… nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.
Summary: Nourishment is essential for healthy living. This is true for our faith as well as our bodies.
Good nourishment is essential for growth. This is true for house plants, garden vegetables, and people. People who don’t get proper nourishment struggle to survive, let alone grow.
Spiritual nourishment is the same.
A human spirit deprived of truth and good teaching struggles to survive. Growth and maturity are stunted, and instead of growing toward the Light, the starving spirit rummages through the darkness.
When you see someone engaging in evil — hurting, shaming others, or taking what is not theirs, consider this: They might be starving spiritually. If a person does not know God’s love (agapē), they cannot know what real spiritual nourishment is supposed to taste like.
Paul’s letter to Timothy is a letter from one well spiritually nourished man to another. Paul may have at times been without food (2 Corinthians 11:27), but he is never without God. Timothy may have frequent stomach problems (1 Timothy 5:23), but his spiritual stomach is always full.
A good minister of Christ Jesus nourishes those under his care. And what do they nourish them with? “Truths of the faith” and the “good teaching you have followed.”
So what are the “truths of the faith” Paul is talking about?
The basic truths are those he mentioned earlier: Jesus appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed in, and taken up in glory (1 Timothy 3:16).
The “good teaching” is a little different. Notice that Paul points to teachings that Timothy “has followed.” These are not just sayings to be passed along. These are teachings that help transform the mind to be able to “test and approve what God’s will is” (Romans 12:2). These are the things Paul has been talking about all throughout his letter.
Timothy is a living example of our life in Christ. He has received the basic truths about the Gospel and believed in Jesus Christ. He has accepted the “good teachings” Paul and others have given him and followed them. His life is no longer his own; he belongs to Jesus.
Application: Stay well nourished in the faith.
Food for Thought: What are the ‘basic truths’ that nourish you?
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