Testing the Waters

In uncharted waters, sailors have learned to test the waters by taking soundings. To do this they either plunge a long pole or throw a weighted line in front of the boat or ship. In this way they can know how deep the water is in front of the vessel. If the water is too shallow they know they are in danger of going aground or worse yet sinking.

The concept of taking a “sounding” nicely illustrates the main point of chapter one of 1 Timothy. Paul is giving the young preacher Timothy a charge to combat false teachers in Ephesus. To do this, Paul knows Timothy needs a way to distinguish “sound” doctrine from “unsound” doctrine. In essence, Paul is teaching Timothy how to take doctrinal “soundings”! In fact, the process of judging doctrine is so much like the sailor’s task of taking “soundings” that Paul closes this chapter with a warning about two men who “shipwrecked” their faith. Let us now turn our attention to 1 Timothy 1 and read the first seven verses:

1 Timothy 1:1–7 ESV

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy, my true child in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 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, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

The first method to take a doctrinal “sounding” is found in verses 3-4 .

“Sound” Doctrine is Gospel and Christ Centered

In verses 3-4, Paul is comparing and contrasting the method and content of sound teachers vs. unsound teachers. The false teachers were teaching what Paul literally calls a “hetero-doctrine” or “different doctrine”. The doctrine of these false teachers was centered on human speculation, myths and genealogies. The important thing to note about the content of their teaching was it was coming from outside of scripture.

We see the same thing today. Some teachers and preachers fill their sermons with jokes, stories and illustrations that have little or nothing to do with the text. In liberal seminaries the professors’ teachings are drawn not from the bible, but from human reason. Especially from philosophy and the sciences. So called “prophecy” teachers endlessly speculating about the antichrist rather than focusing on the main point of endtime passages. Health, wealth and prosperity preachers make the content of our faith about what we desire and how much we believe we will get what we desire, rather than on Christ. Church growth experts advise churches based on the wisdom sociology offers rather than on the wisdom scripture offers.

All these “speculations” are contrasted by Paul with the “stewardship from God that is by faith.” In contemporary America, a lot of people claim to have “faith,” but their faith is little more than a wish. Biblical faith is complete trust and reliance upon someone or something. In the context of 1 Timothy, the “someone” is Jesus Christ and the “something” is the gospel. Listen again to what Paul tells Timothy:

1 Timothy 1:15 ESV

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

Did you notice how Paul highlights the importance of the gospel by writing, “the saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance...”? People often ask, how do I find a good church and good preacher? The answer is found in this verse. A church and teacher that centers their doctrine of “Christ and him crucified” is a solid church.

The second doctrinal “sounding” is found in the next two verses.

1 Timothy 1:5–6 ESV

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion,

“Sound” Doctrine Produces the Fruit of Faith and Love

The goal of “sound” doctrine is love--not any love, but a love that comes from a “pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” Many people believe doctrine is impractical. This is not true. If doctrine is correctly taught and sincerely believed there is nothing more practical.

The reason so many people find doctrine impractical is because the doctrine they are exposed to is false doctrine. Notice that in verse 6, Paul says that those who depart from sound doctrine wander away into “vain” or “fruitless” discussion.

When a teacher departs from focusing on “Christ and him crucified” the consequence is that what normally is good becomes detrimental. In Paul’s day this often occured around certain teachers’ use of the Law. Paul points this out in verses 8-10:

1 Timothy 1:8–10 ESV

Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 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, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine,

The Law was not designed to save us, but to show us our need to be saved! To use the Law as a means of justification is an unlawful use of the Law. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ that produces the fruit of salvation. To illustrate this, Paul uses himself as an example:

1 Timothy 1:12–15 ESV

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

The consequences of a fruitless life could not be more serious. Paul closes chapter 1 with this sobering warning:

1 Timothy 1:18–20 ESV

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

Without Doctrinal “Soundings”, You Are in Danger of Shipwrecking Your Faith

The gospel content that Paul has entrusted Timothy with is such critical importance that Paul calls it a “charge” or “command” in verse 18. Many people today believe that Jesus and the gospel is just one among many “paths to heaven.” This is not so. To depart from the gospel is to shipwreck your faith. All the other religions and philosophies of this world are like jagged rocks that will rip open the hull of your heart, sending you straight down to hell.

Like rocks hidden below the waves, these other doctrines will speak enough about Jesus to deceive unwary sailors. But as we have learned, Jesus cannot be just the icing on the cake, he has to be the cake itself!

So remember the two soundings:

Is it focused on Christ and the gospel?

Does it produce the fruit of love?

Without these two things, you are sailing in dangerous waters.