Take Hold of Truth - 1 Timothy 1:1-20 - October 1, 2006

Sunday School Lesson – Take Hold Of Truth – October 1, 2006

This begins a new series of study “Equipped for Real Life.”

We will have five (5) lessons:

October 1 – Take hold of truth. – Being altered to false teaching and taking action. – 1 Timothy (1 Timothy 1:1-20)

October 8 – When we are well founded in truth, we take hold of Godliness and grow spiritually. (1Timothy 3:14 – 4:16)

October 15 – As we take hold of Godliness, it exposes the value we place on materialism. GOD desire is that we take hold of contentment. (1Timothy 6:3-19)

October 22 – As we become more secure in our faith, we become more committed to being obedient and useful to GOD as HE directs our lives. (2 Timothy 2:14-26)

October 29 – As we become more useful through obedience, GOD equips us to endure difficult times when we have the right relationship with HIM. (2 Timothy 3:1 – 4:8)

This is a fitting series to follow our journey into the Promised Land.

False teachers can have a devastating impact on Christians and particularly those not well founded in their faith. There are times a teacher may not realize he or she is teaching false doctrine. The problem is once the teacher gets on solid ground, the ones they have taught have a distorted belief system. False teaching is a very serious problem.

The HOLY SPIRIT will warn us when we are exposed to false or distorted teaching. When uneasy or questionable alarms go off in our being, which is the HOLY SPIRIT warnings us, we must respond immediately by seeking the truth. A wolf in sheep’s clothing can be devastating among the flock of sheep.

Our background and focus scripture is 1Timothy 1:1-20.
Let’s read 1Timothy 1:1-2:
Greeting
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus according to the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus, our hope: 2 To Timothy, my true child in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the[1] Other mss read our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Apostle Paul has written a letter to Timothy, who is the pastor of the church in Ephesus. Paul considers Timothy his spiritual son. Paul has been Timothy’s mentor over the years. Pastor Timothy has encountered some teachers in his church who have twisted or distorted the truth of what is required to be a Christian, faith.

Pastor Timothy did not have the Christian doctrines to reference that we have today. But he had Paul and the HOLY SPIRIT who were writing these doctrines.

Let’s read 1Timothy 1:3-7:
False Doctrine and Misuse of the Law
3 As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach other doctrine 4 or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith. 5 Now the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. 6 Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on.

Ephesus was a mixed pot of many different religions and concepts about gods, myths, GOD and bragging about their genealogy. Timothy was encountering certain people in the church, who were teaching under the guise of being Christians but teaching Christian doctrine blended with myths and speculations. These teachers had added other things to what it takes for a person to become a Christian rather than faith in CHRIST.

In verses 4 and 5, Paul makes it clear that GOD’S plan for forgiveness of sin and death is faith in CHRIST and what HE has done for mankind through HIS obedience of dying for our sins, HIS resurrection and HIS ascension. The pure gospel must be taught and not some variation of the gospel.

This simple gospel produces the fruit of the Spirit, which manifests itself in love, coming from a pure heart (A heart completely committed to GOD through CHRIST), good conscience (Nothing hidden) and a sincere faith (No hypocrisy but complete trust and confidence in GOD). GOD’S plan is for each individual to respond in faith to HIS plan and not to some contrived plan of man.

These false teachers had a following and Timothy was very discouraged because he knew they were not teaching the truth. Paul urged Timothy to stay in Ephesus and told him to command those teaching such false doctrine to stop. Paul knew that Timothy knew the truth and he was the one to stop the false teachers. He in turn should teach the truth to the false teachers.

I know I have been in discussion groups who have discussed many Christian doctrines or probed the mysteries of the scriptures. We can discuss and pontificate until we can reach all sorts of conclusions. However, unless our conclusions are based upon the authority of GOD and HIS WORD, it is all useless and can lead to distortions of the truth.

When we embrace half truths or distortions and we test them, they fail. Our immediate response is to blame GOD. This is another reason we must have a loving intimate relationship with our LORD and build our own trust and confidence with HIM, as opposed to embracing the experiences of others to build our trust and confidence in HIM.

We have to be very careful of drinking from any spiritual spring because some sources may be contaminated. We must seek the pure water from the living spring of water and that is CHRIST Himself who dwells within each Christian. The HOLY SPIRIT within each Christian will set off alarms that there is something wrong or questionable with something being taught. The HOLY SPIRIT will also confirm the truth and reveal truth in the eyes of our hearts.

Pay attention to the promptings by the HOLY SPIRIT and seek the truth and the confirmation of the truth through prayer and studying the scriptures. This certainly includes any teaching coming from me. If you hear or sense something that sets of alarms, tell me immediately.

Let’s read 1Timothy 1:8-11:

8 Now we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately. 9 We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching 11 based on the glorious gospel of the blessed God that was entrusted to me.

The false teachers were trying to be scholars and mix the law with Christianity. They could have been Judaizers, who wanted to blend Judaism and Christianity; works with grace. But Paul mentions that they were also teaching myths and genealogies.

Paul and Timothy both knew that every Christian was no longer under the law but living under grace. Yes, there is a place for the law, to show those who are breaking the law, their need to be redeemed from the consequences of the law, which is death. The law has its place for those still under the law. It is also for Christians to show us when we are compromising our walk with the LORD, when our thought life is not what it should be.

Let’s read 1Timothy 1:12-17:
Paul’s Testimony
12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry— 13 one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. Since it was out of ignorance that I had acted in unbelief, I received mercy, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy[2] 1 Tm 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tm 2:11; Ti 3:8 and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy because of this, so that in me, the worst [of them]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. , Christ Jesus might demonstrate the utmost patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only[3] Other mss add wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. • Amen.

Paul reminds Timothy that he (Paul) once knew the law better than anyone. He was a dedicated Pharisee. He thought he was serving and doing the will of GOD. He was “Arrogant.” This is an interesting statement. We think of arrogance as being stuck up but in this context it means that Paul liked to see the Christians, he arrested, suffer. He wanted them to experience pain.

Paul is feeling the heaviness of his past life and quickly goes to the marvelous gift of mercy and grace, he received from CHRIST. He gives Timothy a brief message to remind him of the grace of GOD through CHRIST. I think in essence, Paul is saying look at my past life, I had a distorted understanding of the law and the role of Christianity, so do not give up on these false teachers. Timothy you know the truth and it is up to you to teach them the truth. It is CHRIST who will reveal Himself to them and reveal the error of their teaching. CHRIST revealed Himself to me (Paul) and HE can reveal Himself to others. Your responsibility is to stop them from teaching false doctrine, point out to them their false teaching and to teach them the truth.

Let’s read 1Timothy 1:18-20:
Engage in Battle
18 Timothy, my child, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle, 19 having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have suffered the shipwreck of their faith. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them, and I have delivered them to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

Paul is reminding Pastor Timothy that he is in a spiritual battle and he must remember that CHRIST has anointed him with HIS message. The HOLY SPIRIT had confirmed to Timothy that he was anointed with the message of truth. How this had been confirmed to Timothy, we are not sure but Paul saw evidence of this confirmation and so did Timothy.

The words Paul uses “strongly engage” carry a sense of urgency. Paul is telling Timothy, “You have an urgent obligation to deal with this very serious problem.” False teaching is a very serious problem and must be dealt with quickly.

Often when we are engaged in battle and may be discouraged, we have to be reminded of a moment in our lives that rekindles our calling to serve our LORD. Most of us do not like confrontation. We way try to rationalize, that what is being said or done is not that bad.
When Paul uses the words “having faith and a good conscience”, he is referring to the gospel. The very foundation of the Christian doctrine is at stake but Timothy, you know the truth and can teach that truth without any question. So do not hesitate!

Paul is telling Timothy just look around you. Hymenaeus (High meh NEE uhs) and Alexander are two (2) who have suffered shipwreck of their faith. They are drifting without direction and smashing into the rocks. As a result they have been removed from the protection of the LORD and will suffer the consequences of their actions. They are being controlled by Satan, who is a deceiver. Hopefully, they will see their error and return to the truth and fellowship with CHRIST. Paul is saying he has hope that they will see the error of their teaching, repent and be restored to the Christian fellowship.

In our previous lessons, there were stones of remembrance to recall certain encounters or events to mark encounters with GOD. The HOLY SPIRIT will recall certain moments in our lives or prompt a friend to remind us of a special moment of remembrance. Any of us can be discouraged and need to be reminded of our calling to serve our LORD.

My wife is going through the Beth Moore study on Daniel. She shared with me this week that GOD could have kept Daniel out of the lions den but HE allowed Daniel to be placed in the lions den, not only for Daniel to witness the power of GOD but, also, as a witness to the king and others throughout the land.

Pastor Timothy had a serious problem in his church. His tendency was to leave but Paul said you have the truth and you are the one who has to correct it. False teachers must be confronted immediately because they can mislead many people. If alarms go off in your being about a teacher or preacher, do not ignore it. Your spiritual development and the development of others are too important to ignore.