T1: a study of 1 Timothy (c. 2019)

a study of 1 Timothy

by Sean Lawrence

Preface:

This is the first letter to Timothy authored by the Apostle Paul. The best estimate for the date of this writing is about 63 A.D. It was composed in letter form to his beloved friend Timothy which Paul wrote as a set of guidelines regarding how to conduct one’s life and the life of one’s faith community.

This book warns the young Timothy, and a new generation of church leaders, about the challenges of legalism and false teaching, about the qualification thereof, and additionally for deacons. There is much to endure, and Timothy is a guidance system to right living in a world that contests both our point of view and our Savior.

Of note (so, if you read nothing else these verses will suffice):

[1 Timothy 1:15] This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” and I am the worst of them.

[1 Timothy 3:2-4] An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy one who manages his own household competently, having his children under control with all dignity.

[1 Timothy 4:14] Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

-reference the booklet Know Your Bible © 2008 by Barbour Publishing,

Thanks:

To our God, Good Father, and lover of my soul I give thanks because despite my shortcomings He has not cut me off from Himself. For that I am grateful beyond words. To Jesus who healed me, and to the Holy Spirit who sustains me, I marvel at the vocabulary and the strength I have been given for it is not my own.

To Kevin Lawrence for editing this lesson set ...

To Rebecca, my wife, you have allowed me the freedom and privacy to do these things even when these activities have taken away from our time. You are my Spirit-guide and I am truly thankful for your unselfish heart.

To all those who have challenged me, and caused me to go deeper; I thank you for the challenge, the prayer and the support; even in these chaotic times we are enduring and growing.

Sean Lawrence January 2020

Note: all Scripture is taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

[1 Timothy 1:1-5] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior 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.

As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach different doctrine or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God’s plan, which operates by faith. Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.

In this first letter Paul addresses Timothy as “my true son” and that is reiterated in the second letter with a slightly different twist: “my dearly loved son.” Since I am using the same Holman translation this isn't just a device of the translator, but a change in Paul’s affection for Timothy.

Timothy has a deepening relationship with Paul just as we, over time, will develop a different relationship with Jesus and His Word. This difference is in both depth and breadth. Paul offers to Timothy what Jesus offers each of us: grace, mercy and peace.

Additionally, what we see in this opening passage is an admonition (a cautionary tale, if you wish, or a fair warning) to be wary as he remains in Ephesus which is modern day Turkey. He is instructed not to engage in empty speculation but to rely on the strength and knowledge that arise out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. It is my belief that these attributes arise from a decision to love as Jesus loved, and not the other way around.

Do not pay attention to myths or endless genealogies, but to Christ Jesus!

[1 Timothy 1: 6-13] Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on. But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately. We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching based on the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me. I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief.

Have you ever known of folks who want to teach but really do not know what it is they are teaching? It’s not that these individuals cannot recite verses or produce the words upon command, but that they do not know the author well; nor do they understand what the student is to take away from such study.

Those who endlessly ruminate over the law, and the consequences of violating it, do not realize that the law is not for the righteous. It is for those who would violate God’s Word and who would violate the rights of their fellows.

The law condemns while love encourages. It is said that loving is like heaping burning coals on the head of one’s adversary. The law cannot do that. Yet, we were all unfaithful and most have probably met with the consequences of breaking laws … citations for some and prison for others. Nonetheless, there is always a price to be paid: for the unbeliever the price is paid in eternity; for the believer the ultimate price was paid by Jesus! Choose wisely ...

[1 Timothy 1:14-20] And the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” and I am the worst of them. But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.

Amen. Timothy, my son, I am giving you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies previously made about you, so that by them you may strongly engage in battle, having faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and have suffered the shipwreck of their faith. Hymenaeus and Alexander are among them, and I have delivered them to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners and I am the worst of them.

(says Paul, says me)

A t-shirt I had printed says pretty much the same thing: If you think this is bad you should’ve seen me without Jesus.

