#44a- Being True Christian Leaders?
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(English Standard Version)
1Tim 1 - Greeting - Warning Against False Teachers - Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners
1Tim 2 - Pray for All People
1Tim 3 - Qualifications for Overseers - Qualifications for Deacons - The Mystery of Godliness
1Tim 4 - Some Will Depart From the Faith - A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
1Tim 5 - Instructions For The Church
1Tim 6 - False Teachers and True Contentment - Fight the Good Fight
COMMENTS and QUESTIONS
by J Neil Evans:
Read 1 Timothy yourself then…
Watch the Bible Project video 1 Timothy
As a dad, grandpa and pastor, I fully understand the sincere compulsion to give advice to the people I love. So as I read Paul’s letters to the various people he loved the heartfelt urgency of his letters stands out clearly. Here in 1 Timothy Paul says: “I urged you” (1:3) “our charge” (1:5) “this charge” (1:18) “I urge” (2:1) “I desire” (2:8) “Let” (2:11) “I do not permit” (2:12) “must” (3:1-11) “have nothing to do.. rather” (4:7) “command and teach” (4:11) “let no one … set an example” 4:12 “devote yourself” (4:13) “do not neglect” (4:14) “practice..devote” (4:15) “keep a close watch.. persist” (4:16) “do not .. treat” (5:1) “honor” (5:3) “command” (5:7) “let” (5:9) “refuse” (5:11) “let not” (5:16) “let” (5:17) “do not” (5:19) “rebuke” (5:20) “I charge you” (5:21) “do not be..not take part in..keep yourself” (5:22) “no longer” (5:23) “let all” (6:1) “teach and urge” (6:2) “flee..pursue” (6:11) “fight..take hold” (6:12) “I charge you” (6:13) “keep” (6:14) “charge them” (6:17) “guard..avoid” (6:20).
Of course these are not things Timothy must do in order to gain his salvation but are things that Paul challenged Timothy (and anyone interested in Christian leadership) to do and be in order to accurately and effectively serve Jesus Christ. Paul’s urgings and our challenges fall into two basic categories. Doctrinal faithfulness and Christ-like character are the foundational issues that Christian leaders face in any and every time and place.
Like Paul and Timothy, we live in a world of many different beliefs and ideas. Paul believed and lived the Gospel that he learned from Jesus Christ; and he gave his life to passing it on to faithful people who would live it and faithfully pass it on to others. The more popular Christianity became the more it was counterfeited. Seeking the notoriety of spiritual leadership, people altered the basic Gospel in a variety of ways. Some sought to return to the Old Testament legal system; some added rules and observances of their own; some claimed secret knowledge. The variations have been endless. The one common trait is straying from the message taught by Jesus and His Twelve Apostles. Just as Paul warned the Galatians, he urged Timothy to: “charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.” (1:3,4) Paul reminded Timothy that “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1:5) Paul’s aim was simply and yet amazingly to faithfully make disciples of Jesus. Others, “Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion,
desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” (1:6,7)
My personal challenge is to seek to faithfully believe and teach the Gospel Paul taught. Most people who are “teaching a different gospel”, or “wander away”, actually believe they are being true to the faith. I am not immune to that, and no one is. This is why Paul talked so forcefully about teaching the true Gospel of Jesus.
It is common to doubt that we really have the true and full Gospel of Jesus. Some people suggest that major portions of the Gospel have been lost or altered. In contrast there is abundant evidence of the accuracy and trustworthiness of the Bible text we have today. For anyone sincerely willing to evaluate the evidence, there are many references online. Search a topic like “Bible Accuracy” and there will be an abundance of sources to consider. Having prayerfully and carefully studied the issue of Bible accuracy for most of my life I can enthusiastically say that I am convinced beyond doubt that the Bible we can all hold in our laps and read every day is the accurate and complete record that God has given us so that we might personally know Him now and forever. Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinions, but those opinions must be based on some substantial evidence beyond a simple "I like this Bible version best."
So, we do know the Bible accurately records Gospel that Jesus and His Apostles taught. And it is that Gospel to which we are accountable to remain faithful.
The rest of 1 Timothy focuses on the character of leaders and people who faithfully believe the simple and profound Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is understandable that our human nature would read all the instructions for Christian behaviors and believe that the behaviors are what endears us to God.
Who God is and what He has done for sinners is the fundamental focus of the Gospel. Accurately understanding and accepting this Gospel prompts not only obedience but a longing for “…the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, … he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” (6:14-16) Paul is simply adding to the testimony of the whole Bible that “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” (Ps 145:3)
This is what really motivates Christian leaders like Timothy.
(English Standard Version)
1Tim 1 - Greeting - Warning Against False Teachers - Christ Jesus Came to Save Sinners
1Tim 2 - Pray for All People
1Tim 3 - Qualifications for Overseers - Qualifications for Deacons - The Mystery of Godliness
1Tim 4 - Some Will Depart From the Faith - A Good Servant of Christ Jesus
1Tim 5 - Instructions For The Church
1Tim 6 - False Teachers and True Contentment - Fight the Good Fight
COMMENTS and QUESTIONS
by J Neil Evans:
Read 1 Timothy yourself then…
Watch the Bible Project video 1 Timothy
As a dad, grandpa and pastor, I fully understand the sincere compulsion to give advice to the people I love. So as I read Paul’s letters to the various people he loved the heartfelt urgency of his letters stands out clearly. Here in 1 Timothy Paul says: “I urged you” (1:3) “our charge” (1:5) “this charge” (1:18) “I urge” (2:1) “I desire” (2:8) “Let” (2:11) “I do not permit” (2:12) “must” (3:1-11) “have nothing to do.. rather” (4:7) “command and teach” (4:11) “let no one … set an example” 4:12 “devote yourself” (4:13) “do not neglect” (4:14) “practice..devote” (4:15) “keep a close watch.. persist” (4:16) “do not .. treat” (5:1) “honor” (5:3) “command” (5:7) “let” (5:9) “refuse” (5:11) “let not” (5:16) “let” (5:17) “do not” (5:19) “rebuke” (5:20) “I charge you” (5:21) “do not be..not take part in..keep yourself” (5:22) “no longer” (5:23) “let all” (6:1) “teach and urge” (6:2) “flee..pursue” (6:11) “fight..take hold” (6:12) “I charge you” (6:13) “keep” (6:14) “charge them” (6:17) “guard..avoid” (6:20).
Of course these are not things Timothy must do in order to gain his salvation but are things that Paul challenged Timothy (and anyone interested in Christian leadership) to do and be in order to accurately and effectively serve Jesus Christ. Paul’s urgings and our challenges fall into two basic categories. Doctrinal faithfulness and Christ-like character are the foundational issues that Christian leaders face in any and every time and place.
Like Paul and Timothy, we live in a world of many different beliefs and ideas. Paul believed and lived the Gospel that he learned from Jesus Christ; and he gave his life to passing it on to faithful people who would live it and faithfully pass it on to others. The more popular Christianity became the more it was counterfeited. Seeking the notoriety of spiritual leadership, people altered the basic Gospel in a variety of ways. Some sought to return to the Old Testament legal system; some added rules and observances of their own; some claimed secret knowledge. The variations have been endless. The one common trait is straying from the message taught by Jesus and His Twelve Apostles. Just as Paul warned the Galatians, he urged Timothy to: “charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.” (1:3,4) Paul reminded Timothy that “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1:5) Paul’s aim was simply and yet amazingly to faithfully make disciples of Jesus. Others, “Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion,
desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” (1:6,7)
My personal challenge is to seek to faithfully believe and teach the Gospel Paul taught. Most people who are “teaching a different gospel”, or “wander away”, actually believe they are being true to the faith. I am not immune to that, and no one is. This is why Paul talked so forcefully about teaching the true Gospel of Jesus.
It is common to doubt that we really have the true and full Gospel of Jesus. Some people suggest that major portions of the Gospel have been lost or altered. In contrast there is abundant evidence of the accuracy and trustworthiness of the Bible text we have today. For anyone sincerely willing to evaluate the evidence, there are many references online. Search a topic like “Bible Accuracy” and there will be an abundance of sources to consider. Having prayerfully and carefully studied the issue of Bible accuracy for most of my life I can enthusiastically say that I am convinced beyond doubt that the Bible we can all hold in our laps and read every day is the accurate and complete record that God has given us so that we might personally know Him now and forever. Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinions, but those opinions must be based on some substantial evidence beyond a simple "I like this Bible version best."
So, we do know the Bible accurately records Gospel that Jesus and His Apostles taught. And it is that Gospel to which we are accountable to remain faithful.
The rest of 1 Timothy focuses on the character of leaders and people who faithfully believe the simple and profound Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is understandable that our human nature would read all the instructions for Christian behaviors and believe that the behaviors are what endears us to God.
Who God is and what He has done for sinners is the fundamental focus of the Gospel. Accurately understanding and accepting this Gospel prompts not only obedience but a longing for “…the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, … he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” (6:14-16) Paul is simply adding to the testimony of the whole Bible that “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.” (Ps 145:3)
This is what really motivates Christian leaders like Timothy.
Check out these LINKS:
Watch Bible Project summary of 1Timothy
Read "Bible Words to Ponder" related to this week study
Read "The Gospel"