The Unity of God & the Universal Offer in Christ [Book of I Timothy]

Introductory Thoughts:

Quote:

The basic theme of 1 Timothy is summarized in 3:15—that people (not “thou”) might know how to conduct themselves as members of the local church…The local church is “the pillar and ground (foundation) of truth,” yet people neglect it and abuse it by disobeying the Word of God. - Warren Wiersbe

Outline:

Introduction -

The glorious gospel standard -

A good warfare -

Behavior in the house of God -

The root of good behavior in the house of God -

An example of the believer in the house of God -

Interpersonal behavior in the house of God -

A good confession -

One of the behaviors in the house of God is that a right doctrinal understanding of God should encourage us to pray for “all men.”

Propositional Statement:

Our prayer must be for the souls of all men.

Points:

(1) There is one God - God’s desire for “all men” flows from his unity - , ,

What would the original recipients have understood?

Any doctrine that attempts to deify other things, even things that God created, is a false doctrine. -

How does Paul address this issue?

Paul alludes to ,

This is the Jewish prayer called the Shema

What is the principle for us today?

God is a unity. We should not think of him as though He is divided or as if He is a compilation of attributes.

This means that what He does flows out of who He is, an what means He offers to the Jew, He offers to “all men”

Application:

the doctrine of the unity of God should caution us against attempting to single out any one attribute of God as more important than others

the doctrine of the unity of God should cause us to understand God’s rightful expectation of us: glorify Him as God & thankfulness to God

the doctrine of the unity of God should caution us against making any part of creation to be equal with God by the way we relate to the creation

(2) There is one Mediator -

There is one Mediator

What would the original recipients have understood?

Any doctrine that does NOT accept Christ as the exclusive, sufficient and ultimate High Priest is a false doctrine.

The term “mediator”:

- one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or to form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant.

Jesus, as Mediator, is linked with the concept of covenant - , ,

How does Paul address this issue?

Paul specifically addresses this issue in the context of prayer. Consider also .

What is the principle for us today?

Given the context of prayer, we must see that prayer is not to be offered to any other mediator.

300 Quotations for Preachers Perfectly God and Perfectly Man

Remember, Christ was not a deified man, neither was he a humanized God. He was perfectly God, and at the same time perfectly man, made like unto his brethren in all things.

CHARLES SPURGEON

Application:

Quote: “If we were to pray to angels, it would be implicitly attributing to them a status equal to God, which we must not do.” - Grudem, Wayne

This means that we should not offer prayers to Gabriel, Michael, or any angelic creatures.

This means that we do not offer prayers to Buddha

This means that we do not offer prayers to human priests

This means that we do not offer prayers to saints

This means that we do not offer prayers to Mary

This means that we do not offer prayers to statues

This means that we do not offer prayers to other men

This also means that if Muhammad or Joseph Smith speak of an angel coming to them in a mediatorial way, they are lying or have had a demonic experience - this must be rejected as false doctrine.

300 Quotations for Preachers God and Man Happy Together Again

He was truly God, and therefore could satisfy; he was truly man, and therefore could obey and suffer in our stead. He was God and man in one person, that God and man might be happy together again.

GEORGE WHITEFIELD

(3) There is one Divine Human

What would the original recipients have understood?

This would have confronted any Jewish exclusivistic claim to salvation.

Quote: Vine, “Salvation is universal in its scope but conditional in its effect.”

How does Paul address this issue?

Paul draws on the Old Testament Messianic them that a “man” would come.

, ,

How are these two passages drawn into one passage?

Egypt & Exodus imagery are mentioned in both - , (throughout)

Assyrians are mentioned in both - ,

The central figure in each is the “man” mentioned in each one

Both passages show Israel and Gentile nations

Song:

Fairest Lord Jesus

Author: Munster Gesangbuch”, 17th century

Composer: Silesian folk song

Tune: Crusader’s Hymn (Silesian trad, “SV”, 1842)

Scripture:

1 Fairest Lord Jesus,

Ruler of all nature,

O Thou of God and man the Son;

Thee will I cherish,

Logos Hymnal Fairest Lord Jesus

Fairest Lord Jesus

Author: Munster Gesangbuch”, 17th century

Composer: Silesian folk song

Tune: Crusader’s Hymn (Silesian trad, “SV”, 1842)

Scripture: Rev 1:13–16

1 Fairest Lord Jesus,

Ruler of all nature,

O Thou of God and man the Son;

Thee will I cherish,

Thee will I honor,

Thou, my soul’s glory, joy, and crown.

2 Fair are the meadows,

Fairer still the woodlands,

Robed in the blooming garb of spring;

Jesus is fairer,

Jesus is purer,

Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

3 Fair is the sunshine,

Fairer still the moonlight

And all the twinkling, starry host;

Jesus shines brighter,

Jesus shines purer

Than all the angels heaven can boast.

4 Beautiful Savior,

Lord of all nations,

Son of God and Son of man!

Glory and honor,

Praise, adoration,

Now and forevermore be Thine!

Thee will I honor,

Thou, my soul’s glory, joy, and crown.

2 Fair are the meadows,

Fairer still the woodlands,

Robed in the blooming garb of spring;

Jesus is fairer,

Jesus is purer,

Who makes the woeful heart to sing.

3 Fair is the sunshine,

Fairer still the moonlight

And all the twinkling, starry host;

Jesus shines brighter,

Jesus shines purer

Than all the angels heaven can boast.

4 Beautiful Savior,

Lord of all nations,

Son of God and Son of man!

Glory and honor,

Praise, adoration,

Now and forevermore be Thine!

Logos Hymnal. (1995). (1st edition.). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

What is the principle for us today?

We must allow this gospel to change the way we naturally respond to the international community.

Romans to Philemon: Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, Volume 3 Instructions on Corporate Prayer (2:1–8)

THE CONCLUSION WE MUST DRAW from Paul’s argument in 1 Timothy 2:1–8 is that any type of prejudice in the church’s outreach, whether social, ethnic, racial, or otherwise, is inimical to the will of God. And we can and must pray for those still-unreached groups of peoples today with the same passion and assurance Paul had, whom God expressly desires us to reach with his gospel of grace and to call his people out “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9; cf. 7:9).

Application:

This means that we must be convinced of God’s universal desire for “all men.”

This means that our involvement in great commission work is evidence of the sincerity of our belief.

This means we don’t esteem cultural superiority over the propagation of the gospel to “all men”.

Concluding thoughts:

Is your belief consistent with sound doctrine?

Do you believe in one God?

Does your belief in one God convince you that there is one way to God?

Do you believe that it is ok to pray to other mediators? If so, how does that belief align with the scriptures?

Does your behavior in the church consistent with sound doctrine?

Do you spend time praying with other believers for the souls of men?

Does your behavior towards global missions reveal that you are convinced of God’s desire for all men?

What should you do?

(1) Those who have ignorantly or traditionally espoused wrong beliefs, turn from those tonight - tell the Lord so.

(2) Those whose behavior is inconsistent with healthy doctrine, repent and immediately involve yourselves in prayer and the global commission.