What is a Bishop? [1 TImothy Pt. 11]

What is a Bishop?

Our study of 1 Timothy takes a turn as we enter into chapter 3. Moving from exhortations and corrections to basic instruction, Paul gives Timothy the distinctions and qualifications for those who lead the church. There is a lot of confusion in the Church about some of these basic truths. Even talking to some pastors, I hear them say things like, “It doesn’t really matter what you call it or who does it as long as it gets done.” I don’t think that the Apostle would give such specific instruction on these things if that was the case.

What is a Bishop? – AUDIO

Paul is very specific in what he is telling Timothy because he is basing it on who Christ is and what He has accomplished. After giving the two main offices in the church, Bishop and Deacon, he makes one of the most profound statements in the New Testament.

1 Timothy 3:14-16  These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;  15  but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.  16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

The basis of all that is in this letter is right here. It is proper conduct in the House of God which is the Church (Vs. 15) and it is based on the fact that God Himself took on human flesh and His testimony is given to angels and men wherever the Gospel is preached. (Vs. 16) The foundation of all of our conduct is a matter as serious as the Gospel itself! It is the way in which the God who saves us has instructed us to conduct ourselves.

The question then arises, What is a Bishop? The word used here in the New King James Version as well as the Old King James, is an unfortunate translation. The word Bishop brings to mind a high order church like the Roman Catholic or Episcopal church for most. It is really a word that means “overseer.” It is a term that is interchangeable with pastor and also elder.  That is right, an elder is a pastor is an overseer. Three words in the Greek, Presbutero (elder), Episcopeo (overseer) and Poimen (shepherd or pastor)   All three words are used interchangeably in Acts 20 and 1 Peter 5 and Elder and Overseer are used in the same way in Titus 1.

Acts 20:17  From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.   28  Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

1 Peter 5:1-2  The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:  2  Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

Titus 1:5-7  For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you– 6  if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.  7  For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money….

All of these refer to the pastors of local churches. But notice that the word “Elders” always plural. Every church should have a plurality of elders. These Elders should be honored by and supported by the Church. Not that they all need to be on the payroll, but they should be cared for. 1 Timothy 5:17-18  says it this way, “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.  18  For the Scripture says, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE AN OX WHILE IT TREADS OUT THE GRAIN,” and, “THE LABORER IS WORTHY OF HIS WAGES.’”

We see also from this text, that there are Elders who rule and those who teach. According to Alexander Strauch, a modern authority on church polity, the Elder-Pastors  have three major roles, To govern the church, to protect the church and to teach the church.

The point I raised at the beginning is demonstrated here. The work is given to men whom the Lord calls and gifts for a specific task. Those men know their task and are responsible to carry it out. If we fail to define the office and its qualifications and duties, we will most likely fall short in accomplishing it goals. I challenge you to consider this and see how well your church submits to God’s order.

For more on this subject, listen to the audio of the lesson What is a Bishop? and also, look for the next couple of posts as we continue to examine 1 Timothy 3 on subsequent Wednesday Evenings.

In Christ!

Kevin

Saved in Childbearing? [1 Timothy Pt. 10]

Saved in Childbearing?

Last week we began to look at what the Bible says about women in their roles in the Church.  We acknowledged that the strife between men and women and the need to be instructed in this area is actually a great evidence that what the Bible says is true. The curse that was the result of the Fall declared that it would be so. Remember that the Lord said to the woman in Genesis 3:16,  “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” We dealt with the submission part of this last time. See the post Women Professing Godliness.  This time we will look for a moment at the “In pain you shall bring forth children” part.  You can hear audio of the lesson by clicking on the link below

Saved in Childbearing? – AUDIO

As the Apostle instructs Timothy on the limits of the role of women in the church, he makes a rather strange comment at the end of the chapter. He says;

1 Timothy 2:11-15  Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.  12  And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.  13  For Adam was formed first, then Eve.  14  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.  15  Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

This needs to be seen in context and in connection with the passage in Genesis 3 to make sense. There are two negative concepts here, concepts that are vehemently argued against by many; Submission / Authority and Saved in Childbearing.  Both of these were addressed in God’s curse to the woman at the Fall. If we appeal to the Fall narrative to understand the idea of submission, then we must also look there for the interpretation of verse 15. One important note: This does not say, “Saved BY childbearing.” Do not try to interpret this in such a was as to change the Gospel! It says “saved in childbearing” the Greek would allow the translation “saved through childbearing.” You say, “This does not help. Let’s take a look at what Peter says about Noah and the Flood and see how he applies the idea.

