"We Must Guard The Gospel!"

(Begin with Prayer)

1 Timothy 1:3–11 ESV

3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. 8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

This short letter of 1 Timothy helps us to see what the Church should look like. As we discussed last week Paul is writing this letter to his young friend Timothy who was a young pastor in a church that was struggling. Paul’s charge here was to stop the false teaching and false teachers in the church at Ephesus. In 1 Timothy 3:15 Paul said this.

1 Timothy 3:15 ESV

15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

Has there ever been a time where you have wondered what should the church look like? Or maybe you were trying to find the right church and in that process you began to think what is it in a church that must be a priority? Well here in 1 Timothy we see the answers to that question. Tonight we are going to dive in and look at the first consideration of what a church should look like. Now keep in mind that these words were not just for the church at Ephesus, but they are also for the church today. In fact, in this letter Paul told Timothy that there is one thing Timothy must keep central at that is too guard the Gospel at all cost.

Before Paul left Ephesus he most likely had already had a confrontation with some of the false teachers. Namely Hymenaeus and Alexander. We see their names mentioned in verse 20 of this chapter because they had made a shipwreck of their faith and Paul handed them over to Satan.

Tonight I want us to consider 2 major points when it comes to guarding the gospel. The First point is that we must be aware of how not to use God’s law. And the Second point is that we also must be aware of how we do use God’s law.

1. How not to use God’s law.

After Paul has had a confrontation with these two men he urges Timothy to stay on guard and complete what he has started. Paul gives Timothy this charge. The word charge here was a military command. It was like a subordinate obey an order given to them by someone who was superior to them. Remember, as we talked about last week Ephesus was a pagan city that was overflowing with immorality and idolatry. Because of all these cultural influences Paul was concerned for the church and that Timothy watch out for false doctrine creeping into the church. Paul wants Timothy to understand that if we lose the gospel message of who Jesus is and what He has done, than we lose everything.

I think that there are times in life and even in the church where things come up and we feel that they are more important or even urgent than the gospel. Of course we are called as believers to care for the body of Christ and show love to others but we can never lose sight of Christ and so here in verse 3 Paul tells Timothy to be on guard against certain persons so that they don’t teach another doctrine. The false teachers were teaching a different doctrine than the apostolic doctrine. The doctrine that was being spread was not the gospel of Christ and His salvation. It was a gospel of works which was misleading and unfortunately leading people astray and confusing them. So, let’s address these false ways and think about the consequences that come with them.

A. We cannot add to the laws demands!

In verse 4 these false teachers were devoting themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These were just legends and made up stories about different Old Testament figures and these false teachers were using these writings to add to God’s Word. In 1 Timothy chapter 4 we see that these were rules about not getting married and not eating certain foods. In essence they were putting rules and regulations on God’s people that were not in God’s Word.

B. Another false doctrine was, We cannot think and teach that the law saves.

These false teachers as well as many church leaders down through history have taught that obedience to the law, and even some extrabiblical laws could earn someone favor with God. This teaching continues even today within certain denominations. Sadly, it is leading people straight to hell. What is so interesting about all of this is the fact that many teachers won’t come right out and say this but it is exactly what they are teaching and promoting. They promote that we can earn our own salvation. If we just follow certain rules and obey certain laws than maybe we can slide into heaven. This doctrine does not line up at all with what God’s Word tells us. In fact, when the law is used in the wrong way we see the deadly consequences. Paul said that the wrong use of God’s law was producing arrogance and pride. In verse 7 Paul says that these leaders were making arrogant and prideful claims about things they didn’t even understand. As a result of their teaching we see the consequences. In verse 4 we see that these false teachers were producing confusion and deception among those where were listening. This was the empty speculations and fruitless discussion. In other words, people began to think and even believe that there were additional rules beyond God’s law and by doing them you could be saved. This was big time deception. False doctrine produces only conflict and confusion.

