3. 1Tim. 1.1,2 Paul an Apostle and Father

1 Tim 1:1,2 Paul: An Apostle and Father

While Noah was still in high school I took him and a friend to Murfreesboro, Ar to the only diamond mine in the United States. This place has thousands of visitors every year that come and dig in the ground in the hopes of finding a diamond. The park, periodically, runs a plow over the area to turn up fresh dirt and hopefully diamonds for visitors to find. Whereas the visitors who visit Murfreesboro hope to find a diamond. We have assurance that we will find spiritual diamonds. We only need to set our plows a little deeper. This morning we will be looking once again at the first two verses of chapter 1.

1Ti 1:1-11 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. (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 morning’s sermon is titled Paul’s other title. You may be reading and re-reading the text and think I don’t see another title of Paul.

When we look at this text it is quite clear that Paul is an apostle. What we may tend to read over without much consideration is how Paul addresses Timothy – my true child in the faith’. Later we address what it means to be a true child of the faith but not this morning. This morning we will look at Paul’s other title. It is implied rather than explicitly stated. It is his title of father in the faith. Tradition holds that Paul was not married and there is no record of him being married or having children in the Scriptures. There is only one other person Paul addresses as ‘my true child” and that is Titus. In the introduction we have spoken about how Paul met Timothy, how Timothy was well spoken of by the brethren and of the laying on of hands by the elders. So was Paul using this phrase as a term of endearment of did it mean something more. It is worth exploring the who, what, when, where, why and how, because I believe it addresses a weakness in our churches today.

What we see in these two verses is an example of what should be happening within our churches. What could that be? What is lacking today in churches today is a lack of discipleship. Discipleship was not exclusive to the NT. Paul, in his training as a Pharisee sat under Gamaliel. But you see OT examples of this as well. Moses had Joshua, Elijah had Elisha. What is the foundation of the NT church. Jesus not only taught and preached in the synagogues and temple but He had chosen 12 to be with Him during His earthly ministry. This morning we read John 17. What was a large portion of Jesus prayer about? It was about His disciples. Verse 4 said Joh 17:4  I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. Most commentators believe that this was in reference to redemptive work and I am not disagreeing with that, but Jesus had not yet gone to the cross. So, I offer this as a possibility. If you are taking notes, write this part in pencil. Jesus had finished with instructing the disciples. What was important about that? The disciples would be the Apostles that Jesus commissioned after His resurrection to take the gospel and make disciples.

Mat 28:18-20  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  (19)  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  (20)  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Paul says this in Ephesians 2:19-20 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, (20) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

These disciples, now apostles are part of the foundation of the church. How did the Apostles understand discipleship? It is quite clear that Paul had Timothy and Titus but remember when Peter called Mark his son? It is obvious that this was more than a teacher/student relationship. We generally think of training as in a classroom situation, but discipleship was much more than that. It is also clear that this was a multi-generational process.

2Ti 2:1-2 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, (2) and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Father Defined

It is a more mature man who reproduces and raises children. He loves, protects, provides, instructs, disciplines, and trains the child to adulthood. The term father is used 366x in the NT and over 144x in the Old. In some cases, it is used to refer not to the gender specific role of men as fathers but as a adjective describing spiritual maturity. For example, 1 John 2:13 I am writing to you fathers because you know Him who is from the beginning. But everywhere father is used with it is implied maturity and the role of fatherhood.

What is Christian maturity? It is the word of God + the Spirit of God + application. There are some aspects of Christian maturity that you will only experience with the passing of time. The writer of Hebrews alludes to this:

Heb 5:11-14  About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.  (12)  For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,  (13)  for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child.  (14)  But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Time in the faith + age will bring you through trials and afflictions. You will come face to face with your own inability, your weakness and your absolute lack of power. You will come to the end of yourselves. There are too many examples of what you may face in future days. If you are a parent, you may face the loss of a child to illness or accident or the potential loss of a child through illness or other means only to come to the realization that there is more than one way to loss a child than through death. These are so far outside of our control that all you can do is cry out to the Lord, pray because as long as they draw breath there is hope.

It may be you or your spouse who suffers through a prolonged illness. Powerless to control the outcome, powerless to relieve the suffering and pain. Having adequate words to comfort. And those who time and time again have been sifted like wheat and have maintained their good confession and grown in their faith and love of Him who is from the beginning. These are the fathers in the faith. Brethren, it is not the end of your struggles that prove your maturity but your endurance in them.

Your walk with the Lord is a blessing and benefit to those around you. And lest you think that this is only a man thing let me point you to Tit 2:3-5 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, (4) and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, (5) to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

There is a great deal of theoretical knowledge about the Word of God. Most Christians would agree with Paul when he says wives submit to your own husband and husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her. But what is lacking is the understanding how to apply it.

How did Paul accomplish this with Timothy? Timothy accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys in Acts 16. Timothy observed Paul while he worked. Timothy was with Paul and Silas in Philippi and watched while they were arrested, beaten with rods and thrown in prison. Timothy was with them in Thessalonica when the city was thrown in an uproar. In the epistles you see where Paul includes Timothy in the salutation, having moved from observer to co-laborer.

1Th 1:1  Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

From a co-laborer to one who is sent out by Paul. 1Co 16:10  When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. And here we are with Timothy remaining in Ephesus at Paul’s urging.

What did he teach Timothy? Paul taught Timothy sound doctrine. Again we have this tendency when we say doctrine or theology to regulate that to academics. But this is the furthest thing from the truth. Sound doctrine and theology is only so when practically applied to our everyday life. The application of sound doctrine and theology is for the purpose of godliness.

1Ti 4:6-8 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.  (7)  Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;  

Paul essentially says the same thing to us. Tit 2:3-5 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, (4) and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, (5) to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

The principles spoken here apply to all. Paul could have just as easily written older men are to teach what is good and so train the young men to love their wives and children, to be self-controlled, providers for their families, spiritual leaders in the home. Teaching godliness so that the word of God may not be reviled.

When I was a freshman in college I had to take a sociology class. In the class the professor had a pie chart on the wall displaying all the different aspects of life: family, job, friends, spiritual, etc. But the failure in the pie chart was not recognizing that our spiritual life in Christ affects every other aspect of our life. Our life in Christ is the pie pan that all the slices of our life rests upon. So throughout Paul’s letters as he is instructing us to lay hold of the means of grace that God has given to us in hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on the word, prayer, fellowship. All of this makes up our training and instruction.

1Ti 4:13-16  Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.  (14)  Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.  (15)  Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.  (16)  Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Being a spiritual parent means knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your child in the faith.

1Ti 5:21-23  In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.  (22)  Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.  (23)  (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)

Paul understood Timothy’s natural timidity and encouraged him to be strong in light of Paul’s soon to come death.

2Ti 1:3-14 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. (4) As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. (5) I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. (6) For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, (7) for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (8) Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, (9) who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, (10) and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, (11) for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, (12) which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. (13) Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. (14) By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

It isn’t enough to tell our spiritual children don’t be angry. It is telling them why it can be sinful and helping them to see the signs of building anger and addressing those temptations before it bears fruit.

No matter where we are in our stage of life we have spiritual children. They may be our children from the fruit of marriage or they my be brothers and sisters in Christ who see in you the Lord Jesus. But recognize, please, that the community of saints is not regulated to a couple of hours on Sunday morning. We are a community of saints, a rich community of saints who have gone through the refining fires of faith, have been gifted richly in the areas of service and love of the saints. Who can be a spiritual parent in sharing the richness of the beauty of a live well lived in Christ.

May we take up the mantle of Paul’s exhortation to Timothy, these things you have heard from me in the presence of many witness entrust to faithful men who are able to teach others also.