In Need of a Resting Place

We talked about some pretty heavy stuff at Bible study on Wednesday night. Who knew Paul's little letter to Titus would bring up such intense topics? The doctrine of election, the problem with legalism, the need for confrontation and rebuking. Yucky, Yuck, Yuck, Yuck. I reminded the ladies that the reason we talk about this stuff is because of Weak Women and Worms. We don't want that now, do we? So open up your Bible and check out Titus 1.

"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth..."  Titus 1:1a

Paul starts with one of his famous run-on sentences. And this one little word tries to sneak past us, but we're too quick to let that happen, so we catch it and dig in. Did you see it? God's elect. Oh boy, here we go. An incredibly simple definition of the doctrine of election is this: By God's sovereign will, He chose who would be a part of the body of Christ. Now go get your Bible. Seriously, you need to read each of these verses because if you skip past this part, you're not going to get this! So go get it! (Or you can click here to look them up online.) Now read each one of these verses. Take your time and think about what each of them is saying.

1. Colossians 3:12

2. Romans 8:33

3. John 15:16

4. 2 Thessalonians 2:13

5. Acts 13:48

6. John 1:12-13

7. 2 Timothy 2:10

8. 1 Peter 2:9

9. Revelation 17:14

10. Ephesians 1:3-14

We had quite the debate about this doctrine of election business. Some of us said that we believe that God knows who will follow him and who will not but that he doesn't choose who will follow him and who will not.  Now, I was raised a good little Baptist girl and I've grown into a good little Baptist pastor's wife. I grew up believing that. But here's the problem I'm facing - the Bible doesn't say God knew. The Bible says God chose. Each of the verses above reference the fact that God chose us for salvation. We absolutely can't get around it. That's the word. He chose us. (I even checked the Greek! Yep, he chose.) So let's let go of the idea that God didn't choose us, that he only knew we would choose Him. Let that idea go. If we begin to entertain the idea that he chose some of us and not others, we might start to think that something incredibly unfair is happening here.

Read Romans 9:14-21. There is no injustice with God. Do you believe that? He's absolutely just. We may not understand his ways, but we can rest in the truth that he is absolutely just. Even if it doesn't make sense to us, he is always just.

John McArthur has a very helpful, simple perspective that he shares on his website. You can read that here: Is the Doctrine of Election Biblical? Here's what he has to say in a nutshell: 

"How these two sides of God's truth - His sovereignty in choosing us (Romans 9) and our responsibility to confess and believe (Romans 10) - reconcile is impossible for us to understand fully. But Scripture declares both perspectives of salvation to be true (John 1:12-13). It's our duty to acknowledge both and joyfully accept them by faith."

So did God choose us or did we choose Him? The answer is simply, yes.

And if that's not enough to leave you scratching your head and searching your Bible, let's talk about the problem with legalism. In Titus 2:10, Paul throws "The Circumcision Party" under the bus for their legalistic views. A simple definition of legalism is this: Legalism is strict adherence to rules and regulations, to the exclusion of grace. Read Colossians 2:20-23 to find out what Paul had to say about legalism. (He wasn't a fan.) This group was made up of Jewish converts who had accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ but continued to hold onto their Jewish traditions. To the Jew, circumcision was a sign of covenant relationship with God. The idea that you could have a covenant relationship with God through Jesus and not through circumcision was appalling to the Jews. Paul had four words for Titus in regard to these false teachers:

"They must be silenced." Titus 1:11

So in what ways are you tied to legalistic beliefs today? Don't think about other people. Think about YOU. What rules or laws or traditions are you holding onto? How can we "hate the sin but love the sinner?" In which areas do you need to show more grace? Are there any areas that we need to remain legalistic about? Why? 

Do you ever feel like studying things like this leaves you with more questions than answers? That's ok. Paul calls it "working out our salvation" in Philippians 2:12. It's a good thing!

If you keep reading in Titus, you get to verse 13, where Paul tells Titus that he needs to rebuke these false teachers. This idea isn't new to you if you studied 1 and 2 Timothy with us. Paul tells his understudies over and over again to rebuke false teachers. It reminds me of Jesus' teaching in Matthew 18. We are supposed to confront sin in the body of Christ. OY. That's definitely not something most of us are comfortable doing, is it? 

So when is a rebuke necessary? According to Scripture, a rebuke is necessary when someone is in sin, or when a brother sins against you. But why can't we just sweep it under the rug? If we ignore it, maybe it will go away, right? Wrong. 

"Better is an open rebuke than hidden love." Proverbs 27:5

And check out these other reasons too: (Don't skip this!)

1. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2. 2 Timothy 4:2

3. 1 Timothy 5:20

4.  Matthew 18:15-20

Why don't we practice rebuking and confronting each other? My guess is because it's incredibly awkward. Very few people enjoy confrontation. But Scripture requires it of us so that we will be complete, equipped for every good work, to bring restoration and so that we can learn from our mistakes. What would happen if we obeyed these commands? How would the church look if we practiced correcting and rebuking? I wonder if relationships would be restored and we would be complete. That's what God said would happen, right? So let me encourage you with this: The next time you have a beef with a sister in Christ, go to her immediately. The next time you see a brother in sin, go to him immediately. Don't go to your friend or your pastor or your mentor or your mom. Go to the brother or sister who needs the rebuke. See if God doesn't keep that precious promise of restoration and redemption!

God gave me a beautiful song this week after a conversation I had with a friend who seems to really be struggling with questions about the doctrine of election, legalism and confrontation, among other things. Sometimes it's hard and confusing and strange and exhausting to figure out what you believe. As I prayed for her, God brought this song to mind. The words were written in the late 1800s but they very much apply to our study of the hard things this week. Are you in need of a resting place? Check this out: My Faith Has Found a Resting Place.

It is ENOUGH that Jesus died for you. When he hung on the cross, he said IT IS FINISHED (John 19:30) If you're in a place where you feel lost or confused about all the details of your faith and belief system, my prayer for you is that as you work out your salvation, you would rest in the knowledge that it is enough that Jesus died for you. You need no other argument. You need no other plea. You don't need to know all the details. Jesus died for you and that is all you need.

I'd love to hear your thoughts...Comment here, message me on Facebook or chat with me in person.

My faith has found a resting place, not in device nor creed,

I trust the ever living One, His wounds for me shall plead.

Enough for me that Jesus saves, This ends my fear and doubt;

A sinful soul I come to Him, He'll never cast me out.

My heart is leaning on the Word, The living Word of God,

Salvation by my Savior's name, Salvation through His blood.

I need no other argument, I need no other plea,

It is enough that Jesus died, and that He died for me.

A Life Poured Out

Can't you just imagine Paul sitting there in his prison cell, penning his final words to Timothy as he awaits his execution...his martyrdom? He had undergone such a radical life change on that Damascus Road when the Bright Light stole his sight. He had no idea that this one event would be the catalyst for a testimony that would touch the lives of believers for hundreds of generations. Even as he sat and wrote these words to Timothy, he had no way of knowing that they would one day be read by you and me nearly two thousand years later. What he knew was this: His heart beat for one purpose alone...Jesus. The good news of his death and resurrection woke him up in the morning and put him to sleep at night. His heart beat to preach the gospel. People who shared his passion were few and far between as persecution increased and the number of Christ-followers decreased. This is why Timothy was so special to him. Their hearts beat in unison. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

Preach the word. His final piece of advice to Timothy was simple. He had already told Timothy about all the false teachers. They took bits and pieces of the truth and twisted them and added to them until no one knew what was true and what was false any more. Paul explained to Timothy that these false teachers were encouraged by the people who were out to accumulate teachers for themselves who suited their own passions. The people had itchy ears and they hunted for teachers to satisfy them, paying no attention to whether or not what they taught was true. Teachers of Truth were few and far between in those days, but Paul knew for certain that Timothy was one. So as he wrote these final words, he didn't fear. He knew that that the treasure of the Gospel was in good hands with Timothy.