1 Peter 3:18-20  18  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,  19  by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,  20  who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

Was Noah saved by Water? That is the wording in the King James Version. He was not saved “by” it, but “through” it. He was “in” it. The water was the visible sign of God’s curse on sinful man. Likewise, in exactly the same way, pain in child birth is a visible sign of the curse of the Fall. I believe that the idea here is that we need to accept God’s judgment and authority on the matter. As we accept the consequence of the Fall and God’s dealings with us, we are forced to look to Him in faith for the remedy, just as Noah obeyed when he built the ark. Therefore, Paul says, “Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.” The curse is overcome by faith and a life that shows its fruit.

This said, though it may not be popular, we need to submit to God’s order in all of this. In order to do so, it is not just women who need to submit, but men also. We need to submit to the commands of the Lord as given in Ephesians 5:21-33 and go out of our way to love and cherish the women that the Lord has given us. This is important stuff! It is so important because it is designed to show the world how much Christ loves His Church! Moses missed the Promised Land because he failed to speak to the Rock and ruined God’s illustration of His love and mercy in (Numbers 20:7-12)

Having said all of this, we looked at one more thing in our study. Often times when we try to teach that women are not to be in authority over men in the Church, the opposition comes, “What about Deborah?” We took a pretty good look at Judges 9 in order to see her in her proper context. If you still have doubts about this and believe that she is a key to nullifying what has been said, please listen to the audio from the lesson!

Saved in Childbearing? – AUDIO

In Christ!
Kevin

Women Professing Godliness [1 TImothy Pt. 9]

Women Professing Godliness

One of the most difficult passages in the New Testament is 1 Timothy 2:9-15. This is in large part because of the political pressures of our day, but there are also some interesting ideas here, like women being saved in childbearing. What in the world does that mean?

As we have studied this letter of Paul to the young pastor, Timothy, we have seen that there is a primary theme to the letter that makes it all fit together,               1 Timothy 3:15  “but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” But there is also a progressing idea that Paul presents in order to help Timothy and the church to stay on the right track.  1 Timothy 1:18-19  “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,  19  having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,”

Therefore our conduct in the house of God is based largely on our continuing in faith with a good conscience. The substance of that, as we have discussed previously is trusting the Lord and submitting to His authority in all areas.  (See previous posts)  One area of struggle when Paul wrote this letter must have been in the area of women in the fellowship and their struggle with submission to God’s order.

1 Timothy 2:9-15  in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,  10  but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.  11  Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.  12  And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.  13  For Adam was formed first, then Eve.  14  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.  15  Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

I recognize that to most people who read this post, that these words probably sound harsh and demeaning, yet, it is the inspired Word of God that we are dealing with here. Many try to contextualize this passage and give it a limited, cultural application and declare that it was good then, but, we are not the 1st Century church at Ephesus. Others try to use it to say that there are obvious errors in the Bible. If this is your view, you have bigger problems than the role of women in the Church. The Apostle goes right back to the Fall in order to lay the groundwork for what he teaches here. The Fall is a foundational doctrine that we cannot miss or diminish in any way or we will come to the wrong conclusion every time, having begun in the wrong place. Puritan, John Owen, says this of the importance of getting this right;

“The entire structure of saving, evangelical theology is built on the fact of a completely wretched state of all mankind by nature, and that theology cannot be understood or practiced without a clear sense of that natural wretchedness. Why so? Well, what will follow without it? The healthy feel no need of a doctor, do they? The righteous no need of repentance, the pure no need of sanctification, the living no need of a quickening Spirit, the innocent no need to make redress. Good sight has no need of eye-salve, those with resourced of their own to render due obedience feel no need of the intervention of a gracious God to change their hearts by an efficacious power, God’s good friends stand in no need of reconciliation, the blessed are hardly in any need of deliverance!”

