1 Timothy Study #10

“Widows, and Widows Indeed” – Part 1

1 Timothy 5:1-8

Study #10 in 1 Timothy Series 

INTRODUCTION:

In our last study we discussed the fact that older believers need to value and affirm the younger leaders coming up in the church. I pointed out the fact that many times older folks underestimate the skills and contributions of younger people, and I stand by that. However, the flip side is what we are going to look at in this study.

TRANSITION:

In this section Paul switches things around somewhat, but it all fits together in the end. In the same way that older folks should value and affirm the younger ones, Paul makes it clear that in the church younger people should show respect and appreciation for the elder saints. In 4:12-16 Paul told Timothy that if he wanted people to follow him and give him the honor and respect that was his due then he should make sure that he provided a good example for them to follow, being a model Christian in his speech, in his conduct, in his love for people, in his faith in God, and in his purity of lifestyle. Now here in chapter 5 Paul continues with this same theme: namely, if you want the older people to treat you right, then you must treat them right as well.  You cannot treat them with disdain and disrespect and expect that they will support you. You should never expect to receive respect, honor, and loyalty from people to whom you do not first show respect, honor, and loyalty. That is just a principle of working with people, no matter what their age. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verses 1-2: Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, ² the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.

• Now this is good advice. We do not win friends and influence people by chewing them out and rebuking them sharply, to use Paul’s words, but rather by gently, calmly, and humbly appealing to them.
• “…appeal to him as a father.” The white-haired saints of God are not to be pushed around, abused, or ignored; they are to be loved, honored, and revered as fathers and mothers. Paul tells Timothy not to deal with these older saints as he would with the younger ones. He is not to rebuke them for some petty fault that they might have but rather entreat them to do better. People respond better to encouragement than to criticism.
• “…in all purity.” Why does Paul add that? What does he mean by it? On the one hand, this phrase could apply to dealing with all four of these classes of people in the church—older men, younger men, older women, and younger women—meaning that Timothy should deal with all four kinds of people with pure and honest motives, with no hidden agendas. On the other hand, because of its placement I think the phrase is more specific as to how Timothy needs to deal with the younger women in the church. In interpersonal dealings with older people or with other guys, the average pastor is not going to have to contend with his personal sexual feelings. However, when dealing with younger women, Paul is simply reminding Timothy of the added concern to not get involved physically or romantically. Keep your hands to yourself. Knock off the hugging. Keep your distance. Put a bridle on your thoughts so they do not run amuck. Younger women in the church need to be treated with love and respect, as we would treat our sisters. Eyes forward, cowboy! Do not even think about it!

Verse 3: Honor widows who are widows indeed; 

• “Honor widows” James tells us in James 1:27, “Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”  This is basic, bottom-line Christianity, and God takes it very seriously. How we treat the weakest and most vulnerable among us is something to which God pays close attention. He loves widows and orphans, and we must love and honor them too, or else we will answer to Him for our neglect.
• “Honor widows who are widows indeed” What is that about? Aren’t all widows in the same boat? The answer is, NO! To understand and appreciate this situation you must mentally go back to the first century AD. First, you need to know that a high percentage of people living under the domination of Rome were slaves. It has been estimated that slaves constituted 30-40% of the population of the Empire, with percentages in Italy running at 50-60%. That means that many of the people who were converting to Christianity and coming into the churches were slaves. Now slaves had almost no rights. When a slave woman was widowed, you can imagine that she was instantly in dire straits. In that day it was not uncommon that a woman who lost her husband would have absolutely no income on which to live, and so it was more needful in that day, even than it is today, that the church care for the widows who were “widows indeed.” And even widows who were not slaves were often left in total poverty. Remember, widows were particularly vulnerable in ancient societies because no pensions, government assistance, life insurance, or the like were available to them. And in most cases, they were not allowed to inherit upon the death of their husbands.
• Secondly, Christianity was born into a world of existing religions, fanatical religions that were very antagonistic to the Gospel and the biblical message of One God, of Jesus the only Savior, and of salvation by grace alone through faith alone, apart from works. Whether in the Greek religions, the Roman religions, or Judaism, to convert to Christianity could easily get you killed, by your own relatives, just like what happens today when a Muslim converts to Christianity. Not only that, but women were also not held in high esteem by most of those cultures in the sense that wives were seen as the possessions of their husbands, even in Judaism. So, if a woman converted to Christianity, whether she was Greek, Roman, or a Jewess, she could be thrown out on her ear by her unbelieving husband, and it happened all the time. The early congregations had lots of women who had suffered this fate, divorced by their husbands, and cut off from any family contacts, even with her own children. These women became outcasts with no means of financial support. When Paul uses the term, “widows indeed” this is what he is talking about. These were women with absolutely no means of support and no one in the world to care for them.
• On the other hand, there were widows whose spouses had died, leaving them widowed. They still had their homes, their children, and their possessions. They still had some structure and support in their lives. And they also had some hope of one day meeting a good man and getting remarried, so they would have their eyes open and be spending time on E-Harmony.com and Christian Mingle and other websites like those. Whereas the “widows indeed” had almost no hope of ever getting remarried because to have been rejected, divorced, and disinherited was the kiss of death. Other men would not see them as marriageable material.

Verse 4: …but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. 

