Sermon Tone Analysis

Proper Behavior in the Church

1 Timothy is a book written by the Apostle Paul to the young pastor at Ephesus, Timothy to encourage and instruct him in the ministry.

There would be many temptations and challenges and Paul seeks to encourage Timothy to be courageous and remain faithful.

Stuck in the middle of 1 Timothy is the purpose for Paul writing to Timothy.

Three pivotal verses at the end of the first 3 chapter that contain positive instruction and before the last 3 chapters with negative warnings that give the young pastor instruction on Proper Behavior in the Church.

1 Timothy 3:14-15

1 Timothy 3:14-16

1 Timothy is a book written by the Apostle Paul to the young pastor at Ephesus, Timothy to encourage and instruct him in the ministry.

There would be many temptations and challenges and Paul seeks to encourage Timothy to be courageous and remain faithful.

Stuck in the middle of 1 Timothy is the purpose for Paul writing to Timothy.

Three pivotal verses at the end of the first 3 chapter that contain positive instruction and before the last 3 chapters with negative warnings that give the young pastor instruction on Proper Behavior in the Church.

Paul introduces these crucial realities with some background information before launching into The Church’s Master, The Church’s Mission, and the Church’s Message.

Let’s look at each of these in depth.

I.

The Church’s Conduct

1 Timothy 3:14a

“I have written so that you will know how people ought to act...”

I write these thing to you…I have written.

With these statement Paul introduces the purpose of the epistle and really his greatest concern for them.

He is writing to instruct them in how to behave.

The first question we ought to pose concerning the text is:

What things?

What does these things in verse 14 refer to?

It could be the material in chapter 3 concerning church leaders.

Here Paul has given the criteria for an Overseer, this is the ἐπίσκοπος, or Bishop, which refers to the pastor or elder.

This is first, a man, who is above reproach, the husband of one wife, self controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, not addicted to wine, not a bully, gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy, manages his house competently, children under control, not a new convert, and a good reputation among outsiders.

Maybe that’s what these things refers to, as well as deacons.

ἐπίσκοπος

Or — It could be a reference to chapter 2, Paul’s instruction on prayer and men and women.

Or — He could be referring to chapter 1 and the false doctrine he addressed.

But since there is nothing in the context that puts limits on the phrase, when can conclude that these things is a general sense to include all his instruction in the entire epistle.

So we can understand it like this: “Timothy, I have written these things so that you will know how people should act.”

And notice the pronoun — You.

It is singular.

This letter is written to Timothy.

Timothy, the pastor in Ephesus, must know if he is to teach the church.

The word know is the Greek word οἶδα that describes “the possession of knowledge or skill necessary to accomplish a desired goal.”

It’s not mere intellectual knowledge that Paul has in mind, but the practical knowledge of — practical knowledge of what?

It’s the practical knowledge of how to act.

What is in view with “Ought to Act?”

What is the practical knowledge of that?

It’s how to conduct yourself in a consistent pattern of life.

It’s a present infinitive which refers to that consistent pattern.

He acts this way again and again.

It becomes habit to him.

He acts right.

Well, what is this right behavior?

To get that question we have to understand Three Essential Realities.

essential realities t

II.

The Church’s Master

1 Timothy 3:

Helps us to understand Who we answer to — God alone because He’s our Master.

I have written so that you will know how people ought to act “...in God’s household, which is the church of the living God...”

If there is one thing that is misunderstood both ecclesiologically and practically — it is that the church belongs to God.

It is in no way a human institution.

It’s God’s church.

It’s His family.

It is fundamental in Proper Church Behavior to understand that the Church’s Master is God.

It’s His Church.

“I will build My Church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it.”

Who’s Church is the Church?

God’s Church and He is the Church’s Master.

The word here household is a metaphor that Paul uses to refer to not a building, but a family.

Believers make up God’s household.

And the responsibility to conduct themselves properly is God’s mandate on them because God is the Church’s Master.

God is the Church’s master because He birthed her into existence and He is growing her.

The Church belongs to God.

He is the Church’s Master.

So, we are God’s Household.

Also, Paul further defines this family of believers as the Church of the living God or more accurately — “the living God’s Church.”

The absence of the definite article with Church stresses its character.

The church belongs to the living God.

It’s His church.

In fact listen to what Paul told the Ephesian elders in :

A

He clearly emphasizes this wonderful truth in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

This identification of the Creator as the living God has a rich OT heritage.

1 Samuel

The Psalmist writes

And Jeremiah wrote.

So, here’s what we take from this.

Crucial to behaving properly is the knowledge that the assembly of saints is the living God’s Church and the mandate comes from and is empowered by the Church’s Master — God.

Another essential reality is the Church’s Mission.

III.

The Church’s Mission

Helps us to understand what is most important — God’s Word.

I have written so that you will know how people ought to act in God’s household, which is the church of the living God “the pillar and foundation of the truth.”

The imagery Paul paints here would not have been lost on the church at Ephesus.

They knew well the impressive temples of the goddess Diana, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient world — was located in Ephesus.

One of the outstanding features to the Temple to Diana was its pillars.

There were 127 pillars — each one a gift of the king.

They were made of marble, overlaid with gold, and studded with jewels.

They were amazingly elaborate, but they were functional.

They held the immense roof of the temple.

The foundation or support appears only here in the NT and refers to the foundation on which the entire structure is built.

Paul’s metaphor is that the Church is the pillar and foundation of the truth or holds up the truth.

The truth is God’s revelation, the Gospel.

So, the Church’s Mission is to solidly, immovably, unshakably uphold the truth of God’s Word.

The truth is God’s truth and therefore the Church does not invent it or alter it.

Rather, the Church supports it, safeguards it.