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1 Timothy

  • 1 Timothy 4:1-5

    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.

  • 1 Timothy 3:14-16

    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.

  • 1 Timothy 3:8-13

    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.

  • 1 Timothy 3:4-7

    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.

  • 1 Timothy 3:2-3

    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."

  • 1 Timothy 3:1, part 2

    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.

  • 1 Timothy 3:1

    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.

  • 1 Timothy 2:8-15

    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.

  • 1 Timothy 2:3-7

    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.

  • 1 Timothy 2:1-2

    Prayer for the Lost in Authority.

    In 1 Timothy 2, Paul moves from philosophy to practical instruction for Timothy and the Ephesian churches. What would you say is the most important thing for a new church? Paul says the number-one priority for the church is prayer, with a primarily evangelistic focus. Our responsibility to the state is to pray for the salvation of our leaders.

  • 1 Timothy 1:18-20

    Your Personal Role in the Spiritual Protection of Our Church Family.

    1 Timothy 1 is all about ministry balance. Paul emphasizes three things necessary for Timothy's ministry and every local church:

    • teaching sound doctrine,
    • maintaining an evangelistic heart, and
    • defending the faith.

    Every member must take responsibility for all three. A congregation that only teaches sound doctrine or only evangelizes will know success for a while, but a flock where each saint embraces the challenge of learning to defend the body of faith entrusted to them will know the eternal blessing of God.

  • 1 Timothy 1:12-17, Part 2

    The Protective Value of a Genuine Testimony.

    New birth is the best defense against unbelief. A simple salvation testimony and evidence of a changed life shows that Jesus is enough. No rule or creative idea can change a person's life. Legalism and pragmatism simply do not agree with the Gospel.

  • 1 Timothy 1:12-17

    The Protective Value of a Genuine Testimony.

    Every believer has been born again of a supernatural cause. Paul gives his testimony in the first chapter of his letter to Timothy to remind him that spiritual new birth is what keeps the church revived, refreshed, and protected. A healthy church is one that sees people being saved, discipled, and serving. This is the natural progression that God uses to build His church. One person who walks with the Lord can have a spiritual influence so great that only the Lord knows its true extent.

  • 1 Timothy 1:3-11, Part 2

    Pursuing Ministry Nobility Rather than Religious Pragmatism.

    We don't want one family member left behind at special events. The family picture should not be missing anyone! Similarly, we don't want anyone left behind in a church. We seek to protect each member so all can enjoy spiritual unity and progress.

  • 1 Timothy 1:3-11, Part 1

    Pursuing Ministry Nobility Rather than Religious Pragmatism

    1 Timothy 1:3-11 begins the body of Paul's letter to his mentor Timothy. Paul wrote to assure and strengthen Ephesian believers who were unsettled and scared by unbelief. Fearful people need to be encouraged, instructed, and emboldened to take action. Paul urged Timothy to take action against unbelief and help his flock become protectors of the church.

  • 1 Timothy 1:2

    Spiritual Fathers — Spiritual Sons

    Paul wrote the book of 1 Timothy to encourage the believers at Ephesus, then instruct them about the structure of the church so they could make spiritual progress. First he had to encourage their leader, his "true son in the faith," Pastor Timothy. Paul was Timothy's spiritual father. He had mentored Timothy in personal growth and in ministry. What fruits did Paul desire to see in his spiritual son -- and what should we pray to see in our spiritual children?

  • 1 Timothy 1:1, Part 2

    The Deepest Joy Springs from Understanding Christ's Deity.

    The church in Ephesus had been unsettled by the false teaching of unbelievers in their midst. Even young pastor Timothy was anxious. Paul knew the flock at Ephesus well from teaching in their houses for over three years. His heart was that no soul would be left behind, and he wrote to settle the Ephesian believers. They needed to be encouraged and settled, so they could then learn proper structure and function in the church, then go on to make spiritual progress. Paul was an example to Timothy in discipleship and pastoral ministry.

  • 1 Timothy 1:1

    Sound Doctrine Settles Hearts.

    Paul wrote the book of 1 Timothy as a mentor to his tutor. Pastor Timothy oversaw the largest of the first-century churches. This letter was a tool in Timothy's continued discipleship by Paul. No church is strengthened without disciple-making. It is a work of the church that every member must be involved in, not just the pastors.

  • 1 Timothy Introduction, Part 2

    The Personal and Corporate Integrity of the Church.

    Carbon fiber is ten times as strong as steel and one third the weight. Because of these properties, the airplane industry is using it to make more lightweight, durable jets. Likewise, the church is much stronger and can move forward with much less burden when it is well-taught and holds to proper doctrine. The Christian life can be hard, but it would be much more difficult if we didn't preach a proper Gospel.

  • 1 Timothy Introduction

    The Personal and Corporate Integrity of the Church.

    Corporate purity in a church comes from the personal purity of its people. In God's divine order, people will become like their leaders. Paul wrote Timothy to watch his own life and doctrine so he could lead the church of Ephesus well. When it comes to doctrine, there is no "wiggle room." Even though Paul spent the most time establishing the Ephesian church, some people there were okay with deviating slightly from biblical doctrine. A thread of falsehood can creep into the most well-taught church. We are all prone to this error in our fallen natures, but the Word of God acts like a hammer to correct both our doctrine and our practice of it.