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Category: The Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy
November 15, 2015

The Integrity and Health of the Pastor and His Church.

At worst, the doctrine of legalism teaches we can save ourselves. At best, it teaches what we can do ourselves to gain favor with God. Either way, the source is one of darkness. Those who know the Lord Jesus as their Savior no longer have to worry about pleasing God. Because of our position in Christ, pleasing God becomes natural to us.

In 1 Timothy 4:1-5, Paul has explained legalism's attempts to earn approval with God. Next, he outlines the contrasting virtues of godly servants.

Category: The Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy
November 8, 2015

Preaching truth mixed with a little error ultimately leads the church to turn from the Bible completely.

Fire drills and tornado drills can seem redundant, but they are necessary for collective safety. Paul drills Timothy on defending the faith in 1 Timothy 4:1-5. His words tie back to the instruction in chapter 1 on addressing falsehood in the church. Pragmatism or legalism is addressed through rehearsing the Gospel and individual believers' testimonies. Falsehood does not encourage outreach because it has no message to share outside the church. It works inside and divides the flock. Genuine believers embrace the Gospel and seek to take it outside the walls of the church.

Category: The Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy
November 1, 2015

The Amazing Integrity of God's Household.

Good coaches emphasize the fundamentals because they are essential for success. At the end of chapter 3, Paul gives a parenthetical reminder to Timothy. If the churches that Timothy oversees at Ephesus are to have spiritual success, they must stay focused on their mission.

Category: The Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy
October 25, 2015

The Character of Non-teaching Leaders Preserves Gospel Integrity for the Church and Community.

Content and disposition are both important in communication and leadership. Saying the right thing in the wrong way can hurt more than help. When Jesus spoke, He only scolded religious unbelief. He reserved harshness for those who should have known better.

The human authors that God used to pen the Bible each wrote with their own disposition and personality. We must read each of their books understanding their unique style. Paul gave Timothy essential information to govern God's church, assuming that Timothy was ready to embrace his instruction.

Category: The Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy
October 18, 2015

Character in Leadership Ensures the Presence of the Gospel in Any City.

As we study the final three qualifications for pastor-teachers, remember that all of the qualities in this list (except skill in teaching) are ones that all believers are told to emulate elsewhere in Scripture. Pastors are to set the example for everyone in the church.

Category: The Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy
October 11, 2015

Character in Leadership Ensures the Presence of the Gospel in Any City.

As a poet said, the things that matter most must never be put at the mercy of things that matter least. When Paul writes the qualifications for pastors, a leader's character is what matters most. If local churches are to perpetuate Gospel influence, character must always be held above any gimmicky attempts to make the church popular or the Bible "relevant."

Category: The Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy
October 4, 2015

Character in Leadership is Essential to Gospel Influence.

In 1 Timothy 3, Paul writes Timothy about the qualifications for leadership in the church. His comments raise two questions: Do you aspire to be a leader? Do you qualify? This particular section is addressed to men, but all people in the church should aspire to have character that mirrors their leaders.

Category: The Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy
September 27, 2015

Character in Leadership is Essential to Gospel Influence.

Three Greek words are used interchangeably to describe one position of leadership in the church. In English, these are translated as pastor, teacher, overseer or elder. 1 Timothy 3 describes the character that should exist among leadership families.

Category: The Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy
September 20, 2015

Balanced, Spirit-filled Order in the Church Provides Stability and Growth.

Women have God-ordained value in the local church. The church does not function well with just men. God designed this institution to work with members of both genders.

Category: The Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy
September 13, 2015

Prayer for the Lost in Authority.

The best way to develop a burden for the lost is to pray for them. Christ himself gave us an example of this in John 17:20-26. Evangelism is a key part of disciple-making living, which governs every part of our lives as Christians. Without this eternal purpose, life would be pretty mundane!

Sometimes, Bible verses like Proverbs 1:14-19, James 4:4, and 1 Peter 3:15 are mistakenly used to deter Christians from forming friendships with unsaved people. But we must have friendships of integrity in order to be a testimony in a dark world. A burden for the lost helps keep the church pure.