handed over to Satan, so that they will be disciplined and taught not to blaspheme.

1 Timothy 1:18-20 Message Version (MES)
I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on your faith and on yourself. After all, this is a fight we’re in.

There are some, you know, who by relaxing their grip and thinking anything goes have made a thorough mess of their faith. Hymenaeus and Alexander are two of them. I let them wander off to Satan to be taught a lesson or two about not blaspheming.

Comments

Comments are turned off for this article