RELATIONSHIP RULES

 

The church is all about relationships—our love relationship with our Father that establishes our love relationship with the family. The ministry of the church will progress or regress according to the quality of the relationships. Paul gives to Timothy and to us relationship rules in chapter 5. The key verse says, “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality,” (v. ‭21‬‬). 

Rule #1 concerns HOW THE PASTORS RELATE TO MEMBERS, (v. 1-2).  The church is the family of God, and properly relating to each other is demanded. Pastors are to set the tone. 

Older men are to be encouraged as fathers. Timothy is told not to rebuke them. There is a high level of respect that is due them. The wisdom gained through the years by older men can be very helpful to a young pastor willing to listen. 

Younger men are to be viewed as brothers. A young pastor like Timothy is not to see them as rivals, but as peers. We should work alongside each other and support one another. 

Older women are to be honored as mothers. There is a tendency for some young men in ministry to be brash and think that time has passed the older generation by. A young pastor will find that these older godly women have powerful prayers and a measure of compassion that we desperately need.

Younger women are to be treated as sisters. The need for “purity,” is stressed by Paul. Many a preacher has disqualified himself for ministry by sexual sin with young women in the church. We are not to see them as sensual objects, but as spiritual sisters. 

Rule #2 involves HOW THE CHURCH RELATES TO WIDOWS, (v. 3-16). Pastors must lead the church to care for widows. These have the special attention of God’s affection and woe to the church that neglects them!  James said that the essence of pure religion is to care for widows, (James 1:27). While it is the responsibility of family members to care for them first—the church ministers to those without family to help them, (v. 4, 8, 16). 

These widows are qualified for church support because of their godly character, (v. 3-8). They also were designated for care due to their biological age—above 60, (v. 9). Then, they must have “a reputation for good works,” (v. 10). 

Younger widows were to remarry, (v. 11-15). The sexual desire in a younger widow would tend to lead to immoral behavior, unless properly fulfilled in marriage. They are still of child-bearing age, and their potential for Kingdom impact through producing godly offspring is vital for the church’s flourishing.

Rule #3 instructs HOW THE MEMBERS ARE TO RELATE TO ELDERS, (v. 17-25). How a church treats its pastors will be crucial in whether God blesses the church. 

There is a word about compensation for the elders, (v. 17-18).  You cannot pay a preacher for what he’s worth—no way you could afford him!  He deals with eternal souls. How much value would you assign to those?  Instead of paying him for a job, we enable him to do his job. By adequate compensation, he is freed to concentrate on his task, knowing the needs of his family are supplied. Double honor is due those pastors who do well. But, what about those who do not?

There is a process for charges against an elder, (v. 19-20). If an elder does not do his duty and compromises his integrity, he is to be confronted. But, it must be done through the process God has established. It requires specificity of the charges and multiplicity of the witnesses. Someone always has an axe to grind. No preacher is immune from accusations and the Devil will raise up false witnesses to divide a church and destroy a ministry. So, this is not to be a private, “whisper campaign.”  It is to be a public rebuke when required. 

There is a demand for character in the elders, (v. 21-25). How a church relates to God’s man is done in light of God’s scrutiny, (v. 21) and is to be done without prejudging or partiality. The God who will judge angels will judge churches and elders someday, so we are to judge righteously. 

One of the reasons  men fail in ministry is that they have been prematurely selected for service, (v. 22). A pastoral candidate must be thoroughly vetted. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Timothy, as a pastor, would help lead the church in ordaining men to ministry. He is to be thorough and unyielding in Scriptural standards for the elders, (cf. 1 Tim. 3:1-7). 

Self-control is important for an elder, but Timothy may have been excessive in his own life, (v. 23). He was so scrupulous that he would not drink a drop of wine, yet the unclean water he was consuming was making him sick and hindering his ability to serve. To mix in some wine would purify the water while not making intoxication likely. Before a contemporary pastor embraces this as an excuse to have a beer, glass of wine, or shot of whiskey, understand that obtaining clean water is not typically an issue in our culture. So, have a glass of sweet tea instead!  Should you be in a place where the water is tainted—then Paul’s counsel is wise, so “Don’t get your bowels in an uproar!”

Ultimately, God will judge the elders—either now or in eternity, (v. 24). He will reward us for good works now, or later, (v. 25). What a difference it makes when the elders realize God is watching!  It checks us before we yield to temptation and encourages to serve Him when no one else takes note.

SPIRITUAL CONDITIONING

 

The fourth chapter of 1 Timothy contains Paul’s appeal for spiritual conditioning. Physical fitness has its benefits, but no matter how we care for the body, there will be eventual decline and death. But, the spiritual dimension will endure—so while not neglecting our body’s health, we ought to give priority to strengthening our faith muscles. 

First, we hear A WARNING: DEPARTURE FROM THE FAITH, (v. 1-5). Some athletes try to cheat. They may turn to performance enhancing drugs.  This can lead to their disqualification and being banished from the competition. Sadly, this happens spiritually as well. The results are far worse. Such not only lose a race—they lose their soul. 

This departure from the faith is happening all too frequently in these “later times,” in which we live. False teaching has infiltrated the church and is pervading many denominations.  Preachers and teachers who reject Biblical teachings, sear their consciences and are no longer touched by truth themselves and do not share it so as not to disturb their listeners slumbering in sin.  Such false teachers have devoted themselves to “deceitful spirits and teachings of demons.”  

Not all who do so subtract from the Scriptures—though that is the case of many—but add to the Scriptures. This is the example of false teaching Paul mentions here. Instead of believing and knowing the truth—that it is God’s grace alone by faith alone in Christ alone that saves us—they try to justify themselves by their works. These religionists were promoting celibacy and fasting as a way of qualifying themselves for heaven. 

It is tragic to see that within a few centuries from Paul’s writing the church at Rome would spread this false doctrine throughout Christendom. These very errors were promoted and are still preached today. 

Working your way to heaven by rules and rituals is not limited to Roman Catholicism, but every false religion promotes a works salvation. Instead of the finished work of Christ, we have to add to it or work in some fashion to gain enough credit to appease whatever deity we follow to enter whatever afterlife we conceive.

Second, we have A WORKOUT: DETERMINATION TO BE FIT, (v. 6-10). Just because there is nothing we can do to earn God’s approval, does not mean that those who have His approval should then do nothing!  Rather, there is the proper exercise of faith. Works are not the root of salvation, but this workout is the fruit of it.

Paul presents our workout here that the believer might be spiritually fit. It is the discipline of abiding in “the words of the faith and of the good doctrine,” so that we will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. God’s Word is the standard for faith and practice.  It is our spiritual fitness manual!  As an athlete cannot succeed without physical discipline, so a Christian cannot excel apart from spiritual discipline.

 As I share these words, the 2024 Olympic Games have recently concluded. It is an incredible amount of time and energy those athletes put into the hope they might win a gold medal. For the few that succeed, their names will be in headlines for a time. But, all that will be forgotten and the medals dissolved when we reach eternity and stand before Jesus. What are we investing in our spiritual conditioning?

Paul was motivated by eternity. He had received the hope of salvation in Christ and wanted others to know Jesus as Savior. The offer of salvation is for all people. Salvation is universal in its offer, but only effectual for those who believe in Him.

Third, this brings us to A WITNESS: DEMONSTRATION OF OUR FAITHFULNESS, (v. 11-16). The credibility of the pastor’s message is that he practices what he preaches. The declaration from his lips is matched by the demonstration of his life. 

He is to speak with authority and clarity. Even a a young man—like Timothy—can be effective in ministry, if he expounds the truth correctly and exemplifies it consistently. 

The preacher is to be devoted to the public reading of the Scriptures. What does it communicate, when the preacher barely references a verse or two because he has to get to his sermon?  It is abominable for the preacher to use a text out of context as a pretext for spouting his opinions. 

Out of the reverent reading of the Scriptures comes “exhortation,” and instruction—“teaching.”  This is the proper use of the gift of preaching that comes with God’s call.  The church has affirmed that we are God’s men through the laying on of hands in ordination. Now, we are to practice good communication, immerse ourselves in study, and seek to make progress as long as we live. 

The pastor must be ever vigilant lest he compromise morally or doctrinally. He must persist in faithfulness. The perseverance of the saints attests to the reality of our profession of salvation. If preacher or people slide into apostasy, this indicates that their faith was fraudulent.

THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD

 

We are to be a living church in a dying world. This is because we have a Living God and we are His church, and this dying world needs to hear the offer of eternal life we have to proclaim.

He shares THE OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH, (v. 1-13). There are two primary officers—overseers and deacons. 

The Apostle begins with the qualifications of the overseers, (v. 1-7). These are the shepherds of the flock. We are speaking of the elders or pastors, as we often call them.  An overseer watches over the church as the name suggests. He is a sentry to safeguard the people from the enemies of their souls. 

There are imperatives for such a leader. The words, “must,” and, “must not,” are used four times. These traits are not negotiable. There are some nineteen qualities listed. Most of these have to do with character instead of competence. It is not that competence is not to be sought in a pastor, but that a lack of character is a fatal flaw. 

The call to pastor begins with aspiration. “If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task,” (v. 1). God puts a compulsion in the heart of those He calls. We aspire to it because God inspires it. 

This would lead to the church’s affirmation, as they investigate the candidate as to his qualifications. He is to be “above reproach.”  His life is free from glaring moral flaws. He is a model of godliness. He is, “the husband of one wife,” that is “a one woman man,” as the Greek word means. If married, he is faithful to his wife. His marriage is marked by fidelity. He is “sober-minded,” being serious about spiritual matters. He thinks straight. Further, he is “self-controlled,” with the Holy Spirit and not carnal passions directing his actions. There is restraint in his lifestyle and on his lips. He is “respectable,” with a solid testimony among men. This pastor will be “hospitable.”  He opens his home as a mission station for the sinners, a discipleship classroom for the saved, and a counseling chamber for the struggling. The open door to his house is from an open heart and open arms of love. He is “able to teach.”  He is a capable communicator of God’s Word. If a man cannot preach and teach, then he will not likely succeed in his ministry.  The pastor cannot be “a drunkard.”  Alcohol makes you see double and think half—neither of which is a good trait for the preacher. This man must not be “violent but gentle.” He is not pugilistic. Rather he is gentle like Jesus. The pastor is not “quarrelsome.”  He is not out to win an argument, but to win souls. “Not a lover of money,” demands that greed not drive the man of God. He will effectively lead his family that he may fruitfully lead the church family, (v. 4-5). There is a level of spiritual maturity he has reached, (v. 6) and his reputation in the world attests to his credibility, (v. 7). 

Then, Paul presents the qualifications of the deacons, (v. 8-13). These are the servants of the fellowship. These who serve alongside the man of God free him to pursue his ministry to the full. 

The word, “likewise,” in verse 8 connects with the prior verses concerning pastors. The deacon.s role and responsibilities differ from the pastor, but the character qualities are just as essential, (v. 8). They must safeguard the church from false teaching and shore up the members’ faith. They understand “the mystery of the faith,” (v. 9). They become watchdogs to assure that sound doctrine is taught. Unlike the pastor, they are not required to teach (though they may, if gifted) but must make sure that any teaching done is Biblical.  These men are also to be examined as to their character which is to be “blameless,” (v. 10).  

The character of their wives is mentioned, should the deacon happen to be married, (v. 11). A deacon’s wife is a vital partner with him in ministry. She will either be the wind in his sails or the anchor to his ship—for good or bad, she will have an impact. Thus, her character is to be examined as well. The deacon’s family is to be exemplary, (v. 12). 

Stress is placed on them serving well, (v. 13). The very name, “deacon,” (lit. “through the dust,” showing them kicking up dust as they are busy serving) and their origin in Acts 6 shows that this is their primary role. Deacons are not meant to be a board of directors overseeing policy, but servants of the church offering ministry. The rewards are recognition of their faithfulness by the church here and eternal reward for their service by the Lord hereafter!  I thank God for the memory of so many good deacons who served alongside me as I pastored churches. Their support made such a difference as they prayed for me and partnered with me!

Then, Paul speaks to THE ORDER OF THE CHURCH, (v. 14-16). God has a proper order for His church and we are to “know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth,” (v. 15).  This is why Paul wrote the letter, (v. 14). This verse is the key to understanding his purpose in writing Timothy. The young pastor needed this guidance so he could lead the church properly. 

Church is a big deal!  The church belongs to the living God, to whom we will give account for our ministry someday. The church is the repository of truth, (v. 15). We are the means of proclaiming the Gospel, (v 16). 

We explain the “mystery of godliness,” in the majesty of Jesus. 

There is His incarnation in that, “He was manifested in the flesh.”  Jesus is fully God and fully man—what a mystery of godliness!  

There was His attestation. He was “vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels,” as testimony was given by the Spirit who descended as a Dove on Him at the baptism that launched His ministry and the angels that testified of Him at the conclusion of His ministry at the time of His resurrection and ascension. What a mystery of godliness!

Now, we are given to His proclamation, “proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world.”  That Gospel went throughout the Roman world in Paul’s day and is still the church’s assignment to declare this mystery of godliness!

Ultimately, there is promised His exaltation, “taken up in glory.”  He ascended in clouds of glory, where He abides in glory interceding for us, someday to return in power and glory to reign forever and ever. We will be filled with awe and wonder at the mystery or godliness while the ages roll on!

A MINISTRY PLEASING IN THE SIGHT OF GOD

 

Doing what is good is pleasing to God. All we are and all we do is ever in His sight and our passion should be to gain His approval. Oh to hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master,” (Matt. 25:21)!  Yet, many will not hear those words. What they will hear is, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,’” (Matt. 25:42). But, it need not have been. Hell was prepared for Satan, not for men and women. Indeed, God’s heart is expressed here, that He, “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  The church has one mission—the Great Commission—to share the Gospel.

The early church got it. They went in obedience in the power of the Holy Spirit and souls were saved and baptized and discipled.  There were several factors in this. We will not examine all of them, but look at what Paul emphasized to the young pastor Timothy. This shows how to have a ministry pleasing in the sight of God. You don’t have to please me. You don’t have to please your members. But, you must seek to please your Master!  How?

A ministry pleasing in the sight of God is one WHERE THE PREACHERS FOCUS ON PRIORITIES, (v. 1-7). “First of all…” focuses on priorities.  They are—in order—prayer and preaching—intercession and then comes instruction. You recall that in the early days of the church, conflict arose. The Greek speaking widows felt they were being neglected in the distribution of food in comparison to what was given to the Hebrew speaking widows. What did they do?  What churches always do—dumped it in the laps of the preachers. Fix it, they cried. Here was the response, 

“And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’” (Acts 6:2-4). Prayer and preaching, prayer and preaching, prayer and preaching—and this was the result of those focused priorities: “And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.”

Weigh then, the priority of prayer, (v. 1-3). Jesus did not tell His church to begin with preaching, but with prayer. They were to tarry in Jerusalem until the Day of Pentecost had come. They prayed for 10 days, preached for 10 minutes, and 3000 souls were saved!  We pray for 10 minutes, preach for 10 days, and if 3 people get saved we declare revival has come!  

There is much to do after we pray, but nothing until we pray. Every occasion offers opportunity for prayer. 

We are to offer, “supplications.”  We pray when a need arises in our lives and in the lives of others. Jesus told us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” (Matt. 6:11). 

We are to offer, “prayers.”  In this case, it is referring to communion with God specifically. Prayer is worship. It is coming into the presence of God by saying, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” (Matt. 6:9). 

We are to offer “intercessions.”  This is where we plead on behalf of others, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” (Matt. 6:10). This is intercession for the Kingdom of God to be manifest on earth. 

We intercede for leaders—“for kings, and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way,” (v. 2). If we were as committed to prayer as we are consumed with politics, we might see God work in the government!  Leonard Ravenhill put it this way, “The answer to the national dilemma is not the Oval Room of the White House, but the upper room in God’s house.”

Further, we intercede for the lost. Jesus said that prayer is about forgiveness and deliverance from evil. “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matt. 6:12-13). We intercede and join the Great Intercessor—(v. 5-6), since the Savior “desires all people to be saved,” or as Peter put it, God is, “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” (2 Peter. 3:9b). Such praying honors God in the salvation of souls. 

We are to offer, “thanksgivings,” “For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.” (Matt. 6:13). We give thanks to God that His kingdom will triumph, His power will  prevail, and His glory will be manifested in all things for all time.

Those in Gospel ministry cannot fulfill their calling apart from calling on the Lord. We also need the support of godly men and women serving as our prayer partners, (v. 8-9a). 

After prayer, comes the priority of preaching, (v. 4-7). Sinners will not be saved apart from the preaching of the Word. The saved will not be sanctified apart from the preaching of the Word. 

Paul was, “appointed a preacher”. It is a calling from God. God only had one Son and He made Him a preacher. Do not stoop to be a President, if God has called you to be a preacher. 

He was an “apostle.”  While it is true that none share that office today, we can fulfill the function of being, “a sent one,” as the name means. It is a commission from God to evangelize. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

He was “a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”  We are to make disciples—“teaching them all things,” Jesus said in the Great Commission.  

If the preaching of the Word of God does not do it, it won’t get done!  I think of John Bunyan’s description of Interpreter in Pilgrim’s Progress.  It symbolizes the preacher.

Christian saw the picture of a very grave Person hang up against the wall; and this was the fashion of it, It had eyes lifted up to Heaven, the best of Books in his hand, the Law of Truth was written upon his lips, the World was behind his back; it stood as if pleading with men, and a Crown of gold did hang over its head.

A ministry pleasing to God is one where the preachers focus their priorities and WHERE THE GENDERS FULFILL THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES, (v. 8-15).  The genders are described as, “men,” and “women.”  Only two. From the dawn of creation until the end of time—there are only male and female. The insanity of sexual perversity and gender fluidity is the last stage of a culture before its demise. Sadly, the church is being shaped by the culture instead of the church shaping the culture. The supplanting of men as spiritual leaders in the home and church begins that decline. Often, it is not just women who seek to be dominant that is the cause, but men who are effeminate and abdicate their God-assigned roles.  

This is not a matter of equality in personhood. There is an equal dignity in creation. God made both male and female. He created us different, but not one superior and the other inferior. I love how Matthew Henry stated it:

Yet man being made last of the creatures, as the best and most excellent of all, Eve’s  being made after Adam, and out of him, puts an honour upon that sex, as the glory of the man, 1 Co. 11:7. If man is the head, she is the crown, a crown to her husband, the crown of the visible creation. The man was dust refined, but the woman was dust double-refined, one remove further from the earth. …

That the woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.

Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 10). Hendrickson.

There is an equal dignity in the new creation. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28). The ground is level at the foot of the cross. 

Yet, there are obvious differences in how God has designed men and women in function. There is equality in dignity, but not in duty. Women can do things men cannot. The most obvious is having babies. Men can do things women cannot—that is to supply the seed to generate those babies. Biology and theology are wed together in God’s creation order. Truth is truth in whatever realm it is found whether the Scriptures or in science. God is the source of all truth. The dignity of our gender is not restricted by God’s design, but liberated to be all He has made us to be as male and female.

The man’s responsibility is to lovingly lead in the home and the church. They can only lead as they are led—and seeking God in prayer is a vital part of that, (v. 8). We are told where men are to pray—“in every place.”  We are told about how they should pray, “lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling.”  Men who take their wife by the hand and gather their children around for prayer are far less likely to see their spouse and kids in rebellion.  When the altar in the home is established, the altar in the church will be exalted.

The woman’s responsibility is to loyally submit to her husband in the home and to the elders in the house of God, (v. 9-15). 

They demonstrate submission in their dress, (v. 9). Respectability and restraint are called for. Modesty is a forgotten quality in society and this Jezebel spirit has infiltrated the church.  Some church women’s attire is scandalous. Thank God for women of modesty!

They demonstrate submission in their deeds, (v. 10). Women work for God when they labor in the home, the church, and the community. Every member of the church is to be a minister. There is ministry for women as well as men. If the women in our churches stopped serving, the doors would have to be shut. Thank God for women of industry!

They demonstrate submission in their disposition, (v. 11-14). This is not a prohibition from women teaching or testifying. They can and should pray to God and present the Gospel. This is about church leadership—specifically the pastor/teacher. Women are not to be elders in the church. They are not to exercise the authority of a shepherd over other men. Again, Paul takes us back to Genesis. God made Adam first, so man is intended to be the initiator. Adam sinned through the influence of his wife, while Eve sinned from the deception of the serpent. This gets at the heart of how God has wired us up. Not one superior to the other, just different from the other. Maintaining doctrinal integrity is of fundamental importance. Women are more inclined to soften the edge of difficult texts. When a church places women in the pulpit, doctrinal drift is inevitable. They are not meant to pilot the Gospel ship. Thank God for women of humility!

They demonstrate submission in their devotion, (v. 15). Her devotion to her children brings the greatest fulfillment she may know. That is the meaning of “saved through childbearing.”  She is saved from insignificance by this great privilege. As the poet said, “The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.”  Her devotion to her family is bound with her devotion to the Father. She is said to abide “in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.”  Thank God for women of fertility!

The hatred of Satan has always been directed toward children. God’s pronouncement of judgment upon the devil was this, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Gen. 3:15). Thus, Satan began his effort to destroy the woman’s seed that would crush his head. He inspired Cain to kill his brother Abel. Pharaoh commanded the male Hebrew children to be slain. Herod commands the children of Bethlehem slaughtered. But, he could not prevent Jesus—the seed of woman—from being born. Satan’s doom is sure. Yet, this does not stop Satan’s rage against children. They are brutally butchered by abortion and it is celebrated in our demonic age. Professing Christian men and women are delaying marriage and deferring childbearing with the result that fewer and fewer godly offspring are produced—and the churches age and weaken and die—while Satan laughs. 

This is the design—that men and women would marry and produce godly offspring. Yet, there are some selected saints who will not marry and some who marry that do not have children. Being single does not make one of less value.  You can live without a spouse if that is the will of God and devote yourself to the Kingdom of God, and be like Jesus who never married. Likewise, a married couple may not be physically capable of having children. Yet, they too are not less than others as Jesus never had biological children. So, we do not minimize the worth of these exceptional men and women, but recognize that these are the exceptions.  Again, we have Scriptural guidance in these matters, also, (Matt. 19:10-12; 1 Cor. 7). Fostering and adoption ought to be prayerfully considered by childless couples, as adoption is a Biblical concept and act of love as well. 

These are uncomfortable truths, but must be preached, nonetheless. We will answer to God. I want to be faithful so He will judge me “good and pleasing,” in that Great Day I stand before Him!

A SACRED STEWARDSHIP

Pastors have a sacred stewardship. Paul underscores this by his personal example and pointed exhortation in 1 Timothy 1. He speaks of “the stewardship from God that is by faith,” (v. 4). A steward was one who was “entrusted,” (v. 11) with his master’s riches as a household manager. This was his “charge,” (v. 5, 18)—the “appointing…to his service,” (v. 12). In this case, Paul was entrusted with the glorious Gospel. Paul testifies that His Master, “Christ Jesus our Lord…judged me faithful,” (v. 12). Now, he will say to his young protege, “This charge I entrust to you Timothy,” (v. 18). This is the sacred stewardship of every God-called preacher.

The Apostle begins with THE GREETING, (v. 1-2). This is more than a formality, but sets the context for this pastoral letter. Paul immediately identifies himself as the author, speaking with authority as “an apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our hope,” (v. 1). He is fulfilling his calling by enlisting and equipping “Timothy, my true child in the faith,” (v. 2). It is vital to the church’s continued witness to raise up future leaders. As an apostle, Paul is not offering good suggestions about what might work in a local church, but demanding God’s essentials as imperatives. 

God is our Savior—the Father who has ordained salvation’s plan, and Christ Jesus is our hope—the One who is the object of faith who has brought redemption. Our only hope is in a relationship with Him by faith in Him. Now, we have the responsibility to carry that message to the ends of the earth. Through the preaching of the Gospel, we are regenerated as Timothy, “a true child in the faith,” (v. 2a). 

The Gospel is one of “grace.”  We receive what we could never deserve—heaven. It is one of “mercy.”  We do not receive what we do deserve—hell. The Gospel is one of “peace.”  God is no longer at war with us, as we have surrendered to Him. Peace with God flows from the grace and mercy we have experienced. This is the Gospel we are to faithfully proclaim.

Next, Paul warns of THE GODLESS, (v. 3-10). Timothy is warned of those who would dilute the truth with liberalism or distort the truth with legalism—but, either way, godless messengers preach a perverse message and promote godlessness in their hearers.  False teachers will either subtract from the Gospel or add to the Gospel—and, thus, subvert the Gospel.

Satan does not always undermine the church by direct confrontation, but often through subtle infiltration. They “teach…different doctrine,” of “myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations,” (v. 3-4). The faithful preacher must found his message and fortify the members on the pure Gospel of Christ. This means he will not only speak the truth, but confront its twisting by false teachers. 

Older pastors have the duty to the church to raise up younger men who are throughly vetted, solidly instructed, and consistently monitored as to their faithfulness to the Gospel. The results will be “love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith,” (v. 5). 

“Swerving,” from the truth, (v. 6) is to wind up in a wreck.  Satan does not care which ditch he diverts the pastor into—liberalism or legalism—the church is off the straight and narrow road of truth.  The opposite effect of the Gospel is experienced: schism instead of “love,” a perverse heart instead of “a pure heart,” a guilty conscience instead of “a good conscience,” and fraudulent faith instead of “a sincere faith.”  False teachers may speak eloquently and carry an air of authority, but they have “wandered away into vain discussion…without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions,” (v. 6-7). 

Paul hits the matter of legalism head on in verses 8-10. The law of God is good for it is of God who is only good. It is an expression of His holiness. The problem is not in the law, but in us. We cannot keep it. An external code can condemn us, but cannot change us. That can only be accomplished by the Gospel which internally transforms us. The proper preaching of the law is meant to convict us of sin and call us to salvation in Christ alone. It is meant to drive us in despair to Him.

This brings us to THE GOSPEL, (v. 11-20). Our preaching is to be “in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which [we] have been entrusted,” (v. 11). This is the sacred stewardship of the preacher. The law is only bad news as it condemns us, but this message is good news—the literal meaning of “gospel,” in that is converts us. It is glorious for it is all of God’s grace and thus for His glory. We are accountable to Him for faithfulness in preaching it, (v. 12).

Paul bears testimony to the power of the Gospel that transformed him. He had been “a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent,” of Christ, (v. 13a). But the Lord had extended “mercy,” in his ignorance and unbelief, (v. 13b). Overflowing grace washed him as he came to faith in Christ and love for Christ, (v. 14). It was a radical change from a man who saw himself as the foremost of sinners, (v. 15). He is an example of the difference the Gospel makes, (v. 16). How grateful we should be for God’s “patience,” in bringing us to Himself and exclaim with the Apostle, “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (v.17). 

Paul concludes by driving home the seriousness of our stewardship, (v. 18-20). We are on a battleground not a playground, (v. 18). We must be tenacious in holding onto faith and a good conscience. The church is a Gospel battleship, and to fail to chart a straight course is to make “shipwreck of…faith.” Paul pointedly presents Hymenaeus and Alexander as false teachers. They had been excommunicated from the church—where Satan would hurt them, in hopes that the discipline would bring them to repentance and restoration, (cf. 1 Cor. 5).  We had best take the stewardship of the Gospel seriously, for it is evident that God does!

PRESERVING FELLOWSHIP

 

Preachers can seemingly always find something to argue about. The reality is that some hills are to die on. The fundamentals of the faith cannot be compromised, whatever the cost. 

There are other matters perhaps not as vital as those, but still of great significance. These are what make me to be a Baptist. Brothers of other denominations may see those matters differently. If they hold to the fundamentals, then I can have fellowship with them at some level, but I also dare not bend in my convictions just to get along. 

Yet, there are issues on the periphery that I can hold to of which those in the church I serve or the pastors I know may disagree. These must not become divisive. Preserving the fellowship is also something worth fighting for!  This is what Paul tells us in Romans 14. 

Here, he references those who were disputing over sacred days and special diets. They were making mountains out of molehills. It is not that those matters might not have significance in our personal walk with the Lord, but we need not impose them on others—especially at the cost of dispute and division. 

Early in my Christian walk and ministry, I was very legalistic. I was immature, and “weak in the faith,” as Paul put it in Rom. 14:1.  After attending a Bible College, I felt that I knew everything and was right about all things, willing to argue about anything. 

As I have gotten older, I have come to understand that there are hills to die on, but I want to reject the temptation to make mountains out of molehills. But, I must also remember that what I consider an insignificant matter I can step over, may be something that is large enough for another man’s personal convictions that it would cause him to stumble.  As we age, like fruit, we tend to mellow and get sweeter—but, remember that the next stage is rotten!

“Let each be fully convinced in his own mind,” (Rom. 14:5b). The fundamental principle is this: do all to the glory of God and for the good of others.  

“For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.  For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” (Rom. 14:7-10)

I want to neither be a liberal nor a legalist.  Jesus had conflict with both, represented by the Sadducees and Pharisees. I need not compromise conviction out of a concern for compassion. We can speak the truth in love. We dare not sacrifice one for the sake of the other.

“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another,” (Rom. 14:19).  It might be a good thing before we attend a pastors’ gathering to read Romans 14 to prepare our hearts, and then to read it following the meeting to evaluate how we did.

There is a real enemy out there. Satan is bent on destroying the church. If he can turn us into a circular firing squad, he has accomplished his intent. There will be increasingly hot fire incoming from the hostile culture about us. We will need one another to “have our back.”  There is a quote attributed to Ben Franklin at the signing of the Declaration of Independence that applies, “We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.” 

ALL ON THE ALTAR

Early in my Christian life, I memorized Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

This text has been significant in directing my daily walk and for nearly fifty years shaping my ministry. While the verses apply to all believers, I want to target those who serve as elders in the church. 

Paul calls us to have A SURRENDERED BODY, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies…”. God’s Spirit indwells these physical forms. He does his work through our hands. He speaks by our voice. Our body is to be surrendered to Him. That means we are to care for our body. It is His Temple. We ought to get the proper amount of exercise, eat the right food, and have enough rest, otherwise these bodies will not function at peak efficiency.

This is the summons to A SACRIFICIAL LIFE, “a living sacrifice…”. Paul reaches into the Old Testament for an illustration of a New Testament principle. As the priests would place an animal on the altar to be consumed in fire as a burnt offering, so I am to place my life on the altar of complete surrender to be consumed with God and His service. It is not a one time decision, but a day by day, moment by moment devotion. Christian ministry is a costly matter.

We are directed to A SANCTIFIED WALK, “holy, acceptable to God…”. This is the pursuit of holiness. As God is holy, we are to be holy. We are sanctified—that is, set apart for Him. Again, the Old Testament analogy is clear—an animal had to be without blemish if it was to be fit as an offering to God. Men will evaluate us and make their judgments. But, what really matters is what God knows about us. Are we acceptable to Him?

We need A SERVANT HEART, “which is your reasonable service.”  We are saved to serve. It is what we do. It is a reasonable thing based on the mercies of God bestowed to us. Paul begins this verse with the pivotal phrase, “I beseech you, therefore, by the mercies of God…”. For eleven chapters, the Apostle has given us doctrine as to what we are to believe concerning the salvation Christ has brought. Now, in the final five chapters, he moves to duty as to how we are to behave responding to that salvation Christ has wrought. When we are tempted to give up, give in, or give out—look to Calvary. Recognize the price Jesus paid. As the hymn says, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.”

That last phrase in Romans 12:1 can also be translated, “your spiritual worship.”  That would again connect this to the Old Testament sacrificial system, as the offerings were at the core of Jewish worship. This reminds us that central to why we do what we do, it is our love for God. Worship is not just a one day a week action, but a daily disposition. What God supremely desires is our heart.

This results in A STEADFAST RESISTANCE, “And do not be conformed to this world…”. The world powerfully and persistently pressures us to be conformed to its warped ideologies and sensual behaviors. To yield to these is to become disqualified for Gospel ministry. We have often seen some preacher caught up in scandal, and fail to understand that spectacle was likely the result of a sinister process. Worldliness works much like erosion—gradually eating away, unseen until there is collapse.

That resistance can only be successful if accompanied by A SCRIPTURAL MIND, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”. We will be conformed to the world, unless we are transformed by the Word. The battle is in our mind, (cf. 2 Cor. 4-5). It is a marvelous computer, and the information downloaded into that mental hard drive determines the data that will be put out. Our mind will have the malicious viruses of the world ruining it or the mighty verses of the Word renewing it. 

We may recall the tragedy of the Titan—a small sub that imploded in an effort to explore the Titanic wreckage, killing the five on board. So long as the air pressure inside the vessel was as great as the water pressure against the hull, all was well. When the pressure outside exceeded the inside, then came destruction. 

I need to be consistently studying, memorizing, meditating, sharing, and applying Scripture, if my mind is to be renewed. 

The end result is A SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY, “that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  The human tendency in recognizing a successful preacher is in the size of the congregation and name recognition. While these may have some significance, the true measure of success is doing all the good we can in an acceptable manner according to the will of God. It is being the shepherd God had called us to be with the flock He has assigned to us. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, there will be a lot of preachers celebrated on earth which will be burnt up under the fire of Christ’s scrutiny in eternity. Then, there will be some virtual unknowns who will be called to the front of the line and honored for faithful service though laboring in obscurity. Focus on the “good and acceptable and perfect will of God,” which is your decision and leave the results to God which He dictates.

You have longed for sweet peace,

        And for faith to increase,

        And have earnestly, fervently prayed.

But you cannot have rest,
Or be perfectly blest,
Until all on the altar is laid.

        Would you walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
And have peace and contentment alway?

You must do His sweet will
To be free from all ill–
On the altar your all you must lay.

        Oh, we never can know

        What the Lord will bestow

        Of the blessings for which we have prayed,

        Till our body and soul

        He doth fully control,

        And our all on the altar is laid. 

        Who can tell all the love
He will send from above,
And how happy our hearts will be made,
Of the fellowship sweet
We shall share at His feet
When our all on the altar is laid!

        Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart does the Spirit control?
You can only be blest,
And have peace and sweet rest,

        As you yield Him your body and soul. (Elisha Hoffman)