Bible Study - What Matters Most - The Truth of the Gospel - 1 Timothy 1:1-20 - February 3, 2013

Bible Study – What Matters Most – The Truth of the Gospel – February 3, 2013

This is lesson one (1) in our series entitled “What Matters Most.”

Our scripture for this lesson is 1Timothy 1:1-20.

First and second Timothy were pastoral letters or Pastoral Epistles written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy. These letters were written to deal with matters affecting pastors and congregations.

Timothy was the son of a Gentile father. His mother, Eunice, was a Jewish-Christian. It is believed that Paul led Timothy to CHRIST and considered him his son in CHRIST. Much of the relationship and missionary activity between Paul and Timothy is recorded in the Book of Acts. Timothy went on Paul’s second missionary journey. He was with Paul during Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome. After Paul was released from prison, he went with Paul to Ephesus. Ephesus is located in the country we know today as Turkey.

While they were in Ephesus they discovered that the church was being influenced by false teachers. Paul received a vision from GOD to travel to Macedonia and left Timothy in Ephesus to deal with these false teachers. Paul wrote this first letter to Timothy from Macedonia to encourage Timothy as he dealt with these false teachers in an attempt to get them to focus on the true gospel.

Let’s explore as Paul reminded Timothy of some foundational matters he needed to recall. Timothy was discouraged and needed his mentor, Paul but it was time that Timothy relied upon GOD to help him get through these troubling times.

This is true today. As pastors or teachers, it can be discouraging when truth is presented and others either twist it or reject it. Yet, their position may be hard to refute but you know they are wrong. When we have allowed false teaching to enter into our lives, we have to come back to the basic fundamentals of our faith in the LORD JESUS. Paul was encouraging Timothy to stick to the fundamentals of the Gospel.

Let’s read 1Timothy 1:1-2:

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope: 2 To Timothy, my true son in the faith. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is Paul’s introduction to his letter to Timothy. It was a letter commissioned by GOD, Who is our Savior and CHRIST, Who is our hope. Paul referred to Timothy as his true son in the faith. He gave him a blessing by stating the foundation of truth – Grace, mercy and peace that can only come from GOD, the Father and CHRIST our Lord. Grace is GOD’S unmerited favor that cannot be earned. It is a free gift that can only come through faith in CHRIST. Grace is the result of GOD’S mercy when we accept CHRIST as our Savior. Mercy replaces GOD’S wrath toward sin. When the consequence of sin, which is death, has been removed from a person’s life by his/her faith in CHRIST through HIS shed blood, the peace of reconciliation is the result. 

Timothy was facing false doctrine and the misuse of the law.

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 instruct certain people not to teach different doctrine 4 or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith.

The Apostle Paul’s letter to Timothy was written from Macedonia. There were a number of churches in Macedonia – Philippi, Thessalonica and Brea. Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage him to stand firm because he knew the truth of the gospel of CHRIST. The Christians in Ephesus needed to hear the truth and the false teachers needed instruction in truth.

Paul knew it would not be easy for Timothy but it was critical both for Timothy and fellow Christians. Paul charged Timothy with the responsibility to instruct those who were teaching, not to teach a different doctrine or focus on myths or endless genealogies. These so called teachers did not know what they were talking about as it related to the true gospel of CHRIST. Timothy may have felt intimidated and wanted leave Ephesus and come to Macedonia.   

Paul encouraged Timothy not to waiver because they both knew certain people who were caught up in this different doctrine and were chasing myths (fables) and endless genealogies. Chasing such nonsensical subjects was misleading, false, confusing and was a diversion to prevent the true gospel from being taught. The true gospel would lead a person to salvation and Spiritual growth, whereas these false teachings were empty and void of Spiritual value leading to salvation. The only way to deal with these false teachings was to teach the truth of the gospel of CHRIST and trust the Holy Spirit to reveal truth.

This introduction revealed Paul’s complete confidence in Timothy. Timothy was solid in his faith in CHRIST and he needed to stay the course. Doing so would serve those who were misled and would make him even stronger in the faith.

Verse 5 focuses on what was important. Timothy had faced many tough situations with Paul. Paul was reminding him of the Christian fundamentals he needed to recall and focus upon both for himself, in his teaching and instruction of these false teachers.

 5 Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes 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.

Paul, in essence, was telling Timothy, “Those certain people (Paul mentioned in verse 3), we both know who want to be teachers are not qualified. They do not understand how the scriptures reveal CHRIST. They just babble to hear themselves talk and sound intelligent. But Timothy, you and I know the truth and we know the purpose and intent of the law versus faith. Our goal is to focus on love, which comes from a changed heart that has been made pure by the shed blood of CHRIST. Love emanates from the core of our being as the result of the working of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works internally on the hidden things within to produce a good conscience and a sincere faith. True faith results in action. When truth is taught, it brings about the right result which is true self-giving love that only comes from GOD working within. So Timothy, keep a careful eye on your attitude as you instruct these false teachers. Some of our brothers and sisters in CHRIST have deviated from these fundamentals to embrace fruitless discussion.”

8 But 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, which was entrusted to me.

Paul made it clear that the law was good and had its place. Those who taught the law must put it into proper perspective and how it is not a substitute for faith in CHRIST. No one can obey the law to the extent he/she can achieve righteousness. Righteousness can only come through CHRIST and HIS shed, cleansing, redeeming blood. Those who had received CHRIST as their Savior were no longer under the law but under grace and mercy. So the law was not meant for the righteous. Those who have received CHRIST as their Savior have been washed clean of all sin and have been made righteous because of CHRIST’S shed blood. Remember 2 Corinthians 5:21:

21 He (GOD) made the One (JESUS) who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we (Those who have faith in HIM) might become the righteousness of God in Him.

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. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy 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 for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. •Amen.

A personal testimony of faith in CHRIST is the most powerful evidence of GOD’S power and presence in a person’s life. The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy of his, Paul’s, past life before CHRIST. In his life, before CHRIST, he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. Paul was a Pharisee and prided himself in doing the will of GOD by neutralizing and destroying the followers of JESUS. On the road to Damascus, Paul encountered JESUS and his life was changed from a hater and persecutor of the followers of JESUS to a follower of JESUS. Only GOD, through CHRIST, can make such a change in a person’s life. Timothy knew very well Paul’s life since he received CHRIST as his Savior. Truth is revealed through our lives as we obediently serve CHRIST.

As we see in verses 13b-15, Paul was persecuting Christians out of ignorance of unbelief. When he encountered CHRIST his Spiritual eyes were opened to truth. He understood Who he had encountered and accepted HIM by faith and his life was changed in an instant. Did he understand all that being a Christian embraced? No! But he stated that “the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.” That precious moment of decision is overwhelming to many. Not everyone has that experience but they are just as born-again as those who have such an experience.

Paul stated in verse 15, “15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners””. What Paul was stating was “trustworthy.” Trustworthy means you can count on it and fully embrace CHRIST as your Savior because of the internal witness of the Holy Spirit that confirms the overflowing presence of CHRIST in your life.  

In essence, he was telling Timothy not to get tangled up in trying to debunk the nonsense that these certain people were promoting because it wasted time and led to nothing of eternal importance. The most important matter was for him to stay focused upon salvation through CHRIST and to do it in love. Salvation is real and eternal. Salvation is confirmed within each Christian by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Just as CHRIST had patiently nurtured Paul, HE will nurture all who truly accept HIM as their Savior and reveal truth.

Paul considered himself the worst of all sinners and if CHRIST saved him, HE can save anyone who comes to HIM seeking salvation. This included those who were teaching false doctrine.

Paul ended by acknowledging CHRIST as the true King over all things – in heaven, earth and the universe. CHRIST is eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God worthy of honor and glory forever and ever. He told Timothy this was the truth that he needed to focus upon, depend upon and to teach.

Let’s read 1Timothy 18-20:

Engage in Battle

18 Timothy, my son, 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 referred to Timothy as his son. They had a unique relationship. They had journey together. They knew each other. This is the relationship that CHRIST desires to have with each Christian. It is through the good times and the battles of life where we build trust and get to know GOD through our relationship with CHRIST. As we build our relationship with CHRIST, we will experience HIS care and ability to see us through both the best and worst of times. This builds trust and dispels the false notions and doctrines we have in our lives.

We have to speculate what the prophecies (V.18) were that both Paul and Timothy knew that were given about Timothy. Some Bible scholars speculate when hands were laid upon Timothy to commission him for service, GOD had revealed prophesy regarding Timothy. Paul reminded Timothy of the care and guidance GOD would give him as he obediently served HIM. Paul was convinced that Timothy was in the right place and the right time to obediently serve GOD. It would be good for both Timothy and those to whom he was ministering.

In ministry, often those serving under difficult circumstances need to be reassured that they are exactly where GOD desires for them to be. It may be very difficult but GOD will be their strength during these times.

Paul reminded Timothy that he would encounter (battle) Satan and he had to focus on truth. Faith and a good conscience are important when we battle Satan. Paul in Ephesians 6 emphasized that Christians must gird themselves with the belt of truth when they encounter Satan. We must confess all of our sins to the Lord and ask HIM to forgive us.

When a believer rejects faith and neutralizes his/her conscience, he/she will suffer. Paul compared it to being shipped wrecked and Paul knew what it was like being shipwrecked. It his day, there was no Coast Guard coming to your rescue.

Paul stated that, “Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them.” These two (2) men had lost their way and the only way for them to be restored to the faith was to let them encounter Satan.

Do you recall our study of Habakkuk? GOD told the prophet Habakkuk that HE was allowing Judah to be captured and carried into exile. HE did this for their good. GOD’S desire was for them to come back to HIM. 

Often, brothers and sisters in CHRIST must experience life away from the fellowship of GOD in order to be restored. This does not mean, if they are true Christians, that they are lost eternally. A true Christian cannot lose his/her salvation but he/she can lose his/her rewards. Let’s read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15:

10 Because of God’s grace to me (Paul), I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw.13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value.14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward.15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

As Christians, we are all building, using many different building materials, upon the foundation of CHRIST. The question is, “Are we building obediently with the materials that GOD provides which will withstand the test by fire – Gold, Silver and Precious Stones or building with the materials we want to use – wood, hay or straw – which will burn up?” Do we embrace truth or try to redefine truth according to our wants and desires?

Does GOD need to allow us to be turned over to Satan to get us to focus back upon HIM? Blessings!