An Example of the Believers
By: Raul and Jodi Collado
September 24, 2020

“Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12)

Let no man despise thy youth: God is saying to us here to let no man, not one, to despise or to esteem of no value our youth. In Ecclesiastes 12:1 the word of God says: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth”. We are to highly esteem our God given strength and our opportunities that God has given unto us today.

Be an example: The word example here means pattern or model. If we really love God and know His purpose, we are guaranteed to experience trials in our lifetime that God uses to work for our good in order to shape us to be made like Jesus. This is vitally important because only when our character is transformed into the image of Jesus can we be a pure example unto others. If our example is lacking in any way God corrects us as the loving Father that He is. Hebrews 12:9,10 brings this out clearly: “. . . we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us… for they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He [God] for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness.” And Jesus says that: “. . . every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:2).

Of the believers: Our Eternal God and Father wants us to be a model not just on certain occasions, at church services, or in our gatherings but anywhere and everywhere. Especially, to the younger and more tender minds, and even those who may be weak in the faith. Like the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ”, and it is a privilege and a solemn responsibility to our brothers and sisters in Christ to be an example to both young and old. Each one of us is an influence upon others.

In word: In Matthew 12:36-37 we are warned: “That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” The talent of speech is too often overlooked. People often are impacted by how something was said just as much or if not more than what was actually said. Do our words minister grace or is it of a corrupting influence? For we are told: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29).

In conversation: The Greek word used here is, anastrophē, and it means behavior. The word conversation is not being used here in the sense of verbal communication from one to another. The word conversation in the Bible often refers to one’s manner of living, deportment, character, and also citizenship. (Examples: Psalms 50:23, Hebrews 13:5, Philippians 1:27, 3:20)

In our daily lives we are to put away from us behaviors that are displeasing in God’s sight. We are to manifest the conduct of Christ by His Spirit of love, joy, and peace. Jesus has set an example for us and we are to follow His steps, He says: “The world cannot hate you; but Me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil” (John 7:7). The life of purity free from sin that Jesus lived was a rebuke to the evil works of the world. His perfect life testified that the ways of the world are wicked. Now we ask ourselves, does my life testify of the world that its conduct is evil?

In charity: This is also rightly translated, “in love”. We are commanded: “walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour” (Ephesians 5:2). Love “Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. . .” (1 Corinthians 13:7,8). Simply put, we are to be an example of what Jesus did for us at the cross.

In spirit: Meaning, in our mental dispositions; our capacity to think and make decisions. Jesus says, “. . . the spirit is indeed willing. . . (Matthew 26:41). The time is now when “. . . the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23).

In faith: “But without faith it is impossible to please him [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). More than ever we are in need of having a constant abiding trust in God and in Christ. We are not to lean on our own understanding nor the understanding of frail men. There is a blessing for those who trust and put their confidence in Jesus found in Jeremiah 17:7,8: “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful [anxioius] in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” If we constantly trust in our Savior we will not be anxious nor cease from yielding the fruits of righteousness.

In purity: Cleanliness, both morally and physically are to be exemplified in our lives because we are called to be witnesses unto Christ- His ambassadors. In Matthew 24:14 Jesus says: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” There is moral defilement everywhere in the world today. We are to live in the world but be not of it. In 2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1 we are commanded to: “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [all defilement in the world] thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

How are we to live a life of purity and cleanse ourselves, you may ask? By looking to Jesus and being doers of His words. Jesus says: “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3).