God has a created order and a structure that He has placed on all things, including the Church. That created order is the very source of the Apostle’s direction to Timothy. If we reject that, we reject the God who gave it and we prove that He is right when He tells us through Moses and through Paul that the source of sin is rebellion against the order that He has placed on the world. When Adam and Eve had sinned for the first time, God cursed the Serpent (Satan), the woman and the man. When he cursed the woman, He said;

Genesis 3:16  To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”

The fact that women struggle with the idea of submission (and men with the idea of good leadership) is because it is the result of sin and its curse. This is an ample demonstration of what Paul is trying to get across.  However, this by no means degrades women! No more than Christ is degraded in His submission to the Father in the plan of Redemption. He is equal to the Father (Phi 2:6-7, Col 1:19), but the structure of the plan requires submission in order that that very plan might be accomplished. Thus, women are no more useless in the church or the culture than Christ is in our redemption!

I encourage you to listen to our discussion of this text and hear more. This is a pretty deep subject and we will be picking it up again next week, Lord willing. You can listen to the audio by clicking on the link below.

Women Professing Godliness – AUDIO

In Christ!
Kevin

One God, One Mediator [1 Timothy Pt. 8]

One God, One Mediator

Holding the Faith with a good conscience. This was the basic charge that the Apostle Paul gave to young Timothy. If we are to continue in our faith we need to know who we are and who God is. This sounds really basic, but it needs to be in our very being to understand the basic nature of our relationship to Him. It is a relationship of grace, but also one of authority and submission. Those who reject the later half of this relationship are in danger of exposing the fact that they really do not know Christ at all.

Paul warns Timothy about some who sacrificed their good conscience and lost their faith, that is, they did not submit themselves to God’s authority and ended up making shipwreck of their faith.

1 Timothy 1:18-20  This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,  19  having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,  20  of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Last time, we saw how this command relates to prayer and godly living in our unsaved and potentially hostile society. As we submit to God and His authority, we trust Him in the area of our political leaders, we pray for all men, including those leaders, and we live in godliness and we live honorably. This is important to God because it is His way of reaching the world with the Gospel.

1 Timothy 2:1-4  Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,  2  for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  4  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

God has chosen to make the Gospel known to men through other men. And the Gospel must have an effect on all who claim its promise of forgiveness. One necessary, defining characteristic of the Believer is trusting obedience, submitting ourselves to God’s plan. And today we see why that is so important.

1 Timothy 2:5-7  For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,  6  who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,  7  for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle–I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying–a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

That reason is, that there are no other alternatives. There is only One God and there is only One Way to that God, through Jesus Christ. The prescribed method of men coming to Christ is for other men to pray, live godly, honorable lives and testify of the Savior, faithfully and truly. God intends that the Gospel go out to every nation, tribe and tongue and we who know Him are the vehicle by which He has chosen to send it. If you know Christ as Savior, then the Gospel came to you through a person. Would you judge others as unworthy of what you have received as an undeserved gift? Your lifestyle will tell. Are you a person who is a person of prayer, for all men, for kings and for all who are in authority? Are you godly and honorable in your living among the unsaved? Are you testifying of the Gospel where the Lord has put you? To reject this basic description of the lives of those who “hold faith and a good conscience” is to put yourself in the place of being exposed as a false convert, of “suffering shipwreck concerning the faith.”

2 Corinthians 5:14-15  For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;  15  and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

Audio of the lesson is available by clicking on the link below

One God, One Mediator – AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

People of Prayer and Propriety [1 Timothy Pt. 7]

People of Prayer and Propriety

What does the Christian life look like as it is lived out in a world filled with unbelief and even antagonism against its core teachings and principles? As the Apostle Paul instructs young Timothy on proper conduct in the household of God (1 Timothy 3:15), he begins with warning him to put a stop to false teachers and to hold fast to the Gospel and to promote its proper end, “love from a pure heart, a good conscience and sincere faith.” (1 Timothy 1:5)

He warns that those who lose sight of this are destined to prove that their faith is not saving faith and that they are in the Church to promote their own goals rather than to promote God’s. After giving this warning at the end of the first chapter, Paul goes on to give some positive instruction as to what those who have truly believed the Gospel will do.

1 Timothy 1:18-2:2  This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,  19  having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,  20  of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. 2:1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,  2  for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

If we have truly understood and believed the Gospel, God has taken away all of our guilt as He took away our sin through Christ on the Cross. We are now, in light of the Gospel, to be committed to the relationship that He has reestablished with us. We cannot look our Sovereign in the face and refuse to submit to His loving care for us nor to our service to Him. The one who does, as the Apostle tells Timothy, is the one who will make shipwreck of his faith. If we should be the ones who do not shipwreck our faith, Paul instructs us, “Therefore I exhort first of all…” That is, in light of the above danger of false faith, the first thing to consider as we examine ourselves is…  “that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,   for kings and all who are in authority,”  Are people of prayer?