2. So, How do we use God’s law?

In verse 5 Paul now begins to write about how God’s law should be used. The charge to young Timothy as well as the church was to preach the truth and to warn others of false doctrine. The purpose of God’s law can be found in many places throughout Scripture but we are not talking about dietary laws or food restrictions. Those laws are no longer binding for Christians because of the new covenant that has been put into place because of what Christ has done for us. But there are moral laws that we still abide by. Paul even tells us in verse 8 that the law is good. Did you know that God’s law is a good thing for us as believers? But why?

A. Because the law helps us to see God’s boundaries for us, so that we might run from sin. For example in our state we have speed limit signs posted and they exist for reckless and crazy drivers that could really hurt someone. Paul says in verse 9 that the law is not meant for a righteous person but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners. The law shows us how to live and avoid sinful things.

Romans 7:7 ESV

7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

B. The law is also good because it shows us that we have all disobeyed God and have fallen short. When we see are fallen state and see how awful our sin truly is it should lead us to a place where we cry out to God and realize that we so desperately need Him to save us and change us. We cannot do this on our own. The good news is that Jesus has pain the penalty for us lawbreakers. So, tonight I want us to see that the law is a good thing if we use it and see it lawfully.

God’s law instructs us and shows us how to love God and love people. We see this in verse 5 of our passage. The aim or focal point is love that comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Paul wants Timothy and this church at Ephesus to use the law the right way. Instead of using the wrong way to lead others astray Paul wants the law to help those who have wandered away. In verse 6 Paul uses the words vain discussion or idle talk because this type of speech does not accomplish anything that is spiritual or edifying. False doctrine leads to no where good because it often leads to confusion and deception.

I want to go over this again but Paul tells us in verse 9 that the law is not made for a righteous person. So, what exactly does this mean? People who are unbelievers are self-righteous. They are lawless and disobedient. Paul says in verses 9-10 that they are ungodly and sinners. He then goes on to list exactly what he means. These people are unholy and profane, they hit their fathers and mothers. They are murderers, sexually immoral, homosexuals, enslaved to sin, liars, perjurers and whatever else in contrary to sound doctrine.

The first six characteristics deal with the first half of the 10 Commandments which deal with our relationship with God. These are people who have no regard for God or His Word and live however they desire. The last sins are violations of the second half of the 10 Commandments. These sins or behaviors deal with our relationships with others. These commands deal with everything from dishonoring our parents to not coveting what our neighbors have to sex outside of marriage and that sex is between a man and a woman because after all these are the only two sexes that God has created.

Paul also states here in verse 10, “and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine.” This is something that comes up over and over again through these pastoral epistles. The word Sound here is talking about that which is right, it is healthy and good. This kind of teaching (sound doctrine) is the kind of teaching that produces a healthy spiritual life and one begins to produce fruit. It also helps us to see that false doctrine is never good because it is not healthy and leads to confusion and chaos.

Finally Paul concludes this passage by helping us see how wonderful the gospel truly is. Why? Because it is a gospel that is glorious and wonderful because of who God is and what He has done, and Paul has been entrusted with this good news. The gospel today points us to God. It points us to the person and work of God. God is holy and God is righteous and God hates sin. Because of God’s grace He forgives sin, He forgives the sinner and pardons our guilt and shame and allows us to be restored because Jesus atoned for our sin. God entrusted Paul with all of this and allowed him to communicate the truth of His gospel to the church.

At the end of the day there is no one who has perfectly followed and obeyed all of God’s law. Paul wrote in Romans that there is none righteous no not one. Everyone had fallen short. No one can earn God’s favor on their own. It does not matter what your background is. We can never keep God’s Word perfectly. In fact, the harder that we try, the more we see that we all fall short. The good news today is that there was one who has obeyed the Law Perfectly and that was Christ. When Christ came to this earth, He came to do His Father’s Will and eventually he willingly laid down His life and because of His sacrifice on the cross we have been counted righteous. In a world that has gone crazy and is teaching that there are many ways to heaven and even that all will go to heaven we know through the good news of the gospel of Jesus that there is only one way and narrow is that road.

We must guard this gospel with our lives!