Devotion
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The Promises of God: Part CCCXXXIV
Author
Timothy Laughlin
Published
Oct 30, 2025
Tags
This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Having faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected, concerning the faith, have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. I Timothy 1:20
This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Having faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected, concerning the faith, have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. I Timothy 1:20
The apostle Paul was exhorting Timothy to wage spiritual warfare and hold on to the faith and a good (clear) conscience. Hymenaeus and Alexander were wicked individuals who opposed the truth in the church of Ephesus. Consequently, they “suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith” and so were “handed over to Satan” by the apostle Paul.
Paul is the only one I know of who turned people over to Satan for their sin, but those he turned over were involved with the churches of Ephesus and Corinth, where a man was having sex with his stepmother! The apostle was defending the integrity of the churches he planted as a master builder to keep those out who would distort or pervert the truth of God's word!
The church is often illustrated as a ship, and ships can go off course, just as we also can end up shipwrecked. All it takes is someone drifting away from the truth and fellowship with other believers. Beware lest you go off course and crash on the rocks of unbelief!
Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. I Timothy 2:1-5
Your servant in Christ, Timothy Laughlin
Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
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