In looking at the grouping of terms that Paul gives us we see two things, FIRST: SUPPLICATION means that we acknowledge our insufficiency and God’s provision, i.e. that we are needy people. PRAYER indicates that we are devoted to God. INTERCESSIONS, that we are aware of the needs of those around us and seek their good as we bring them before God’s Sovereign Majesty. And finally, GIVING OF THANKS, that we glorify God as He answers and provides for us and those for whom we pray.  This attitude of dependence, devotion, concern for others and gratitude marks the true believer. SECOND: that the grouping is a way of emphasizing that we are to be active in all aspects of prayer and not just those specifically mentioned.

Not only are we to pray for the average Joe, but also for our political leaders. I believe that the singling out of this class of people is for emphasis. It is designed to provoke us to pray even for those who are our enemies, as were the political leaders of the Roman Empire in the time of the Apostles. Therefore, there is not class, race or religious persuasion of men that we, as Christians, are not to pray for; to pray for their salvation. In addition to this, Paul says that as we pray and the leaders do their job, it provides us with an environment that is suitable for us to live in.  He says, “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. “  Here, we are now instructed that in addition to being people of prayer, we are also to be people of propriety. We are to live godly and reverent lives. The word translated here in the New King James as “reverent” and in the Old King James as “honest,”  carries the idea of honorable.  We are to conduct our business in the world as such and it is not a negotiable in the Christian Faith.

The reason is that it is God’s will and a part of His plan to spread the Gospel to the community that He has placed us in.

1 Timothy 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  4  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Our lives are a part of what God intends to be a witness to the world. As our prayers are important, so it the way we live our lives.  If we refuse to live our lives in dependence and gratitude, with no regard for the needs of others or the dissemination of the Gospel, can we really say that we have taken God at His Word? Can we really say that we are people of true faith? If we take our own agenda and mask the Gospel from the people whom God has given us to share it with, what will we say on the day of judgment?

Matthew 7:16-23  You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  17  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  18  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  19  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  20  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.  21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  22  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  23  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

I encourage you to listen to the audio of this lesson and to consider the reality of your profession. Are you demonstrating the fruit of faith, or are you presuming upon God’s mercy as you life for yourself?

People of Prayer and Propriety - AUDIO

In Christ!
Kevin

Avoiding Shipwreck [1 Timothy Pt. 6]

Avoiding Shipwreck

Ministry is tough! How tough? Paul described it to Timothy as “waging the good warfare.” That’s right, the ministry is a difficult task. The fact that this was prophesied to Timothy was a reason to be encouraged to that task. Many people enter the ministry for notoriety or a sense of importance and yet those who are given the task of overseeing the Flock of God need to be sure who appointed them and take strength from the fact that He knows about the difficulties associated with the job.

Having opened this letter with the declaration that Timothy needed to stop some false teachers in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3) and going on to give an overview of the basic point of the ministry, producing love from a pure heart (1 Timothy 1:5), Paul charges the young pastor to take up the reigns of the ministry there.

1 Timothy 1:18-19  This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,  19  having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,

The necessary tools for him to completes his task are “faith and a good conscience.” Those who have lost sight of these things have come up short. The idea of “shipwreck” here is that they never made it to their final destination. They got on the boat, the Church of Jesus Christ, but that boat did not take them where they had hoped to go. The two elements of successful ministry are also applicable to the Christian life. We need to live having both Faith and a Good Conscience.

Faith: Here we are not talking about our ability to ascent to basic facts, but the facts themselves. There are many people who have faith in many things. Some prefer to have an abstract faith that is based on what they think ought to be. This is not faith at all but a delusion.  J.C. Philpot says, “If your doctrine be unsound, your experience must be delusion and your practice imposition.” We have to believe what God says about us and about Himself. We have to take it on His authority. If not, we are not holding to faith but to speculation. Faith has to be in what God has said because faith is taking God at His Word.

The greatest problem we have as fallen human beings is that we don’t want to submit to authority and so, we often struggle to take God at His Word. Our wills get in the way and we skew God’s precepts and promises to fit our preconceived notions. This is dishonest and so Paul adds to simple faith.