Grace is demonstrated in God’s extraordinary patience and love for us which is an example of His steadfast nature. This perfect love is demonstrated on the cross and in full view of our unsteady, if not fragile, approach to faithfulness. Some might even say it is His approach to our faithLESSness that is most remarkable.

The prophecy Paul refers to is this: the consensus of other voices who also recognized Timothy’s call to ministry. We should always be cognizant of not one voice but the voices of many who concur when someone is called. If not we run the risk of doing exactly what we want to do, and not what God truly requires of us.

The two persons mentioned must have betrayed their unbelief openly and were left to the consequences of their blasphemy. Why? Because evidently they had never truly believed!

[1 Timothy 2:1-7] First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human, who gave Himself — a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time. For this I was appointed a herald, an apostle (I am telling the truth; I am not lying), and a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

This is a hard one. It is fairly easy to pray for one another, but it is far more difficult to make petitions, prayers ,and intercessions (or even thanksgivings} for kings and leadership. Intercessions for unpopular leadership is by far the most challenging. This might be akin to a Jew praying for Gentiles at a time when Gentiles were perceived as part of the larger problem: any Gentile, whether Greek or Roman would have been an affront to traditional Judaism. Thankfully, this was not a view Jesus held!

In 2020 we should try to do what pleases God and honors Jesus Christ, by praying for our adversaries whether they be different politically, ideologically or genetically. This does not mean that we are to give up what we believe in, or that we relax our standards, but that we might learn to love even those we once found unlovable.

Does this mean that we submit to demeaning or inflammatory leadership, or that we simply comply with the incompetent or the mean-spirited? No, I don’t think so. I believe that most leadership tries to do well, and attempts to keep the order; yet, given time, it often falls prey to its own arrogance and pride. So, trust God to do what is just … and until then choose your leaders wisely ...

[1 Timothy 2:8-15] Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument. Also, the women are to dress themselves in modest clothing, with decency and good sense, not with elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive apparel, but with good works, as is proper for women who affirm that they worship God. A woman should learn in silence with full submission. I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to be silent. For Adam was created first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed. But she will be saved through childbearing, if she continues in faith, love, and holiness, with good judgment.

Do you believe that what a woman, or a man, wears determines what is going on in their hearts and the souls? Why would Paul have been alerting Timothy to such a thing? Does profiling in this way lead us to make unfair assumptions about the intentions and lifestyles of those who dress or behave in particular ways?

It appears that in all cases Jesus treats women very differently than Paul does; or at least in the way he writes about them. Now, this may have been because certain cults, where women are dominant, were influential and Paul was seeking to “level the playing field” by reversing the dominant gender roles. Regardless, this content in Timothy’s letter is not in keeping with God’s provision for men and women to be partners. As we know, Jesus allowed women critical roles in His ministry, most notably at His resurrection. This new tradition is carried out in gospel recollections where men, as key figures, would have been more believable candidates for transmitting the narrative of critical events.

I remain convinced that Paul is taking a broad brush approach to keeping order and integrity within the fledgling Christian church, the followers of “The Way.”

Furthermore, I believe that Paul, like Peter and James, struggled with their newfound faith in light of tradition; the intent was not to demean or endanger women, but to seek God’s perspective. Always seek God’s truth.

[1 Timothy 3:1-7] This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy one who manages his own household competently, having his children under control with all dignity. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the Devil. Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into disgrace and the Devil’s trap.

Passages like these have embedded in their language very good information which we often use in contemporary recovery programs. If one is to lead in the church, or lead effectively anywhere, he or she must be a person of integrity, being sober, sensible, and deserving of trust. Trust, as we know, is earned.

