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.

2 Timothy 2:20, 21 Noble Purposes

2 Timothy 2:20, 21 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work

These verses are a little difficult but if we think of the church of God as being like a large house with a solid foundation (as stated in the previous verse) then those within it can be thought of as articles for various purposes in that house. Just as in a house articles are made of different materials (gold, silver, wood, clay) all depending on what exactly they are used for so in God's church different ones have different qualities and different purposes under God. Some are for noble use, some, sadly, for ignoble. Here Timothy is exhorted to avoid those who are clearly made for ignoble purposes - people who go in for godless chatter or who have begun to wander away from the truth. Timothy is to cleanse himself from such in order that he may be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. What is striking here is that Paul is saying that distinctions need to be made even within the church membership, otherwise if ignoble people get in they can soon pull down the whole edifice unless great care is taken. Wise pastors will learn to disentangle themselves and their churches from vessels of ignoble purpose.

1 Timothy 1:15 Christ Came

1 Timothy 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst.

This is one of the greatest evangelistic texts in the New Testament. It is the first of the five trustworthy sayings of the pastoral letters (the others are in 1 Timothy 3:1 and 4:9, 2 Timothy 2:11 and Titus 3:8) and one of two where Paul says that it deserves full acceptance (1 Timothy 4:9 is the other). The heart of the verse simply says that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. In preaching the verse you would perhaps begin with the name Christ Jesus, explaining what this name points to - the God man, the Messiah who saves. Perhaps the next point should focus on his coming into the world (this is the part that makes the text an appropriate one for an Advent message). Finally, there is why he came - to save sinners. Alternatively, one could begin with sinners, showing that we are all such, and work back to the coming and the fact that he is Christ Jesus. The final phrase of whom I am the worst is a little difficult in that Paul says it of himself. It is understandable that he should and is the zenith or rather nadir of his self-description, being preceded by the admission that he is the least of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9) and the least of all the saints (Ephesians 3:8). How to apply that to others is problematic. If Paul is the worst sinner then I am not, but may be Paul was only the worst to that point. At the very least it teaches us not to have too high an opinion of ourselves. It certainly points us to the greatness of Christ and his salvation.

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.

Titus 3:10 Divisive Persons

Titus 3:10 Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him.
In Titus 3:10 Paul advises Titus on how to deal with troublemakers. He says that he should  Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. If After that, there is no change then have nothing to do with him. So we begin with warnings. The once .... a second time guide is not to happen on one day or in a week. It is a general rule. One warning is not enough, there must be time for repentance. If eventually, however, there is no change then that person must come under formal church discipline. Paul says nothing about congregational decisions here but that is no doubt assumed. In the end, if there is no repentance, then ostracism is necessary. This may seem harsh but it is because, as Paul puts it, in verse 11, You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. Some people are simply divisive by nature. Nothing will change them. This is a sobering fact and is evidence of the realism of the New Testament and its rejection of Utopianism. It is a little like Paul's seemingly pessimistic How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? (1 Corinthians 7:16). Do not miss the hope here, though. There are those who are able, by God's grace, to change. Good pastors seek change but recognise that it does not always happen.

Titus 3:1, 2 Some Reminders

Titus 3:1, 2 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.

The final chapter of Titus, as we call it, begins with Paul calling on Titus to remind the people of a number of things. In verses 1 and 2 there are some five altogether. They are submission to the powers that be and obedience, readiness to do good, avoidance of slander, being peaceable and considerate and humility. So the people are to be reminded, firstly, to be subject to rulers and authorities and to be obedient something the New Testament urges in more than one place (see 2 Timothy 2, etc). More generally, they are to be reminded to do whatever is good. This exhortation appears in several other places in this letter (2:14 and verses 8 and 14 of this chapter - to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good ... I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good ... Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good). The third thing is that they should slander no one, again something often spoken of in the New Testament (Ephesians 4:31, Colossians 3:8). The last two things the people are to be reminded of are to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men (see Colossians 3:12, 13, etc).

Titus 2:15 Authoritative Teacher

Titus 2:15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

What we call Chapter 2 of Titus ends with three brief exhortations. The first of these says that these ... are the things Titus must teach. This takes us back to the opening verse of the chapter - You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. The content of the chapter includes teaching for older men (2), older women (3, 4), younger women by implication (5), younger men (6) and slaves (9, 10) along with exhortations about how to teach (7, 8) and the nature of the gospel (11-14). The next sums up the need to Encourage and rebuke with all authority. This echoes the statement in Chapter 1 that an elder (verse 9) must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Encouraging and rebuking or opposing that is the work. The call here to do this with all authority leads into the third and final general exhortation - Do not let anyone despise you. This is reminiscent of 1 Timothy 4:12a Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young.  A minister must not be proud but he must have a confidence that refuses to be despised.