Good Conscience: That is, accepting God’s Word, His authority without manipulation. We need to accept what God says about us with unswerving fidelity. Only then will we be able to hold the faith with a good conscience.  Paul mentions men who have used the Gospel to promote their own agenda, Hymenaeus and Alexander. We can’t be sure who Alexander was, but we know that Hymenaeus taught that the resurrection had already happened and overturned the faith of some (2 Timothy 2:17-18). What was the basis of his false teaching? Many commentators believe that it was rooted in proto-Gnosticism. The Gnostics were a group of people who began with the teachings of Plato and formulated their religion around his idealism. That is, out there somewhere is a perfect everything but the things we actually see are imperfect copies of that spiritual ideal. This developed into the idea that spiritual is good and physical is evil. Men brought this presupposition into the Christian faith and began to teach that our souls and spirits are saved, but the evil flesh is unsavable. This lead them to teach that once the soul is saved (Hymenaeus’s resurrection) that the body can continue in sin without detriment. Thus, a licentious Christianity was preached and it destroyed the faith of some. Hymenaeus came to the Faith and altered its truths to fit his ideas and tried to make the faith serve him rather than the other way around. Thus, his faith was superficial and did not allow him to arrive at his expected destination, he suffered shipwreck.

In their commentary on this passage, Jamieson, Fausset and Brown say “If one’s religion better not his morals, his moral deficiencies will corrupt his religion.” The Gospel is a story of God’s remedy for sin, about man’s absolute moral corruption and God’s gracious offer of redemption from all of that. It is salvation from sin, not a way to feel better about yourself. Feeling better about ourselves will eventually come,  but not in such a way as to give us the freedom to walk in sin without compunction.

I believe that many in the Church today are here to let God serve them through the Gospel. To give them personal freedom to live godless lives. This is not holding the faith with a good conscience. As I see it here, the question comes down to this, Who’s agenda takes precedence? Am I looking for a Gospel that will serve me or a Gospel that demands my service to it? The answer to that question will also determine whether you ship will arrive at the destination that you hope for or become shipwrecked along the way.

I encourage you to listen to the audio of our discussion and to make an assessment of your agenda.

Avoiding Shipwreck – AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

Responding to God’s Justice and Mercy [1 Timothy Pt.5]

Responding to God's Justice and Mercy

When you consider the justice of God, His righteous judgment of those who violate His standard, What is your heart’s response? Is it anger? Fear? Self-Righteousness? Many don’t like the thought of God’s Justice and yet as the Apostle Paul gave instruction to Timothy with regard to the proper use of God’s Law, to bring conviction on sinners and to drive them to the mercy of the Savior that is in the Gospel,  it brings him to unrestrained praise.

1 Timothy 1:9-17  knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  10  for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,  11  according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.  12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,  13  although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.  14  And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.  15  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.  16  However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.  17  Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

In order for this to happen, we need to be willing to recognize the nature of our sin. After listing several types of sin that the Law will bring conviction over and attaching this use of the Law to the Gospel (Vs. 11) He moves directly into a doxology, thanking Christ for His forgiveness and for using him in the ministry. I don’t know how you lived before you came to faith, but I know that for myself, I was nearly as contrary to the Lord and the Apostle Paul had been, though not in the same ways. To consider that He would forgive me and especially that He would use me in His service is a reason to break out into praise and thanksgiving.

Paul is so moved that he adds his own personal sin list to that which he has already given. He was a Blasphemer, yet he was one of the most religious men in Israel. Why? Because He spoke against Jesus Christ. To call Him anything less than God is to speak evil of Him or to “blaspheme.” He was a Persecutor, arresting, beating and confiscating the property of the followers of Christ. He was an Insolent Man. This is the heart issue that he faced. His attitude of insolence, feeling he was above everyone else, better than them. This  justified his abuse of them. See, for Paul, the Law was now turned inward and used to examine his own heart, and not the lives of those whom he saw in the world around him as it had been before his conversion. This is the effect that the Law should have on all of us who have found grace in the sight of God through the Gospel.

