1 Timothy 1:1, 2 To Timothy

1 Timothy 1:1, 2 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope, To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

The opening verses of Paul's first letter to Timothy are typical of his letters. They tell us who the letter is from, who it is to and then add a greeting. Paul identifies himself as an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope. Here the Father is the Saviour, the Son our future hope. He calls Timothy his true son in the faith as although Timothy was brought up with the things of God, it was no doubt only when he first met Paul on Paul's first missionary journey that he came to real New Testament faith. He then worked alongside Paul as would a son under a father doing an apprenticeship in a certain craft. The greeting Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord is of the fullest sort, including not only Greek grace and Hebrew peace but mercy as well. Just as Paul is an apostle by both the command of God our Saviour and of Christ Jesus our hope so the blessing is from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. There are no apostles today but a man may have a son in the faith and we all need Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Older pastors should be open to befriending and helping younger men where that is possible and younger men should respond well to such approaches. Grace, mercy and peace will be the need of all of us to the very end.

1 Timothy 1:3, 4 God's Work

1 Timothy 1: 3, 4 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work – which is by faith.

The very first thing in this letter, after the introduction, is a reminder to Paul's son Timothy of the duty of commanding certain people not to teach false doctrines (hetero-teachings) any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies (see also 4:7; Titus 1:14, 3:9 and 2 Timothy 4:4 on the latter problem). Timothy perhaps was keen to move on to some new sphere of work but if that was the case, it was not to be. Paul wants him to stay where he is. The work envisaged is a negative work but sometimes when the churches are under threat it is this negative work that needs to be given priority. False teachers do arise from time to time and, if not dealt with, they can gain quite a foothold. At such times opposing them becomes a priority for those who lead God's people as the sort of thing such people teach promotes controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work – which is by faith. It is a negative work then but one that serves to positively promote the work of God as it turns people from controversial speculations to what will really advance God’s work – which is faith in Jesus Christ. Each minister has to assess his own situation, guided by the advice of others who are wise. In some cases there will be little negative teaching, in other cases a fair bit will be necessary. In most cases something will need to be done to prevent false doctrine and so to promote faith.

1 Timothy 1:7 Ignorant Bluffers

1 Timothy 1:7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

Paul is talking to Timothy in this verse about the false teachers who he wants him to oppose. He points out the disconnect between their aspirations and the reality. They aspire to be teachers of the law. They want to be considered to be knowledgeable people, experts, those able to give instruction on matters of the law. In reality, they are ignorant and do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. They are bluffers. They make out as if they are talking sense with their confident affirmations but the truth is that they have nothing of value to say. This is a phenomenon that is seen to this very day and that exists in many spheres. The first thing we must do, especially if we are preachers, is to make sure that we are not guilty of the same thing. Okay you want to be a minister, a pastor, an elder, a teacher. Nothing wrong with that. But do make sure that you know what you are talking about and that your emphatic assertions have real solidity. In order to do that there is need for time to study - study to prepare for the work in general and study to deliver the particular message at the time. Without that we will be subject to more and more people who may sound knowledgeable and who may speak reassuringly and yet who are ignorant bluffers. Where we see this in others we must do what we can to expose their ignorance and bluff in order that others will not be led astray.

1 Timothy 1:11 The Gospel

1 Timothy 1:11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

In 1 Timothy 1:8-10 Paul says that the law is good if one uses it properly. It was made not for the righteous but for wicked people and Paul gives examples of such wickedness (those who kill their fathers or mothers ... murderers ... the sexually immoral, etc) rounding off with the catch all whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine. Verse 11 then states that this sound doctrine conforms to the gospel .... In other words, there is no conflict between law and gospel. There is a big difference between seeking to be saved through the gospel and seeking to be saved through the law, of course, but law and gospel in and of themselves are not in conflict. The other things he says about the gospel or good news, the evangel, are that it concerns the glory of the blessed God and, he says, was entrusted to me. The gospel reflects glory on God as it shows his kindness, mercy and love as well as his justice. As an apostle, Paul was entrusted with its wonderful message. So too are those who faithfully preach it today. They must preach it in a way that is trustworthy, a way that glorifies God and a way that is not in conflict with the law. Here are three good tests for a man to use in order to measure his ministry. Am I trustworthily delivering the message? Am I doing it in a way that glorifies God? Am I doing it in a way that does not conflict with the law?

1 Timothy 1:9,10 For Lawbreakers

1 Timothy 1:9, 10  We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practising homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers - and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine

Paul says that the law is not for righteous people. At first blush this may sound a little odd but Paul's point is that God's law shows you where you have gone wrong before God not how to get right with him. It is more like a proprietary plaque revealer than like a toothpaste. There are products that will stain the plaque on your teeth so that you can see it more clearly. You then have to set about the cleaning process. The law is a little like that product in that one of its main uses is to reveal the sin in your life. It is ideal for lawbreakers and rebels then, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious as the first table would have in mind, and, as for the second table, those who kill their fathers or mothers, (number 5) for murderers, (number 6) for the sexually immoral, for those practising homosexuality, (number 7) for slave traders (number 8) and liars and perjurers (number 9) and indeed for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine, one of the great concerns of these letters (see 2 Timothy 4:3, Titus 1:9). The Law then can show us where we are going wrong, where we are unsound. That is the way to use it - not as a means of becoming righteous but in order to reveal sin in your life and in your heart. A faithful preacher will preach the law in such a way that he exposes to his hearers the fact of their sin.

1 Timothy 1:5, 6 Good consciences

1 Timothy 1:5, 6 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk.
After the briefest introduction, Paul tells Timothy in this first letter that he must command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer, etc. He says that the goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Far from wanting to pull others down in a spirit of rivalry, Paul assures Timothy his command is motivated by love. To prove it he explains that this love is rooted in three things - a pure heart ... a good conscience and a sincere faith. The phrases are synonymous. The conscience is the heart and faith resides in the heart or conscience. The terms pure, good and sincere are very similar. The point then is that this is a love springing from a heart that wants only what is holy and true. If our hearts were purer, our consciences better, our faith more sincere we would love more and we would have a greater care for believers and a stronger resistance to false teachers. Paul observes (6) that the false teachers have departed from or fallen short of a pure heart, a good conscience, a sincere faith and so lack love. The emptiness that follows they endeavour to fill with meaningless words. They have a lot to say about the Bible, especially the law, but it is has no real meaning. Preachers must preach with a good conscience out of love for those they address. The moment you abandon pursuing these you no longer have anything of substance to impart. "Such, indeed is all preaching where Jesus Christ is not held forth" (Adam Clarke). These false teachers probably dealt in pretended distinctions in the law, traditions and ceremonies, endless genealogies and far-fetched additions to the law. Such teaching is of no use to anyone to lead them to Christ. Good pastors avoid meaningless talk and oppose those who turn to it.

1 Timothy 1:8 Law good

1 Timothy 1:8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly

Paul's first concern at the beginning of his first letter to Timothy is for Timothy to command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These false teachers, Paul says, want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. This leads him to say a few things about the law. The first of these is found in verse 8. The word law has several meanings. Presumably at this point Paul is speaking about the law in a broad sense - instruction on what God wants us to do. He makes the point that the law is not a bad thing. Quite the opposite - it is a good thing. Anyone who decries the law is certainly suspect. The crucial issue is that the law be used properly. It is a bit like a hammer or an axe or fire. Are these bad things? Not as such. They can do great harm if misused but if they are used properly then they can do great good. Although there is nothing wrong with the law, it is possible to misuse it as the false teachers were misusing it by suggesting that it was a means of salvation. No, as a means of salvation it is absolutely useless to us - not because it lacks anything in itself but because we do. The proper way to use the law then is to allow it to convict us of our sins. Initially it will convict us of our need for a Saviour and then on a regular basis it will remind us of our sins and of the fact that only Christ can save us. All honour to the law then, as long as it is used properly. All honour to those who preach the law - provided that it is preached properly.