1 Timothy 1:17

Letters to the Faithful - 1 Timothy 1:17

Berean Standard Bible

Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

King James Bible

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

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To all who call upon the name of Jesus in faith, to the saints sanctified in grace, and to those who endure in hope through the Spirit’s power—grace to you, and peace from God our Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord. I write to you as a fellow servant, a witness of mercy, and one whose heart burns with longing that God’s people would see Him rightly and live accordingly.

Now to the King—eternal, immortal, invisible—the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. This is not a poetic phrase to be tucked away in liturgy, but a truth to be engraved on the soul. We do not serve a seasonal deity, fashioned by men and faded by time. We do not follow a dead philosopher, a forgotten prophet, or a cultural relic. We belong to a King who rules outside the boundaries of time, whose glory does not diminish, and whose reign is without rival.

He is eternal. Long before the foundations of the earth were laid, He was. Before the first sunrise, before the first breath of creation, before angels sang or humanity fell—He was enthroned in majesty, self-existent, uncreated, complete in Himself. And long after the final chapter of human history has closed, He will still be. The rulers of this world will pass away. The kingdoms of men will crumble. But His throne is everlasting. And to this eternal King, we owe not only our reverence, but our entire lives.

He is immortal. Death has no claim on Him. Time does not erode Him. There is no frailty in His being. Though He took on flesh and walked among us in humility and sorrow, He did so willingly—and death could not hold Him. The grave trembled before Him. He rose victorious, not only to conquer death for Himself, but for all who trust in His name. This means your faith is not in one who was defeated, but in One who lives eternally to intercede for you. He is your High Priest forever, and no decay will touch His crown.

He is invisible. Not because He is absent, but because His essence surpasses human sight. He is not a figure to be grasped with eyes, but a reality to be known in spirit and in truth. Do not be discouraged if you cannot see Him—learn to perceive Him. Look for Him in the quiet moments, in the unexplainable peace, in the deep conviction, in the Word that stirs your soul. He is hidden from the proud, but revealed to the humble. Seek Him, and He will be found.

He is the only God. There is no one beside Him. No rival throne. No competing Creator. The world is filled with idols—some carved by hands, others crafted by ambition, fear, or pleasure—but none can save, none can speak, none can love like He does. He alone is worthy. He alone holds truth. He alone has the power to forgive sin, to transform hearts, and to raise the dead. Refuse to place your trust in what is finite. Do not divide your allegiance. To follow Him partially is to follow Him not at all.

To Him belongs all honor. Not just lip service, but the full surrender of the heart. Let every success be laid at His feet. Let every talent be returned in service. Let every accomplishment point not to your skill, but to His mercy. He is not honored by mere religious observance, but by lives that reflect His glory—by purity, humility, love, truth, and courage. Let your conduct be shaped by who He is. Let your life become an offering that tells the world there is a King, and He is holy.

To Him belongs glory forever. Not just in this age, but in the one to come. Not just on Sundays, but in the mundane hours of the week. Not just in grand declarations, but in unseen obedience. You were made for His glory. Every breath you take, every act of kindness, every decision to forgive, every step of faith—these are echoes of His beauty shining through you. Let your life be a mirror, angled toward heaven, reflecting the splendor of the One who saved you.

Let this reality reorder your days. If He is the eternal King, then there is no moment too ordinary to matter, and no trial too great to endure. If He is immortal, then your suffering is not final, and your hope is not in vain. If He is invisible, then faith must lead your eyes. And if He is the only God, then let no substitute claim your devotion. In Him, and Him alone, is life.

Beloved, let us not treat lightly the One who has called us. Let us not live distracted, divided, or dulled by the world’s noise. Let the majesty of God awaken reverence in our worship, gravity in our words, and purpose in our steps. Raise your view of Him, and you will rise above lesser things. Worship Him not only with song, but with surrender. Serve Him not only with duty, but with delight. Wait on Him not only with longing, but with trust.

And should you grow weary, remember that He who is eternal is never in a hurry. He who is immortal is never exhausted. He who is invisible is never absent. And He who is the only God has not left you alone. You are seen. You are held. You are called. And your life, however fragile it may feel, is part of an eternal plan in the hands of an eternal King.

