I Timothy 1:1-11

1. Intro.
1. written around 63 A.D.
2. Paul wanted to encourage Timothy for the task that faced him
3. teaching: practical Christianity as it relates to the local church
4. a manual for church conduct
2. introductory remarks 1:1-2
1. the writer – Paul
2. his position & authority – 1
1. an apostle of Jesus Christ
1. saw the resurrected Christ
2. commanded directly by Christ to preach
3. laid the foundation for the church age
4. their ministry was authenticated by miracles
5. few men had this title; none have it today
2. why did Paul identify himself as an apostle when writing Tim
1. the church needed to know that Timothy was Paul's appointed representative
2. to give Timothy the authority to issue instructions and to be sure that the church followed them
3. the commandment had a double source
1. his ministry was not given to him by man
2. Paul knew Who he was accountable to
3. the recipient – 2
1. his name – Timothy
1. met Paul on his first missionary journey
2. joined Paul on his second missionary journey
2. his position - son (spiritual not biological)
4. Paul's prayer for Timothy – 2
1. "grace"
1. divine favor in its fullest form
2. this grace makes prayer possible & practical
2. "mercy"
1. what all believers need daily
2. even when seeking to do good, evil is present
3. "peace" - the outcome of grace and mercy
4. source of blessing - God the Father & Jesus Christ our Lord
1. the Father & Son are equal
2. Paul believes in the deity of Christ
3. a charge concerning doctrine - 1:3-7
1. challenge the false teachers – 3
1. "charge some" means to take a strong stand
2. the problem was not in the manner of preaching, but in the content of the message
3. to have a strong church, purity of doctrine must be maintained
1. the Word of God is the life of the church
2. the church is the guardian of the truth
1. "preach the Word"
2. "feed the flock of God"
4. many today have an appetite for the phenomenal
1. to many are not careful to discern what is of God & what is just plain nonsense
2. if it is new, different, sensational and it draws a crowd: many are ready to join the parade
2. reason for taking a strong stand – 4
1. their teachings were not from the Bible alone
2. their teachings only caused doubts
3. their teaching only caused more problems than they solved
4. only the Bible can edify, when mixed with faith
5. godly edifying should take place in a church service -"so do"
3. the goal to be achieved in standing firmly on the Word of God – 5
1. "end of the commandment" means the goal of the charge
2. the desired end result is love, not doubt & questions
3. love is a commitment of the will, to place the welfare of others first
4. the source of genuine Christian love - "out of"
1. "pure heart" - without the intention of any personal gain
2. "good conscience" - one that measures itself by the moral goodness of God
3. "faith unfeigned" - without a shadow of pretense
5. Timothy's actions were to be motivated by love
6. love will correct the wrong actions of others
4. the absents of love - 6-7
1. doctrinal error is not the cause, but the result of ethical failure
1. "having swerved" - to miss the mark
2. where there is no love there is selfishness & pride
3. love would have keep them from going into the wasteland of vain discussion & useless speculation
2. what the absents of love produced
1. "turned aside unto vain jangling"
1. a medical term that describes a dislocated limb
2. it means: useless & aimless words
3. useless words can never satisfy a needy soul
4. like a bone out joint, it hurts the whole body
2. "desiring to be teachers of the law"
1. the flesh loves religious legalism - "desiring"
2. rules & regulations enable a person to appear holy without having to change his heart
3. by a constant choice of the will, men prefer this alternative - "desiring"
3. ignorance
1. they do not understand what they say
2. they do not understand what they affirm
1. refers to the emotional enthusiasm of their preaching
2. technique and excitement are not an evidence of truth
4. a proper perspective of the Law and the Gospel - 1:8-11
1. the law itself is good – 8
1. it came from God
2. it has external beauty and internal worth
3. Paul stands against legalism, but he exalts the moral law of God
2. the law has a proper use – 8
1. we must use the law as God intended it to be used
2. by the law is the knowledge of sin
3. the law was given to make man conscious of his guilt
4. the law shows man his total inability to produce change
5. by the law man must admit that he is a sinner and worthy of hell
6. the law is designed to drive men to God for mercy
3. the law was not made for a righteous man – 9
1. God never intended the law to become the means of justification or sanctification
2. an upright person needs no law, except ...
1. to protect him from the evil devices of his fellow man
2. to warn him against yielding to his own evil tendencies
3. spiritual life is not gained by compliance to a set of rules
4. the law was meant for the sinner - 9-10
1. the law was designed to restrain evildoing and to punish the evildoer
2. the law is for anyone who violates and opposes moral truth
5. the law and the gospel – 11
1. law and gospel go together - "according to"
1. law without the gospel is diagnosis without remedy
2. gospel without law is only good news for those that don't think they need it
3. the law is not gospel, but the gospel is not lawless
2. proper use of the law
1. apply it to sinners to show them their sin
2. then present the gospel of salvation in Christ