A drive by tour of 1 Timothy.

Introduction:

Today we embark upon a new study in the book of 1 Timothy. Today, we will attempt to simply do a drive by tour of the entirety of the book and then beginning next week, we will begin going through chapter 1 together. Before we dive into the text, I want to offer a little explanation as to why I’ve chosen to call our series “House Rules”

Every family, has a set of rules they live by. That sort of govern how they as a family operate in the confines of their home and just in general as a family dynamic. These rules may be written or unwritten but by and large every family unit sort of has a code they live by.

For instance, in our home we have this hanging in our family room: (Show picture of the “playroom rules” in our home.

The church, theologically speaking is made up of all believers throughout all time and is universal and invisible. But that universal and invisible body manifests itself on earth in local assemblies or local churches. One of the most often used illustrations for the church is that of the family. Maybe you’ve heard someone refer to the people they attend church with as their “church family?” There are many places in scripture that use familial language in reference to the church.

Romans 12:10 NKJV

10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

Galatians 6:10 NKJV

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

1 Timothy 5:1–2 NKJV

1 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.

When I was growing up in church it was not uncommon to hear people refer to the church building as “God’s house.” They’d say things like “Don’t run in God’s house.” or “We don’t wrestle in God’s house.” Hearing things like this often made me think that God actually lived there.

To call the church “God’s House” is not exactly theologically accurate, the Holy Spirit resides in the hearts of believers and Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Nevertheless, when thinking of what to call this series that phrase “God’s house” was playing over and over again in my head.

So when you consider the local church to be a family who’s father is the Lord, and every family has rules, and remembering my youth when the church building was called “God’s House”, I’ve decided to title this series “House Rules.”

Pastoral Epistles

1 Timothy is the first of three books written by the Apostle Paul that are called “pastoral epistles”. The other two book are the book of 2 Timothy and Titus. The three pastoral Epistles were written to two young preachers who worked with Paul called Timothy and Titus. These were young men who were led to Christ through the ministry of the Apostle. In fact, Paul calls Timothy “a true son in the faith” in 1:2.

These books are called “pastoral Epistles” because they are the only three book in the New Testament which give us both the creed and conduct of the local church. Or we might say the “nuts and bolts” or practical structure of the church. Or, yet another way to put it is the worship and work of the local church.

1 Timothy, in particular, deals with such things as faith, order, officers (character, duty and function,) they warn against apostasy, and even set forth the role that women play in the church. (There is a lot of debate about this today).

1 Timothy is very practical for us today.

Date:

We can date the writing of 1 Timothy sometime between A.D. 61-64. Sometime after Pauls release from his first Roman imprisonment (detailed for us in the book of Acts) and his second roman imprisonment which is not detailed for us in scripture, but we know from history, led up to his death sometime in between A.D. 65-68.

Recipient:

Timothy was born to a greek (unbelieving) father and a Jewish mother. When Paul met Timothy he was already a believer with a strong testimony, so strong that Paul arranged for Timothy to join his missionary team.

Acts 16:1 NKJV

1 Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.

Timothy became like a son to Paul and was likely his closest protege and, in many respects succeeded the Apostle following his death. At the time Paul writes 1 Timothy, Timothy had been left behind to pastor the church at Ephesus to correct some errors that had risen while Paul traveled on to Macedonia.

Timothy was facing a monumental task in Ephesus. False doctrine had to be corrected and eradicated, safeguards for public worship had to be put in place, and mature leaders had to be developed. Likely, Timothy felt that he was not up to the task due to his age and lack of experience. So the letter was written both to encourage and equip him for the task at hand.

1 Timothy 3:15 NKJV

15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Outline:

The message of the church. (ch.1)

The members of the church. (ch.2)

The ministers of the church. (ch.3-4)

The ministry of the church. (ch.5-6)

1.) The message of the church. (ch.1)

Paul waists no time getting down to business as he opened the letter to Timothy. When it came to the doctrinal purity of the church, Paul wanted Timothy to not entertain even in the slightest those who would teach false doctrine.

1 Timothy 1:1–4 NKJV

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope, 2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. 3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

There was a false teaching a foot in the Ephesian church that seems to be a blend of what came to be known as Gnosticism and Jewish mysticism.

There was a spiritual battle afoot in the church and Paul encourages Timothy at the very outset to stand his ground.

1 Timothy 1:18 NKJV

18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,

Application:

Much like Paul and Timothy’s day, we as believers must realize that we are in a war for truth and the souls are at stake. It may not be a blend of Gnosticism and Jewish mysticism. But, there are still various unbiblical approaches to christianity run a muck today. Things like moral relativism, neo-atheism, pantheism and such are alive and well in our world.

Jude 3 NKJV

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

The only way we will know how to combat these false teachings is to study the Word daily. We must become deeply familiar with the truth of God’s word.

People who work in banks are taught to spot a counterfeit by studying the real thing constantly.

The message of the church is the message of the Gospel. Counterfeits can’t save, they only lead to devastation! We must know the gospel through and through in order to wage war for the souls of men.

2.) The members of the church. (ch.2)

In chapter 2., Paul begins to talk about all the various types of people who make up the body of a local church, specifically the church that Timothy was now Pastor. He does so by calling them to prayer.

1 Timothy 2:1–2 NKJV

1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.

Notice, the members of a church aren't callEd to only pray for those who agree with their political positions, or for those who are sympathetic to christian principles.

No, he commands them to pray for “all men” and “all who are in authority”

Understand Paul wrote this when the christian slaughtering mad man Nero was on the throne of the Roman empire. If he can do that, then we can muster the obedience it takes to pray for those we disagree with too. To do otherwise is sinful!

In 2:2 he calls the members of the church to be good citizens and in vs. 3-4 he tells them why

1 Timothy 2:3–4 NKJV

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Paul also encourages Timothy about prayer when the church is assembled.

1 Timothy 2:8 NKJV

8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

That men were to lead in prayer and in the public worship of the church and their common posture while praying was to be with outstretched hands.

Application:

Worship isn't just about external posture though. It’s about internal praise. Not about how you look (as Paul addresses how women adorn themselves in ch.2) , but to whom you're looking.

3.) The ministers of the church. (ch.3-4)

Timothy also is given instruction about those who would serve God in various official capacities in the church.

The principle office in the church is the “bishop” or overseer. In our ling we would say Pastor. In fact, there are three words in the Bible that refer to the office of the pastor. They are Bishop, elder and Pastor. Ironically the word we use the most, is only mentioned once in the New Testament. The most used word is that of “elder”.

Perhaps we should make a habit of using more biblical language ourselves!

Paul lists the qulifications for the bishop/pastor/elder:

1 Timothy 3:2–4 NKJV

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence

The same basic code of ethics is used for the office of deacon as well. Deacons are not elders! Their role and function in the church is that of servant and not decision makers.

When we use Deacons as functional elders, we are straying from the biblical pattern. (More on that later.)

In ch.4 Paul warns that there will be members of the church who will fall away from the truth and of our need to warn them.

1 Timothy 4:6 NKJV

6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

Doctrine- Isn't just a word that professional christians use nor is it a cold, hard or outdated word. Doctrine simply refers to good, solid, biblical teaching. Without it, we wouldn't have any knowledge of God, Jesus, or how to grow in our faith. To disregard doctrine is too wind up in heresy.

Application:

At the end of ch.4 Paul doesn't just instruct Timothy to teach doctrine but to be sure he is dwelling on it himself. Taking care to nourish himself from the word of God. The elders public ministry should be from the outflow of his private focus on God’s word and prayer.

It’s not the elders primary Job to upkeep the building and grounds and run all the errands of the church. His primary role is that of prayer and the Word.

Everything else is secondary to that role. This is why God gave the office of deacon for these secondary purposes.

4.) The ministry of the church. (ch.5-6)

Once the officers of the church are conducting their jobs properly, then and only then can the rest of the ministry of the church flourish properly. In chapters 5-6 Paul gives Timothy instruction on how to treat all of the various types of people who gather in the local church.

Men and women.

Young and old.

Rich and poor.

Slave and free.

Paul instructs Timothy to set the example.

1 Timothy 5:1–2 NKJV

1 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.

He tells Timothy that the church should be a place of provision for for widows but, they should practice some discernment in how and who they provide for.

1 Timothy 5:5 NKJV

5 Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.

These widows had to be those who had no one else to care for them and who were living like they should.

Families were expected to provide for their own and the church was expected to provide for its’ elders.

1 Timothy 5:17 NKJV

17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.

Paul in ch.5 even gives instruction for how the relationship should be between masters and slaves (we don’t have this in our country but they did in the first century and beyond.)

1 Timothy 6:2 NKJV

2 And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

Explain slavery in the Roman Empire. Up to a third of the Roman empire were either slaves or bond servants.

Ch. 6 ends with practical instruction regarding unnecessary disputes and the handling of money.

The book ends with one final exhortation to Timothy:

1 Timothy 6:20–21 NKJV

20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

Application:

Timothy was instructed to stand up for the truth. Teach it, preach it, fight for it, warn against forsaking it, and exhort with it. HE was to guard it like a sacred trust.

Conclusion:

The practicality and applicability to the local church from Pauls first letter to Timothy is astounding and we will be deeply enriched by its study. I think, at times we will find out that we are doing a great job in some areas, and not so great in others. We will seek to strengthen and continue what we do well and then we will bring into the operating room what we don’t.

I hope you are looking forward to this study of God’s “House Rules.”