• So here is an altogether different scenario. The widow mentioned here has family to support her and provide for her. She has children and grandchildren or other extended family. In such cases, Paul makes it clear that it is the family’s responsibility, not the church’s, to care for that lady. The word “they” refers not to the woman but to her family members. They are the ones who must “first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents.” 
• “This is acceptable in the sight of God.” The word here translated as “acceptable” is stronger than it first appears. It means, “correct,” signifying that it is the right thing to do in God’s sight. When a woman has family members who can step in and take care of her physical and financial needs then the church should not be expected to fill that role. It is the clear responsibility of her children and grandchildren.

Verse 5: Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties [i.e., petitions] and prayers night and day.

• So now Paul goes back to discuss the case of those women who are “widows indeed,” who are truly bereft and alone without personal or family resources. In her case, her trust and her eyes are fixed on God, who is her only hope for survival, and she hammers on the door of Heaven asking for God’s intervention on her behalf. Jesus told a story of just such a widow in Luke 18:1-8.

Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. ² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’  ⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally, he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” ⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? ⁸ I tell you He will see that they get justice, and quickly.”

·       In Luke 2:36-37 you will see another example of the kind of “widow indeed” that Paul was thinking about. “And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.”  

Verse 6: But she who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives. 

• Here Paul shifts to yet another scenario, that of a younger widow who lives in the obsessive quest of finding another man, getting married, and having children. Perhaps being tempted to lower her moral standards to get what she wants and thinks she needs she runs the risk of falling into sin, in which case Paul says she walks in death, even while she is alive physically. Such a woman is not a candidate for the church’s widow support ministry. Paul will deal at length with her character and her situation in the verses immediately following today’s text but suffice it to say that not every widow falls under the fiscal responsibility of the church. There are rules laid down. Just read the next section, verses 9-16, from the New Living Translation.

“A widow who is put on the list for support must be a woman who is at least sixty years old and was faithful to her husband. ¹⁰ She must be well respected by everyone because of the good she has done. Has she brought up her children well? Has she been kind to strangers and served other believers humbly? Has she helped those who are in trouble? Has she always been ready to do good? ¹¹ The younger widows should not be on the list, because their physical desires will overpower their devotion to Christ, and they will want to remarry. ¹² Then they would be guilty of breaking their previous pledge. ¹³ And if they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business, and talking about things they shouldn’t. ¹⁴ So I advise these younger widows to marry again, have children, and take care of their own homes. Then the enemy will not be able to say anything against them. ¹⁵ For I am afraid that some of them have already gone astray and now follow Satan. ¹⁶ If a woman who is a believer has relatives who are widows, she must take care of them and not put the responsibility on the church. Then the church can care for the widows who are truly alone.”

Verse 7: Prescribe these things as well, so that they may be above reproach.

• This verb “prescribe” is the same one used back in 4:11. It means “to charge, or to command.” I believe that the “they” refers both to the younger widows and to the members of the families with means to take care of their mothers. The command is for them so that they will step up to the plate and do the right thing regarding their loved one.

Verse 8: But if anyone does not provide for his own [i.e., his near relatives], and especially for those of his household [i.e., his immediate family], he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

• Here Paul tells Timothy and the Ephesians that failure to provide for one’s vulnerable family members is a denial of the Christian faith, and in God’s sight, makes one worse than an infidel.

CONCLUSION:

I have a few concluding thoughts from this text. I say without apology that children who are financially able to care for their aged parents and give them a comfortable home are scripturally obligated to do so. After all, they cared for us when we could not care for ourselves. We owe our physical existence to their care and provision, and certainly we should appreciate what they have done for us enough to care for them in their declining years. 

Nowadays it is common for people to turn their aged parents over to a welfare agency or put them in Shady Pines Old-folks’ Asylum rather than caring for them at home. In my opinion, this is a very poor way to repay parents for what they have done for their children, but it is also no small matter in the eyes of God, as we see in verse 8. On Mount Sinai God gave the command: “Honor your father and your mother.” In Ephesians Paul reminds us that this is the first commandment “with promise.” If we honor our parents, we are promised a long life; if we do not, our days will be cut short upon this earth. God provides a special blessing to the children who care for their aged parents and to those who show kindness, love, and care toward the aged saints in the church and community. 

Paul tells Timothy to instruct the believers in his congregation about these practical matters and to see that his flock is keenly aware of the will of God in this matter of social obligation. Churches often get caught up in arguments about how to show love to the world. We do food pantries, clothes closets, community suppers, etc. However, if we neglect to take care of the ones closest to us, namely, our elderly parents and family members, how will the world take our love seriously?

I close with Paul’s words from verse four: “…but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.” Real piety, real godliness, real Christianity is not doing what we think we should do, but rather, doing what God commands us to do—it is about obedience. That was the difference between Cain and Abel. Abel did what God required and commanded, and his sacrifice was accepted. Cain did what he thought was best and should be acceptable to God, and his sacrifice was rejected.

This week’s text is about what we would call “practical theology”—putting feet to the faith. And what is that faith? Again, I would point you to James’ answer in James 1:27. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” If we really want to please God by the way we live our Christian lives, let’s start with these things: (1) Living holy lives; and (2) Caring for those who are most precious to Him. Simple, but not necessarily easy!

1 Timothy Study #9

“Not Suitable for Children”

1 Timothy 4:12-16

Study #9 in 1 Timothy Series 

INTRODUCTION:

“Not Suitable for Children.” This label can be seen on many products these days. Movies on Netflix and DVDs containing violence, gore, sex, and bad language may be labeled, “Not suitable for children under the age of X.”  Or certain toys, especially those with lots of tiny pieces, like Lego, will have a tag saying, “Not suitable for children under 4 years of age, due to risk of choking.” Or amusement park rides that take you up and spin you around and flip you upside-down may have a warning sign at the ticket booth and entrance gate, “Not suitable for kids under 4.5 feet tall.” That is because the owners are afraid that a child might slip out from under the restraining bar and be thrown to his/her death.

