I commit this charge to you, child Timothy, according to the previously made prophecies on behalf of you, in order that you wage the proper war by them, holding faith and a good conscience, which some have set aside, having been shipwrecked concerning the faith, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered over to Satan, in order that they should be child trained not to blasphemy (1 Timothy 1:18–20).
Paul encourages Timothy to wage the proper war. This war involves living out the life we have in Christ. Our weapons of warfare are not related to the flesh, but are mighty in God to pull down strongholds in the mind that raise themselves up against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:4–5). When we wage this war properly, we maintain a good conscience. The conscience comes from the knowledge of good and evil, either accusing or excusing a person’s actions based upon their knowledge (Romans 2:15). Law does not produce a mature conscience (Hebrews 9:9). However, the blood of Christ will cleanse a conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). These dead works relate to observation of days, laying on of hands, doctrines of baptisms, and the basic principles of the world system: touch not, taste not, handle not (Colossians 2:20–22; Hebrews 6:1).
Those who reject a beneficial conscience and faith shipwreck their faith. Hymenaeus was not an approved worker, cutting straight the word of truth. He taught that the resurrection had already come, overthrowing the faith of some (1 Timothy 2:15–18). Even today, many in Christian assemblies claim that Christ has already returned and that we are in the Millennial kingdom. These are the ones who seek to live under law and reject grace. They attribute false things to the way of the truth, while exploiting others (2 Peter 2:2). We are to turn away from such men and women. They have a form of godliness—they appear to be good—while denying the inherent ability of godliness in Christ (2 Timothy 3:5).
We are not to let our good be blasphemed. The kingdom of God is not about physical things on this earth; rather, it is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:16–17). Thus, our actions are to align with our knowledge of who we are in Christ, setting aside dead works of the law and going on to maturity in Christ (Hebrews 6:1). The mature one has his senses trained to discern what is proper from what is wrong so that in all things he can discern the desirous will of God and thus work out the righteousness he possesses in Christ (Hebrews 5:14; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Galatians 5:18).
