1 Timothy 6:20-21

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20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all. ~ 1 Timothy 6:20-21

Today, we come to the final two verses in 1 Timothy. In these two verses the Apostle Paul issues us a call to guard the truth which is a fitting way to end this letter.

When the Apostle Paul wrote, "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care," he was speaking of the truth as is set forth in the Bible. Just like Timothy, we have all been given the truth, but we tend to take the truth for granted. It is the truth which enables us to know the difference between right and wrong. We live in a world full of deceit and many are being deceived and they do not have one idea of the deception that they are under. 

We "guard" the truth by living by it, and by not allowing anybody to take it away from us, or to water it down with false teachings. The Bible is the self-revelation of God. This is our primary source for all that we know about God. If we say we believe it and we don’t live it, then we are not taking His word seriously. But, the Bible is the most sacred thing we will ever hold in our hands. This is the ultimate sacred trust.

Guarding the truth is not only a matter of right interpretation, it’s a matter of right living. When we think about the sacredness with which people treated the Bible who gave their lives for it, martyrs whose literal blood was poured out in their guarding of God's truth. And then, we have people who treat it flippantly by using the Scriptures to get rich.

In the remainder of v.20 we read, "Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge."

Paul commands us to “Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas.” The word "godless" is the Greek word  bebēlos which originally was used by the Greeks to refer to everything outside the sacred grounds of a temple. It then came to mean anything unsacred. So these so-called intellectual musings that attack the Bible are unsacred, and have no connection with God. All that stuff, Paul says to us, keep turning away from it. 

It seems in America today that education is spending our whole life learning error. To combat this, we must preserve the truth. We must guard and protect the truth. The word there for chatter is meaningless talk unrelated to the truth. Professors, who use “science” to oppose the words of God, say that God didn’t create the universe, it evolved.  However, when applying science to this hypothesis we find that their theory of how we got here cannot be true. It takes more faith to believe in their "science" than in the intelligent Creator who created us all.

In v.21 we read, "knowledge which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all."  

Those who picked up on this "knowledge" have deviated from the faith. And they have led a lot of other people with them. The word Paul uses for departed brings with it the idea that they have lost their way or they have lost sight of the Lord.

The final words in this epistle are: “Grace be with you all.” Paul uses no verb here. It literally reads, “Grace with you all.” The Apostle is very abrupt in this ending, because he knows we can’t do any of this unless the grace of God enable us. We must believe the Word of God to the point that it defines us. Then, we must defend it with our very lives. If we do, we will preserve all that keeps us and our culture from spinning out of control.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

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17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. ~ 1 Timothy 6:17-19

The city of Ephesus where Timothy lived was a center of travel and commerce. Situated on the Aegean Sea, the city was one of the greatest seaports of the ancient world. Three major roads led from the Ephesian seaport. This made commerce explode in that day and it explains why Ephesus was so wealthy.

In today's text, the Apostle Paul reintroduces the subject of money which is a big deal in the Bible. We’re given more instruction in the Bible about money (about 2,000 verses) than almost anything else. 

You will remember that back in 1 Timothy 6:5 Paul described the motive of false teachers: material gain. And then, in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, he underscored the possibility of the rich being more susceptible to falling into the temptations and traps that ultimately could lead one to destruction. And then he made this point: the love of money is the root of all evil. Hosea 13:6 sums up this tragic disparity: “Being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore, they forgot Me.”  

The Bible does not condemn wealth nor does it teach that all wealth denotes the blessing of God. We must be careful not to equate material blessing with the blessing of God, because riches have a way of pushing us up in our own minds above those who have less. That’s just part of our fallen nature. We tend to look down on people who are lower on the economic ladder than we. 

In v.17 we read, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."

When Lucifer placed himself on par with God, he rebelled against Him. This was the first sin ever committed and pride inaugurated sin. Pride is the most difficult of sins because it makes us think we are better than others. If wealth makes us proud, then we do not understand the purpose of wealth. When we are given by God material wealth, we ought to increase in humility and seek for ways to use our wealth to glorify Him for this is its ultimate purpose.

The word enjoyment at the end of v.17 is one of the recurring themes in the Bible. In Ecclesiastes we are told “Enjoy the blessings of life now, because life will end one day.” It is not a sin to enjoy the abundance the Lord chooses to give us.

In v.18 we read, "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share." 

The real enjoyment that riches bring us is that we might be a blessing to others. God created us with two basic needs: to be loved and to love. This is what creates a sense of joy and gladness in the heart, to know that we are the object of His love and that we have been used by Him to bless others.

In v.19 we read, "In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

There are two things in this world that will survive: the Word of God and the souls of people. When we are used of God to bring these two together, we are laying up treasures in heaven. The Lord Jesus taught us to use our money to win friends so that when the money fails our friends will be there to greet us when we get to heaven.

The best investment strategy on earth is putting stock in heaven! In Matthew 6:19-21, the Lord Jesus affirmed this investment strategy when He said to store up treasure in heaven where nothing can destroy it. Godliness that overcomes the craving for material wealth produces great spiritual wealth.

Using money to help people now, makes it more possible that they may come to the Lord Jesus now. When we are used of God to bless others we will experience the excitement and adventure of the life that the Lord Jesus Christ came to give us. Nothing in this world, even prosperity, puts the paddles to the chest of our spirituality. It is when we are living in concert with God's for our lives will we truly be resuscitated by Him.

1 Timothy 6:13-16

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13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. ~ 1 Timothy 6:13-16

We return to the Apostle Paul's instructions to Timothy on how to be a man of God. Nothing helps us to flee sin, to follow the Lord and to fight the good fight more than a closer walk with the Lord Jesus. Our problem is we want to see Him with our eyes, but in order to get this deeper glimpse of Him we must learn to look for Him with our hearts. This is what faith is, the ability to see God with our hearts. 

In v.13 we read, "In the sight of God, who gives life to everything." 

We find ourselves often arriving at the corner of beaten, dejected, and defeated at the same time. Good thing that the God of the Bible is the giver of life. We all have experienced the infusion of new strength, new purpose and new courage from God when we have turned to Him in prayer in the moments of pressure. Why does it require amped up pressure for us to seek Him more diligently? We must learn to live in the sight of God or avail ourselves to Him in the good times, as well as the bad. We do this by seeking Him daily by being in His word daily and by being in prayer or conversation with God as much as we can. This will amp up His presence in our lives and we will see the world anew.

The remainder of v.13 reads, "and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you."

When we remember the good confession of the Lord Jesus as He stood before Pontius Pilate, we gain a perspective that causes us to conclude that God has everything in His sovereign control and we have no need to be discouraged. In sight of Christ's good confession, we gain an endurance which enables us to persevere according to God's calling on our lives. It is at this point that the Lord God provides an infusion of life into our mortal existence, and then we recognize the Lord Jesus is always at the center of all that God does. The Lord Jesus was the Word who spoke all things into existence. The Lord Jesus speaks life into our mortal lives more than we know. As our awareness of Him heightens, the more we will recognize Him and His way of thinking and living. 

By the way, Christ's good confession was His silence. While He didn't defend Himself, He was defending us. He didn't resist the will of God, He embraced it so that He could embrace us.

In Colossians 2 we read, "16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

It is He who is holding us together, so we need not fear. He is like laminin in the human body, the rebar in a sturdy foundation. 

Stanford University is the site of a linear accelerator, a two-mile long atom smasher. It is a great lever with which scientists try to pry the lid off the secrets of matter and discover what is in the miniature world of the atom, the neutron, and the proton. Linear Accelerator scientists have discovered a complexity they never dreamed of, and they have found particles that they cannot even invent enough names for. But one thing they are consistently discovering is that there is some strange force that holds everything together. They call it the cosmic glue that holds things together. This force has a name and it is the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.14-15 the Apostle Paul charges Timothy "to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords."

