1st Timothy OR Playing Good Defense

Timothy was Paul's understudy in the Gospel. in these letters Paul tells Timothy how to handle some of the current issues in his church.

1st Tim Chapter 1-- Supposedly, there were false teachers that were preaching that the resurrection of the dead had already happened. This caused many weak believers chaos and uncertainty. Paul aims to set things right by commanding Timothy to nip it in the bud. This included going to the false prophets who were telling crazy stories and telling them to knock it off.

In today's American culture we don't have anything as radical as prophets telling us that the end has already come, but we do have another false allegation: God is a nice god. People want to focus on God as a loving old man with enough sympathy to let our misbehavings slide as long as we don't kill anyone or do drugs. Let's not even mention the fact that God has to be a judge of our conduct and that our conduct has consequences.

The false teachers of Paul's time used to quote the law a lot to back up their beliefs. Paul has a different interpretation: 

8We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9We also know that law[a] is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers.⁰for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine

Point and case, Paul says the law is not a road anyone can travel to get to God's good side, rather it is a babysitter that helps us see that we have no chance.  Paul's testimony is proof of this.

 ¹⁵Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.'

A little lesson in humility, if the most pious and devoted Christian you know says he is the worst sinner ever, you better rethink your own pride.  This is the verse I use to explain to people that no one can go before God without a saviour.  

¹⁶But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

Paul is most known for his major faith in the hyper characteristics of God.  God has unlimited patience.  Its almost to say that God withstood Paul's worst sins and got the better of him in the end.   This answers the question: can I out sin my way out of salvation?  NO! '

¹⁹holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. 

According to my commentary book, a good conscience refers to the collective doctrine of the church regarding Christian beliefs.  The church had a foundation of knowledge in the Lord Jesus and any deviation from it was not Christianity.  The false prophets were deviating from the church's foundation and getting suckers every minute.

I particularly like the idea that we have a foundation of beliefs and that we are not just making it up as we go along.  I feel that anyone with confidence and good skills could say anything about the Bible and people would listen.  This foundation that we have through the gospels is a test to see what is real and what is fake.

Chapter 2

 ¹I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ²for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

I like this verse because it is very passive and calm.  I often overlook prayer and quietness in my Christianity because it seems that the loud and bold Christians are the ones that get things done.  This is in favor of a quiet life (one that is not drawing attention to yourself) and one that supports everything in prayer.  Paul also sets the example of how we should treat government.  We should be in continual prayer that the people in government have God's will--not bad mouthing them all the time.

Chapter 2 gives a list of attitudes a church member should take:

Prays for society

Peaceful and quiet

Godly and holy

No anger disputes

proper attire for ladies

non-rich attitude

no inexperienced women taking charge

¹¹A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. ¹²I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.

If I ever tried to preach these words in my liberal arts college of Houghton, I would be shot down by a female from the women's dorm.  These words above are what keep some people from accepting Christianity because they think God is sexist.

Let me explain what I have learned.  Imagine you are part of a radical movement that preaches that everyone is free in Christ.  As this movement spreads throughout the towns and villages the followers start reacting radically.  Men start to quit their jobs, children start to disown their family, slaves start hating their masters and women start divorcing their husbands.  What is worse, everyone and their mother wants to start preaching the good news.  The problem, we have all this radical zeal and no knowledge.  Such was the case with women in these times.  They were targeted by the false prophets and easily suckered into their words.  Furthermore, they were taking the freedom of Christ too radically and making many unwise mistakes.  Paul revoked this church's rights to have women in teaching positions because none of them were qualified and women's education was a joke at this time.  Presently, we have two schools of thought on this verse.  One school of thought says that Paul wants all churches of all time to not have female leaders.  Another school of thought says he only meant this particular church at this particular time.  From my personal perspective, if I learn something godly from a female teacher, I cherish it and thank God.

Other notable verses: ⁴who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

Chapter 3

God's expectations for his church officials include:

Non-adulterous

blameless

temperate

gentle

good family skills

experienced in the faith

friendly to outsiders

non corruptible

patient

non-confusable

Verse 7 dispels any rumors that Christians are supposed to live in a separate bubble from the world.  We are called to have a good reputation with outsiders.  That means getting into the world around us.

Both chapter 2 and 3 talk about the conduct of Christians.  Paul continually calls us to be holy and blameless.  Sounds like a huge demand for such a grace filled faith.  But we are expected to treat this world as if it could be a better place and it starts with how we act.

Chapter 4

³They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.

The false prophets were notorious for telling Christians what they can't do or what they can't eat.  They lived by a rigid law.  Paul got uber angry whenever someone tried to do this because his belief was that these things were gifts from God for us to enjoy. 

¹²Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

According to my commentary Timothy was 30 when this was written for him.  You're never too young or too old to be an example.

Chapter 6 

(Chapter 5 is all about taking care of widows which is important, but I need to stick to my main points.)

⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain.

My biggest problem is trying to convince myself that I own enough stuff.  So far I am batting a zero.  I work for a resident who constantly moves his bedroom furniture around because he is bored.  I kind of feel that our constant pursuit of getting stuff is like that.

Paul urges the church to not be like the false prophets who were preaching for money, but to rely on the inner virtues of contentment and godliness.  

⁹People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

Riches can be evil if they are the goal of your life.  Anything can be evil if it becomes your goal and God loses his goal in you.  Instead, God wants our hope in him for everything.

17 {hope} in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Finally the chapter ends with Paul encouraging Timothy to guard his church from the false prophets.

 ²⁰Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,