1 Timothy Ch. 4
The Church and its minister
“Lies that affect lives”
4:1-16 The Church and its minister
4:1-5 Examples of unfaithful ministers
4:6-10 Exhortations to faithful ministers
4:11-16 Exercises for ministers to stay fit
Vs. 1a The world’s fastest…lie
Vs. 1b Wrong is right?
Vs. 2 Do as I say
Vs 3-5 Did God really say?
Introduction
In chapter 1 Paul wrote to Timothy about the Church and its message, in chapter 2-3 Paul wrote about the church and its members but here in chapter 4 Paul writes about the church and its ministry. And in so doing Paul will encourage Timothy three ways:
- Vs. 1-6 Be a good minister
- Vs. 7-11 Be a godly minister
- Vs. 12-16 Be a growing minister
It’s never pleasant to talk about false teaching but it is all through the New Testament. In fact Paul had warned the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28-31 that false teachers would invade the church and based upon this verse they had arrived. Saints, satan first tried to beat the church but the blood of the saints only seemed to birth more believers. So he changed strategies and decided to join the church and seduce it into indifference and indulgence.
I believe it is harder to be a Christian today as we don’t have to stand the test of persecution like the early church. But listen up dear ones “doctrines of demons” don’t just stop at the door of the church, there are plenty of false teachers behind pulpits today. One televangelist received a letter from a man diagnosed with cancer and replied that they just needed to send in “seed faith money” and he guaranteed healing, to which the man and his wife did. The problem was when the evangelist followed up by another request for more money with a healing guarantee that arrived six months after the man had died.
Vs. 1a The world’s fastest…lie
Vs. 1 Paul starts off this next section with a dramatic phrase, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving head to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.” While I personally believe that the Lord’s return can come at any moment I don’t believe that this phrase is meant to suggest a prophetic time table as the words mean, “Relative time from the prediction, now coming true (a present danger).”
Paul says that during these seasons “some will depart from the faith” and John describes this in his letter of 1 John 2:19 saying, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”
Any and every teaching that seeks to lessen our need for and dependence upon the person and work of Jesus is a false teaching and a departure. But just how can you determine the false teachers from the truth? Paul gives four characteristics of false teachers both then as well as now.
- Vs.1a They are empowered by satan: This is the only place in all of Paul’s letters where demons are specially mentioned. Paul says the origins of these false teachings are “deceiving spirits” and as such we learn that false teaching though communicated through men does not originate from men. Satan is an imitator not a creator and he seeks to imitate authority in teaching in an attempt to lead people astray.
False teaching doesn’t arrive at the doorstep of our hearts and pleasantly say, “Hello, I’m a deceiving spirit and what I want to share with you today is a lie that I’d like you to believe!” The first test of any teaching is what it says about the person and work of Jesus. Any teaching that seeks to minimize our need and dependence upon Jesus is a false teaching.
Paul warned these very believers that false teachers would come from within the church not from without only.
Vs. 1b Wrong is right?
- Vs.1b They lead people astray: The goal of Satan in false teaching is to seduce people and get them to depart from the truth. The goal is not to get people in the church to become more dependent upon Jesus but rather to leave that and get people more dependent upon their group. Paul’s not talking about a person “losing” their faith, he is speaking about a person “leaving” their faith! God will not force a person who intellectually agreed with the person and work of Christ to remain if they choose to leave, He will let them. Jesus’ interest is in winning folks by His love and truth to set them free from bondage.
But false teachers and cults do the opposite: they seek to steal believers from the truth and freedom so they can enslave them to their group. Apparently demons are theology majors as they have elaborate systems to their false teaching. There is an old saying that says that: “A lie travels by express, while the truth goes on foot” And unfortunately far too many people are in a hurry when it comes to truth and don’t take the time to research where the lies they are believing in are taking them!
Vs. 2 Do as I say
Vs. 2 Paul reveals for us the way in which these lies enter into humanity as people become victims as well as vessels of demonic propaganda.
- Vs. 2 They are hypocrites: False teachers preach one thing but practice another, generally they lack integrity and honesty. They compartmentalize their lives and harden their conscience so as to not feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
- so they no longer feel conviction. Every time a person affirms something as truth with our lips but denies it with our actions we deaden our consciences a little more. A false teacher is not just wrong in what they say but they are wrong in how they live! Believing and behavior always go together. Paul gives two ways that this takes place:
- Speaking lies in hypocrisy: The word “hypocrisy” carries the idea of something lofty or alluring. To be a “good lie” there has to be something that will make its appeal to something we want. Wrinkle cream must promise to get rid of those wrinkles and make the skin look like it did as a baby. So with false teaching there is a promise of something that we want but there is also a promise that the only way you can get the desired result is through their exclusive product..
- Having their own conscience seared with a hot iron: To become a vessel of falsehood as well as a victim a person has to get to the place where they have seared their own conscience and morality to where their conscience offers up no moral restraint before or after their behavior. This will lead to a person’s actions and words completely lacking compassion or mercy. They become cruel in their pursuit and proclamation of the lie. At first folks believe the lie, then they become a part of the lie and in time they no longer believe the lie but still push the lie.
Vs 3-5 Did God really say?
Vs. 3-5 Not only does false teaching lead to doctrines of demons it also presents legalism that parades itself as piety. People who have a conflict between what they know is right and their conduct often choose to reject the truth and embrace a lie so they can continue to practice sin! People who have a conflict between what they know is right and their conduct often choose to reject the truth and embrace a lie so they can continue to practice sin!
- Vs. 3-5 They deny God’s word: The false teachers in Ephesus combined Jewish legalism with Eastern Asceticism which is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures in pursuit of spiritual goals. They taught that remaining unmarried was more spiritual than being married but that isn’t what God said in Genesis 2:18. We need to be concerned with groups that want to change God’s institution of marriage. Furthermore they wanted to dictate diets as it controlled their followers. Jesus stated all food clean in Mark 7:14-23 and He taught that lesson to Peter in Acts 10. Saints there is a big difference between self-denial and denying self.
- Denying self: Is what Jesus said in Luke 9:23 “If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” You aren’t saying, “I’m giving up this or that to reveal my dedication to God!”
- Self-denial: Is an attempt to earn favor from God apart from simply trusting Him, it’s a way in which we can say by our actions, “You owe me one God!”
Paul’s argument is that God created these foods, He created marriage, and these are His ideas. Instead of thinking that God owes us one by not enjoying the blessings, we should be thankful and see the things that He has provided as a gift! Food isn’t wrong, it’s a blessing and a gift! Marriage that He has ordained isn’t wrong, it’s a gift! The key is to be found in a heart that is truly thankful because when we are thankful we recognize that everything we enjoy and have is a gift from a gracious God. Think of it this way: If you gave someone a gift to someone would you want them to open it and enjoy it? Or would you rather them keep it in the box and come to you later and say, “Hey, that gift you gave me I’ve never opened it, never enjoyed it and I did that so that you could owe me a favor later on.”
We need to take everything as a gift, our life, breath, family, friends, clothing, food and even our adverse circumstance and trials, all are a blessing and a gift from God! You and I have been so blessed and with every breath we breathe we ought to be thanking Him for the gift of life!
1 Timothy Ch. 4 (cont.)
The Church and its minister
“Training for life”
Vs. 6a Stay the course
Vs. 6b-10 Five good habits
Introduction
I started pastoring at 29 and pioneered my first church at 30, man what was I thinking or better yet what were those who attended that church thinking! All alone in that city with my wife and two little ones starting a church without any experience, there were so many times I just didn’t have answers for the things I was experiencing. I bet that was Timothy’s experience when he was left in Ephesus, “Man I wish Paul was here right now I sure could use his advice.” Friends…..
- The trouble with youth is that experience comes with time of which you have just purchased the watch.
- The trouble with maturity is that you have experience and time but you can’t remember where you put the watch!
That’s why I love Paul’s letters to young pastors as Timothy has the energy and Paul the experience which comes out on every page of these letters. As a young pastor I poured over these letters to gain insight and as a mature pastor I still love them for no other reason than to find my watch! A pastor must teach about three things that are like road signs:
- Where we are going: Missoula 45 miles
- How we are to get there: Highway 93 speed limit 65
- What to watch out for: Road construction ahead double fines
Paul has covered the “What to watch out for” sign last week and this week he covers “How we are going to get there”. He will do this by giving us athletic illustrations that are 5 “good habits” that ensure our successful arrival at our destination.
Vs. 6a Stay the course
Vs. 6a The general tone of this section of the letter is that of a warning and it suggests that Paul knew Timothy extremely well as he knew that such a warning would not have been misconstrued as lack of confidence. With all of this adversity that Timothy was facing the warning does not take on the tone of looking OUT for situations and circumstances, instead Paul’s warnings are aimed INWARD to deal with his own reaction to those situations and circumstances.
Saints, maturity doesn’t give you the advantage in having experienced everything life can throw at you, maturity gives you the advantage of knowing how YOU are going to react to the things you experience! First thing Paul warns Timothy amounts to, “STAY THE COURSE”! Adversities greatest advantage is confusion as it causes us to question the road we are on and specifically if it is the right one.
Paul reminds Timothy that the road he is on is directed by Jesus and thus it is assured that in His timing it will reach the destination! Paul says that in “staying the course” he will be a good minister. The word “minister” is not referring to a “position” but instead it is referring to an activity, “serving”! “Tim”, Paul say’s “If you stay on course you will be good at what you do, serving!” That’s always something that you need to evaluate about yourself: “Is my failure because of bad technique or do I only need to keep practicing what I’m doing?” That’s a very good question to ask yourself when things aren’t going well because you can practice bad habits for the rest of your life and no matter how much you do they will never turn into good habits.
Vs. 6b-10 Five good habits
Paul goes on to list five “good habits” that Timothy only needed to keep practicing:
- Vs. 6b Watch what you eat: Paul says to Timothy, “nourished in the words of faith and of good doctrine”. This dietary advice is not dealing with the physical life but with the spiritual life to which Paul is saying in essence “garbage in, garbage out.” One of the favorite tricks on junk food on the packaging is that it is, “Fortified with 15 essential vitamins”. But I have yet to hear a professional athlete or an Olympian say that they owe all their success to consuming large quantities of “Hostess Ding Dongs and Twinkies” that were “Fortified with 15 essential vitamins”. What are you putting into your mind and your spiritual life? What are you feeding on spiritually daily? Not everything that you feed upon is junk food, something’s just have ZERO nutrients or far less than healthy things like “the word of faith and good doctrine”. Not only was Timothy to be “nourished” in the words of faith and good doctrine he was to “carefully follow” what he learned. There is a twofold formula to becoming a good servant “feed” upon truth and then “follow” truth! The Bible isn’t only the “greatest story ever told” it is the “greatest truth ever lived”! This goes far beyond knowing that the four gospels are not “John, Paul, George and Ringo” or that an “epistle” is not the wife of an “apostle”.
- Vs. 7a Keep focused: Paul says, “Reject profane and old wives’ fables”. This habit is stated in the negative and is a warning against intellectual distractions. There were a lot of godless and stupid myths in the first century church that Paul warns Timothy will be an endless source of distraction. The word for “godless” is the word that is rendered elsewhere as “common” which suggests that they were very popular with the society. Second they were not only popular but goofy, spread around by folks who had too much time on their hands.
These fables have no basis in reality, they are just pure nonsense yet many believers got caught up in the distraction. Some of these fables are found in so-called Christian groups that claim they have another gospel and speak about ancient cultures that never existed. Others are popular because of the media and countless movies about space aliens in “galaxies far, far away”. Friends, you don’t have to taste the poison to be a good exterminator!
- Vs. 7b-8 Be balanced: “Exercise yourself toward godliness”. It is clear reading Paul’s letters that he had a good deal of interest in sporting events as he mentions them quite frequently. The word rendered “godliness” means “wholeness or balanced” and these verses suggested that we ought to keep our spiritual life fed and our physical life strong in order to be effective.
This speaks about our training regimen where the focus is on being a servant that has developed spirit, soul and body to maximize their usefulness for God’s service. The balance comes in where we want to make sure we train the areas that most affect our service which would first be exercising our spiritual lives, then making sure that our physical bodies can keep up.
- Vs. 9 Pay attention: Five times in this letter Paul writes, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance” and it is his way of saying, “This is very important!” Not only does this refer to what Paul has just said about balance it also speaks to a general application of being aware in life, a heightened awareness, a game face in life. We should not take ourselves too seriously but we must take what and who we are called extremely seriously. It’s amazing the difference we experience when we are prepared for life as we have far more confidence through the difficult situations and circumstances. Saints there is a great need today for Christians to wake up and start taking each day a bit more seriously.
- Vs. 10 Victory is ours: “We trust in the Living God”, Paul says. As important as the four truths are above; “Good Habits” wouldn’t guarantee success apart from this fifth truth. This habit has nothing to do with a practice and everything to do with where we are putting our trust, the Living God. The sad truth is we can look at these four “good habits” and begin to trust in our “good habits” instead of the living God! We can and should “both labor and suffer reproach” but if our confidence is in those things we will not attain victory.
The great purpose of this life is the shaping of our character by truth and the Holy Spirit. Godly character is far more important than athletic accomplishments and trophies. Spiritual exercise is not easy and will require both labor and suffering reproach, (verse 10). We can be assured of this victory because “Positionally Jesus is the Savior of all men but Practically He is the Savior of those who trust in Him.”
The Greek culture put a huge emphasis on physical physique but Paul says that such emphasis was short lived at best. One study discovered that for every hour spent in the gym it may increase your life up to an hour. But we know that this isn’t endless as even fitness guru Jack LaLanne died in 2011 at the age of 96. There is a need for bodily exercise but no amount in the Gym will land you in eternity. Ah but spend the time and effort in God’s Gym of the word of God and you will be fit for this life and the life to come, and you won’t get sweaty and smelly.
- If you have to choose between “working out” and “worshiping out” you would be better off choosing worshiping!
- If you have to decide between “bodybuilding” or “bible study” choose bible study!
Sure you can do deep knee bends to increase the strength in your legs but you would be far better off bending your knees in prayer and building up your faith. Alan Redpath said, Any battle — for victory, power, or deliverance from ourselves or from sin — which is not based constantly upon the gazing and the beholding of the Lord Jesus, with the heart and the life lifted up to him, is doomed to failure.
1 Timothy Ch. 4 (cont.)
“Correcting yourself to correct others”
Vs. 11-12 Let and Set
Vs. 13-16 The work of the Word
Introduction
Have you ever wondered what would happen to the church if everyone was just like you? This could be a glorious responsibility or a grave possibility depending upon your growth and maturity in Christ but one thing is for certain; it wouldn’t take long to determine where you really were as you witnessed your life in others. It was 35 years ago today, my new Wife Donna and I were on our honeymoon and the very first day we walked out of the Holiday Inn and over to the Barnyard Shopping Center and into D’Lanor Jewelers where I met my future boss Ron Hinges. I had made our wedding set while employed at a store in Modesto and was quite proud of my accomplishments. But when compared to all the handmade items in the store I was dumbfounded. Ron came over to talk to us and soon discovered that I was working as a goldsmith. He took a look at our rings and was polite but I knew they were nowhere close to the masterpieces in his cases. He asked, “How long have you been working as a goldsmith?” Facing those cases with all those beautiful items on display I timidly bleated out, “One year”.
His response shocked me as he said, “That’s great Dale you will only have to unlearn one year of bad habits, when you come to work for me.” And with that backhanded job offer I entered a great adventure learning from a master. I look at these pastoral letters of Paul to Timothy and Titus in much the same way as Timothy was learning ministry at the feet of a master.
Vs. 11-12 Let and Set
Vs. 11 By the time Timothy was placed as the pastor of Ephesus the church was pretty well established with seasoned elders and leaders. It was some of those leaders who according to the first chapter verses 3-4 were engaged in false teaching that Timothy was called to correct. To make matters worse these were some of the same men who Paul had also trained but were a good deal older and more experienced than he was.
That’s what this section is all about, “How to stay on the right path while correcting those who are going the wrong way.” Paul starts out in verse 11 saying, “These things command and teach” but in verses 12-16 you will read that every sentence is an exhortation not to others but to Timothy. The word “command” is better rendered as “proclaim” or “announce” and carries the idea of calling one’s attention to something. That reveals a very important truth: “The best way to correct others is by making sure you are correct!” Charles Spurgeon warned, “Beware of being like some, who go about with theological revolvers in their ecclesiastical trousers.” The Bible isn’t to be used like a flamethrower to burn the truth into people; instead it must be modeled and lived out before people!
Vs. 12 Paul gives 6 things to check in your own life before you attempt to check someone else’s life, the first two are found in verse 12. In some versions the first two are distinguished by two words with only one letter difference; “LET no one despise your youth” and “but SET an example to the believers..”
- NEGATIVE: “LET no one despise your youth”: This doesn’t mean that Timothy was to go around and take issue with anyone that took issue with his age, instead it meant that Timothy should be making sure that he came across well to people especially those that were older and more experienced than he was.
There was this young King of Syria named Ben-Hadad who gathered up his armies against the Ahab King of Israel saying “Your silver and your gold are mine; your loveliest wives and children are mine.” And Ahab said “Just as you say…all that I have are yours.” But Ben-Hadad shot back “That’s not enough, my armies shall raid all the houses of whatever is pleasant to their eyes in all of Israel.”
They went back and forth until Ben-Hadad said he was not going to leave any dirt in Samaria to which Ahab said, “Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off!” Often what folks reject isn’t the truth we speak of but the way we present the truth. We must make sure that we check our egos at the door!
- POSITIVE: “but SET an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” Having first told Timothy what not to do Paul can tell him what to do in two ways these ought to be demonstrated:
- What you say: “In Word”
- What you do: “In conduct”
These four qualities ought to come through “What you say” and “What you do”:
- Love: Above all else in word and conduct we need to be loving. You must not be arrogant, negative or critical. Our correction of others will always go further when we are loving in words and deeds.
- Spirit: Next the person must in words and action be a person who relies on the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
- Faith: In words and deeds we are to be people who trust in only the Lord and His word.
- Purity: Finally, we must be in word and deed someone who is pure.
Vs. 13-16 The work of the Word
Vs. 13 Here we see public ministry and specifically the work of teaching the Word of God and again the emphasis is inward before it is outward, as Paul says that Timothy was to make certain that his time in the word involved three things:
- Reading: “What does the Word God SAY?” OBSERVATION
- Exhortation: “What does the Word of God MEAN?” INTERPRETATION
- Doctrine: “What does the Word of God mean to Me?” APPLICATION
The Church needs to hear the “Word of God” taught from “A man of God”, “led by the Spirit of God” who carefully has implanted the Word of God first in his own heart.
Vs. 14-16 Paul continues on by explaining to Timothy threes steps to how this is accomplished:
- Vs. 14 Inspiration “Do not neglect”: Dear ones there is only One great Bible teacher and that is the Holy Spirit. We must always remember before we open up the text to pray that the Holy Spirit will teach us. You have heard me often say that a bible teacher must never “study to teach, they must always study to learn.” I’ve also said that the most important person that needs to hear the message of the word of God is the person preparing the message because if it doesn’t first and foremost transform my heart it will do little good to the others that will hear it. I also believe and the Bible confirms that “teaching” the Word of God is a gift of the Spirit and that gift will become evident as you will teach and it won’t matter who.
- Vs. 15 Preparation “Meditate on”: This 2nd stage takes time and to give a typical message for me is around 20 hours of work per study. I realize that folks tend to think that I go online to “sermons are us” and purchase the messages but I can assure you that is not the case. I outline the entire book to start with each individual message, and chew it over, research the words and history in the context. Essentially, I tear it apart to examine it and then put it back together. I have often heard that “A bible that is well worn and falling apart usually belongs to a person who isn’t!”
- Vs. 16 Perspiration “Take heed to yourself”: This is the personal side of the Word as it must remain personal to the reader and this will come as you WORK HARD at applying it into your life. With all the years I’ve been studying the Bible I have yet to find a verse that doesn’t apply to me. My biggest problem is not trying to make sense out of the verses that are hard to understand but rather trying to apply the ones that aren’t! I’ve been working on “Loving my neighbor as myself” for 33 years and I still haven’t mastered it yet but I keep at it. My goal isn’t to memorize the passages, my goal is to be transformed by the passages. When Paul says that in so doing he will be able to “save both himself and his hearers” he is not speaking of eternal salvation he is speaking of maturity and application.
Timothy was to grow in his walk with Christ as that would silence his critics and inspire his comrades’ as they would desire to imitate him. No shepherd can lead his sheep to pastures that he has not gone to himself! If you want the fellowship to be more loving than the pastor must be more loving! Furthermore if I’m not willing to grow towards Christ I am not stagnate I’m going backward. During our trip I watched children get on those “people movers” at the airport and they would turn around and face backwards and stand still but even though they weren’t moving they were still going backward, that’s the case for us if we are not moving forward in our walk with Jesus.
As God’s servants we must:
- Preach the Word
- Practice the Word
- Progress in the Word