1 TIMOTHY 4:16

[1 Tim 4:9-16]:

(v. 9) "This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance

(v. 10) (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

(v. 11) Command and teach these things.

(v. 12) Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

(v. 13) Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.

(v. 14) Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

(v. 15) Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.

(v. 16) Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

[Vince Deegan, Grace Evangelical Society, in an email, (vdeegan@attbi.com), states]:

" 'Take Heed to Yourself and Your Doctrine (16a)' =

Take heed to yourself could refer to his personal life. Watch what you say, do, and who you are internally (v 12). Take heed to your teaching looks back at verse 13. Watch what you believe and teach. And it isn't just pastors and elders who must take heed heed to themselves and their doctrine. We all must. For we all have influence on others (children, parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, coworkers, friends, neighbors). He repeats this to introduce the purpose for the entire passage: That You May Save Yourself and Those Who Hear You (16b).

The word "save" is not, I repeat not, normally a reference to eternal salvation from hell. In the OT it never refers to individual salvation from hell, and less than 5% of the time does it refer to the national salvation of Israel from its enemies into the kingdom of its Messiah.

In the NT 2/3rds of the time save and salvation refer to something other than salvation from hell. Clearly that is the case here. Timothy was already "saved" in the sense of born again (1:2). So were the believers in the church in which he ministered. Timothy and his listeners needing saving from the false teachings which were circulating (1:4, 7; 4:1-3). Now I happen to think Paul has something in addition to this in mind. He is thinking of being spiritually healthy at Christ's return. Compare 1 Cor 5:5. I think he means that if he and his listeners remain sound in their walks with the Lord, they will be healthy at the bema. Look at 4:8; 6:14, 19. Spiritually healthy believers are not ensnared by false teachers. Spiritually healthy believers take heed to what they believe and to what they teach others."

So thus the value of your life will be saved for the rest of eternity relative to the reception of eternal rewards.