Reproductive Faith

Paul addresses Timothy as his son in the faith.

Several verses later, Paul tells Timothy -- his son in the faith -- that the goal of his charge to him is ... a sincere faith.

The two uses of the word "faith" are different. Sincere faith describes a quality of faith. On any given day, Timothy's practice of his faith might be less than sincere.

But this doesn't change the fact that Timothy is Paul's son in THE faith.

There it is again: THE faith. This is the faith once delivered.

This is the Republic of Faith, a land objective from you and me. Have a bad day, and the state of the Republic of Faith remains strong.

Or perhaps it is the Kingdom of Faith, since it is under a King. It is a Kingdom permeated through and through with His faith.

It is a fertile land, and like any fertile land, it is organic. As we live in its metes and bounds, we reproduce life.

We bring into the world spiritual sons and daughters.

Logos2Go

1 Timothy 1.1-5 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work-which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Jude 1.3 ... I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.