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.