How can we know that? As Paul suggests: one must have experience, not being a “new convert.” Why is concern over new conversion such a critical issue? I will tell you why: it goes to credibility; it also suggests a mature and consistent lifestyle demonstrated over time, i.e. an intentional set of choices and acceptance of consequences. An individual can fake it, or rely on sheer will power for a period of time; but in the long run what speaks the loudest about change is the ability to stay on track, bowing neither to the exuberance of the good times nor the complete devastation of the bad times ... but keeping on nonetheless. People who are new into any relational or lifestyle change (recovery and conversion are two that come to mind) are often on a crusade and can be caught up in the excitement of a novel thing. This will wear off; one must demonstrate that he or she is sufficiently healed, and ultimately resistant to the slings and arrows of the Adversary.

[1 Timothy 3:8-12] Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And they must also be tested first; if they prove blameless, then they can serve as deacons. Wives, too, must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, faithful in everything. Deacons must be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently. For those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves, and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Deacon: One of the laymen elected (or appointed) by a church congregation to serve in worship, in pastoral care, and on administrative committees. (Webster)

This individual must be:

 Worthy of respect

 Not hypocritical

 Not drinking a lot of wine

 Not greedy for money

 Holding the mystery of faith

 Having a clear conscience

In the same way the wife (or spouse in these latter days) must also be worthy and trustworthy, faithful and able to manage a household. This does not suggest perfection, but leaning into the person of Jesus Christ through a specific calling which is understood and agreed upon within the body. Those who get ahead of this message will find themselves floundering if not falling.

[1 Timothy 3:14-16] I write these things to you, hoping to come to you soon. But if I should be delayed, I have written so that you will know how people ought to act in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. And most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Now we are told that the households of faithful leaders (and parishioners alike) are affecting the identity of the church itself. Therefore, church should represent our reality, for certain, but also a higher reality. A natural extension of this thinking would be the desire to reduce chaos and the drama within the congregation in favor of a true kingdom experience, i.e. a stricter focus on the person of Jesus Christ, and the Father by whom He was sent.

The books of 1st and 2nd Timothy are a guide for church structure in the context of his ministry at Ephesus (modern day Turkey). Ephesus was one of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation, and it was famous for its temple to the goddess Artemis (or Diana … goddess of the moon and the hunt).

In a typical creed Paul writes:

 He (Jesus) was manifested in the flesh,

 vindicated in the Spirit,

 seen by angels,

 preached among the nations,

 believed on in the world,

 taken up in glory.

[1 Timothy 4:1-5] Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared. They forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods that God created to be received with gratitude by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, since it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayer.

Explicitly is how the Spirit has spoken through the ages out of the mouths of prophets, even about the very acts of Christ as the Messiah.

I do not have any doubt that Scripture has been very clear about the good our God intends for us. Even so, we know many have become resistant, rebellious and cold hearted because they feel their needs have not been met. Whole churches have strayed from strict Biblical teaching, and offered up alternative doctrine so as not to offend anyone.

Some of the ways Satan has inserted himself into contemporary culture should be very familiar: Even levelheaded people are ...

 Paying attention to deceitful spirits (false prophets and demons)

 Consciences are seared (people are set against truths that they do not love)

 Forbidding marriage (marriage as we originally understood it is no longer a primary directive)

 Abstaining from food that God created (maybe the eventual banning of Communion).

[1 Timothy 4:6-10] If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished by the words of the faith and the good teaching that you have followed. But have nothing to do with irreverent and silly myths. Rather, train yourself in godliness, for the training of the body has a limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. In fact, we labor and strive for this, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, especially of those who believe.

We know that the training of the body has a limited benefit because it is temporary, and that Godly teaching has a strong forward-leaning effect … even into eternity!

But what is of interest in this passage is not the beginning but the end. It almost passes without notice … it could easily be glossed over because the context is ordinary, and the language inoffensive. And yet:

In fact, we labor and strive for this, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of everyone, especially of those who believe.

Is Jesus truly the Savior of everyone? Will He save everyone? I have heard of this, and it is called Universalism, meaning everyone goes to glory regardless of how they have lived their lives or whom they have served. Is this possible? It is not possible, and it is not consistent with Jesus’ own words and actions. Consider the two thieves on the cross with Christ at Golgotha. One went to paradise that day and the other did not. Why? Because one accepted Jesus as Lord and the other rejected Him.

[1 Timothy 4:11-16] Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, give your attention to public reading, exhortation, and teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you; it was given to you through prophecy, with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.

We are told, as was Timothy, to exhort, preach and teach with passion and authority … the authority that can only be driven and made known by (and in) the Holy Spirit. Paul tells Timothy, and he tells us, not to hold back when it comes to truth-telling.

It is clear that telling the truth, especially the truth in Jesus Christ will not always be popular. But, to make truth-telling really stick, the one speaking (or speaking through action) must embody the attributes and the virtues of a man or woman who conducts themselves in an upright way.

Paul says that we should be examples in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. That is a tall order, but not to make an effort only lifts up evil and kills our message to believers and non-believers alike. It isn’t about perfection, but about responding to our calling with all of the passion and consistency we can muster.

Persevere in these things … always.

[1 Timothy 5: 1-2] Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and with all propriety, the younger women as sisters.

Iwould love to make light of this as “an older man,” but the truth is far more important than a bad joke. The wellbeing of any community or culture relies upon seeing the value in each part of the body. “Exhort” means to encourage, by the way.

Wisdom is acquired, not by gathering intellectual knowledge, or data, but life knowledge. It goes to honor and respect for the young and the old alike. This is critical because the temptation is to disrespect others in favor of self, especially when threatened. No matter how much church and state drill into us that respect is vital we are bombarded with marketing to the contrary:

 Youthful knowledge, and not wisdom through a lifetime of experience, is more highly valued in any emerging generation,

 Younger men are often looked at as competition, not brethren, in our survivor culture (unless we are at war, of course),

 Older women can be mothers, and culture bearers, but their wisdom is hyper-critical to the balance of any community,

 Younger women viewed as sisters, and not sex objects, is in opposition to the way in which we market and sell in our consumer culture.

This admonition is in keeping with the model of a healthy family and does not depart from the notion that one’s house and community must be in order so that one’s full attention can be paid to leading the flock, a flock of any size.

Book of the Hebrews

[1 Timothy 5:3-8] Support widows who are genuinely widows. But if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must learn to practice godliness toward their own family first and to repay their parents, for this pleases God. The real widow, left all alone, has put her hope in God and continues night and day in her petitions and prayers; however, she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. Command this also, so they won’t be blamed. But if anyone does not provide for his own, that is his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Well, this does go a couple of different directions:

One direction is quite obvious: to be accountable for one’s family to the extent that it is possible, based upon resources. It would appear that the issue of taking care of one’s family resonates over time and in most cultures. Of course, with larger intact families the support would be easier because of a greater number of employable sons. Those left without sons, and without resources, were it seems, outcasts. Today the extended family is much looser and less intact with many members likely to be on assistance rather than working. The issue with widows and widowers without family remains the same …

The other direction this goes is to personal, familial and community responsibility. And this is where Jesus helped us transform the law (which was supportive of the poor even then) and placed the burden more squarely on communities rather than individuals or families.

Of course, the other looming issue is the squandering of resources and the misrepresentation of one’s needs which seems to be epidemic in these latter days. It is probably unrealistic, in our culture, for an older widowed individual to mourn for the remainder of their lives; so, the focus must be on living a life that glorifies God and is not obsessive or largely self-indulgent. The focus of someone who has suffered a loss must be on Jesus, a faithful life, and not on death.

[1 Timothy 5:9-16] No widow should be placed on the official support list unless she is at least 60 years old, has been the wife of one husband, and is well known for good works that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to every good work. But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say. Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. For some have already turned away to follow Satan. If any believing woman has widows in her family, she should help them, and the church should not be burdened, so that it can help those who are genuinely widows.

Now we wade into what seems to be a very contemporary dilemma of whom to support and what criteria should be used to determine eligibility. We are actually blessed today because of the proliferation of agencies and institutional resources that can provide help at a magnitude that the church itself cannot bear. Today the sheer number of orphaned, marginalized, homeless and mentally ill require expert intervention, and this is easier for a village than for a single church or household.

In the small flock I led during the time this study was written, we realized that we as an independent worship and study experience, could not be everything to everyone and did not have the resources to provide wrap around support for individuals or families. But, we did understand what we did best: we proclaimed the Lordship of Jesus, offered weekly meals and made provision for caring and referral. Alone we can do a little, but by partnering with other experts and communities we can make a difference (one soul at a time).

Be genuine, stay sober, turn from Satan, and take small steps toward real progress. In God’s time you will be transformed and you will know success in the Spirit ...

[1 Timothy 5:17-20] The elders who are good leaders should be considered worthy of an ample honorarium, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says: Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain, and, the worker is worthy of his wages. * Don’t accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. Publicly rebuke those who sin, so that the rest will also be afraid.

* (Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7)

While I think it is appropriate to pay reasonable wages for the work of good leaders and qualified elders, it is not required. Though compensation of some sort is probably better than relying completely on charity, there is not a decent substitute for being led by someone who is not dependent upon the congregation for a living wage. It is far healthier that a congregation might barter with a non -monetary resource rather than pay outright. I believe that circuit riders in the 19th century were compensated by offerings of food, shelter and so forth. This is far healthier for both the elder and the congregation. The reference to not muzzling an ox (from Deuteronomy) and a worker being worthy of a wage (Luke from the words of Jesus) suggest that compensation is Scriptural. But, I ask you, what about the work of the Spirit?

I am in full agreement that an accusation against an elder must not be the concoction of one disenchanted individual, but must bear the weight of evidence. Otherwise the Devil might get a foothold and oust many a strong leader!

The public rebuke discussed here is not public humiliation as unbelievers would expect, but an example of accountability, consequence and forgiveness.

[1 Timothy 5:21--25] I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing out of favoritism. Don’t be too quick to appoint anyone as an elder, and don’t share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. Don’t continue drinking only water, but use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. Some people’s sins are obvious, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others surface later. Likewise, good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden.

Paul concludes [what would later be] the first 5 chapters of his letter with a summary about elders; elders who would ultimately be instructors, guardians and examples to the flock. This opens the door to a conclusion to his first letter with words of encouragement and a warning:

 You are charged with these instructions, to apply them without prejudice

 Do nothing out of favoritism

 Do not be hasty in appointing elders or other leadership

 Do not share in the sins of others

 Remain pure

It is worth noting that Paul suggests “a little wine” for Timothy, and does not confuse that with remaining pure. I believe we can also support that today. If you are not addicted, “a little wine” does no harm and may do some good. However, also be aware that drunkenness was well known in those days, and Scripture in both the Old and New Testament writing warns against it.

Timothy, it seems, had digestive issues, and the water was helping his condition. This would not have been an uncommon medical condition for the time.

Sin is slippery, however, what is hidden will not remain hidden; the consequence of sinful behavior will always come to light.

[1 Timothy 6:1-5] All who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters1 to be worthy of all respect, so that God’s name and His teaching will not be blasphemed. Those who have believing masters should not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers, but should serve them better, since those who benefit from their service are believers and dearly loved.

Teach and encourage these things. If anyone teaches other doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness, he is conceited, understanding nothing, but has a sick interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions, and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain.

We serve our Master whose yoke is light and whose domain is just and even-handed. As “slaves” we are respectful of our true Master because we know that we are purchased by Him with His own blood; otherwise we will surely be subdued by a malicious overlord and handed over to be tortured. We are respectful and serve our Master the best we know how because we know that we are loved. And we are motivated by love ...

If anyone teaches another doctrine, that is to say, a doctrine of unsound and divisive teaching … a doctrine other than the good news of Jesus Christ … then we can say with authority:

 That this person is un-Godly,

 Conceited,

 Understands nothing,

 Has a sick interest in disputes

 And who imagines that Godliness is a way to material gain.

[1 Timothy 6:6-10] But godliness with contentment is a great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. *

But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

But what about a strong faith that provides contentment and true peace? We must be at peace with the knowledge that since we came into the world with nothing that anything we gain is a gift; and, that if we at least have food and shelter for a day that we were never promised more than that. It isn’t that we won’t have more but that we must have a grateful heart; we must not fall into the snare of believing we somehow deserve more and more and still more.

Jesus tells us that tomorrow has troubles of its own, and those troubles we can do nothing about today … but what can we do?

 We do not fall into the trap of temptation associated with material gain at the expense of a stronger and more promising spiritual foundation.

 We do not become obsessed with money, or the things it can purchase, because that obsession is the root of evil and disastrous outcomes.

 Through the craving of forbidden fruit many have wandered far from their faith and pierced themselves with many pains.

* (Job 1:21, Psalm 49:17 and Ecclesiastes 5:15)

[1 Timothy 6:11-12] But you, man of God, run from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the faith; take hold of eternal life that you were called to and have made a good confession about in the presence of many witnesses.

Man of God, run , flee and increase your distance from these things that tempt you, create obsession, and inflict great pains ...

Pursue righteousness, Godliness and greater faith by:

Expressing love, endurance and gentleness even if you are met with hate, exhaustion and unbelief;

Fight the good fight which means playing by the rules of the contest, bearing no ill will, and loving your enemies even when you would love to hate them;

Behave like you are living for eternity, with eternal values, unlike those who live for the moment taking pride in pointless battles, and winning no wars;

Live into what you were called to do in the Holy Spirit, making a strong confession of your love for Jesus Christ in the presence of the whole world.

It is clear that we cannot begin to do these impossible tasks without the strength of a supernatural God. There is no way to proclaim hope unless we know the hope that is in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[1 Timothy 6:13-16] In the presence of God, who gives life to all, and of Christ Jesus, who gave a good confession before Pontius Pilate, I charge you to keep the command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. God will bring this about in His own time. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, the only One who has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; no one has seen or can see Him, to Him be honor and eternal might. Amen.

Jesus Christ is our ALL and ALL!

All that we say and all that we do is in His presence, and glorifies His presence, by making that presence manifest in us and through us. By His promise in the Gospel of John, He went to prepare a place for us, and He will return in His glory which will be made physically manifest; that glorious return will be announced with trumpets and a with a shout!

I believe His time is now … very soon my friends, very soon now:

 Jesus is the blessed and only Sovereign.

 Jesus is the King of kings.

 Jesus is the only One who has immortality.

 Jesus is dwelling in unapproachable light.

 Jesus is God who remains unseen.

 Jesus is full of honor and eternal might!

[1 Timothy 6:17-21] Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come, so that they may take hold of life that is real. Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding irreverent, empty speech and contradictions from the “knowledge” that falsely bears that name. By professing it, some people have deviated from the faith.

Grace be with all of you.

Paul concludes this first letter to his understudy, Timothy, with a gentle reminder that riches, richness and being rich are not things of this world. I think we know that to be true in our hearts, but it’s hard to get away from a culture which reminds us that having material is gain.

We also know that having personal wealth is not a sin unless it obstructs our view and our access to God. For many this has become a religion, and what little faith one obtained has is built upon the weak foundation of things that will rust and material things that moths will devour.

So, the question will be …

What riches will you store up

What riches will you give away, and

What riches do you value more than flesh or bone?

The wisest of the wise, Solomon, writes a rather depressing evaluation of the things which we value, and those which are fleeting … or, as he put it, the result of vain striving. Yet, nothing is in vain if it gives honor and glory to Christ

Jesus in whom and by whom and through whom all things were made.

Appendix on Paul’s patriarchal view of a woman’s role and the way Jesus viewed gender … (from the message December 2019)

A woman’s place, like a man’s place, is to the will of God! So while we explore the nature of gender we will look more closely at a very special and chosen woman: Mary mother of Jesus. As it is the Advent season, and our celebration of the birth of Jesus approaches, it is right that we should look very closely at a woman who was humble, willing and the vessel we and the Lord God adore.

There are many interpretations, understandings and misunderstandings about the place of women in the church. Much of this has stemmed from readings of various epistles by the Apostle Paul, and direct references to the ancient world as a patriarchal construct. Of course there is the unending dialogue about the actions and motivations of Eve (and Adam) in the Garden of Eden.

My conversations have been with men who wholeheartedly believe women have no place in the highest offices of the church, and with others who see no Scriptural evidence in Christ to embrace such an exclusion. And there are those somewhere in the middle. Some of this goes to upbringing, education and then ultimately whether or not tradition itself lines up with Jesus or reflects only the religiosity and insecurity of men in pursuit of power.

I say, what about Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ mother, Mary who was Lazarus’ sister and the Samaritan woman at the well, oh and of course the woman who would be stoned for adultery? These women were not made subservient to men nor placed below men; they were specifically used to glorify Jesus which is not a gender statement. Jesus never indicates that men and women are not equals, but that both men and women are tasked with very different roles, primarily as a team which together is far more powerful than either one separately. My use of a double negative is intentional.

My personal understanding is that Jesus did far more than transform the Scriptures and fulfill their prophecy … He also redefined what it meant to be a human being irrespective of gender, creed or origin. Now, do not get me wrong … gender matters and it is important to embrace that definition of one another because it is the very construct of the vessel we are in until death frees us of its fleshly bonds.

Appendix on Paul’s patriarchal view (continued)

I say, what about Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ mother; Mary who was Lazarus’ sister; and the Samaritan woman at the well; oh and of course, the woman who would be stoned for adultery? These women were not made subservient to men nor placed below men. They were specifically used to glorify Jesus which is not a gender statement. Jesus never indicates that men and women are not equals, but that both men and women are tasked with very different roles ... primarily as a team which together is far more powerful than either one separately.

[Genesis 1:26-27] 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, all the earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”

27 So God created man in His own image; He created him in the image of God; He created them male and female.

[Galatians 3:27-29] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ like a garment. 28 There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.

In Scripture, when “man or mankind” is discussed it is not necessarily about just men, although in that culture men were dominant. However, this is a construct of man, not necessarily the will of God. To my way of thinking neither is above the other, yet they have specific roles which complete the family and honor God. Both do what the other cannot do, and yet, in their completeness, they can create a new person, raise that being and add to the community of mankind. Neither can do it alone … both are required … both men and women are equally important but have distinctly unique roles and capabilities. We are always better together than apart …

The acts of Jesus tell us more than the opinions of men. It is my belief that Paul was a highly conflicted man who was truly transformed by Jesus Christ, and yet he retained what he had been taught his whole life as a Pharisee and a Jew.

For me, personally, the most clarifying statement about the presence and position of women in the body is that Jesus was found after His resurrection, not by a man but by a woman: Mary Magdalene from whom Jesus had cast seven demons.

Key verses:

[1 Timothy 1:5-7] Now the goal of our instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. 6 Some have deviated from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on. 8 But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately.

[1 Timothy 2:11-13] A woman should learn in silence with full submission. 12 I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to be silent. 13 For Adam was created first, then Eve.

[1 Timothy 2:1-4] First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

[1 Timothy 3:1-4] This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” 2 An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, 3 not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy — 4 one who manages his own household competently, having his children under control with all dignity.

[1 Timothy 6:12] Fight the good fight for the faith; take hold of eternal life that you were called to and have made a good confession about in the presence of many witnesses.

The author lives in Ohio with his wife Rebecca and their 5 cats.

Other works of Sean’s can also be found on the ISSUU website; they include, …

In the Beginning: a study on the Gospel of John

Diet of a Madman: a collection of poetry

Thomas: The Gospel of Thomas researched

The Voice God Gave Me: Meditations for a Year

and … Various photo collections

Copyright 2020

Photo taken by Rebecca Lawrence