AM Oct 9th 1Tim 1

October 9th       1 Timothy 1       A. Prologue      Greetings to my own Son

1: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; 2: Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

B. The Faith of the Church         Being faithful to the truth

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: 6: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7: Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8: But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9: Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10: For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 11: According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.

This letter is a personal letter to Paul’s most faithful disciple and fellow-worker Timothy. It’s interesting that this letter might be personal and very touching but it also comes with the full weight of his apostolic authority. And Paul emphasises that his apostolic authority comes directly from Christ himself. However this letter comes to Timothy as my own son in the faith. Paul says l asked you to stay longer at Ephesus when l went to Greece so that you would solemnly instruct them at Ephesus that they teach no other doctrine. And that they were not to listen to old wives tales and endless discussions over genealogies because these raise more fruitless questions rather than true teaching which builds up the believers in the faith. I want you to carry on doing this. The ultimate purpose of all godly instruction is love which comes from a pure mind and with a clear conscience and sincere faith. Many have turned away from this says Paul to empty stories and pointless illustrations. They want to be Rabbis but they do not know what they are saying or what they base their theories on. We know that the Mosaic Law is good - if one uses it for its proper purpose. You see Timothy the law was not made for a righteous man but for those who need its constraints and those who are without the knowledge of the law and those that are sinners. The ungodly, unholy, abusive to parents. Paul continues to list the very grossest types of evil -murderers, prostitutes, homosexuals, kidnappers, perjurers, and every other thing that is completely opposite to sound doctrine. This is the teaching of the glorious gospel of our blessed Lord says Paul. It is this that is committed to my trust (And which l pass on to you).