Securing the Foundation

1 Timothy 1:1-11

Paul and his letter

Paul, Timothy, and Ephesus

Paul was a spiritual father to Timothy, and is writing as his mentor, his pastor, his friend. Paul had planted the Church in Ephesus, and is writing to give them instruction through their Pastor Timothy. The Purpose of the Letter

Order of the Letter

The Church’s Foundation (Ch1)

Church’s Ministry and Leadership (Ch 2-3)

Godliness and Fellowship in difficult times (Ch 4-5)

Faithfulness in Ministry as the Church (Ch 5-6)

God is giving us a way to see His design and purpose for the Church. The gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ leads to practical, visible change in the lives of believers.

1 Tim 3:15 “That you may know how to behave in the household of God, which is the church, a pillar and buttress of the truth.”

Why I’m preaching this text

Some Difficult Things to Take In.

If you’ve read ahead, as suggested, there may be some things within Paul’s letter that are hard to understand, and even hard to accept (Ch 2 and 5).

This is God’s Word; our issues with it come from our own sinfulness, not from any failing of the Word.

I’m not preaching this text to bring up controversy and division, but because we need God’s word for the church.

We are at a turning point in the life of the church

What is our vision for reaching the community?

How can we raise up new leaders to shepherd us?

How do we keep the main thing the main thing and not get lost in the chaos of the world?

We need to know how to behave as the household of God, the church, the pillar and buttress of the truth.

A Word of Correction

Paul begins the letter with a word of correction

See that no one teaches a Different Doctrine - vs 3

Different teaching - other than what was handed down from the Apostle, and contained in the Word Myths and Genealogies - vs 4

Going beyond the witness of Scripture with empty speculation that does not agree with sound doctrine.

Probably referring to Jewish rabbis who built up extra-biblical legends about the saints of old in order to promote their own authority and teaching in the law.

Today: Bible Code - reading the numbers to discover the real meaning of scripture; Other teachers on a perpetual quest for novelty, to shock and attract more followers.

Paul says avoid this, as it leads to vain discussions, rather than the ‘stewardship of God by faith’ - vs 4.

Lit. “the economy from God” - Economos - household management = by faith.

We are to be building up the household of God through faith, guided by His word.

Wandering into vain discussions, they desire to be Teachers of the Law - vs 7.

Teachers of the law: those who would have the Christians come back under the law as their means for salvation and belonging as God’s people.

They don’t understand what they’re teaching.

Paul restates the 10 Commandments in Ephesian terms:

No other gods - ungodly - no reverence for god; No graven images - sinners - falling short of the glory of God - exchanging the image of the one true God for the image of created things; Taking God’s name in vain - unholy, impious; Honor the sabbath - profane, worldly; Honor parents - striking parents; Do not murder - murderers; Do not commit adultery - the sexual immoral and homosexual; Do not steal - those who enslave - steal men to trade as slaves; Do not lie - liars and perjurers; Do not covet - whatever else is contrary to healthy doctrine;

This isn’t a separate teaching on the law, but a correction for those who presume to be teachers of the law.

The law is good when used correctly. The proper use of the law is to lead us to see the sinfulness of our lives, and to drive us deeper into the arms of our savior Jesus Christ. The law is meant to lead us to the gospel, the foundation of our faith.

Securing the Foundation for the Church

Foundation is the gospel of the glory of the blessed God

The good news of our salvation by God, from God’s wrath, to be God’s people

We were dead in our trespasses and sins God, in his grace and love, saved us from His wrath and condemnation by giving us His Son, Jesus Christ, who took our sin and counts us as righteous by faith in Him.

We are given new life in His Spirit, and secured for eternal life in His Kingdom.

This is God’s work for us, not our accomplishment by the law

vs 1 - God our savior; Christ our Hope

God is the one who saves us in Christ Christ’s return is the hope we live and look for,

Only when we stand on this gospel, holding firm to the faith, can the church prevail and weather the storms of change.

When we swerve from the gospel, we lose the very foundation that supports us.

We may get caught up in a lot of good things, but if we lose sight of the gospel, we will not stand, we will make shipwreck of our souls. The charge to Timothy, to the Church, return to the gospel and flourish in it.

The aim of the Charge: Love

Ephesus and Love

Paul is calling the Church to a gospel powered love

Re 2:4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. As we begin this study of God’s design for His church, let us keep a vision of love before us -

Are we loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Are we loving one another, the fellowship, well? What the Gospel produces in us:

The Gospel produces: A pure heart

The law only exposes our sin, it has no relief from it In Christ we are washed, cleansed from our sin

The Gospel produces: A good conscience

The law only produces a guilty conscience In Christ we have peace of mind, nothing to hide because we have been forgiven, the record is clean.

The Gospel produces: A sincere faith

The law only makes us hypocrites, for none of us can keep the law perfectly In Christ we live by genuine faith, admitting we are sinners, and trusting in the righteous one for our salvation, and living according to our faith in trust and obedience to his word.

Love Rooted in Christ

This kind of love—true love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith—is God’s design for the church, and is the best advertisement for the Church.

Liberal churches wants love without doctrine. It is willing to tolerate all kinds of errors, as long as people feel welcomed and don’t fight.

Conservative churches are willing to sacrifice the love as long as they maintain sound teaching. Without the love of God we inevitably become harsh, judgmental, and legalistic in our defense of the truth; without the truth of God our love becomes an excuse for theological compromise.

Wherever faith is pure and gospel-centered, love will be the highest. Let us grow in love as the Church as we stand on the foundation of Christ.