Day 995: Shipwreck! - 1 Timothy 1 vs 18-20

18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. 19-20 By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. 1 Timothy 1:18-20 English Standard Version

The apostle Paul uses two strong pictures in this letter to Timothy that tell us something about the life of a Christian. What was the first picture he gives in vs 18?

It's the picture of warfare! When anyone becomes a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ they enter a conflict zone. But, as Paul remind us in another letter, “our struggle isn’t against flesh and blood - but against the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) In other words, a follower of Christ will face spiritual enemies. Satan and fallen angels are real. This is why the weapons we wage war with are not guns and bombs, but faith and a good conscience. We are to trust in the Lord, and not do things that give the devil ammunition to attack and destroy us with.

What is the vivid picture Paul then uses in vs 19-20?

He uses the picture of a shipwreck to describe how it's possible for someone who'd set off to follow Christ, can come to an unhappy end. It's a very graphic picture. Paul experienced real shipwreck at least three times in his life. On one occasion he was adrift at sea for a whole night and day. (2 Corinthians 11:25) In Acts chapter 27 we read at length about one of those terrible shipwrecks.

He had been taken into custody, but, as a Roman citizen, had appealed for his case to be heard by Caesar. So he was placed in the charge of a Centurion named Julius, and they set sail for Rome. But, as the wind was against them, the first part of the journey took longer than expected. They got to a port called Fair Havens, but since so much time had passed, the voyage was now dangerous. Paul advised the Centurion and his soldiers saying, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives” (Acts 27:10) Sadly, the next verse says: “But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.”

After leaving Fair Havens the weather turned really ugly. They took such a violent battering from the storm that the sailors began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. The ship was steadily being driven towards shore. “They cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then, hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. But they struck a reef, and ran the vessel aground. The bow stuck and remained immovable, and the stern was being broken up by the surf.” (Acts 27:40-41.)

What a frightening event! Fortunately, everyone got safely to shore, some of them by clinging to planks or other pieces of the disintegrating ship. Yet it could've been avoided if the Centurion had listened to Paul's advice that the voyage was heading for disaster. No wonder Paul urged Timothy to 'hold onto a good conscience'. It was by rejecting this that the people Paul mentions had wrecked their faith. (vs 19-20)

We don't know what finally happened to those two men. In another instance, where a certain man had brought great shame to the Church at Corinth, Paul directed the Christians to “hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:5) And in yet another place, Paul speaks of Christians 'whose work will be burned up', and they will be saved “only as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:15) The danger is that we can make shipwreck of our testimony and witness if we don't cling firmly to the truth of the faith we've learned, and if don't keep our conscience clear. Satan will quickly attack us, just as a wolf will attack a sheep that has strayed from the flock.