Counted Faithful

I Timothy 1:3-5

A. This passage brings us face to face with two of its main characteristics. It dealt in idle tales and endless genealogies. These two things were not peculiar to this heresy but were deeply ingrained in the thought of the ancient world.

b

The Letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon Error and Heresy (1 Timothy 1:3–7)

First, the idle tales. One of the characteristics of the ancient world was that the poets and even the historians loved to work out romantic and fictitious tales about the foundation of cities and of families. They would tell how some god came to earth and founded the city or took in marriage a mortal woman and founded a family. The ancient world was full of stories like that.

2. Second, the endless genealogies. The ancient world had a passion for genealogies. We can see this even in the Old Testament with its chapters of names and in the New Testament with the genealogies of Jesus with which Matthew and Luke begin their gospels. A man like Alexander the Great had a completely artificial pedigree constructed in which he traced his lineage back on the one side to Achilles and Andromache and on the other to Perseus and Hercules.

2. SecondSecond, the endless genealogies. The ancient world had a passion for genealogies. We can see this even in the Old Testament with its chapters of names and in the New Testament with the genealogies of Jesus with which Matthew and Luke begin their gospels. A man like Alexander the Great had a completely artificial pedigree constructed in which he traced his lineage back on the one side to Achilles and Andromache and on the other to Perseus and Hercules.

1 Timothy 1:6–10 NASB95

6 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, 7 wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. 8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 10 and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,

1 Timothy 1:6–10 NASB95

6 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, 7 wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. 8 But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers 10 and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching,

I Timothy

I Timothy 1:6-10

A. Paul stresses the importance of upholding the sound teaching of the gospel and instructs Timothy to ensure that others are not teaching things contrary to God’s plan. The subject of combatting false teaching is prominent in the beginning and end of 1 Timothy

Timothy is facing a movement interested in spiritual speculation, mystical knowledge, and the Mosaic law

Paul emphasizes that the legitimate use of the law is ethical, setting a standard for moral behavior. While the law is good when used to correct the lawless, it is not a means of salvation, or source of myths and endless genealogies, as some teachers of the law suggest.

Paul stresses that the purpose of the law was to set a standard, not for the righteous but for the lawless. The law identifies what behaviors should be condemned as sin, outlined in the vice list in

: 11,12,18-20

A. After referring to the gospel God entrusted to him in , Paul expresses his gratitude for the grace and mercy of Christ that he has benefited from even though he had violently persecuted the Church before his conversion. Paul uses the extreme example of his own experience to prove that Christ’s plan to save sinners applies to all, even people like him who had sinned directly against Christ by persecuting his followers

Paul repeatedly defers to Christ for establishing him in ministry. Paul did not undertake this mission by his own volition and authority. Rather, Paul was entrusted with the gospel (v. 11) and appointed as an apostle

These prophecies provide Timothy with direction for ministry and motivation to serve faithfully. In difficult circumstances, he must remember that the Spirit of God is ultimately behind his appointment to leadership in Ephesus

Hymenaeus A believer who turned from the faith and opposed Paul. Hymenaeus damaged the faith of other believers by claiming the resurrection had already taken place ().

Alexander A believer who also deviated from the faith. He may be the same Alexander who did Paul much harm (

Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Counted Faithful

I. The Danger of Wrong Thinking

II. The Danger of Immature Teachers

III. The Blessing of the Gospel