1. 1Tim. 1.1,2 Introduction

I Tmothy - An Introduction

This morning will begin looking at Paul’s first pastoral epistle to Timothy. You may ask why we are studying a pastoral epistle if it is specifically targeted toward those who are in the ministry. 1) It is included in our Bibles and as such worthy of our time and effort in gleaning that which God has for us in it. 2) While it is a letter addressed to Timothy, in it contains instruction for us all both personally and individually as well as instruction for how the church of God should be managed.

Yesterday reading Scripture I came across this text. Mal 2:4-7  So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the LORD of hosts.  (5)  My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name.  (6)  True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.  (7)  For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

Reading that brought to mind 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 

This indicates the reality that we are all in the ministry one way or the other wherever we are in our station of life.

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

The Author: Paul an Apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope. We will get into the detail of this verse next time, but briefly, we know that he was an Israelite by birth, of the tribe of Benjamin, trained under the tutelage of Gamaliel a leading religious scholar at the time.

Php 3:5-6  circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;  (6)  as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

The Pharisees were a religious sect that had its beginning in the time between the old and new testament. It was after the war of the Maccabees in which the Jews revolted against the Seleucid rule which tried to make Greeks out of the Jews and desecrated the temple in the process. The Pharisees were scholars of the Law and were initially beneficial in pointing the people in the right interpretation inf the Law. But over time they (generally speaking) became what Jesus called whitewashed tombs. They were all about the external, all about regulation without the inward work of regeneration.

Mat 23:27  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness.

This man, once a Pharisee, transformed on the Damascus Road into a new creation in Christ Jesus. Where he once would have condemned a Jew for associating with a Gentile he saw the dividing wall between the two groups torn down by Jesus and the two joined together one new man.

The recipient of the letter was Timothy. The son of A Greek father and Jewish mother from Lystra. Paul calls him his true child in the faith. Paul picks up Timothy in Derbe, Lystra. In Acts 16:1,2 Timothy is already called a disciple and that he was well spoken of by the brethren, intimating that even at his young age he was no casual believer. He obviously made an impression on Paul because he accompanied Paul on His missionary journeys. He was also sent by Paul on various trips to different churches. While on one particular mission he received this letter from Paul

Timothy was located at Ephesus. 1Ti 1:3  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,

You may have heard of that Church once or twice before. In fact our Brother has been laboring in the letter Paul wrote to the Ephesian church for 3 or 4 years now. You may be wondering now where does this letter fit in regard to the letter to the Ephesians. How is this letter different? There is history here that is important for us to know. Paul spent 3 years in Ephesus where God did a mighty work in bringing many to faith in Christ Jesus. The church had proper structure and order. We see this in Acts 20. Paul had called the elders of the church to him in Miletus. And he leaves them with a warning, Act 20:29-30  I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;  (30)  and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. After Acts 28 sometime in the early 60’s AD Paul writes the letter to the Ephesian church. On the first 3 chapters he focuses on our position in Christ and in the last 3 chapters the practical outworking of our Christina life, he then finishes with were we are now in the text with spiritual warfare.

This letter was written sometime after this epistle. The reason Timothy has remained in Ephesus is to charge certain persons not to teach different doctrine.

1Ti 1:3-4  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.

Error usually comes into the church gradually over time. Doctrine is watered down to make it more appealing or sound less harsh to those who may be seekers. But when we pander to sinners in an attempt to be acceptable we sin against God.

One of the themes of 1 Timothy is the centrality of sound doctrine. Remember Paul was with the Ephesians for 3 years. They knew the truth and had practiced the truth but now Timothy remained in Ephesus to remind them of the truth and to charge them to hold to the truth.

1Ti 1:8-11  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.

Secondly a theme of 1 Timothy is that sound doctrine is essential for a life of godliness. Godliness is used 9x in this letter.

1Ti 6:3  If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,

Contrasted is bad doctrine and its devastating effects if left unchecked in the church.

1Ti 6:4-5  he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,  (5)  and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

The purpose of Paul’s charge to Timothy to charge the Ephesian church is: 1Ti 1:5  The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

In this letter there is rich theology of God and of Christ Jesus. The theology of the church, it’s order, function and purpose. That it is the pillar and support of the truth and it is the means that God has ordained for the ministry of the gospel locally and to the word. It is the Lord’s church not man’s.

1Ti 3:14-15  I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that,  (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.

There is also the theme of instruction to Timothy of how a minister of the gospel ought to conduct himself in the body of Christ. There are as many charges to Timothy personally as there are charges Timothy is to give to the church.

In this introduction there is a warning to the church. We can be the recipients of the deep riches of gospel truth and sound doctrine just like the Ephesian church. And just like the Ephesian church we can slip away from that sound doctrine. We can lose sight of the mission of the church of God. Especially in the modern day church there is a tendency to take on whatever doctrinal emphasis or lack thereof of any pastor that steps behind the pulpit. How can we prevent that?

By being a confessional church. Any church that has a doctrinal statement of faith is a confessional church. There are some churches that proclaim no creed but Christ. I have a surprise for them. They are a confessional church. So it matters what kind of Confession we hold to. We have studied the London Baptist Confession of 1689 in Sunday School We quote from it regularly in sermon from this pulpit. The London Baptist Confession of 1689 is a clear, concise, systematic manual of Theology. Dr Holmes, who is a friend to this church and has been a part of our newly formed regular Baptist Association said the confession is the most accurate document we have that defines what we believe as Baptists. The Confession is not authoritative as the Bible is authoritative, but it is a summary of all that we hold dear regarding our faith and practice in Jesus Christ. Confessions are not new. Paul alludes to a confession or statement of faith.

1Ti 3:16  Great indeed, WE confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Having the 1689 as our statement of faith, our confession has several benefits. 1) It keeps us in line with what the Bible teaches concerning the Word, God, Sin, Salvation, Man, God’s covenants, His church, its form, its function among others. 2) It is a standard by which we can measure any man’s preaching and teaching who stands behind this pulpit. 3) It is a declaration to other churches and people in our community of what we believe.

In this introduction there is also a warning to each of us. Set a guard over our hearts and minds concerning this true faith that we hold dear. We must look to the Scripture, not to as some did, 1Ti 1:4  devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

By rejecting sound doctrine have made a shipwreck of their soul. 1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

Whenever I read the OT I am always amazed at the detail of worship and of living before that is given. It is exacting. Now we are not under the OT Law but under grace. There is no sacrificial system we abide by or is there Rom 12:1,2 I urge you therefore brethren by the mercies of God to present yourself a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God which is your reasonable service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world rather be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what the perfect will of God is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect.

How careful should we be? How exacting should we be as we work out our salvation in fear and trembling. How exacting must we be in our mode and manner we worship? We must be willing at all times to scrutinize ourselves and our church to see if all we are doing is in accordance with the Word of God. Know that we have been saved by grace through faith not so that we can live as we want but so that we can live as we ought.

As we approach 1 Timothy may it be in the spirit of humility and with the desire to grow in our understanding of God and His church. I will close with this text.

Neh 8:7b-12  the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places.  (8)  They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.  (9)  And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.  (10)  Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”  (11)  So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.”  (12)  And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

The people wept at the reading of the Law because they understood what was being read. Then the people rejoiced, why? Because they understood what was being read. May we be like them.