First Timothy 4:1 says, “The Spirit says expressly that in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, of men who are branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron.” Here Paul does not say “the Holy Spirit”; he simply says “the Spirit.” Many times in the New Testament this term denotes not only the Spirit Himself but the Spirit mingled with our human spirit. The Spirit in verse 1 is the speaking Spirit, the Spirit who mingles with our spirit and always speaks.
Here the Spirit’s speaking is an express, distinct warning concerning those who depart from the faith. For someone’s conscience to be branded as with a hot iron means that they have given up the feeling in their conscience; that is, their conscience has lost its function. In this way, the speaking Spirit warns against ungodliness. To depart from the faith, to give heed to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons, and tospeak lies in hypocrisy are all ungodliness. The vindicating Spirit speaks to warn us not to pay attention to anything other than godliness. Therefore, the vindicating Spirit in this verse is the speaking and warning Spirit. The Spirit for our exercise unto godliness is not only the vindicating Spirit but also the warning Spirit. Moreover, His speaking is not outside of us; it is an inner speaking, the speaking of the Spirit mingled with our spirit. The Spirit within our spirit warns us to be on the alert, because in the latter days there will be many things contrary to godliness.
Second Timothy 1:14 says, “Guard the good deposit through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.” God has deposited a precious treasure in us, just as we deposit something valuable in a bank. According to the two Epistles to Timothy, this good deposit is the Triune God with all that He has. God has deposited Himself in Christ through the Spirit into us as a treasure. Second Corinthians 4:7 says that this treasure is in earthen vessels. The deposit is a treasure, but the “bank” is worthless and fragile. Therefore, we need to guard the deposit through the Holy Spirit. By ourselves we are not adequate to guard this good deposit, but the Spirit is capable. The Holy Spirit, the holy One who dwells in us, is the guarding Spirit. This guarding is for our exercise unto godliness. The Spirit, the holy One, has brought God into us as the good deposit. Now it is He, not ourselves, through whom we guard this deposit.
According to the Epistles to Timothy, the good deposit is not only the Triune God but also the teaching related to the Triune God. All the proper, healthy teachings are included in this good deposit (1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 4:3). If we guard the deposit of the Triune God and the healthy teaching, we will know how to minister to others so that they also may realize the Triune God as their good deposit (1 Tim. 4:6).
The above three aspects of the Spirit—justifying, speaking, and guarding—are all for our exercise unto godliness. The Holy Spirit vindicates godliness. He also warns against ungodliness and guards all the things related to godliness. Therefore, it is by Him that we exercise unto godliness. Moreover, for this exercise we need not only the vindicating, speaking, and guarding Holy Spirit but also our regenerated human spirit. Second Timothy 1:7 says, “God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and of love and of sobermindedness.” This is our human spirit with all three parts of the soul under its control. Our spirit, which is at the center of our being, is surrounded by the soul with its three parts—the mind, emotion, and will. In order for the spirit to be released, these three parts must be subdued by the spirit. Then the spirit will become a spirit of power with the will under its control, a spirit of love with the emotion under its control, and a spirit of sobermindedness with the mind under its control. This is a normal and strong spirit. It is not by the Holy Spirit only but also by such a regenerated and renewed human spirit that we exercise ourselves unto godliness to manifest God and express Christ.
Verse 22 of chapter 4 says, “The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.” We are able and qualified to exercise ourselves unto godliness because God has given us a wonderful, strong, and normal spirit—a spirit of power, love, and sobermindedness with Christ in it. Such a spirit is mingled with the Holy Spirit, who is constantly vindicating, warning, and guarding. Because we have these divine, rich, powerful, and adequate provisions, it is not only possible but even easy for us to exercise unto godliness. There is no excuse for not exercising ourselves unto godliness. By these two spirits—the Holy Spirit with our spirit—we can fulfill God’s economy (1Tim. 1:4).