October
13th 1
Timothy 4
1:
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils; 2: Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron; 3: Forbidding to marry, and
commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be
received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4: For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if
it be received with thanksgiving: 5: For it is sanctified by the word
of God and prayer.
E.
The Problems of Church life Being an example
6:
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt
be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of
faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7: But
refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather
unto godliness. 8: For bodily exercise profiteth little: but
godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life
that now is, and of that which is to come. 9: This is a faithful
saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10: For therefore we both
labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who
is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 11: These
things command and teach. 12: Let no man despise thy youth; but be
thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13: Till I come, give
attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14: Neglect not
the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the
laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15: Meditate upon these
things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to
all. 16: Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in
them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that
hear thee.
Paul
reminds Timothy that the Holy Spirit has been saying that some time
in the future some men will leave the apostolic doctrine and start to
listen to evil spirits who will deceive their hearers and who will
teach the heresies of demons. They will speak lies behind a mask and
their consciences will be made to be hard and unfeeling. They will
also forbid believers to marry and insist they become vegetarian.
Paul can see this coming. God he says has created all meat to be
eaten with thanksgiving by believers. All animals are good for food
and nothing is to be refused on religious grounds but it is to be
received with thanksgiving to God because it is made holy by the word
of God and prayer. When you remind the brethren about these things,
says Paul, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ. And you will
be well fed by obeying this teaching. Don’t feed yourself on common
fiction (the equivalent today would be soaps and films and TV) but
keep your mind spiritually fit. Ordinary physical exercise lastly
only for a while but spiritual health is much more long lasting,
because it promises health here and now and in eternity. This is a
proverb that is trustworthy and everyone should accept it. Paul says
that it is for this reason that we work so hard and struggle,
suffering for Christ, because our hope is set in the living God and
He is the Saviour of all men and especially of those who are
believers. (Here Paul clearly states that Christ is the Saviour of
all men – There is no limited atonement here!) Paul says, Timothy –
insist that believers do these things. Timothy was probably between
38-40 years of age, so he says, don’t let anyone look down on you
because of your age, but be an example in your teaching and in your
ordinary conversations and in your giving to the poor and in faith
and practical holiness. Paul reminds Timothy to give careful
attention to the public exposition of the scriptures. Do not neglect
this gift from the Lord, because it was confirmed by a word from the
Lord and by the ordination of the leaders of the congregation. Think
long about these things and concentrate on doing them so that your
ministry will be seen by all to be beneficial. And look after
yourself and your teaching and push on in serving the Lord because
this will bless you and those who hear you.
- What sort of future did the Holy Spirit predict for the world?
- How does Paul encourage Timothy in this passage?
- What duties does Paul insist that Timothy engages in?
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