His next words paint the most beautiful picture of the Christian life...

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:6

In the days of the Old Testament, burnt offerings would be offered to the Lord and they would often be accompanied by drink offerings. These sacrifices were such a precious thing because that's how the people were made right with God. Since Jesus had not yet come, someone had to pay the price. The price was the sacrifice laid upon the altar. So when Paul says that he is poured out as a drink offering, we can picture him willingly emptying himself of himself and offering himself to the Father.

"...Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." Romans 12:1

Paul could pour himself out, empty himself completely, stare death in the face without even flinching, all because of his confidence in Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. The One who poured Himself out as an offering had gone on to prepare a place for Paul and Paul knew he was about to get to go there. As he handed the reins of his ministry over to Timothy, he had complete confidence that the gospel would continue to spread. He had done his job. He had fulfilled his calling.

I love that he adds a few personal notes at the end of his letter. It would be so easy to see Paul as some sort of elevated, saintly, unknowable, unreachable type of guy. But at the end of 2 Timothy, Paul tells Timothy that he needs his coat before winter and that Alexander is a mean old guy and that he wants him to bring his books and parchments. Just regular old Paul. He gets cold in the winter. People are mean to him. He likes to read, especially Scripture. Not much difference between Paul and you or me.

"The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you." 2 Timothy 4:22

That little three letter word there - "YOU" - That word is plural. Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, but I think he knew Timothy wouldn't be the only one who would read it. I don't think he had any way of knowing just how many people would read it over the years, but as he was "carried along by the Spirit" in his writing, he was prompted to use the plural form of the word "you" at the end of his letter. Because although he had no way of knowing that you and I would read it, God certainly knew. So when Paul wrote "Grace be with y'all" (can I put that Texas twang there?), it was God's way of reminding us of the most precious promise of them all - that Grace Himself would be with us all.

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. 

Weak Women and Worms

Weak women. Are you one? Would you even know it, if you are?

In the last days (all the days from the ascension of Jesus Christ until his return), people will become lovers of self. They will do all the bad things. (Just look at 2 Timothy 3:2-4) But the worst of the worst is this:

They have the appearance of godliness but they deny its power. (2 Timothy 3:5) 

When you look at them, they have it together. They're in church on Sunday, they're in ladies Bible study, sitting next to you. They're singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School, serving on committees and going on mission trips. All these people who appear godly, but never allow the power of the Holy Spirit to transform their lives on the inside. Ouch. Chris calls that the unregenerate church member. It's so easy to go about our business, assuming that the people we go to church with are saved. But that's just not true. Sadly, there are a lot of church members who have never actually become new creations. (Could that be one reason church can be so hard sometimes?) These people joined the church as if they were joining a book club. Sign me up, they said. No regeneration. No transformation. No power! They have the appearance of godliness but they deny its power.

(Can I just say something? If that just struck a nerve with you, if you thought, "That's me!" when I described that unregenerate church member...It is never too late to be changed. It's never too late to fully accept the power that the Holy Spirit offers to those he transforms! Please let me know if that's you so I can pray with you and pray for you and help you get pointed in the right direction.)

As if all that didn't step on our toes enough, Paul keeps going. There's a big problem here in Paul's day, and it is still a big problem in our day. Weak women. False teachers. Paul has written pages and pages now to Timothy, warning him of the false teachers that are so prevalent in Ephesus. And if you think for three and a half seconds, I bet you can come up with a few false teachers in our day too. But here's the problem with these false teachers- they needed a way to spread their lies. So guess who they went after? The women. Women were the doorway to the home back then. And for the most part, I'd say that's still true today. In most homes and families, the woman is the one who keeps the calendar, makes scheduling decisions, oversees the day-to-day happenings of the family. She's the one who looks after the children most of the time, does the shopping and keeps everyone in line. And most of the time, it's the woman who thinks about spiritual matters. 

But actually, these false teachers didn't just worm their way into households looking for women, they wormed their way into households looking for weak women. Paul describes these women in verse 6 as women who are" burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth." These false teachers look for weak women who don't really know what they believe or why they believe what they believe, women who are trapped in sin or just plain old led astray by various passions. Maybe their passion is their work or their kids or their friends or their hobbies. Whatever these passions are, they're distracting these women from arriving at a knowledge of the truth!

So check yourself, women. Are you weak? Is there a worm in your house? Are you believing the false teaching being whispered in your ear because you simply don't know the difference between a truth and a lie or because you're so busy, wrapped up in your various passions? Once these worms, these false teachers, get through you into your household, they will go after your children, after your husband, after everything precious to you. And remember, they don't scream lies in your ear, they whisper lies that are so subtle you don't even realize they're lies.

You must be so careful who you listen do, dear woman. You must be so careful what teaching you allow into your home. 

Hang with me - next week we are finishing up Paul's letters to Timothy in 2 Timothy 4. I promise, you're gonna want to stick around for that one! There are some things we need to watch out for! 

I want to end this blog on a positive note, on a precious promise, but the gravity of the subject matter we've been working through is weighing heavy on my heart. I don't want you to miss the fact that there are unregenerate church members who look like they have it all together, but inside they're an un-saved hot mess. Ask God if that's you. Ask him if you're a weak woman who's been letting worms into your home. Ask Him to show you and He will. So the precious promise I will leave you with is this:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5)

Just ask.

Grace + NotOneSingleLittleBittyOtherThingAtAll

We are so messed up. Thank God for grace.

The new believers in Ephesus were pretty messed up too. Timothy was there to try to straighten them out, but he was discovering that this was no small task. Paul wrote him a letter detailing all of the things Timothy needed to know and remember and that's the book of 1 Timothy. We have it divided into chapters and verses, but really, it was originally just a letter written to Timothy from his mentor, Paul. These two had been trying so hard to spread the good news of what Jesus had done just 30-40 years before, dying on the cross and rising from the dead to bring salvation to anyone who believes. But they were constantly faced with the messed-up-ness of the people around them. At that time, it was culturally acceptable to worship many different gods, so the concept of ONE God was pretty foreign. Many people were still convinced that they needed to keep the Law (those first five books of the Old Testament), so the concept of a Savior was totally incomprehensible. And that he would offer something called grace? Unheard of. Timothy was preaching a brand new message.

Paul had laid out directions for how to organize the new believers. He told Timothy some things that the men should be doing and some things to tell the women. The purpose of these rules was to bring order to the church so that the gospel could spread more effectively. Paul also told Timothy about some requirements for pastors and deacons and their wives. Paul knew something crucial...if the Church was in chaos, the good news of grace would stop spreading, so keeping order was important. 

When Paul finished telling Timothy about how to organize the people of the Church (1 Timothy 1-3), he went back to talking about false teachers and false ideologies that were being taught (1 Timothy 4). He said that in later times, which is basically the entire time between the ascension of Jesus into heaven and his return one day, many would depart from the faith. The fancy word for turning away from God is apostasy. It's been happening for centuries. We got into a pretty good discussion during our Bible study time about apostasy...We good Baptists like to say "once saved, always saved" as our stance on the eternal security of the believer. But if Paul is saying that one can "depart" from the faith, that implies that he must first be IN the faith, right? And if he's in the faith, he can remain or he can depart? If that's true, as one of our ladies put it, then nobody's safe! Seems like maybe our doctrinal belief has been a little fuzzy. Let me try to clear the muddy waters.

The answer here comes down to semantics. Being in THE faith is not the same thing as being saved, having a personal faith. Check out Hebrews 6:4-6... 

"For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt." 

This is another passage of Scripture that says that people can fall away. If you read closely enough, you'll see that these people have been enlightened (they've heard the gospel), they've tasted the heavenly gift (they know all about Jesus), they've shared in the Holy Spirit (they've seen the Spirit active in their midst, often through other believers), and they've tasted the goodness of the word of God (they've heard Scripture). In other words, they've been in THE faith. This Scripture mentions nothing of having a personal faith in the grace of Jesus Christ, which is the only requirement for salvation. So you see, a person can be in THE faith and then fall away, turning to other gods. One can be in the faith without having a personal faith of their own. In even simpler terms, they knew all about God but they never accepted His gift of salvation, so when they fall away, they were actually never saved to begin with. 

This can be pretty confusing and make you really question your salvation, right? Good! It's GOOD to question and search for an answer in Scripture. Ask yourself this: Have I accepted God's gift of grace (meaning that he is your Savior and Lord)? If the answer is yes, hooray! You're saved! If you feel more like you're just in THE faith, going through the motions, coming to church or Bible Study, but not having a faith of your very own, stop right now and get right with God. Tell him you want his grace, you're thankful for what he did on the cross and you're ready to make him your boss. He'll save you right now!

Now back to 1 Timothy 4.  Rules can be good if they're used to create balance and order in the church or in the home. But if you tie following the rules to your salvation (which is legalism), you are saying that God's grace-gift isn't free. Many teachers in Ephesus were teaching salvation through Jesus but they were also saying that rules had to be followed in order to receive that salvation. Paul puts a stop to those rumors, emphasizing that everything created by God is good and it is to be received with thanksgiving because all created things point us back to God! That's not to say that all rules are bad or that we won't display a changed life after salvation. Disciplines are great for keeping order in our personal lives, but we must not elevate those disciplines and make them "laws" for ourselves, tying them to our salvation. Jesus came to fulfill the law so that we can live in freedom, simply abiding in Him! 

Think false teaching only happened back in Ephesus in AD 40? Think again! Just flip on the tv and you can find many preachers and teachers delivering messages of health, wealth and prosperity. They, like the false teachers in Timothy's day, take the truth of Scripture and twist it ever so slightly so that many don't even recognize their own deception. In 1 Timothy 4:6-16 Paul tells Timothy what a good servant looks like. He charges Timothy to put all of these things before the church. Leaders in the church must point out false teaching and behaviors that are inconsistent with God's ordered design for the church. They're brave enough to do what's hard. We should never turn a blind eye to the misrepresentation of Scripture. We are responsible for confronting false teachers, just like Timothy did. Another trait of a good servant is that he is "constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following." Ministers need to be grounded in the Word, making their own spiritual renewal and growth a priority.

Paul warned Timothy about irreverent, silly myths and old wives tales that were being taught. Like I said before, they were so messed up! Those people didn't know what the truth was and the teachers weren't helping at all. To be able to discern the false things from the true things, a believer must be solidly grounded in the truth of God. We have something that first century Christians didn't have - the Bible. The Old Testament and The New Testament! Most of us have multiple copies in print as well as access to the Bible on our phones, Kindles, iPads and computers. We have NO valid excuse for not  having a deep knowledge of God's word. How will we know the truth from the lies if we don't know what's true?

And then Paul goes right into talking about training ourselves in godliness. Nobody ever just wakes up "trained". It takes a lot of work! If I tried to go out tomorrow morning and run a marathon, I'd collapse after the first few blocks because I haven't trained for it. But my friends who have trained for marathons can proudly wear their medals because they trained and finished the race. Training in godliness takes daily exercise in the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study, meditation, etc. And the good news is, physical training is of some value here on earth, but training in godliness has eternal value! It will last even when we get to heaven! Get out there and train!

Paul says in verse 10, "For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe."  Jesus came to save us ALL. But unfortunately, some will not believe. Those of us who do believe have our hope set on the living God! What a privilege it is to believe! However, we do not believe and then add works to our faith, just to make sure. We do not believe and then make up additional rules for righteousness. No! We just simply BELIEVE.

Paul insisted in verse 11 that Timothy command and teach these things. Grace was no side issue. Legalism was no weak enemy. These things were matters of life and death. And they still are today.

Paul reminds young Timothy that chronological age does not necessarily bring spiritual maturity. The issue for leadership is never age, but spiritual development. We are all younger than somebody! Age doesn't matter, but some people do get hung up on those numbers. So set an example in speech and life (the observable aspects of life), in faith and love (the essence and evidence of the Christian life), and in purity (both sexual conduct and integrity of heart).

And he's not done yet! Paul gives some more instruction to Timothy regarding public gatherings of believers and worship services. They should devote themselves to the public reading of Scripture. They needed to be reminded that Scripture was the very breath of God! Remember, they didn't have access to the entire Bible that we have today. But we have access to it all. Sometimes it can get a little stale when we see it in a daily devotional reading or scroll past it on Facebook. But it's an important, life-giving, useful thing and we are not to neglect it. Scripture was especially important then, and equally as important now, because as they faced false teachers, the public reading of Scripture defended against falsehood. Preaching and teaching the Word encourages, instructs, exhorts, warns and explains. The point is not to create some rigid rules, but to encourage the body and allow God to reveal himself through His Word.

Every believer has been gifted by the Holy Spirit and with that gift comes responsibilities in the Church. Timothy's gift was probably given when he was "ordained" with the laying on of hands by the elders. This was Paul's way of affirming God's call on Timothy's life and it serves as a good reminder to us that we are not to neglect our gifts. Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? The Bible says all believers have gifts. If you don't know what yours is, or if you know but you're not using them, let me challenge you to find out and start using them!

Paul wraps up this section by encouraging Timothy to endure. Be diligent, persevere, abide in Him. This ministry is your life, not a job. It takes endurance! A life growing close to God cannot be hidden - everyone will see your progress (the authentic presence of Christ in his people). That's why we endure! 

Paul reminds Timothy to keep a close watch on himself and on the teaching.  He was charged with refuting the lies of the false teachers and preaching the truth of Jesus Christ. In so doing, he was responsible for both himself and his hearers. Salvation is no light matter. "Salvation is a process. It has a beginning point at conversion and its full realization when we are united with Christ. In between is the process of becoming more Christlike in our person and behavior."

In the time between Christ's ascension and the time he returns, some people will get confused, fall away and follow false teachers who make up all sorts of rules and laws for salvation. Paul wanted Timothy (and us!) to understand what he was (we are!) up against! It is our job as Christians to point out the falsehood and point people to Jesus Christ and the free gift of salvation he offers. To do this, we have to train ourselves in godliness and remember to use the gifts the Spirit has given to us. We do this so that news of the gospel can spread and people can hear of God's grace. 

The precious promise here?

Grace + NotOneSingleLittleBittyOtherThingAtAll.

Precious Promises in 1 Timothy

Our Wednesday night ladies Bible study just kicked off a new semester and we are going to be studying 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus and Philippians. I'd love for you to study along with us or use these blogs to catch up if you miss a session. Today we're studying 1 Timothy 1. The words in bold are the words used to complete the blanks in our outline in class. I used the Holman New Testament Commentary and the ESV Study Bible.

Today's Precious Promise comes from 1 Timothy 1:15. Paul writes "The saying is "trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost."  Paul is an example of God's magnificent grace - If God can save Paul, He can save you too! Nothing is too much for Him!

Many scholars believe that 1 Timothy was written in the mid 60s A.D. Christianity was a relatively new idea in that day. Jesus died around the year A.D. 33, so people had only been following Jesus for 30-45 years. First generation Christians were still alive. The only "Bible" they had was the first five books of the Old Testament, the law, and Paul and other Christ-followers were teaching that people no longer had to follow the law to be saved because Christ came to fulfill the law. It was a completely new idea to many people! To set the scene for you, Paul and Timothy had been traveling together, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. They'd come to Ephesus and Timothy stayed there while Paul continued traveling as a missionary. Paul was very concerned about false teachers in the church and wanted Timothy to teach them the truth. 1 Timothy is Paul's first letter to Timothy in Ephesus.

Hope and salvation are the themes of this letter. Paul greeted Timothy "by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope" to emphasize those themes. Paul closes his introduction in verse 2 by saying "Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." Grace, mercy and peace are all unmerited good will from God toward those who believe. Paul and Timothy were definitely recipients of God's favor.

Paul was very concerned about false teachers. The culture of the day included lots of idol worship and pagan belief systems. Remember, Christianity was a brand new thing! Many people were teaching completely false doctrine, but many others were teaching things that were a combination of pagan and Christian theologies, which made people even more confused as to what to believe. What was true then is equally true now: If Christians become grounded in the truth of their faith, false teaching can be stopped before it spreads. If we can learn what the Bible says and then learn to obey it, we are less prone to deception. Instead of controversy, our lives should be marked by love, first for God, then for others.

Paul explained to Timothy in verses 6 and 7 that some of the teachers of the law had come to the point at which they didn't know what they were talking about any more. They wanted to sound smart and to have a following, but the things they were teaching were not the true Gospel of Jesus. Just as it was true then, it is true now: The church should hold its leaders accountable, requiring orthodoxy in doctrine and purity in faith, so the church may be preserved in unity and love.

So what good was the law then? Was it still important to the church after Christ had come to fulfill it? The purpose of the law is to draw clear parameters for godly living, to show us what God is like, and to point us to our need for salvation. In short, the law points us to Jesus! Every single rule, every single story in the Old Testament points to our need for a Savior. It points to Jesus! The law is still very important in the lives of believers today, not because of our need to follow it, but because it points us to Jesus. When we see how impossible it is for us to every measure up to God's standard, we recognize our need for a Savior.

The good news of God's saving mercy and gracious forgiveness through Jesus Christ is, indeed glorious! It is a treasure from God. The law was written for sinners, which is all of us! No longer are we bound to a set of rules that we must follow. We are free in Christ Jesus! Hallelujah!

Paul goes on in 1 Timothy 1:12-17 to tell us how awful he had been before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus that day. We know that he was a persecutor of Christians - he had given his approval to the stoning death of Stephen, he had thrown many Christians in prison and had had others murdered. He was the worst of the worst...until he met Jesus! No one is beyond the scope or power of God to save and recreate into his likeness. God is extravagant in his love and mercy. God made an example for us in Paul so that we would know just how far his grace and love and mercy extend - if He can save Paul, He can save us too!

God's truth obligates the believer to live responsibly and faithfully. There are grave consequences for those who turn aside from God's truth and calling. False teachers will not be tolerated by God.

To sum it up, adhering to true faith and doctrine results in changed lives, which becomes evident in our behavior and church unity. When we become involved in what is false or wander from the goals of the faith, this also becomes apparent in our behavior and in our hearts. Stay the course, sister! Dig deep into God's Word so that you will be able to stand firm and discern the truth for yourself.

Do you recognize the false teachings of today? How can we defend ourselves against them?
Since the law is "made not for the righteous," does it serve any purpose in a Christian's daily life? Do we still need to teach the law at church? Why?

In what sense does the law point to grace? Do people with "greater sins" need more grace than other do to be forgiven?

What lessons in gratitude can we learn from Paul's statements about personal grace and salvation How will true gratitude influence us when we are tempted by habitual sins?

Write a one-sentence doxology of thanks to God for your salvation.

Discuss ways people shipwreck their faith. How can we stay the course ourselves?


Larson, K. (2000). I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon (Vol.9, p. 159) Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers