Morning Moments

1 Timothy 1:3-5

3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

In verse one Paul spoke of apostleship. In verse two he spoke of relationship. Here he speaks of leadership, and in so doing he instructs Timothy in three areas:

1. Approach situations deliberately.
2. Apply sound doctrine.
3. Approve saintly deportment.

1a. The issue here is teaching sound doctrine in the face of subversive deceivers. There are areas of truth about which we may disagree, but we MUST NOT be divisive in our disagreements. There are areas of truth where there can be no disagreement whatsoever, and those who do not hold to that soundness in doctrine must be exposed and sometimes even expelled from the assembly.

2a. The word "charge" means to command, give orders or instruct. Sometimes a leader must say, "we cannot do that" or "we must not beleive that". Some might respond, "Who does he think he is to give us orders? Ask me the right way and I might do it". If you can't take orders, you have no right to give them, and Timothy is taking orders from Paul to give orders to the people. Remember that God gave the ten commandments, not the ten suggestions or requests.

The phrase "sound doctrine" is that body of truth that was once for all delivered unto the saints. Paul says command them to teach NO OTHER DOCTRINE. The word "doctrine" occurs 50 times in the New Testament and Paul uses it 17 times in the Pastoral Epistles. TRUTH is the measure by which all error is exposed. If we don't know the truth we become vulnerable to error. It seems many today are bored with the truth and blessed with the twist of the truth.

The Pharisees were more concerned about what the Rabbis taught regarding the truth than they were with the truth itself.

Notice what what says in verse 4 - avoid the silly stupid stuff that does not build up the body of Christ, but rather breed confusion, conflict, and corruption. "Can God make a rock that He cannot lift?" How stupid! Be dogmatic where God is dogmatic and be flexible and lenient where God is.

3a. In verse 5 Paul intructs Timothy to approve saintly deportment. He says, "Be clean" as revealed in the term "pure heart". He says, "Be clear" as seen in the term "good conscience" and he says "be confident" as seen in "unfeighned faith". And all this is to be done in LOVE.

That's all for today. I am only using excepts from my unpublished book on First Timothy. If you are blessed and encouraged by these notes, pray that we might be able to publish them soon.

BLESSINGS!