Daily Bread 2011 - 1 Timothy 1
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy my true son in the faith. Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Warning Against False Teachers of the Law
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
What Does This Mean?
1 Timothy is Paul’s letter to his younger mentor Timothy, who has accompanied him on many mission’s trips and become one of his most trusted associates. Ephesus is area of one of the most strategic churches Paul planted, and has now become the Church where Timothy is pastor. Though Timothy is young, he has many admirable qualities, and even when Paul is in prison, he asks for Timothy to come and encourage him. Paul’s relationship with Timothy is so strong he calls him in verse 2, “My true son in the faith.”
While Timothy is in Ephesus, Paul writes this pastoral letter (the first of three!) to encourage him and warn him to watch out for those who are teaching false doctrines and creating all kinds of endless controversies over genealogies and myths that have nothing to do with discipleship. With this false knowledge, these teachers are purporting to know something but as Paul says, “They don’t know what they are talking about.” Among them is likely Hymenaeus and Alexander, who though they used to be believers rejected the apostle’s teaching and taught among other things the resurrection had already happened and were trying to infiltrate the church which their false teaching.
What Does This Mean For Us?
It means a couple of things. First, Timothy and Paul’s relationship is a great example of an older man mentoring a younger man to ensure that the faith gets successfully passed on to the next generation. If you have received Christ and all His benefits the next question is are you sharing the glorious riches that come from a life of faith with someone else? Specifically men are you mentoring younger Christian men, and women visa versa?
Secondly, Paul’s guidance to Timothy reminds us that doctrine matters and what we teach matters! Of course, all of our doctrines are rooted in the bible and that is why it is important to be a student of the bible. All of the orthodox doctrines or positions agreed upon by the Church have come from strong and consistent biblical witness (i.e more than one verse!). For instance: Jesus was raised from the dead in a bodily form, and he will come back one day and raise all of those who have died with faith in Him with new resurrected bodies as well! (Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Corinthians 15)
Finally, the best context for discipleship is one on one, or in smaller groups of 5-6 people. Though we honor the Sabbath day by coming to church to hear the Word preached and receive the Sacrament, our growth and knowledge and maturation to be like Christ comes through relationships like the one Paul and Timothy model for us in these next three books of the bible.
Discipleship happens best “life on life”, as we process what it means to live as Jesus did in the everyday decisions of our lives. Also, we see the model of doing ministry together and entrusting our ministry to others who we have trained and mentored. This is the model in the New Testament, and it seems we really need to use it more in the Church today!
Jesus, give us all a Paul and Timothy, so we might work together to bring Your Good News to the whole world. Give us discernment so we might be able to stop false teaching when we see it. In Your name, Amen.
Warning Against False Teachers of the Law
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
What Does This Mean?
1 Timothy is Paul’s letter to his younger mentor Timothy, who has accompanied him on many mission’s trips and become one of his most trusted associates. Ephesus is area of one of the most strategic churches Paul planted, and has now become the Church where Timothy is pastor. Though Timothy is young, he has many admirable qualities, and even when Paul is in prison, he asks for Timothy to come and encourage him. Paul’s relationship with Timothy is so strong he calls him in verse 2, “My true son in the faith.”
While Timothy is in Ephesus, Paul writes this pastoral letter (the first of three!) to encourage him and warn him to watch out for those who are teaching false doctrines and creating all kinds of endless controversies over genealogies and myths that have nothing to do with discipleship. With this false knowledge, these teachers are purporting to know something but as Paul says, “They don’t know what they are talking about.” Among them is likely Hymenaeus and Alexander, who though they used to be believers rejected the apostle’s teaching and taught among other things the resurrection had already happened and were trying to infiltrate the church which their false teaching.
What Does This Mean For Us?
It means a couple of things. First, Timothy and Paul’s relationship is a great example of an older man mentoring a younger man to ensure that the faith gets successfully passed on to the next generation. If you have received Christ and all His benefits the next question is are you sharing the glorious riches that come from a life of faith with someone else? Specifically men are you mentoring younger Christian men, and women visa versa?
Secondly, Paul’s guidance to Timothy reminds us that doctrine matters and what we teach matters! Of course, all of our doctrines are rooted in the bible and that is why it is important to be a student of the bible. All of the orthodox doctrines or positions agreed upon by the Church have come from strong and consistent biblical witness (i.e more than one verse!). For instance: Jesus was raised from the dead in a bodily form, and he will come back one day and raise all of those who have died with faith in Him with new resurrected bodies as well! (Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Corinthians 15)
Finally, the best context for discipleship is one on one, or in smaller groups of 5-6 people. Though we honor the Sabbath day by coming to church to hear the Word preached and receive the Sacrament, our growth and knowledge and maturation to be like Christ comes through relationships like the one Paul and Timothy model for us in these next three books of the bible.
Discipleship happens best “life on life”, as we process what it means to live as Jesus did in the everyday decisions of our lives. Also, we see the model of doing ministry together and entrusting our ministry to others who we have trained and mentored. This is the model in the New Testament, and it seems we really need to use it more in the Church today!
Jesus, give us all a Paul and Timothy, so we might work together to bring Your Good News to the whole world. Give us discernment so we might be able to stop false teaching when we see it. In Your name, Amen.
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