He says,  “And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy 1:14-15)  Grace in his life changed him from an ignorant, unbelieving, blasphemous, insolent persecutor to one who have been given Faith and Love.  I love what Calvin says about verse 14:

“But I prefer a more simple interpretation, that “faith and love” are indications and proofs of that grace which he had mentioned, that it might not be supposed that he boasted needlessly or without good grounds. And, indeed, “faith” is contrasted with unbelief, and “love in Christ” is contrasted with the cruelty which he had exercised towards believers; as if he had said, that God had so completely changed him, that he had become a totally different and new man. Thus from the signs and effects he celebrates in lofty terms the excellence of that grace which must obliterate the remembrance of his former life.”

This kind of encounter with the Law and the Gospel is necessary to move us to this attitude about the Law, our sin and God’s mercy and grace. This is what produced in the Apostle, a great and fervent love that broke out into unrestrained praise at the thought of God’s righteous judgment, coupled with his mercy in the Gospel. What about you? Does the thought of our guilt and God’s grace produce gratitude in you? Does it open your lips to show forth His praise?

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Audio of our lesson and discussion time is available by clicking on the link below. I encourage you to give it a listen.

Responding to God’s Justice and Mercy – AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

Right Use of the Law [1 Timothy Pt. 4]

Right Use of the Law

A couple of weeks ago we considered the Wrong use of the Law. This time we took on the other side of the issue. How is the Law to be used in the New Testament Church?  As the Apostle Paul instructs the pastor, Timothy, charging him to stop false teachers from corrupting the church he tells him this,

1 Timothy 1:7-11  desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.  8  But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,  9  knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,  10  for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,  11  according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

Although there is an issue in the church with putting people under legalistic restrictions and Paul wants to confront that issue, that does not mean that we should throw out the baby with the bathwater. There is a proper use for God’s moral commands and the Apostle says that it is to used, not with righteous people, but with sinners.  I think that the most amazing phrase in this passage is in verse 11,

…according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God…

According to the Gospel, the law is to be used in the confrontation of sinners and the Apostle gives us a typical laundry list of behaviors that he classifies as sin. Notice that there are extremes like murder and sexual sin that are included with others that we would consider less sinful such as lying. According to the standard of God, there is no difference. The problem here is common in the church, probably more so than the legalism that we discussed last time. Not calling sin, sin is the result of the culture telling the church how to think about things. Certainly the average “sinner” does not want to consider himself as such. But sin is the human problem.

Sin is THE problem that humanity has more than any other. All other problems have sin as their source either directly or indirectly. Unless and until we come to grips with it we will never see our need for the Savior. Speaking to the Ephesian Church at another time the Apostle reminded them of where they had come from and how they had gotten there;

Ephesians 2:1-5  And you, who were dead in trespasses and sins,  2  in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,  3  among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.  4  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,  5  even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

He tells the Romans after two chapters of educating them about the  nature and origin of sin;

Romans 3:19-20  Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.  20  Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

If this is the case and God has given us the tool to bring the knowledge of sin and bring conviction over it, if Paul says that it is so, “according to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God,” then to leave this tool unused in our preaching of the Gospel is to mistrust God’s judgment and consider ourselves smarter than He. Author Ian Murray says in an article on Puritan, Thomas Hooker‘s understanding of conversion, “If repentance means turning one’s back upon sin, and if conversion entails turning from sin to holiness, no one is going to see the need for such a change who has not first felt sin to be a burden. Faith is more than reason but it is not irrational. It is a response to truth, and where faith is not the act of a person who understands his need of the saving power of Christ it is not scriptural faith.” And so, it is our responsibility to use the Law to bring conviction of sin in order that men will see their need of the Savior.

This is the way to love people. This is the way to bring rebels to reconciliation with a Holy God. The alternative is to leave them to their destruction and that is not love.

You can listen to the audio of this study by clicking on the link below.

The Right Use of the Law – AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

The Wrong Use of the Law [1 Timothy Pt. 3]

Wrong Use of the Law

How does the Law relate to the Christian life? It is something that we strive after in the sense of obligation? Do we hold others in the Church to it as a duty? As Paul instructs Timothy on the subject in 1 Timothy this seems to out of the question.

1 Timothy 1:5-9  Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,  6  from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk,  7  desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.  8  But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,  9  knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

Apparently there were some trying to impose legal restrictions on the Believers in Ephesus. Paul says emphatically that is not what the Law is intended for. However, this does not give Christians the freedom to be lawless. It means that the command is not the motivation to obedience. He spells it out as he instructs the Romans on civil obedience.

Romans 13:8-10  Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.  9  For the commandments, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” “YOU SHALL NOT MURDER,” “YOU SHALL NOT STEAL,” “YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS,” “YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  10  Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Our religion must be a proper response to the love and mercy of God which was shown to us when we absolutely did not deserve it. Love is the intended goal of the commandment from the Old Testament Law (Matthew 22:36-39) to the Gospel of Jesus Christ (John 13:34-35). When we impose legal sanctions on other believers we miss the Gospel and become the Pharisees who, “ bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers” (Matthew 23:4). Give a listen to the audio of the lesson and consider your religion in light of what the Apostle teaches Timothy.

The Wrong Use of the Law

In Christ!
Kevin

No Other Doctrine [1 Timothy Pt. 2]

No Other Doctrine

What is false teaching? Aren’t we just supposed to believe in Jesus and love one another? As we consider the idea of love demonstrated practically in 1 Timothy (See Previous Posts, The Purpose of the Commandment, and Love From a Pure Heart) we find that not only does love care for others but it also protects them. The Apostle Paul warned the leaders of the Ephesian Church in Acts;

Acts 20:28-31 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.  29  For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.  30  Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.  31  Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

People who teach what is not in the Bible and call it Christian are deadly. Paul compares them to a pack of dangerous carnivores feeding on the flesh of God’s people. Can those who claim to love stand by and watch saying, “Well, they chose to play with the wolves. It’s not my problem if they get mauled. I have no right to say anything.” That is certainly NOT what love does.  Paul left Timothy in Ephesus for the very purpose of stopping the false teachers there.

1 Timothy 1:3-4 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia–remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,  4  nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

Therefore, if we are loving Christian people we will also protect people from false teachers if we can. I am discouraged from engaging with false teachers by well meaning Christians all of the time. As a pastor it is my job, very specifically to “refute those who contradict” (Titus 1:9). Often I do not persuade the false teacher, but there are almost always other people looking over my shoulder and being strengthened by the sound teaching that is required to refute the errors. The biggest debate I ever had on my discussion forum has the most reads by far! Other Christians are being built up by that, Praise the LORD!

The Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper once wrote, “God let heretics vex His Church so as to arouse the mind by conflict, and to lead it to search God’s Word.” Controversy is one of God’s ways of strengthening the Church. Take Harold Camping for instance. He has broadcast a false message about the return of Christ to the world for several months. What do you and I do with that? Do we just distance ourselves from the “wacko” and make fun of him with the rest of the world? I think we need to make a conscious effort to use him as a springboard to talk to people about the truth.

Camping Bible interpretation is downright goofy!

• 2 Peter 3:8 says 1000 years is as a day so…

• Noah’s flood was in 4,990 BC (Not sure where he found this. Its not in the Bible)
  

• God said in seven days the world would be destroyed.Genesis 7:4 For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.”

• According to camping, that means that in 7,000 years, God would destroy the world.
• That was May 21, 1988.
• This was the end of the Church Age.

Another Infallible Proof:

• 5x17x23=1,955
• 5= Atonement because the tax of ½ Shekel in Exodus 30:15
• 17= Heaven because Jeremiah bought a field for 17 Shekels when Jerusalem was under siege to Babylon. (Jeremiah 32:9)
• 23= Destruction because in 1 Corinthians 10:8 it is said that 23,000 fell in one day because of the plague from the Children of Israel committing immorality with the Moabites.
• Therefore it is 1,955 years to the day from Pentecost to May 21, 1988
• When we double the equation to (5x17x23)x(5x17x23)+ 722,500 which is the number of days from April 1, 33 (Crucifixion date) to May 21,2011 the end of the world.

All of this he says is “clearly taught in the Bible.” But obviously he had to make some pretty big leaps to get to that from Scripture. God communicated in human language as He condescended to us. He made His communication intelligible to our limited capacity. What happens when we turn it into a secret code? We undo what God has done. It’s a quick lesson in the perspicuity of Scripture and the basis of interpretation and then a quick step to what it actually says. Consider this a challenge to use this, or Rob Bell or the Jehovah’s Witnesses or your favorite Word of Faith teacher or whatever. When the questions come, be ready! (1 Peter 3:15)

You can head our lesson on this by clicking on the link below.

No Other Doctrine!

In Christ!

Kevin