1 Timothy 1New International Version (NIV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2 To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul opens with his credentials, which are unquestionable. “by the command of God our Savior and O Christ Jesus our hope”. He continues by blessing Timothy and calls him his true son in faith, showing the close relationship he had with Timothy. The reason he calls him his true son is because he was personally involved in his salvation and instruction. As a result, Timothy had served Paul faithfully in his ministry long before he was given his own ministry. This is the way it should be, so that those in ministry have mentors that are strong in faith and accountable to a mentor themselves. This guards against false teachings and deceptions. The parent/child relationship is a good environment for teaching, learning, correction, and growth.
Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers
3 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 4 or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. 5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. 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.
Notice that although Paul had the authority to command or order Timothy to stay in Ephesus, he instead gave him advise and urged him strongly instead. He knew that the people there needed correction and protection against the false teachings. They were causing people to question the gospel with their speculations and they were also adding bits and pieces of the law, in addition to mythology. This was causing great confusion amongst the new Christians in the area. It is important for teachers to teach the gospel and only the gospel. This is another argument for the importance of mentors in the lives of preachers of God’s Word.
8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9 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, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
Here, Paul is tellingTimothy how to guard against the false teachings…. With the principle of love and of faith, but also with the LAW! The law is not for us, because we have accepted salvation through Christ by faith. The law is for those who are sinful because it was designed to reveal sin for what it is. The law was created to reveal the need for a holy and blameless savior. So it is still good to teach the law, as a revelation of the good news of Christ and what he has done for humanity.
The Lord’s Grace to Paul
12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
Here Paul gives thanks to God for calling him to salvation and to ministry. He values the amazing gift of mercy that he was given. It keeps him humble, knowing that in all of his earthy wisdom and learning that he was ignorant, arrogant and violent. He has learned the truth and shows true appreciation for the ministry that God trusted him with – even knowing who and what he was prior to being called.
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. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Paul figures that if God saved him, than no-one is beyond salvation. This is what he preached and how he was used by God. There are those that would say he was “sin-conscious” and that he wasn’t walking in the grace that Jesus provided in his mercy. However, it is this very sin- consciousness that was his ministry. Acknowledging the person he was prior to salvation gave him perspective of the gift he was given. It made him humble, it made him teachable, it made him grateful. He was everything a teacher of Christ should be. He was able to extend love because he was forgiven of many sins. He was able to correct in love because he understood how easy it was to be mis-led by the “wisdom”of the world. He knew the value of self-discipline and self-control. He preached and studied carefully because he had seen how easy it was to fall into error. He knew the dangers of false teaching first hand and guarded against it with all he had within him.
The Charge to Timothy Renewed
18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Paul mentions the prophesies that were made concerning Timothy as a means to encourage him. He knew that he had already fought many battles but there were many more to come. He urged him to stay strong in faith. He mentions that some have rejected the faith and ended up spiritually shipwrecked. It goes to follow that these were men that Paul knew and possibly even taught, but they had fallen away due to false teachings. These are not just congregants, these are men who had started ministry and had fallen prey to the enemy. He says that he has turned them over to satan, because they had not only left the faith, but they had blasphemed God and his word. Paul does not make this decision lightly. He had likely tried to correct them just as he has corrected many in the church and finally had to turn them over because they would not repent and see the error of their ways.
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