To Him be honor and glory forever and ever. Let this be the anthem of our hearts, the banner over our lives, and the declaration of our days.

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O God, our King, who was before time began and who will be when time has ceased—You who reign from everlasting to everlasting, who dwell in unapproachable light, yet have drawn near to us in mercy—we lift our hearts in awe and gratitude. Yours is a glory that no eye can fully behold, a wisdom no mind can fully comprehend, a power no enemy can overthrow, and a love no sin can exhaust. To You, the only God, be all honor and praise.

You are the eternal One. All that is created had a beginning, but You are without beginning. All things that live will one day fade, but You are without end. The sun rises and sets; the stars appear and vanish; the seasons turn and nations rise and fall. But You remain—unchanging, unshaken, unthreatened. You are not moved by the winds of time or the tides of history. You are sovereign over them all. Teach us to rest in the certainty of who You are. When our world feels unstable, remind us that we are anchored to the Rock who cannot be moved.

You are immortal. Death has no claim on You. Corruption cannot touch You. You are untouched by decay, untouched by weakness, untouched by limitation. You are life itself. And in Your Son, You have shared that life with us—not just for today, but for eternity. O God, help us to live not for what fades, but for what lasts. Train our hearts to desire things that do not perish. Let our lives reflect the light of Your endless kingdom.

You are invisible. No man has seen You with mortal eyes, and yet all creation testifies of Your presence. The heavens declare Your majesty, the earth reflects Your order, and our very breath witnesses to Your nearness. Though we cannot see You with the body, we know You by the Spirit. You are the still, small voice that speaks when all other noise is silenced. You are the hand that steadies us when strength is gone. You are the peace that guards our hearts when understanding fails. Give us eyes to see beyond what is seen, and faith to trust what cannot be measured. Help us to love You not only with our minds but with our spirits, awakened and alive to Your beauty.

You are the only God. There is none beside You, none who can rival You, none who deserve the worship that belongs to You alone. Forgive us, Lord, for how often we have shared our allegiance—how quickly we bow to lesser things, how easily our hearts are divided, how subtly our trust shifts to what we can control. Draw us back. Purify our devotion. Be first in our hearts, our choices, our priorities, our affections. Let our lives bear witness to the truth that You alone are worthy.

To You be honor. Not just on our lips, but in our lives. Let us honor You in the secret place, when no one is watching. Let us honor You in how we speak, how we serve, how we treat one another, how we live each day. Let every decision declare that You are King. Let every sacrifice reveal that You are more valuable than anything this world offers. Let us never steal the glory that belongs to You, but always return the praise to its rightful throne.

To You be glory forever. Not just for this moment, but in every moment that follows. Not just in our generation, but in every generation yet to come. May our children and our children's children know of Your greatness. May the story of our lives point to You, not ourselves. May our testimony be one long song of praise to the One who saves, who sustains, who sanctifies, who satisfies. Let Your glory be seen in our weakness, Your strength made perfect in our surrender.

We do not come today with many requests, though we carry burdens and needs. We come, above all, to magnify You—to lift high the name that is above every name, to exalt the King whose kingdom cannot be shaken. And yet, in our worship, we find that You draw near. In our adoration, You strengthen us. In our reverence, You lift us. So even as we pour out praise, we are filled again.

Lord, let this view of You shape how we live. Make us humble, for who are we in the presence of such majesty? Make us bold, for who can be against us if You are for us? Make us holy, for how can we dwell with the Holy One and still cling to sin? Make us joyful, for to know You is to possess riches that never fade. And make us faithful, for You have entrusted us with truth that must be lived and shared.

We yield to You again—our King, our Father, our Redeemer, our everlasting God. Rule in us. Shine through us. Be exalted in every thought, every breath, every step. And when our days are done and our voices fall silent in this world, may they rise in eternity with even greater praise to the One who was, and is, and is to come.

To You be all dominion, all glory, all praise—forever and ever.

Amen.