Avoid a shipwrecked faith and don’t lose hope

1 Timothy 1:18-20

¹⁸ Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, ¹⁹ holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. ²⁰ Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

I’ve not been on that many boats, but I do know that a shipwreck is something that anyone who is going on a sea voyage wants to avoid. The markers that Paul gives to Timothy to stay between to avoid wrecking the metaphorical ship of his faith are this:

Cling to your faith in Christ; and

Keep your conscience clear.

Exactly what Paul meant in these two instructions isn’t clear beyond reading the passage at face value, but I do note that earlier in 1 Timothy 1, Paul refers to himself has having been the worst of sinners.

For me this is significant. Paul isn’t asking Timothy (or me) to live a life of perfection and to keep my faith clean and conscience clear by making sure I never do anything wrong. He is directing us (Timothy, me and probably you too) to be Christ oriented and Christ centred in the way we live life and the way we deal with our sense of right and wrong (our conscience).

He then gives the names of Hymenaeus and Alexander as examples of people who have shipwrecked their faith.

Of significance though, is the notion that while Paul uses some pretty intense language like throwing them out and handing them over to Satan, the hope and goal is not for condemnation or punishment – its for learning and growth. From elsewhere in Paul’s writing, we know that he hopes that they will return to Jesus and the community and be forgiven.

Lord, I pray that I will be wise in navigating the ship of my faith through the perilous waters of life. If I bump into some things along the way, may I be able to turn to Christ for repairs so that I do not become shipwrecked.

Lord I also pray for those who, right now feel like they are adrift at sea in their faith. May they know hope and forgiveness and love and may they be re-united with their Lord and their community.

Written by Ps Justin Ware