1 Timothy 1 -- Wise Words To Younger Christians (including myself!)

I loved what I read in both my Bible and in my commentary about Timothy:  “But in spite of his calling, his close association with Paul, and his spiritual gifts, Timothy was easily discouraged.”  So am I!  “Paul explained the three responsibilities of a pastor and people in a local church:

Teach Sound Doctrine:  “Those who were giving Timothy trouble needed to remember that their pastor was there because God had put him there, for Paul’s authority was given by God … One reason Christian workers must stay on the job is that false teachers are busy trying to capture Christians … raising questions, not answering them … leading people away from the truth … causing division, hypocrisy, and all sorts of problems.”

“It is possible to sin against the conscience so that it becomes defiled.  Repeated sinning hardens the conscience so that it becomes seared like scar tissue.”

Proclaim The Gospel:  “When a sinner believes on Jesus Christ, he is freed from the curse of the law and the righteous demands of the law are met by the indwelling Holy Spirit as a believer yields to God.”

“The law without the gospel is diagnosis without remedy, but the gospel without law is only the good news of salvation for people who don’t believe they need it because they have never heard the bad news of judgment.”

Paul admits what a sinner he was, but knew also that the holy God had saved and forgiven him in his self-righteousness through his mercy and grace.  “God’s love paid a price to save lost sinners.”

“When someone obeys God’s call to serve, God always equips and enables that person.”

Defend The Faith:  “It is not enough to proclaim the faith with our lips; we must practice the faith in our daily lives … Professed Christians who make shipwreck of their faith do so by sinning against their consciences.  Bad doctrine usually starts with bad conduct, and usually with secret sin.”

“It is important that our church’s ministry be balanced.  Some churches only preach the gospel and seldom teach their converts the truths of the Christian life.  Other churches are only opposing false doctrine.  They have no positive ministry … care for the church by winning the lost, teaching the saved, and defending the faith.  Any task that did not relate to these ministries would have to be abandoned.”

Father, as I read this book, open my eyes and my heart to our church and my relation to it.  Help me to discover what we’re doing right and where improvement is needed.  Speak to me clearly.  Let me know I’ve heard from You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford