Category: 1 Timothy

Categories
1 Timothy

What we pursue. What we put our hope in.

Crossroads

I suppose I could have finished up I Timothy yesterday. But there were a lot of things that Paul talked about in that passage that I couldn’t get into yesterday, and so that’s what I want to finish with today.

The people in this world pursue many things. They pursue fame, pleasure, power, and security.

But perhaps the thing they pursue most is money. Fame often leads to riches. And money seems to be the easiest way to obtain pleasure, power, and security.

And for some preachers of the gospel, then in Paul’s time, and even now, their main pursuit in life is worldly prosperity.

But Paul tells us this is not what we are to pursue. He says true prosperity is found in godliness alongside a heart of contentment.

And in a lot of ways, the two are intertwined. Truly godly people don’t find contentment in the things of this world. They find contentment in knowing that they’re at peace with God. In God, they find that they truly have all that they really need.

Ungodly people can never be content, at least not in the long run. They are never satisfied. They always want more. And the more they have, the emptier they become.

Even if they somehow manage to find contentment in their life apart from God, they will eventually find that it is not lasting. For as Paul said,

We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. (1 Timothy 6:7)

And when the day of judgment comes, people will stand before God with all their power and possessions stripped from them.

On that day, God will ask not, “How much money do you have? What possessions do you have to offer me?”

Instead, he will ask, “What did you do with my Son?”

So Paul warns Timothy, “Don’t pursue riches. Loving money only leads to evil and ultimately will plunge people into eternal destruction.” (6:9-10)

Even in this life, many people see their lives destroyed by their love for money.

How many lives and families have been destroyed because of people’s love for money through gambling?

How many lives and families have been damaged or destroyed because people become workaholics in their pursuit of money?

So many people have been pierced with grief because of their love for money.

That’s why Paul tells us,

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  (8)

What are we to pursue then, if not money? Righteousness. Godliness. Faith. Love. Endurance. Gentleness.

If we were to pursue these things in our lives, how much better would our lives be?

How much better would our marriages and relationships with others be?

More importantly, how much better would our relationship with God be?

It is the pursuit of these things that truly lead to great gain in our lives.

Paul then become very practical for those who have riches. It’s so easy for those who are rich, and even those who are not, to put their hope and faith in money.

But Paul told Timothy,

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. (17)

He then tells them,

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (18-19)

Used properly, money is not a bad thing. It can do a lot of good. It can touch a lot of lives. And in using your money in this way, we lay up treasures that will never fade, and find what true life is all about.

Our pastor challenged us this past Sunday to sacrifice some of our money that we would normally spend on Christmas presents to give to the needy. My wife and I plan to join others in the church in doing that.

How about you? What are you pursuing? Where is your hope in life?

Categories
1 Timothy

When we get away from the words of Christ

1 Timothy

We live in a world today that wants little or nothing to do with the words of Christ. They take the parts they do like, and reject the parts they don’t.

But if we claim to be followers of Christ, we can’t do that. Jesus himself made that very clear. (Matthew 7:21-27)

And Paul reiterates this truth to Timothy. He said,

If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing.

He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. (1 Timothy 6:3-5)

I can’t help but think that Paul was thinking of Jesus’ parable of the house built on sand and the house built on the rock when he wrote this, because he draws the same conclusion that Jesus did: that those who don’t follow Jesus’ words truly understand nothing.

They think they’re wise, and may even take pride in their “wisdom,” but in truth, they are fools.

And it shows in the fruit of their lives.

Their words cause envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions, and constant friction among those who hear. And their words twist what godliness is, turning it into a way to get rich.

You don’t have to watch long on some “Christian” broadcasts to see that this is going on even in our day.

So Paul charges Timothy at the end of this letter,

Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care.

Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

In short, “You’ve been entrusted with the very words of Christ. Guard them in your heart. Don’t let others cause you to abandon them for what they are calling ‘knowledge.’

“And make sure you teach and insist on the truth that brings life (2-3).

“Don’t let attacks on the truth of Christ go unchallenged. For the day is coming when Christ returns and you will be held to account for what you were entrusted with.” (13-14)

How about you? You may or may not be a pastor, but you too have been entrusted with the words of Christ. Are you holding to them? Or are you letting your convictions waver in the face of our culture?

Reject the “wisdom” of this world. Don’t let the world’s arrogance pull you into rejecting Christ’s words too.

Rather, guard Christ’s words in your heart. And when they are attacked, make a stand, teaching and insisting on what is true.

The words of this world lead to death. The words of Christ lead to life. Whose words do you wield in your life?

Categories
1 Timothy

That God and the gospel not be slandered

1 Timothy

I talked last time about how pastors are held to a high standard so that God and the church might not be slandered.

But as you look throughout this letter, you see that all Christians are Christ’s representatives. And as such, we are to be careful how we behave.

In chapter 5, he talked about how the younger widows (and looking at the context, all housewives) were not to give the enemy room for slander by their behavior (1 Timothy 5:14).

Now here in chapter 6, he says the same concerning slaves. He says,

All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.

Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers.

Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them. (1 Timothy 6:1-2)

We don’t have slavery in our country now, but the principal still holds in our workplaces. And so not only for those who stay at home, but for those who work, we are to be Christ’s representatives.

We are to honor our bosses and always do our utter best as if we were serving Christ himself.

When people see us at our jobs, they should see us uncomplainingly doing all that is required of us, and when necessary even more.

How terrible it would be for people to look at the Christians in their workplace and say, “Boy, that’s a substandard worker. He’s just a total cancer in this place. We’re better off without him.”

If people think that of us, will that draw them to Christ? Of course not.

But if people see us working harder than everyone else, with a good attitude, and doing our job well, it draws their respect, and then if they find out we’re Christians, it brings glory to Christ and the gospel.

We’ll be like stars shining in this dark world that we live in. (Philippians 2:15)

How about you? Do you bring glory to God by how you work in your workplace? Or do you bring disgrace to his name and the gospel?

Categories
1 Timothy

Biblical principles: God’s standard for pastors

1 Timothy

The standard to which pastors and elders are held is a very high one. Why? Because they represent Christ to their congregation and they represent the church to the world.

We’ve all seen what happens when they fail in this and scandal rocks the church. It not only hurts people within the church, but damages the church’s reputation in the world.

And so while Paul does require two or three witnesses before admitting a charge against the pastors and elders, he makes it clear to Timothy that when the charge is proven, he cannot simply ignore it. Rather he is to bring it in front of the church and rebuke that pastor or elder.

Why? For one thing, it proves there is no double-standard between the leadership and the congregation.

Second, it shows the church that sin is taken seriously and will not be ignored no matter who commits it.

Third, it serves as a warning to those who are being tempted to sin in the same way.

But as important as it is to deal with these problems when they come up, it’s even more important to do everything possible to make sure that it doesn’t happen at all.

We should choose leaders who are full of integrity and won’t fall in such a way that it brings disrepute to the name of Christ and to the church.

Because of this, Paul told Timothy,

Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. (1 Timothy 5:22)

When people were chosen as pastors or elders, people like Timothy or Paul would lay their hands on them, praying for them, and committing them to God for that work.

So what Paul was saying was, “Don’t be hasty in choosing someone to be a pastor or elder. Don’t share in their sins by supporting them for that position without checking them out first.”

And the most important way to test a pastor or elder was to watch their lives. Paul said,

The sins of some men are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.

In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not cannot be hidden. (1 Timothy 5:24-25)

In other words, some people are easy to disqualify because their sins are so obvious.

Other sins, though, are not so easy to see, and you won’t notice them until you have spent time with that person and gotten to know them.

On the other hand, there may be other people that you think are not so special or qualified. But when you take a closer look at their lives, you’ll see that they are the very ones that are most qualified.

Either way, watch those within the church who are candidates for pastor or elder. Make sure of them before assigning them to that position. If you don’t, you could very well find yourself with a disaster on your hands.

While Paul is focusing on pastors and elders, I think you could extend this to any ministry where a person needs to take a leadership role.

It might be for the process of choosing people to be small group leaders or Sunday school teachers. Anyone who represents the church as a leader or teacher is to be held to a high standard.

So we need to be careful who we choose.

And for those who are in leadership or teaching positions, we need to be careful to always represent Christ well by how we live.

How careful are you being?

Categories
1 Timothy

Supporting and honoring our pastors

Honor your pastor

Pastors are not perfect. And because they’re up on the pedestal at church, they often become easy targets for criticism.

More, far too often, we neither honor nor support them the way that God commands us to.

And God does command us to do this.

Paul wrote,

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 

For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” (1 Timothy 5:17-18)

Paul tells us here how we are to look upon our pastors and elders in the church. We are to consider them worthy of not just honor, but double honor. We are to respect them and support them.

How are we to support them? With our prayers, first and foremost, but also with our encouragement. And with our finances.

Sometimes people argue that tithing is not a New Testament command. I happen to agree with that.

But most people who make such arguments usually stop there and say, “Therefore I have no obligation whatsoever to support my church financially.”

But Paul makes it crystal clear that is not true. He says you do have an obligation to support your pastor financially.

Put it this way.

If your pastor is forced to work an outside job in order to support his family (remember that Paul said in verse 8 that a person that fails to do this is worse than an unbeliever), how much time can he put into the message on Sunday?

How much time can he put into counseling those who are hurting?

How much time can he put into all the pastoral duties God has given him? Not much.

And yet one of the main complaints that people in the church have is that their pastor is not fulfilling his obligations.

If you’re making that complaint, let me ask you: “Are you supporting your pastor financially so that he can?”

More, are you supporting him in other ways? Are you praying for him? Are you encouraging him with your words? Are you seeking to take the burden off of him by actually participating in ministry so that he doesn’t have to do everything himself?

Or are you just simply sitting in church waiting to be ministered to?

The church is a body. Each person has a part in it. Are you playing your part?

Now don’t get me wrong. There are times when a pastor is to be criticized. Paul will go into that later. But there are fair criticisms and unfair ones.

And among the unfair ones are criticizing him for not doing all you feel he should be doing, when you’re not doing all that you’re supposed to be doing.

So before you start criticizing your pastor, look at yourself. Are you honoring and supporting your pastor? Are you doing everything you can to make his job easier?

Or are you just sitting on your chair at church, taking potshots at him?

Where is your heart?

Categories
1 Timothy

Though we may grieve

1 Timothy

There are few things more painful than the loss of a spouse or a loved one. And it is easy to start going into free-fall when that happens, both in our lives and in our faith.

That’s apparently what was happening with some of the younger widows in the Ephesian church.

Some in losing their husbands, looked for solace in another man, and unfortunately, turned for that comfort to unbelievers.

But by marrying unbelievers, they turned from their faith and started worshiping the false gods their new husbands worshiped. (1 Timothy 5:11-12)

Others, in receiving financial support from the church, saw no further need to do anything productive with their lives. Rather, they became idlers, gossips and busybodies. (13)

For these reasons Paul told Timothy not to put younger widows on the church’s financial support list.

Rather he encouraged them to get married once again (to believers — See I Corinthians 7:39), have children, and manage their households.

What does this have to do with us today? It sounds perhaps a little chauvinistic, that a woman’s only possible purpose in her life is found in her family.

But if you look at I Corinthians 7 where the widows weren’t falling into these traps of sin these Ephesian women were, Paul told them it would be great if they remained single so that they could serve the Lord more effectively. (1 Corinthians 7:39-40)

I think the main thing Paul wanted more than anything else for these younger widows in Ephesus was to not let their grief take control of their lives. To not let their grief become a reason for making foolish decisions, abandoning their faith, or wasting the remainder of their lives.

Rather, he was telling them, “Despite your grief, you still have your whole life ahead of you. God still has good things for you. Don’t lose sight of that by making foolish decisions that will pull you away from God.

“And don’t waste your life. Fulfill the purposes God has created you for.”

And though Paul was talking to the younger widows, he probably felt the same way concerning the older ones. That’s why he told the church to support only those widows who were known for their good deeds.

The church was to have nothing to do with widows who looked only to themselves and lived for themselves. Rather, the church was to care only for widows who remembered that God still had purpose for their lives despite their grief, and who lived that way.

How about you? Are you letting your grief turn you inward, thinking only of yourself? Are you letting your grief cloud your decision-making, doing things that are foolish? Or are you letting your grief pull you away from God?

Remember that God loves you. He still has a plan for you whether you’re young or old. So though you may grieve, keep your eyes on Jesus.

Remember that he still has a purpose for you. Ask him to show you that purpose. Walk hand in hand with him each day.

And the God of all comfort and peace will be with you and heal you.

Categories
1 Timothy

Dead, even while you live

1 Timothy

Paul is talking specifically here about widows, but the words he speaks is relevant to all.

In talking about the kind of widow the church is to support, he says,

The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. (1 Timothy 5:5)

In other words, the church was to meet the needs of truly godly widows who had no means of support, but whose hope was in God.

They were to be women who throughout their lives, were known for their good deeds, serving and helping those around them. (9-10)

And I have to believe that even in their old age, even after their husbands died, they continued in these things.

They didn’t engage in pity parties or start looking only to themselves and their own needs. Rather, they continued to turn their face to God and committed themselves in Christ’s name to touching the lives of others.

But then Paul said,

But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. (6)

The ESV puts it,

She who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.

Many times, people, not just widows, get to the point in life where they think, “I’ve done enough for others. It’s time to live for myself.”

For many that’s at retirement. For others, it can come even earlier than that. But either way, it’s a very selfish way of living.

And God says that when we focus merely on ourselves, we become dead even while we live.

God did not raise us with Christ simply to live for ourselves. As Paul wrote the Corinthians,

[Jesus] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:15)

To live for yourself is not life at all. It’s death. It is when we get our eyes off of ourselves and onto God and what he wants us to do in the lives of those around us, that we truly find life.

How about you? Where is your focus? On yourself? On what God and others can do for you? Then you are dead while you are still living.

God has called you to so much more. So let us get our eyes off of ourselves and onto the God who has given us new life. And let us live that new life.

Who are you living for?

Categories
1 Timothy

Practicing our faith within our homes

1 Timothy

I suppose our faith gets no more practical than within our homes.

We can hide our true faces from our pastors and fellow church members, but we can’t hide them from our family. They see us as we really are. And what we are at home shows what we truly are in our hearts.

I think that’s one thing Paul has in mind as he wrote these instructions to Timothy concerning the care of widows.

The church in those days took care of widows within their congregation (We see this in Acts 6, for example).

And Paul tells Timothy,

Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. (1 Timothy 5:3)

But then he adds,

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. (4)

The ESV puts it,

…let them first learn to show godliness to their own household.

Godliness is not something we are to merely have when we leave our homes, but something we should have within them.

And godliness should not just be shown to people outside our families, but it should be shown especially to people within them.

Paul emphasizes that point in verse 8.

If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (8)

Paul is specifically talking here about providing the material needs of our family members.

But godliness doesn’t stop there. It continues in how we treat each other day to day, in our patience, kindness, and love for one another.

The godliness we have also shows in the forgiveness and generosity we extend toward one another.

In short, godliness should show in how we treat our family. For if we are unable to show these things to our family, what kind of faith do we really have?

This is not always easy. As I said yesterday, we can choose our friends, but we can’t choose our relatives.

And family can grate on us in ways friends can’t because there are natural boundaries between friends, namely, we usually live apart from each other. The boundaries are much thinner with family because we actually live with them.

Plus there are obligations we have to family that we don’t have to friends.

But if we are to become godly, it needs to start with how we treat our family, for that is the test of true godliness.

How godly are you?

Categories
1 Timothy

Our attitudes towards those in the church

1 Timothy

As a pastor, Timothy had to deal with people from a variety of ages, people older than him, people who were his peers, and people who were younger than him.

And the thing that Paul reminds him here is, “You are not Lord over these people. These are family members. Treat them as such.”

He said,

Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.

Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2)

There were times when Timothy would have to confront men that were older than him.

Paul is not saying here that he should never rebuke his elders. Rather, he was to refrain from doing so harshly. To refrain from unduly upbraiding them or humiliating them.

Paul said, “Think of these men as your own father, as people deserving of respect.”

He said the same of older women, that Timothy was to treat them as if they were his own mother. He was to deal with them gently and with all honor and respect.

For the younger men, he was not to lord himself over them either, but rather to treat them as brothers.

And for the younger women, he was to be careful how he dealt with them as well.

There would probably be women that would be attracted to a godly man like Timothy. And he was to be careful to treat them as he would his own sisters, not abusing his position as pastor in any way.

It is important, though, not just for pastors to remember all this. But as members of the church, we are to think the same way. To remember that we are all one family in God.

As has often been pointed out, you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your relatives. And in Christ, we are all family.

So don’t look down on your family members or treat them as dirt. Remember to treat each other with respect, with all purity, and above all, with love.

How are you treating your family members?

Categories
1 Timothy

To be a leader of God’s flock

1 Timothy

As I look at the whole of this chapter, the words resonate with me, and it shows me just how powerful these words Paul gave to Timothy were.

They were words that challenged Timothy to be the leader in the church God had called him to be. And they are words that everyone who is a pastor needs to take to heart.

What did Paul say?

First, he charged Timothy to teach the church the Word of God.

In a world where teaching was becoming corrupt, where what was good was taught to be evil, and what was evil was taught to be good, Paul laid out clearly what was truly good.

And he told Timothy,

If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. (1 Timothy 4:6)

In other words, “Do you want to be a good minister of Christ, Timothy? Then lay out the truth of God before this flock he has put under your charge.”

He makes this much stronger in verse 11, where he charges Timothy,

Command and teach these things.

Teach what things? Teach godliness. Teach about the hope we have in God, who saves all who believe.

But in doing so, Timothy was not to teach from his own wisdom, but to make God’s wisdom the center of all he taught.

Paul told him,

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

Often times, pastors teach a lot of good things, even godly things, but the center of their message is not scripture, but their own thoughts and experiences.

But Paul says, “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture. Make Scripture your starting point, and then from there preach and teach what God has said. Don’t simply preach and teach your opinions.”

But not only was he to teach these things, he was to live them as well. Paul told Timothy,

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. (12)

Timothy was young compared to some of the people in his congregation.

But Paul said, “Young or not, you be an example to the people in your church. Be an example in what you say, how you live, how you love, in the faith you proclaim, and in your purity of life.”

Perhaps some of the false teachers were trying to shout Timothy down. To intimidate him into silence because of his youth. But Paul reminded him that the gift he had came from God, and he was to use it. (14)

And then he told Timothy,

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

In short, be diligent in teaching God’s word. Be diligent in practicing godliness. Immerse yourself in these things, so that people can see that you too are growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ, and follow your example.

Finally, Paul concludes,

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

Here Paul reminds Timothy to be vigilant. To guard against temptation that would bring him down, and to be sure to teach what is right.

Why? Because as a leader and pastor, his influence was an immense responsibility. And by doing these things, he not only would save himself, but the flock God gave him.

But if he didn’t he could bring down the flock with him, and God would hold him to account for it.

It is no light thing to be a pastor. Only those so called should become pastors. And for those who have been called, it would be well to remember Paul’s words to the Corinthians.

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. (I Corinthians 4:2)

How about you? Are you proving faithful?

Categories
1 Timothy

To become truly godly

God's Gym

As I mentioned before, in Paul’s day, there seemed to be people in the church that preached a superficial spirituality through asceticism and through a strange teaching involving myths and genealogies.

But Paul makes it clear to Timothy, “Don’t waste your time on such things. Focus on what really matters.”

Specifically, he told Timothy,

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (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. Command and teach these things. (1 Timothy 4:7-11)

The most important thing to Paul was becoming the people God called us to be. To become the people God saved us to be. What kind of people is that? A people like Him. A godly people.

Paul says that godliness has value both in this life and in the life to come.

Why? Because it affects the two things that matter most. Our relationship with God and our relationship with others. When we fall into sin, it breaks both of those relationships.

When it says, “This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance,” it actually seems to be pointing to the value of godliness, rather than the fact that we have put our hope in God. The new NIV reflects that interpretation.

But it brings up a point that cannot be forgotten. Our hope for godliness does not come merely from our own self-effort.

Yes, Paul says, “Train yourself to be godly.”

But in order to become truly godly, our hope must be in God, that through his Spirit he will constantly transform us into the likeness of his Son.

And in training ourselves to be godly, the most important thing is to listen to our Trainer: in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

In all these things we are to follow the instructions of our Trainer. And as we choose to follow him, he will give us the power to do what he asks.

How about you? Are you listening to your trainer?

Categories
1 Timothy

Seared consciences

1 Timothy

We live in a world where people no longer seem to know what good or evil is. Things that are evil, they call good. Things that are good, they call evil.

Why? What has happened to us?

The problem is not new. It was present even in the time of Paul. And here he pinpoints what the problem is.

He wrote to Timothy,

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. (1 Timothy 4:1-6)

Paul warns Timothy that the days would come when people would abandon the faith and follow the teachings of demons.

And one of the hallmarks of this teaching is an inability to distinguish good from evil. Why do people fall for this kind of teaching?

Because their consciences have been seared. Their consciences have been so badly damaged, they can no longer distinguish good from evil.

The people in Paul’s day were taking things that God called good (marriage, food, etc) and calling them evil.

On the other hand, they were stirring up all these myths and controversies that were dividing the church and taking them away from the true gospel, and calling them good.

The issues are different today, but the problem is the same. Because of people’s seared consciences, they call what is evil, good, and what is good, evil.

And so Paul told Timothy, “You need to tell your people the truth that you have been taught since you were young. Don’t let them be deceived by these false teachers. Don’t let your people’s consciences becomes seared as these false teachers’ consciences have become.”

For pastors and teachers in the church, Paul’s charge remains the same.

Don’t compromise on the truth of God’s word. Though our culture may push us to change what God has said, don’t let them. For in giving into our culture, we give in to the doctrine of demons.

And for you in the church, immerse yourself in the word of God. Let His word be your standard, not our culture, lest your conscience become seared as well.

How about you? Are you finding yourself trying to explain away scripture to fall in line with the world?

Don’t let your conscience be seared by the teachings of demons. Let us hold to the truth of God’s word, forever calling good, good, and  evil, evil.

Categories
1 Timothy

The wonder of the gospel

1 Timothy

Christmas is right around the corner, and I think it can be so easy to take for granted what it’s all about. Do we truly wonder at what it really means?

Paul did.

He said,

Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great. (1 Timothy 3:16a)

The mystery of godliness.

So many people in Paul’s time said that the key to godliness was their own self-effort. That it could be found through asceticism or through keeping the law.

Others were saying it was found in these myths and genealogies that they were promoting.

But true godliness does not come through religion or self-improvement. It comes through Jesus Christ and what he did for us.

Paul wrote,

[God] appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. (16b)

God came down to this earth as a tiny baby in Jesus Christ.

God who created this world. God, the one who sustains all things by his word alone. The true King of the universe, apart from whom nothing would exist. He came as a helpless child.

Jesus grew up as a carpenter’s son. He knew hardship as a youth with Joseph his father passing away, leaving him to care for the family.

He then left his home to start his ministry, preaching to the people. He showed them who God really is.

He showed them the power of the kingdom, casting out demons, healing the sick, and raising the dead. And yet they crucified him, just a week after declaring him king.

But the Spirit showed him to be the Son of God with power by raising him from the dead.

The angels proclaimed his resurrection to his disciples. He himself appeared to them, and then was taken into glory.

His disciples took this news to the world, and even now, Jesus’ name is preached and believed on throughout the world.

And it is through this gospel, that people are now made righteous before God, their lives transformed by the very power of God that raised Jesus from the dead.

That’s the wonder of the gospel. That’s the wonder of Christmas.

May we, his church, be the pillar and foundation of this truth, proclaiming it to this world that is dying and without hope.

Let us never become calloused and take for granted the glory of this gospel.

How about you? Do you still wonder at this gospel you believe?

Categories
1 Timothy

Why our conduct matters

1 Timothy

From the beginning of chapter 2 until verse 13 of chapter 3, Paul has been talking about the church.

He talks about how the men and women should conduct themselves during the service.

He talks about the types of people that should be pastors and deacons in the church, and the kind of character they should have.

And then he brings it back full circle to his overall point that he started in chapter one. That the most important thing is that God’s work, God’s kingdom be advanced. (1 Timothy 1:4).

That’s why Paul blasted the false teachers, and all the controversies they stirred up. It hindered the work of God.

But the other thing that can hinder God’s work is when his own people don’t conduct themselves properly.

That’s why in chapter 2 he addressed how the men and women should behave in the church and why in chapter 3 he addressed the issues of the leaders in the church.

Now Paul concludes this section by saying,

Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:14-15)

The church is to be the pillar and foundation of God’s truth to this world.

When people see the church, the men, the women, and all the leaders within the church, they should see the truth of the gospel, not only in our words, but in our changed lives.

They should see that our leaders don’t act as the leaders of the world do, and that the men and women in the church behave differently from the men and women of this world.

But if we are no different from the world, if our leaders are just as corrupt as the world’s leaders, if the men and women in the church behave no differently than the people of this world, the truth of God becomes tarnished in their eyes, and the truth we proclaim crumbles in the light of how we live.

This is not how things should be. But too often it is.

So let us watch how we live. Let us, as God’s church, conform no longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Let us not bend to the pressures of our culture and how our culture says things should be. But let us stand together as the pillar and foundation of truth to this world.

Categories
1 Timothy

So you want to be a leader?

1 Timothy

We talked yesterday about being a pastor or elder in the church. And for most Christians, they have no desire to be those things.

There are more people, however, who seek to be leaders of ministries. They seek to be the person who helps take care of church finances, or takes care of ministries to the poor, or organizes small groups, or organizes church events, or runs the welcome team, etc.

Though not all churches use the word deacon, a person in these positions could rightfully be called a deacon.

They are people, separate from the ministry of pastor or elder, who have been given responsibilities in order to help keep the church running smoothly and allow the pastors and elders to focus on their jobs.

For a lot of people, though, they think their gifts alone qualify them for that office. They don’t.

As with pastors, Paul doesn’t point to their gifts first and foremost when talking about the qualifications of deacons. He points to their character. They are to be people who are,

worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. (1 Timothy 3:8)

As with the pastors, they are to be faithful to their wives and manage their families well. (11)

Unlike pastors, they don’t need the ability to teach the Word, but they should know their faith well and live it. (9)

We are also not to simply throw people into such roles of leadership. Rather, they are to be tested first, and if they prove faithful, and their character is impeccable, then we can place them into these roles of leadership.

I have seen firsthand what happens when we don’t, and the results are not pretty.

There is some debate as to whether verse 11 refers to deacon’s wives or deaconesses. I tend to go with the latter.

Paul makes no  mention of a pastor’s wife and what she should be like. Why then would he make specific mention of a deacon’s wife? That said, it is a debatable issue.

Either way, they are to be,

women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. (11)

The last thing to note is that whatever their duties, they are to be servants. In fact, that is what the word deacon means. Servant. And as servants of God and servants of the church, they are to be faithful and serve well.

Paul concludes by saying,

Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. (13)

By serving well, not only do you gain a good reputation within the church, but you also see your faith strengthened as you see God at work in you and through you to touch the lives of those around you.

Do you want to be a leader in the church? What kind of character do you have?

Are you a leader in the church? If so, are you serving faithfully?

Categories
1 Timothy

So you want to be a pastor

1 Timothy

This passage, admittedly, is not for many people very practical for the reason that they have no desire to become a pastor.

I myself have not sensed any calling at this point from God to become a pastor. Whether that changes or not, I don’t know, but if I haven’t been called up to this point, I doubt it will change now.

Then again, I never thought I’d become a missionary either, and here I have been in Japan for 20 years now.

But for those of you want to become a pastor, this passage is very important.

And for churches looking for a pastor, this passage is also very important. For it sets forth the qualifications that a pastor (overseer is the term it uses) or any church elder should have.

Paul writes,

Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. (1 Timothy 3:1)

The words that strike me most here are “if anyone sets his heart on being an overseer.”

I look at my life and that has never been my life goal. But for some, God has put that desire in their hearts. And Paul says, “If that’s where your heart is, that’s a good thing.”

But then he lays out the qualifications of a pastor. And I think it’s noteworthy that Paul doesn’t start with what seminary you went to or what kind of education you have. He starts with character.

He says, “So you want to be a pastor? What  kind of character do you have? That’s what I’m most interested in.”

Are you above reproach? Is there any impropriety that people can rightfully accuse you of? Are you a person that people can look to as an example in how to live?

Practically speaking, are you faithful to your wife? Are you faithful to your marriage vows? If you are not faithful to your wife, how can we expect you to be faithful to God and his church?

Are you in control of your emotions, or are you quick to fly off the handle?

Do you practice self-control in all you do? In eating, drinking, dealing with members of the opposite sex, in spending money, in spending your time?

Are you a person that’s easy to respect because of how you live your life? Do you have a good reputation, not only among those within the church, but those outside as well?

Are you hospitable, willing to open your home to others, generous with your time and money?

Are you given to violence, or are you gentle, even when provoked…by your wife and your children especially, but by anyone?

Are you peaceable, or are you quick to argue with people? Do you in fact take delight in causing a ruckus and stirring things up?

Are you a lover of money? Is money your god? Are you looking for the “good life” as defined by the world? Or are you as Paul was, content in all circumstances? (Philippians 4:11-13)

Do you manage your family well? Do your wife and children respect and love you?

All these are matters of character.

It’s also one reason why if you’re a young Christian, you should put off ideas of becoming a pastor.

The quality of humility is vital if you want to become a pastor. More than a few pastors have fallen because of pride, and people who become pastors when they are too young as Christians are especially susceptible to that.

If you have all these things, then there’s one last qualification you need: the ability to teach. You may know what you believe, but can you communicate it to those around you clearly?

But again, you may be the most gifted teacher, able to teach God’s word clearly and effectively, but if you don’t have the character to go along with that gift, you are not ready to be a pastor.

Do you want to become a pastor? What kind of character do you have?

Categories
1 Timothy

Women and leadership in the church (Part 3)

1 Timothy

Before wrapping up this section with some concluding remarks, there’s one last part to this passage that has yet to be addressed.

Paul writes in verse 15,

But women will be saved through childbearing–if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety. (1 Timothy 2:15)

One of the study Bibles I use calls it a “notoriously difficult passage to interpret.”

And it is. What does Paul mean?

I think one thing that we can definitely rule out is that he meant women need to have children in order to be saved. For as Paul said,

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

What then does Paul mean?

Remember that in verse 14, that Paul had just said, “It was not Adam who was deceived but the woman.”

Those sound like pretty harsh words, and perhaps Paul knew it. It sounds like, “Women, it’s Eve’s fault that we’re in this mess.”

And so I think Paul was trying to soften his statement.

What I think he’s pointing to is the sentence that God passed on Eve. What was the sentence? That she would experience an increase in pain in childbirth.

And Paul is saying, “That pain that you go through in childbirth is symbolic of the pain that has come into this world because of Eve’s sin.

“But though you have this physical reminder of this spiritual reality, know that you will indeed be saved if you walk in faith in Christ and his work on the cross, in love for God and for others, and in the holiness of God.”

A similar use of the word “through” is used in I Corinthians 3:15,  that though Christians go through the fire of judgment and some or even all of their works are burnt up, nevertheless they will be saved because of their faith in Christ.

So that would be my explanation for this passage. There are numerous other explanations, however, and I’m not going to dogmatically insist that I’m right on this question.

To conclude, I do think both sides need to think carefully about a few things. To their credit, most do. But I want those who are reading this to know what the issues are.

For those who think that Paul’s instructions were limited to the Ephesian church:

1. If the problem was that the women were improperly trained, why does Paul specifically restrict them from teaching men? Why not simply say, “I don’t allow women to teach at all”?

Surely we don’t think that while it was forbidden for them to teach men false doctrine, it was okay for them to teach other women and their children false doctrine.

2. Where is the evidence of false women teachers in the church? What are their names? We see evidence of false male teachers in the church and even have their names (I Timothy 1:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:16-17). Why not the women?

3. If Paul’s main point was to forbid people who were improperly trained from teaching or holding positions of authority, why didn’t he simply say, “I don’t allow any of the false teachers to teach or have authority”? Why specifically single out the women?

For those who believe that only men are to be the main leaders in the church:

1. What do we make of Priscilla who at least in a private setting taught men?

2. If leaders in the church were meant to be men only, and apostles were high on that list, what do we think of Junia in Romans 16:7?

Was she merely “noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles?”

Or was she “noteworthy among the apostles?”

Which is the best way to translate that verse? Can we get a definitive answer to that question?

Like I said, the two sides give far more detailed and nuanced arguments than I can give here in this blog, and I would encourage you to read both sides. Look at the arguments and see which you think is most biblical.

The best site for the complementarian side is here: https://cbmw.org/

The best site for the egalitarian side is here: https://www.cbeinternational.org/

But again, I would encourage you: don’t let this issue divide your church. If you find you simply can’t agree with your church on this issue, then go to one you can agree with.

Categories
1 Timothy

Women and leadership in the church (part 2)

1 Timothy

In my last post, we talked about the view that Paul’s instructions saying that women were not allowed to teach or have authority over a man were limited to the Ephesian church.

However, others believe Paul’s instructions were meant to be applied to the church in general.

There are several reasons for this.

First, when Paul talks about overseers in the church (modern day pastors and leaders), he restricts this office to men. There is no hint that women are included.

For example, he talks about the wives of the overseers. He makes no mention of the husbands of overseers. (See in comparison 1 Timothy 5:9).

The second point is their interpretation of verses 13-14.

For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. (1 Timothy 2:13-14)

The argument made here is that God didn’t create Adam and Eve simultaneously; he created Adam first and then Eve.

Adam was therefore meant to be the leader of the household, with her providing help to him in the duties God had given him (Genesis 2:18).

We see this in Paul’s explanation in I Corinthians 11:3, 7-10.

We also see this in the way Paul describes the husband-wife relationship in Ephesians chapter 5. While there is a sense in which husband and wife are to submit to each other, Paul clearly teaches the wife is to follow the lead of her husband.

This then extends to the church at large. Just as men are to lead in their own households, men are to lead in the household of God. When they don’t, problems happen.

That then is Paul’s point in verses 13-14. When Adam didn’t lead, but rather followed the lead of his wife, they both fell into sin.

Again, there is much more that can be said on this position, but those are the main points.

Why is there so much disagreement on this issue?

Mainly because when Paul points back to Adam and Eve in his explanation, he assumes that Timothy understands perfectly what he was talking about.

He doesn’t say on one hand, “Eve was improperly educated, and that was why she fell. Therefore, until the women in your church are educated, they can’t teach or have authority.”

Nor does he say on the other hand, “Adam was meant to have the leadership role, and therefore this is the model for the church, with men doing the leading.”

Because of this, I refuse to argue about this issue to the point of disrupting the church. In whatever church I am at, I will go along with what they teach on the matter and support it.

I’ll wrap up this discussion tomorrow.

Categories
1 Timothy

Women and leadership in the church

1 Timothy

This is one of the more controversial passages in scripture among Bible-believing Christians.

The main question is whether it is permissible for women to have leadership and teaching positions over men in the church. In short, is it God’s desire for them to be overseers of men, or pastors of men in the church?

When Paul says, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man,” what does he mean?

He could hardly have been restricting all teaching activities from the women, since he talks favorably of godly women like Eunice and Lois (Timothy’s mother and grandmother) teaching Timothy about God and the scriptures (II Timothy 1:5; 3:14-15).

We also see Paul saying that older women should teach younger women. (Titus 2:3-4).

In addition, it doesn’t seem that all teaching of men by women was banned because in the book of Acts, we see a married couple teaching Apollos (Acts 18:26).

So we see clearly what Paul’s words don’t mean.

The question is not what Paul’s words don’t mean, but what they do mean. And there we find the controversy.

Today and tomorrow, we will look at the two main positions held by Bible-believing Christians, and the strengths and weaknesses of each.

From there, I would challenge you to think through the issues and come to your own conclusions.

The first position is that Paul’s instructions were restricted to the Ephesian church that Timothy was at.

The argument is that the women there were being led away by false teachers, and for that reason, they were not to teach or hold positions of leadership over men.

What is the evidence given for this position? First, we know for certain there were false teachers in the church (1 Timothy 1:3-7).

Second, we know that Paul often worked with women in the ministry. Romans 16 is very clear evidence of that, as well as other places in scripture.

The third thing is the interpretation given to Paul’s words in verse 14.

And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. (1 Timothy 2:14)

The argument is that the woman was not adequately taught by Adam and therefore fell into deception.

In the same way, the Ephesian women were not adequately taught yet, and so they were to humbly keep quiet and learn until they were better trained.

There are other arguments that are made, but these are the essential points. Tomorrow, we’ll look at the other side’s position.

Categories
1 Timothy

Where your beauty lies

1 Timothy

“Beauty is only skin deep.”

It’s a phrase that is often said, but how often do we truly believe that? More, how often do we act as though we believe it?

For the Ephesian women, it seems as though they had a hard time buying it. And it seems that many were dressing somewhat seductively even within the church which caused no small problem even in those days.

It’s also possible that the wealthier of the women desired to show off their wealth by how they dressed, putting to shame those of lesser means.

Either way, Paul said to them,

I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. (1 Timothy 2:9-10)

In other words, what defines a woman should not be how beautiful or sexy they are on the the outside, but how beautiful they are on the inside.

If women spent as much time developing their inner beauty as they did their outer, they would truly become the beautiful creatures God created them to be.

And all that starts with a relationship with God.

To seek and understand his love above everything else.

To be defined, not by what others think of you, but by what God thinks of you.

To derive your worth not from yourself or from anyone else, but from the One who created you and declared you “good” in His sight. (Genesis 1:31)

Women, how do you feel about yourself? Insecure? Not good enough? Are you always seeking the approval of those around you?

Or do you truly understand that God accepts you as you are? And do you understand that as you submit to him in your life, that’s when you truly become beautiful?

Where does your beauty lie?

Categories
1 Timothy

Manning up

Act like a man

“Man up!”

Have you ever heard those words before. That’s essentially what Paul tells the Ephesians here.

In verses 1-4, Paul charged all the Ephesians (through Timothy) to pray. And we talked about how if we are to wage spiritual warfare and win this world for Christ, prayer is where everything starts.

And then Paul says in verse 8,

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing. (1 Timothy 2:8)

Here, Paul is not talking about Christian men and women in general. He’s specifically talking to the men.

And he’s saying to them, “Man up. Take up the responsibility that God has given you.”

What responsibility? I think more than anything it’s the responsibility to lead in the church, particularly when it comes to prayer.

Certainly the women were to pray as well.

But Paul specifically tells the men, “When it comes to prayer, you are to lead the way. Don’t leave it to the women to do all the praying. You need to lead. You need to be the example for everyone else in the church.”

The problem seems to be that the Ephesian men weren’t.

Instead, they were busy arguing about all the things we talked about earlier: genealogies and myths that led to false pride and false doctrine. They went on and on in vain discussions that generated a great deal of heat, but very little light.

In doing so, however, they neglected to pray. And all the while, I have to believe Satan was laughing.

How often do we men in the church do the same.

Oh, we may not argue about genealogies and myths. But we argue about politics. We argue about how to run the church. Or we get off on all kinds of non-essential doctrines. When is Jesus coming back? Is he coming pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib?

Just as bad, we have personal arguments and personal issues with each other that divide us. We spend so much time arguing with each other, that we forget our mission: to take the gospel to the people around us.

The result? We forget our mission and we forget to pray. And Satan sees this and laughs at us.

This failure to man up can extend to the home as well. We yield spiritual leadership to our wives.

Instead of leading our families in prayer and in the reading of the Word, we let our wives take that role.

Instead of praying for and with our wives, we argue with them over both the trivial and non-trivial.

Instead of showing humility, love, and forgiveness, we cling to pride, bitterness, and anger. Satan delights when he sees us act that way.

How about you? You are to be a man of God. Are you acting like one?

It’s time to man up. And that starts in one place. On your knees before God. Is that where you are every day?

Categories
1 Timothy

Where our battle starts

1 Timothy

In chapter 1, Paul starts by condemning those who were stirring up all kinds of controversies based on false doctrine that were taking the Ephesian church away from its main mission: to spread the gospel to those around them (1 Timothy 1:3-6).

He then ends the chapter by charging Timothy to fight the good fight for God’s kingdom, or as the ESV puts it, to “wage the good warfare.”

Part of that was dealing with the false teachers. But part of that was getting back to doing God’s work which the church had been distracted from doing by all these false teachings and controversies.

And so in chapter 2, he lays down the groundwork for where our work and battle begins. Where does it start? Paul tells us.

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 

This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Here we see what our work is. It’s to see that all are saved and come to a knowledge of the truth of the gospel. That’s God’s will. This is not to say that all will be saved, but that it is his desire. And his desire should be ours.

But our work starts with prayer. To see the needs of those around us for Christ and intercede for them.

So many times we pray for people’s physical needs, and that’s important. But do we do so at the neglect of their greatest need, their need for salvation?

I think one reason why we don’t prioritize it is because we don’t really believe in hell. We don’t believe in its reality. And even if we believe in its reality, we don’t really believe in eternal punishment.

If we did, and we realized that’s where many of our loved ones are headed, would we be so indifferent to where they are spiritually?

God certainly isn’t. And so he did something about it. Paul tells us,

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men–the testimony given in its proper time. 

And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle–I am telling the truth, I am not lying–and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. (5-7)

We were all slaves to sin and headed for eternal death. But God bought us out of slavery by sending his Son to pay for our sin on the cross. That’s the meaning of “ransom,” here. It’s the payment given to buy someone out of slavery.

The work is done. All people need to do is to receive it by faith. But before they can receive it, they need to hear about it. That’s why God sent Paul out, to announce this salvation to the world. And that’s why God sends you now.

But again, it starts with prayer.

Praying that God would open the eyes and ears of those we love that they may see their need for him.

Praying that God would work in our leaders in government and open their eyes and ears as well so that the path of the gospel will be that much smoother.

But there’s one last thing. Paul says that we are to give thanks for everyone.

It’s easy to do that for those we love. It’s not so easy for those we don’t. Why are we to give thanks for them?

I think it’s to remind us that no matter how hateful or depraved they may be, they are still precious in God’s eyes. We need to see past their exterior and see people that Christ died for.

And by giving thanks for them, we are forced to see them more as He does.

God has called us to battle. So let us march into battle…on our knees.

Categories
1 Timothy

Spiritual pitfalls: When we violate our consciences

Crossroads

Our consciences are a gift from God. God has given them to all people, even non-Christians to give them a sense of right and wrong. Without our consciences, this world would be far worse than it is now.

The problem, of course, is that our consciences are not perfect, having been stained by our sin.

But when we become Christians, the Holy Spirit starts to whisper to our hearts and shape our consciences, and as we listen to him, we become more and more like Christ. At least, that’s how things should be.

Unfortunately, the false teachers in Timothy’s time were not listening to the Spirit as he poked their consciences. Rather they violated their consciences, ignoring what the Spirit was saying, and as  a result shipwrecked their faith.

Instead of holding to the truth of the gospel, their love for money and prestige had twisted their beliefs, and as a result, their teaching as well.

And so Paul told Timothy,

Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience.

Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme. (1 Timothy 1:18-20)

Paul told Timothy, “Don’t be like these false teachers. Fight the good fight. Take on these false teachers for the sake of the gospel, and hold on to your faith as you have been taught. And hold on to a good conscience too.”

This mirrors what Paul had said earlier, saying that the goal of their teaching (and/or warnings) is “love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (5)

So Paul says, “Since this is the goal of our teaching, hold on to them.”

He then said, “Some have rejected these.” A better translation is “Some have rejected this,” referring to a good conscience. The NLT makes this very clear, reading,

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. (1 Timothy 1:19)

Paul then gives two examples of such people, Hymenaeus and Alexander, who shipwrecked their faith by violating their consciences.

Many people do the same today.

Some violate their consciences because, after all, “We are all saved by grace. And if we are saved by grace, why not just live as I want? I can just ask for forgiveness later.”

But they ignore the fact that because God has saved us, he now calls us to holiness. (I Thessalonians 4:1-8)

Others violate their consciences by convincing themselves that what scripture calls evil is actually good.

We see this with people practicing homosexuality, all the while claiming to be Christians. They know what the scripture teaches about homosexuality, yet because they feel they can no longer fight their sinful passions, do everything they can to pervert the gospel that has been preached for 2000 years.

The gospel and the Bible’s teaching on homosexuality has never changed. But more and more people are violating their consciences and as a result shipwreck their faith.

Note that Hymaenaeus, Alexander, and others were not saying, “We reject Christianity.” They said, “We embrace Christianity,” when all the while they were changing the gospel itself.

Many people do the same today. They say, “We are Christians,” and yet violate conscience, changing the faith they have itself.

It is a dangerous thing to violate your conscience. To do so inevitably leads to compromise and a corruption of the gospel you say you believe.

Let us not do that. Rather, let us as Paul charges, hold on to faith and a good conscience, seeking above all things to please our Lord.

Categories
1 Timothy

Wondering at the grace of God

Paul and grace

How often do we fail to wonder at the grace of God in our lives? How different would our lives be if we truly did so.

That was one of the differences between the false teachers and Paul.

The false teachers didn’t truly understand the grace of God. For them, the gospel was about making a buck. About prestige and honor for themselves.

For Paul, the gospel was a marvel that changed his life, and made him want to share this good news of God’s grace with as many people as he could.

Paul said,

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 

Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  (1 Timothy 1:12-14)

Here you can see Paul marveling at the grace God had shown him. That though he had once blasphemed Christ, persecuted His church, and was responsible for the murder of many of His people, yet God showed him mercy.

More, God poured out his grace in such abundance that it more than covered Paul’s sins, as horrible as they were. And now, Paul had come to faith and was filled with a love he had never known before.

And because of this, he could say with confidence,

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst. 

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. (15-16)

In short, Paul had truly come to realize, “Jesus died for me.”

It wasn’t that others needed to be saved, but Paul had been fine as he was. Instead, when Jesus appeared to Paul in that blinding light, Paul saw for the first time just how badly he needed mercy and grace in his life.

The problem with most people today, even Christians, is they can’t see that. They think they’re okay. Or at very least, think that they’re not that bad. “Sure Jesus died for me. But he had less to die for in my case.”

But as I’ve said before, it’s as we truly come close to Christ and step into his light, we see what a desperate state we are in. That we are completely stained with sin and in need of salvation.

And until we understand that, we will never marvel at the grace of God in our lives.

Paul did realize it, and because he did so, he burst out into song, singing,

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (17)

How about you? Do you marvel at the grace of God in your life?

Categories
1 Timothy

Failing as a teacher

1 Timothy

James once said,

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. (James 3:1)

Many Christians like the prestige that comes from being a Bible teacher. But there is real danger when they think they know what they’re talking about, and they don’t. That is only compounded when their motives become twisted.

Paul deals with both these issues when telling Timothy to deal with these false teachers. He said,

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. (1 Timothy 1:5)

In the NIV, it seems to say that the goal of Paul’s command to Timothy to warn these false teachers is that they would develop a heart of love, springing from a pure heart, good conscience, and a sincere faith.

It’s also possible, though, that Paul was contrasting the false teacher’s teaching with his, and he was telling Timothy that the goal of true teaching should be to produce love in its hearers, coming from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

Either way, it seems here that these false teachers were no longer operating out of love, and had furthermore abandoned a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

Many in fact seemed to preach out of a desire to gain money and ultimately, out of a love of the world. (6:3-10).

This ironically despite the fact that they were teaching a form of asceticism to their own people (4:2-3).

These men also seemed to take great delight in stirring up arguments and creating conflict, rather than promoting the love and unity of Christ that comes from the true gospel. (6:3-5)

And again, their teaching was corrupt, the reason being that they truly didn’t know what they were talking about. Paul said of them,

They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. (7)

For these teachers, they seemed to be turning to the law of Moses and teaching it to the Ephesian church, while failing to understand the law’s purpose.

The law, Paul says, is not meant for those who are righteous, that is those who have been made righteous by God through faith. Rather, it is for those who are unrighteous, to point out their sin and turn them to God. (8-11)

These teachers didn’t understand this however, and were leading people astray as a result.

Many people today have the same problem as these teachers. They confidently affirm and teach a lot of things concerning the Bible.

But the truth is, they have no idea what they’re talking about and people are being led into astray by their false teaching.

How about you? Are you a pastor or teacher in the church? Do you lead a Bible study? A Sunday school? What kind of teacher are you?

What are your motives? Pride? Respect? Or love?

And are you putting the necessary time into your preparation.

More importantly, is the Word an important part of your day every day? Do you truly know the Bible well, or are you confidently teaching things you truly know nothing about?

Not everyone should be a teacher. Remember, you will be judged for what you teach.

What will Jesus say to you when you stand before him on the day of judgment?

Categories
1 Timothy

Wasting our time on vain speculations

1 Timothy

There are a lot of strange ideas that float about concerning the Bible.

Some people try to cast doubt on the authorship of Paul’s epistles. There are many today that strongly doubt I Timothy, II Timothy, and Titus were written by Paul. Never mind that their “evidence” is hardly conclusive.

Others argue that we can’t know what the original writings of the New Testament were because we don’t have the originals, only copies.

No, we don’t have the original New Testament writings. But evidence shows that the differences in the copies we do have affect no major doctrine of scripture, and that we can get pretty close to the original.

Yet other people think there are secret “codes” found in the Bible and that we have to ferret them out.

The thing is, we can argue about all these things ad infinitum ad nauseum. Ultimately, what it comes down to is, you can make arguments both ways. Which will you believe?

And to argue endlessly about these things will not only fail to convince those who don’t want to believe, but you waste a lot of time that could be spent reaching those who are open to the gospel.

That, I think, is one of the main issues that Timothy faced as he led the Ephesian church.

They didn’t argue about the things we do today. But people were trying to spread myths, possibly expanding the stories of the Old Testament characters and arguing about their genealogies, ultimately leading to false teachings.

What exactly these things were, we don’t know. But the result is similar to what we see today. A lot of time wasted trying to argue these things down and a neglect of the gospel as a result.

Most of the neglect came from those who taught those vain things, but some also came from those trying to defend them.

So Paul told Timothy,

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies.

These promote controversies rather than God’s work–which is by faith. 

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 

Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. (1 Timothy 1:3-6)

In short, Timothy was to warn any who were teaching false things or engaging in these worthless speculations, and ultimately kick them out if they failed to repent.

Paul already had done this with two men Hymaenaeus and Alexander (1:20) but there were still many others to deal with.

And the reason he was to do this was because it failed to promote the true work of God, namely the spread of the gospel, and the salvation that comes by faith.

It failed to do so because the true gospel wasn’t preached by these teachers, and it caused all sorts of vain controversies that people like Timothy had to deal with rather than preaching the true gospel.

So what do we get from this? First, we need to deal with people in the church who get away from the gospel and start teaching things that are ultimately vain speculations.

“What does the secret code in the Bible say?” “Who really wrote the book of 1 Timothy?” “Can we really know what the original New Testament documents say?”

Am I saying that we ignore them? No. Address them. Give answers. But if these “teachers” continue to stir up these things, rid the church of them.

And if you’re in a church where the pastor is doing this and you can’t vote him out, leave the church.

But second, don’t waste too much time arguing with people who believe these things. Because ultimately, it does come down to faith. Not blind faith. But faith based on evidence.

For some people, though, they feel the evidence isn’t enough. For some people almost no evidence is enough. And no amount of argument will ever convince them. So don’t waste your time with them.

Instead, focus on preaching the gospel and on those whose hearts are open to it. Time is precious. Let’s not waste it.