TRANSITION:

Age has always been one of the determining factors in how we see and evaluate people. Whenever Ramel or I go to the medical clinic or the dentist or the hospital for anything I come away feeling the same way every time. I must confess that I find it disconcerting when my doctors, dentists, and nurses look younger than our children and some of our grandkids. I’ve seen specialists who look like they graduated from high school just last year. Some of them still have pimples for crying out loud! How can they be old enough to have the skills necessary to save anyone’s life? However, I know that is not a fair estimation of their skills, training, and abilities. It is just a gut reaction from a cranky old geezer who is feeling older by the day.           

In our text for this study, Paul writes to Timothy with some sage advice about how to handle this problem of being written off for being young. At the time of the writing Paul was in Macedonia and Timothy was in Ephesus, serving as the pastor of the Ephesian church. Even though Timothy was no newcomer to the ministry, apparently there were some folks in that church who thought he was too young to know what he was doing, and they were not giving him the respect and honor that he deserved. We get the strong impression that some of the church members were giving him grief because they were viewing him as a lightweight because of his young age. Let’s see what Paul had to say about that. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 12: Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, (spirit, KJV), faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.

• “Let no one look down on your youthfulness” The KJV translates this phase as, “Let no man despise thy youth.” Many of you memorized the verse that way. However, the Greek word Paul uses here does not mean, “to hate.” Rather, it literally means, “to think small of.” The idea is to “look down on,” “to underestimate,” “to disregard,” “to write off as being unimportant.” I am quite sure that no one in Ephesus hated Timothy. They just thought he was a lightweight and not ready to be a pastor because in their opinion he was too young and inexperienced.
• “youthfulness” This is the Greek word, neótes, which comes from neos, meaning “new.” However, it is interesting to note that this was the term for men of military age up to about 40. Calculating the number of years that Timothy had ministered alongside the apostle Paul, Timothy was probably between 35-40 when this letter was written, so he was not a youth in the way we usually think of the word. It is just that in the eyes of some of the people to whom he was ministering he was viewed as too young to know what he was talking about. But they were wrong!
• Some of you might be tempted to do the same thing. You may look at young leaders in the church and think that there is nothing they can teach you. That is wrong. Timothy was a relatively young man, and he still had many things yet to learn, but he was a dedicated and well-seasoned servant of God and Paul said that his youthfulness should not be held against him.
• You may have heard the adage, “The track that a man leaves is sometimes bigger than the shoe that he wears.” In other words, to see the impact of a man’s life, examine the imprint that he leaves rather than just the size of his shoe. Timothy, like Paul, may have had a small foot, but the lives of both men left huge imprints in church history. 
• “…but rather, in speech” This includes everything that comes out of the mouth or off the pen (i.e., Everything you say or write).
• “…in conduct” Meaning behavior, manner of life. Includes everything you do. (N.B. This is not the modern usage of “conversation” meaning talk, as in the KJV.)
• “…in love” This refers to kindness and charity toward other people (i.e., Your horizontal relationships).
• “…in spirit” Refers to being led by the Spirit of God. (N.B. This is included in the KJV but not in older, better manuscripts.)
• “…in faith” Refers to his devotion to God and his faithfulness to obey Him (i.e., The vertical relationship).
• “…in purity” Includes being pure both in sexual matters and in one’s thought life, propriety, and chastity (i.e., The inward relationship, the relationship with one’s own body).
• “…show yourself an example of those who believe.” Paul is saying that Timothy should become a positive template for other Christians to follow and emulate. Paul here uses the Greek word, túpos meaning “an ensample, a mold, or a template.” It is an original design from which copies can be made. Paul is calling on Timothy to be an example of what a true Christian is like. Sometimes younger people believe that the older believers are the ones who are to provide an example for everyone else to follow. Sadly, the chronological age is no guarantee of spiritual maturity. Paul is simply reminding Timothy that many times God uses the zeal and passion and energy of young Christians to get His work accomplished. Youthfulness should be viewed as an asset, not a liability. So, we can see from this text that these godly elements are not only for the young but should be desired and practiced by all believers, young and old. 

Verse 13: Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.

• “Until I come…” Paul was obviously planning to visit Timothy and the Ephesian church sometime soon (cf. 3:14).
• “…give attention to the public reading of Scripture” This does not make much sense to us today, does it? After all, why could not those people just read the Bible for themselves? Ah, but therein lies the problem. In Paul’s and Timothy’s time no one owned a Bible of his own. Very wealthy people might have owned a portion of the OT Scriptures, but manuscripts all had to be hand-copied by scribes, and they were very expensive and very rare. The only times that the Early Christians would hear the Word of God read would have been in the public worship services. For this reason, Paul tells Timothy to be sure and give special attention to the “public reading of Scripture.” The Bible itself says in Romans 10:17 (NIV), “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” People need to hear God’s Word read, taught, and explained so that they can go out and live it.
• Notice that here in verse 13 Paul gives us the three-fold secret to biblical exposition with these three key words, “reading, teaching, and exhortation.”

Ø  Reading speaks to the question, “What does the text say?” 

Ø  Teaching [i.e., doctrine] speaks to the question, “What does it mean?” 

Ø  Exhortation speaks to the question, “What then should we do?”  This word “exhortation” is full of meaning. It involves preaching, comforting, encouraging, motivating, and applying the truth to life.

• “Give attention” Before we go any further, I want to point out something important about this text. Starting back in verse 11 Paul uses a whole string of imperative verbs. These are nine (9) commands, not mere suggestions. I will point them out for you so that you can underline them and be aware of them as we move through these verses.

Ø  Verse 11 = (1) “Prescribe and (2) teach these things,” i.e., the things listed in 1-10.

Ø  Verse 12 = (3) “Let no one look down on your youthfulness… (4) be an example…”

Ø  Verse 13 = (5) “Give attention” to the public reading, exhortation, and teaching.

Ø  Verse 14 = (6) “Do not neglect” your spiritual gift(s).

Ø  Verse 15 = (7) “Take pains with these things… (8) be [absorbed] in them”

Ø  Verse 16 = (9) “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching.” 

Verse 14: Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 

• “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you.” According to 1 Corinthians 12 every child of God receives at least one spiritual gift from the Lord to enhance his effective service in the Body of Christ, which is the church. We do not know specifically what Timothy’s spiritual gift was, and it is not important for us to know, although I suspect that it was probably either exhortation or teaching or both because of the last part of verse 13. But Paul knew, and he was reminding Timothy not to hide away that which God had given him and intended for him to use for His glory.
• “…which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.” This is a little bit awkward to explain but I will give it a try. We know for an absolute certainty from the Word of God that the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts when a person becomes a new-born child of God. We do not get our spiritual gift(s) from people, and Paul is not saying that either. He is just reminding Timothy of that day years before when he was ordained and a group of elders stood around him, laid hands on him, and prayed for God’s blessing on his life and his future ministry. In prayer they confirmed that Timothy had been called by God and equipped by God with a spiritual gift(s). They recognized his spiritual gifts and asked God to use those gifts for His glory. We do the exact same thing today every time we ordain a man to the Gospel ministry. We recognize his gifts and calling and ask God to bless Him as he launches into a life of service for Christ, the Gospel, and the Church.
• “…through prophetic utterance” Look back at 1:18, “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight.” In the Early Church God often revealed His will through prophets. For example, in Acts 13:1-3 the prophets had an active role in the sending out of Paul and Barnabas on their mission to the Gentiles. In Timothy’s case this prophecy may have occurred at the time of, or before his ordination, many years earlier. This likely happened at Lystra as described in Acts 16:1ff when Timothy first started travelling with Paul. And in 2 Timothy 1:6 Paul reveals that he was part of the group that laid hands on Timothy. On that occasion prophecies about Timothy seem to have pointed to the significant leadership role he would one day have in the church.
• “…with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.” This word is used only three times in Scripture: in Luke 22:66; in Acts 22:5; and here. It refers to a group of representative spiritual leaders called “presbyters” or “elders,” chosen, and approved, and placed in charge. In our modern churches the “presbytery,” although Baptists seldom use that term, would be the Elder Board, made up of the church’s pastors and elders.

Verse 15: Take pains with these things; be [absorbed] in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 

• “Take pains with these things” KJV says “meditate” but that does not really capture the meaning. The original Greek word means to practice or to cultivate. Thus, the phrase can be translated as, “keep on practicing these things.”
• “…be [absorbed] in them” Literally, “be in these things.”
• “…your progress” Meaning, “your progress in the Christian life.”
• “…will be evident to all.” I think that is what we all want when people look at us. We want it to be plainly visible to anyone who examines our life that we are advancing in Christian maturity and “growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” (cf. 2 Peter 3:18)

Verse 16: Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. 

• “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching… persevere in these things.” Here we have two more imperatives from Paul. The Christian life is serious business and should not be taken lightly. It takes grit and discipline and hard work to keep our eyes on the ball. This is especially critical for anyone in a leadership role, but it is true for all Christians.
• “…for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.” Upon a surface reading we could conclude that Paul is promoting a doctrine of justification by works here, but that is not the case. Our eternal salvation is not guaranteed by our level of dedication, or by our degree of religious zeal, or even by our rigorous obedience to the rules of our religion. God alone saves, but Christians can be God’s instruments to bring about the salvation of others. We know that salvation is both an event and a process. We are saved at the time of conversion, but are still being saved (i.e., sanctification) in the sense of being made more and more like Jesus (cf. 1 Cor. 1:18).
• Here Paul just means that by doing these things Timothy can save himself from the grief, pain, and shame that comes with screwing up the job. This verse is not about eternal salvation from Hell.
• “…both for yourself and for those who hear you.” Paul is of course referring to the Christians in the Ephesian church to whom Timothy was regularly reading, teaching, and exhorting. 

CONCLUSION:

So where do we go from here? While these verses were written specifically to Timothy the principles in them apply to us as well. What are some of those principles?

1.       Youth is no justifiable excuse for spiritual immaturity, but neither is anything else.

2.      Spiritual gifts are meant to be used, not hoarded like a miser’s gold.

3.      The goal of the Christian life is growth and upward progress. Status quo is unacceptable.

4.      Spiritual growth, unlike physical growth, does not happen naturally. It requires attention and perseverance. It requires making spiritual growth a lifelong priority.

1 Timothy Study #8

“Ministry by the Book”

1 Timothy 4:6-16

Study #8 in 1 Timothy Series 

INTRODUCTION:

The phrase “by the book” is an English idiom that means to do something in a correct or proper manner. It refers to completing a task according to the rules and without cutting any corners to save time. We say, “He did it by the book” or, “She carried out her duties by the book.” Language historians tell us that this saying originally referred to the Bible, because the Bible is the ultimate rulebook for those of us who are Christians. For centuries people were made to swear on the Bible in court that they were telling the truth, and it is thought that the original version of the phrase “by the Book” referred more to telling the truth in court rather than its more modern usage of “playing by the rules.”               

TRANSITION:

However, both meanings fit with what we hear Paul telling Timothy in this week’s text. The content of Christian teaching is to be “by the Book,” meaning that it is to be rooted and grounded and governed by the Word of God. But the lifestyle of the Christian leader is also to be “by the Book,” meaning he is to practice the truth of Scripture and live it out in his conduct, speech, and attitudes as well as in his preaching and teaching. 

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 6: In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.

• “In pointing out these things…” To what things is Paul referring? If you think back to last week’s study, you will remember that in verses 1-5 of this chapter Paul was speaking of things to come. In 4:1 he says, “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.” So, when Paul wrote this, he was relaying a prophetic message from God, speaking of an undated future time when men will turn away from the truth to chase after lies.
• What you may not realize is that in general God gives us prophecy so that we will live better. What do I mean by that? Pick any prophetic passage in the Scriptures and you will notice that it is always followed by a conclusion about godly living, and faithfulness, and being wise in our use of time. What fascinates me is that many Christians today absolutely love to study prophecy. They go to prophecy seminars. They buy books about biblical prophecy and follow the teachings of well-known preachers or conference speakers who regale them with stories about the world to come. But is that why God includes prophecy in the Bible, so that we can be fascinated and entertained with knowing what is coming? NO! He gives us a window into future events so that we will “shape up and fly right,” as my mother used to say.
• “In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus.” So, Paul tells Timothy, his protégé, that he needs to pass these teachings on to his people in the Ephesian church, and in so doing he will prove himself to be a good diákonos of Jesus Christ. By the way, as I told you last week, this is the Greek word from which we get our word deacon and means a servant or a minister.
• There is one more point that I would like to make from verse 6 before we move on. Look at the verse again… “In pointing out these things to the brethren…” The Greek word Paul uses that is translated here as “point out these things” is an interesting word. Literally it means, “to lay out before.” Paul is telling Timothy that he needs to instruct the Ephesian Christians in these important truths, but he knows that how we communicate truth is just as important as the actual content of our teaching. This word that Paul chooses does not mean to give orders or to make demands or come down dogmatically like a dictator laying down the law. Rather, it means to counsel, to advise, to suggest in a gentle, humble manner. Christian instruction given in gentleness will always be more effective than coming across like a bully or a know-it-all.
• “…constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.” What defines a good servant of Jesus Christ, a faithful minister of the Gospel? He is being constantly nourished by the truth as revealed in God’s Word and holds fast to sound doctrine. In other words, he “lives by the Book,” the living and abiding Word of God. For a Christian the Bible is like our food. We must partake of it often and deeply. We must chew it well and digest it slowly so that its food value can work its way down into the very fibers of our being.
• So, what have you been munching on lately? Are you nourishing yourself on the Word of God and the sound doctrines and teachings of the Christian faith, or are you taking in a steady diet of television, pop music, Netflix, reality TV, Internet porn, trashy novels, etc.? They say we are what we eat. That is true spiritually as well as physically. I challenge you to give some serious thought to what you are feeding into your life through your eyes and ears.

Verses 7-8: But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; ⁸ for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 

• “But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women.” Maybe you are thinking, “WOW!” Paul really has a thing against old women.” However, I do not think that is it at all. He is just using an old and well-known figure of speech to make his point. Maybe it is a stereotype, or maybe it has a kernel of truth in it, but old ladies are often perceived as sitting around gossiping and chitchatting about nothing of importance. Regardless, Paul’s point is in the first part of this verse, not the last part. “Have nothing to do with worldly fables.” The word Paul chooses here is the word that means “myths.” The ancient world was full of myths and people would wrangle endlessly about their significance. Aesop’s Fables are a good example. While they may have taught some universal moral lessons, they were certainly not on a par with the holy Word of God, the Scriptures. Paul says, “Don’t waste your time on that old stuff.” Literally he says, “Refuse it!”
• J.B. Phillips in his paraphrase of the NT shows a great perspective on these verses: “But steer clear of all these stupid Godless fictions. Take time and trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit. Bodily fitness has a certain value, but spiritual fitness is essential both for this present life and for the life to come. There is no doubt about this at all, and Christians should remember it. It is because we realize the paramount importance of the spiritual that we labor and struggle. We place our whole confidence in the living God, the Savior of all men, and particularly of those who believe in Him. These convictions should be the basis of your instruction and teaching.”                                                           
• “On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” The word Paul uses here for “discipline” is the word for physical exercise and is the normal term for the physical training of Greek athletes. Real godliness requires spiritual exercise and training in the same way that an athlete builds his body and hones his physical skills.
• “…for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things.” Paul uses that same word a second time, clearly meaning physical exercise. And notice that Paul is not against PE Class! He is just saying that if people were half as concerned about their spiritual health as they are about their physical health, they would be much better off. Nowadays we all know people who have gone nuts about exercise. They join health clubs and spend countless hours on treadmills, stair-steppers, rowing machines and other kinds of bodybuilding equipment. But how much time do they spend reading and studying the Word of God? And how much time do they spend in His service? And how much effort do they put out when it comes time for the church workday? 

Verses 9-10: It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. ¹⁰ For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.

• For the third time in this letter, we hear Paul using the same expression: “It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.” You may recall that he used it in 1:15 and 3:1. In both of those cases a weighty truth statement follows the expression. But here in 4:9 I believe that Paul uses the expression to look backward, not forward. I believe that verse 9 points to what he just declared to be true in verse 8; namely, that “…bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” Paul is saying that this statement is true and should be understood and accepted by every Christian. It is the straight skinny, and an undeniable fact. The time we invest in the spiritual disciplines of the Christian life is time well spent and will bring great benefit in both this life and the life to come.
• “For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God.” The “for this” refers to Paul’s efforts to help every believer grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ, and to develop those spiritual muscles that will stand them in good stead in this life and for all eternity.
• “…we labor” Paul chooses the Greek word for work that means back-breaking toil. It is the word, kopiáo, which means to grow weary, tired, exhausted (with toil or burdens or grief), to labor with wearisome effort. It is most often used of bodily labor, but here can mean in a physical, spiritual, emotional, and/or mental sense as well. Just so you know… anybody who comes along and tells you that the ministry is easy work is an idiot and does not know what he is talking about!
• “…and strive” Paul here uses the Greek word, agonídzomai, from which comes our English expression, “to agonize” over something. This is a military term meaning “to fight, contend, strive, or compete.” Besides warfare, it is also used for difficult sporting competitions where a victory is hard-fought, and hard-won. So, Paul is not talking about sitting-at-a desk kind of work but digging-ditches-by-hand kind of work; work that is truly exhausting.
• “… because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially believers.” Whenever we hear the word “Savior” our minds automatically think of Jesus Christ who came to be the Savior for the whole world. But here Paul speaks of the living God, the Father Himself being the Savior. What is that all about? First, we need to keep in mind that God the Father is the One who gives life, breath, and existence to all. It is all sourced in Him. This is what theologians call “common grace.” However, the Bible also tells us that God is the Architect of Salvation. Jesus said that He came to do “the will of the Father.” John 3:16 says that God so loved the whole world that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us. And then it says that “whosoever believeth” on Jesus will be saved. That includes anyone who wants to come to Him. The door is wide open. Jesus died on the cross for everyone. But Paul adds this phrase, “…who is the Savior of all men, especially believers.” You see the only ones who receive the gift of salvation are those who put their faith and trust in Christ, those who “believe” in Him. For the rest it is all just theoretical. God is the Savior of everyone, but only believers in Jesus get saved. That is, those who have “fixed their hope” on the Lord Jesus. By the way, this verse is one of the reasons why I am a 4-point Calvinist rather than a 5-point. “…Who is the Savior of all men…” seems to shoot a big hole through the idea of Limited Atonement, but that is a discussion for another time and place. 

Verse 11: Prescribe and teach these things.

• Paul uses two strong imperative verbs (i.e., commands) in this verse. They reemphasize what he told Timothy up in verse 6 about pointing out these biblical truths. (N.B. Later he will drive the nail in even a little deeper in verse 16 but we will have to wait for our next study to see that.)
• “Prescribe” This is the Greek word, parangéllo, and it means “to transmit a message from one person to another, to declare, to announce, to command, order, or charge.” It implies a specific message that meets a specific need.
• “Teach” This is the Greek word, didásko, which means “to teach, to hold discourse with others to instruct them, to explain or expound a thing.” It is the most common word for teaching in the NT and the most general in nature.           

CONCLUSION:

The title of this study is “Ministry by the Book.” In the beginning I talked about the phrase, “by the book.” You all understand the concept. A good military officer is one who knows the rules and enforces them, yet with integrity, mercy and understanding. To say that the captain “goes by the book,” means that he is stern but fair.

Think about another scenario… you want to learn to cook like Julia Childs, so what do you do? You buy her cookbook and follow it to the letter. You cook, “by the book” because you want the recipes to turn out correctly. Of course, if you choose to you can make substitutions and change the relative quantities of ingredients, but if you do, do not be surprised if the recipe does not get the rave reviews for which you were hoping.         

Likewise, in sports it is necessary to compete “by the book.” Our second son, Chris, was a professional athlete, a mixed martial-arts expert. He had rules to which he had to submit if he wanted to compete. Moreover, if the athlete breaks the rules the referee will throw him out and award the fight to his opponent. Athletes must compete “by the book” or they get disqualified.  

In the same way, God has given us a Book and it contains the rules for living, and ministering, and learning to please Him. It is not a Rule Book, per se, and we should not approach it that way. Otherwise, we will end up like the Pharisees. They prided themselves on obeying the Book “to the letter” but completely overlooked the principles and the reasons for the behaviors.         

Here in 1 Timothy Paul reminds Timothy that God’s Word is the Guide for life and for successful ministry. We need to know it, love it, study it, and apply it to every area of our lives. In the Koran of Islam, Mohammed refers to Christians and Jews as “the people of the Book,” meaning the Holy Scriptures. Even he recognized something that many Christians have forgotten; namely, that we have been given the Bible, the Word of God, to be “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.” It is not merely a book of religious stories that men can take or leave. It is God’s love letter to us, and we should read it, and study it, and memorize it, and obey it. The Psalmist put it this way in Psalm 119:9-16, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your Word. ¹⁰ With all my heart I have sought You. Do not let me wander from Your commandments. ¹¹ Your Word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You. ¹² Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes. ¹³ With my lips I have told of all the ordinances of Your mouth. ¹⁴ I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. ¹⁵ I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways. ¹⁶ I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your Word.”

1 Timothy Study #7

“Cheer Up, It’s Gonna Get Worse”

1 Timothy 3:14 – 4:5

Study #7 in 1 Timothy Series 

INTRODUCTION:

What is your “world view”? How do you see the world around you, and interpret the direction it seems to be going? Some people believe that our world, through advanced technology and science, is gradually improving and moving toward a utopia. They say that while we still have wars and conflicts, and while there are still diseases that ravage our bodies, they point to the fact that many of the things that used to kill people have now been wiped out. They emphasize that the average life span is increasing around the globe. They proudly show that we are moving away from fossil fuels to more eco-friendly means of powering our world.

There is even a strain of so-called Christian theology that postulates that right now we are living in the Kingdom Age spoken of in Scripture. They believe that Christ is building His kingdom on earth and that things will keep getting progressively better and better, right up until the day when Christ will usher in His Eternal Kingdom. 

Both views are incorrect, and fly in the face of observable facts and the clear teaching of Scripture. The Bible says that God created a perfect pristine world but that through the Fall this world was thrown into chaos from which it has never recovered, and indeed, cannot recover until Christ completes a total makeover of the heavens and the earth. 

TRANSITION:

In our text for this week the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, weighs in on this subject. He says that as we get closer to the end, closer to the Lord’s Second Coming, this world, and the people in it are going to wax worse and worse.

NOTES on the Text:

Verses 14-15: I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; ¹⁵ but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. 

• “…hoping to come to you before long.” At this writing Timothy was in Ephesus, Paul was in Macedonia. After his first Roman imprisonment Paul went on a brief 4^th Missionary Journey. On his way to Philippi Paul had left Titus as his representative in Crete, and he left Timothy in charge of the church in Ephesus. Obviously, he had plans to be reunited with Timothy but was unsure about the timing and he felt that this subject was too important to wait.
• What subject exactly? “…how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God.” Paul is referring, of course, to the local church, and he gives instructions concerning Christian behavior. This fits in with Paul’s general reason for writing this letter to Timothy—to give him instructions on how a local assembly and its leadership should function. The word “conduct” here is a Greek word that means, “to walk” referring to a person’s entire manner of life—his lifestyle, his speech, his behavior, and his attitudes. It takes in everything!
• “…in the household of God” This is the Greek word oikos, meaning home or household. This points to the fact that the church is to be, first and foremost, a family where brotherly love exists. By the way, it does not refer to a church building the way we sometimes speak of “God’s house.” Church buildings did not enter the story until 200 years later.
• “…which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” Here Paul uses the word ekklesia, meaning a company of people who have been called out. The Church Universal (Capital C) is manifested and made up of local churches (small c) all around the world. The Church of Jesus Christ (Capital C) is made up exclusively of blood-bought, born-again Christians. Christ’s Church (Capital C) is perfect and spotless. However, the local assemblies, sadly, are often a mixed bag, made up of believers and unbelievers alike. Try as we will, doing our best to keep the local assembly free from sin and hypocrisy and unbelief, local churches (small c) are imperfect representations of the Church Universal (Capital C).
• “…the pillar of the truth.” Paul uses the word for a “stone column.” On the surface this seems odd, until you remember that the glory of Ephesus was the Temple of the goddess, Diana, also known as Artemis. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its gigantic wooden roof was supported by 127 huge marble pillars, each one the gift from a king. All of them were made from beautiful white marble. Some were overlaid with gold and others were studded with jewels. Those beautiful pillars were the pride and joy of the people of Ephesus because they held up one of the greatest edifices ever built by man. The pillars displayed the beauty of the building, in the same way that museums display the statues of famous persons on marble pedestals so that people can see them clearly. Paul is saying that the church serves the same function for the eternal truths of God—the church makes the truth visible, puts it on display, adds to its natural beauty by drawing attention to it.
• “…the support of the truth.” The word he uses here means a “buttress.” In architecture a buttress is used to fortify a building and to keep it standing foursquare and intact. Many of the huge stone castles and ancient cathedrals of Europe use buttresses and for this reason they have withstood weather and wars and the ravages of earthquakes. Paul says that the Church is the buttress of God’s truth.  

Verse 16: By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:

He who was revealed in the flesh,
Was vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Proclaimed among the nations,
Believed on in the world,

Taken up in glory. 

• Many scholars believe that what we have here might be part of one of the hymns of the Early Church. From the very beginning of Christianity believers put their prayers and their creeds to music. In those days, many people could not read so this was a way that they could hide the biblical truths in their hearts. Let’s unpack this piece by piece.
• “He who was revealed in the flesh” Paul here is obviously speaking of the Incarnation of Jesus, “the Word who became flesh” (John 1:14). The eternal God, the Second Person of the Trinity, became a human. That is the Christmas story.
• “…was vindicated in the Spirit” This means that Christ was declared to be righteous by the Spirit as well as by the Father. By the presence of the Spirit of God throughout His entire ministry, but especially at His resurrection, Jesus was vindicated and proven true in all His claims.
• “…seen by angels” The word Paul chooses to use here means “appeared” and seems to be referring to the occasion of the resurrection, ascension, and entrance into Heaven (cf. 1 Peter 3:22, “[Jesus Christ] who is at the right hand of God, having gone into Heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.”)
• “…proclaimed among the nations” refers to the fulfilment of the Great Commission to preach the Gospel in every place, among every people group. The word “nations” here [“Gentiles” in the KJV] is the Greek word, ethne, which gives us the word “ethnic,” meaning cultures, tribes, races, languages, or people groups. It is not about geographical divisions on a map but about every tribe, every tongue, and every people group. The Bible says that in Heaven, around the Throne, there will be people from every “ethnos” singing and praising the Lamb.
• “…believed on in the world” The one requirement for salvation— “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” This refers to the fact that starting on the Day of Pentecost the Gospel of Jesus Christ began spreading out to every corner of the known world. And the process is still going on!
• “…taken up in glory” refers to the Ascension of Jesus, 40 days after the Resurrection. This is described in Acts 1:9-11. As His disciples looked on in awe Jesus rose into the clouds and disappeared out of their sight. 

Verse 1: But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 

• People have long argued about exactly when the Spirit revealed these truths. Some think that Paul is referring to prophecies made in the OT (e.g., Daniel 7:25; 8:23), or possibly by Jesus himself (cf., Matthew 24:4-12). However, I, along with many other people, believe that Paul is speaking of a revelation given directly to him by the Spirit of God. This makes more sense to me in the context.
• Notice that Paul says, “…the Spirit explicitly says…” meaning that this was no foggy, could-mean-this, could-mean-that kind of prophecy. This was a clear, and very direct word from God leaving no room for questioning or interpretation.
• “…in the later times some will fall away from the faith” He does not specify exactly when this will happen. And if neither Paul nor the Holy Spirit put a date on this, we should not try to do it either. He is speaking in broad terms about the general direction things will take as the time for Christ’s Second Coming draws nearer. This world is getting progressively worse, not better.
• “…some will fall away from the faith” The word here translated as “fall away” literally means “to stand away from.” Fall away sounds like an unfortunate accident, like falling down the stairs and getting injured. “Poor thing,” we say, “he fell down and hurt himself.” But that is not what this word means. It implies a deliberate stepping back, stepping away from the truth. KJV uses the word, “depart,” which I think does a better job of giving the sense of the word that Paul uses here.
• “…paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.” Paul seems to be indicating that in the end times professing believers will abandon the true faith to go after occult practices. Demonic spirits working through demonic doctrines—that is a powerful force for evil! Did you know that whenever the Word of God is being taught incorrectly that the demons of hell stand back and clap and cheer? That is because the Word of God preached faithfully and accurately in the power of the Holy Spirit is the devil’s worst nightmare! He hates that! Because he knows that “the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.” For that reason, Satan goes out of his way to support pseudo-preachers who twist and adulterate the pure Word of God and use it for their own ends.

Verse 2: …by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 

• This “falling away from the faith” that Paul spoke of in the first verse will be prompted by lying religious teachers who lead many astray. Notice the words, “…by means of the hypocrisy of liars…” Woe be unto these pseudo-Christian preachers and teachers who serve as blind guides of the blind, leading people over the cliff to their ultimate destruction. Here Paul gives us two of the characteristics of the false teachers in Ephesus: hypocrisy and seared consciences. He makes it clear that they have believed their own lies for so long that it has created scar tissue over their consciences. Did you know that a person can brainwash himself? It is true! If you listen to a lie long enough, you will come to believe it. President Barack Obama sat under Jeremiah Wright’s teaching for over 20 years and later testified, “I never heard him say anything that was wrong.” EXACTLY! Beware of what kind of rubbish you tolerate, lest you develop a taste for garbage!

Verse 3: …men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. 

• The false teachers who were plaguing the church in Ephesus were apparently teaching a form of asceticism, which was a trademark of those teachers commonly known as “Gnostics.” One of the central teachings of Gnosticism was that this material world is completely evil, and the spiritual world is completely good. They taught a form of “dualism” that is still common in New Age teaching and the belief systems of all the Eastern religions.
• Those guys were teaching against marriage, saying that it is just a human institution to satisfy the cravings of the flesh and should therefore be avoided as all costs, even though God performed the first marriage in the Garden and gave it His complete blessing. On top of that, the Gnostic heretics were saying that certain foods were unclean, and were forbidding the Ephesian Christians from eating them, even though God created all these things and pronounced them “good.” In fact, …

Verse 4: For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; ⁵ for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. 

• Paul’s antidote to this kind of demonic teaching is to point out that God is GOOD so everything He does and everything He makes must be good too. In Genesis 1 we read that “God made the heavens and the earth” and He pronounced it all, including man and the animals, to be “very good.” Therefore, to reject and declare “unclean” the things that God has declared to be “clean” and “good” is to call God a liar and to slap Him in the face.
• “…for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.” The word “sanctified” means “made holy and set apart for God’s use and for His glory.” We should always keep in mind that marriage, eating, and possessions are spiritual issues and are gifts from God that He wants us to enjoy, but always as we recognize their proper purposes before God. Paul’s point is that the things God has provided by His creative word are set apart by His directions for their use and are further sanctified as a testimony of our Heavenly Father’s faithfulness and care when received with prayer, thankfulness, and understanding.

CONCLUSION:

Paul’s main emphasis here and in all the Pastoral Letters is sound doctrine and faithful Christian living. We need to believe in the right things and live out our faith in the right ways. 

Up in verse 16 Paul used a phrase, “…the mystery of godliness.” What did he mean by that? Like I told you last week when we looked at verse 9 where Paul speaks of “…the mystery of the faith” this word mystery just means something that God has chosen to reveal and to uncover so that we can see it and examine it fully. That is what we have here in 3:16 too. “…the mystery of godliness” just means, the revealed secret of true Christian piety. That secret is, in fact, not a secret at all. It is none other than Jesus Christ, His incarnation, His sinless life, His substitutionary death on the cross for us, His sacrifice for our sins, His death, burial, and resurrection according to the Scriptures, and His ascension back to the right hand of the Father—in other words, THE GOSPEL—these are what make up the secret of true godliness!