Moments with my First Love [UNDER REVISION]

MOMENT 48: FLEE to be FREE

"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." -2 Timothy 2:22-26

Timothy was almost in his early 30s at this time and still single. Youthful passions were as much a concern for men of that era as they are today. Timothy must not only guard against sexual temptation, but also to flee from them as Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 6:18 to Flee from sexual immorality.

There are things in life that we must properly stand our ground and fight against it. But there are also things that the Bible tells us especially in this Book of Timothy, that we must not to stay and fight against, rather to run from.

The youthful passions that Paul is talking about here were not simply the kinds of passions or lusts that we, people, often think. Particularly, whenever we read youthful passions, we often think it as sexual lust.

Actually, youthful passions are not just about sexual lust or sexual impurity. It also talks about the youthful things that keeps us away from God.

As a youth, what are the things that you always give much time more than God? Is it your phone? Social media? Online or offline games? Watching movies, especifically 'worldly movies?

Aside from those things, what are the things or persons that you often give more effort more than God? Is it your family? Boyfriend or girlfriend? Friends? Classmates? I am not saying that it's wrong to browse on your social media accounts or play games, or bond with your family and friends...

There's nothing wrong with that. But it only becomes wrong when you make those things or persons FIRST IN YOUR LIFE. It only becomes wrong when those things and persons become your wordly passions. When we say passion, it means something that your dearly love.

God must be FIRST in your life. God must be the FIRST One you dearly love.

In order to follow God, you must first flee from youthful passions.

Until you flee from youthful passion, you cannot be a passionate follower of God.

This is why God is telling us to flee youthful passions—for these passions are of the flesh and it cannot gratify the Spirit which seeks righteousness, faith, love and peace.

God will always command you to flee from everything that hinders you to fully follow and serve Him.

What does 'flee' means?
- to run away from danger

Remember that youthful and selfish passions will only bring danger to your life!

What are those youthful passions?(the verse stated):
- foolishness
- ignorant controversies
- quarelling

The foolishness that Paul is talking about here are means being engaged in heated discussions or debate about Theology. The Bible is not meant for winning arguments. The Bible is meant for a person to know and to believe in Christ. Because debates only cause quarrels and great damage to the cause of Christ.