Christ's confession produces a continual genuine confession of the gospel in the life of the yielded man of God. Although the Lord Jesus was put to death, He is coming again as the Lord of life. The One who was here in weakness is coming again in great strength and He will exercise His sovereignty over all at that point. When we keep our eyes on Him, we will not be daunted by the distractions that this life throws at us.

The Greek word translated “appearing” in v.14 gives us our English word epiphany, which means “a glorious manifestation.” In Paul’s day, the word was used in the myths to describe the appearing of a god, especially to deliver someone from trouble. Paul used it of the first coming of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 1:10) and of His return (2 Tim. 4:1,8). 

The commands to flee from sin that hinders the gospel from being heard and believed, to pursue the Lord will all of your soul, and to fight the good fight of the faith as mentioned in v.11-12 take on a whole new focus with this fresh infusion of life from God. We live in a volatile world and we are tempted to be overly concerned about what may happen. The believer in Christ has no reason to worry for God has all things in His control. 

In v.16 we read, "who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen."

To be “immortal” is to “not be subject to death.” Man is subject to death, but God is not. Only God has immortality as an essential and inherent part of His being. Since God is not subject to death, He is Life and the Giver of life. He is incorruptible and not subject to decay or change. In this world, we are in mortal bodies, but when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, we shall share His immortality.

For God to "live in unapproachable light" means there is no one remotely like the Lord Jesus Christ. No one can draw near to His light apart from the provision He has made through His finished work on the cross. The great message of the gospel is that the invisible God became visible in a Man. No wonder the Apostle Paul ends this section with worship: "To him be honor and might forever. Amen."

In Isaiah 42:16 we read, “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” The question which must be asked at this point is: Are we blind enough to this world to see beyond to this great God whom we serve?

1 Timothy 6:12

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Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ~ 1 Timothy 6:12

In 1 Timothy 6:11-12 the Apostle Paul gives to Timothy a threefold formula that will enable him to do the ministry the Lord called him to do there in Ephesus. Having considered the first two imperatives in 1 Timothy 6:11, today we consider the third. These imperatives, when heeded, distinguishes one as a man of God. 

Before we get to this third imperative, though, let me be clear, 1 Timothy 6:11-12 is not justification teaching, this is sanctification teaching. This teaching has nothing to do with us getting into heaven. You will remember that it is only the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross and our trust in that alone which justifies or makes us right with God. 

Sanctification, on the other hand, is the process that we entered into after we had trusted Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. This process is the changing of our souls: our minds, our wills, and our emotions. And, God's goal in our sanctification is that others would see our changed lives and turn to God for salvation for themselves.

The third imperative that leads to a man being called the man of God is he fights the good fight of the faith. The man of God is engaged in a relentless war. He battles the kingdom of darkness which yields its ground very reluctantly. He faces many unseen adversaries, and, he is preoccupied with this unseen battle that is waging every moment of every day.

The greek word that the Apostle Paul uses for fight is agōnizomai, from which we get our English word agonize. It describes a level of concentration, and a level of effort, coupled with discipline and conviction that leads to success. 

In New Testament days, Greek boxers had gloves lined with just a little fur. There was just a little fur and leather, no padding. They were made generally of ox hide. And stitched into the glove at the knuckles was lead and iron. When Paul talks about fighting the good fight, he’s talking about some serious action. And in a Greek boxing match, the loser had his eyes gouged out as emblematic of his failure. Boxing was a death/life struggle. Serious conflict from which you could emerge dead or lifetime blind. 

Notice the second half of today's text, "Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 

This means "get a grip on the fact that you’re dealing with eternal issues. This is war, and eternity is at stake." The man of God is called to eternal issues. Having confessed Jesus Christ as Lord, he publicly commits himself to a battle over eternal issues. As long as he lives, he fights the good fight, the noble fight for the souls of men against the kingdom of darkness and against the world, the flesh and the devil. The man of God is marked by what he flees from, by what he follows after and by what he fights for.

This fight is not between believers, it really isn't a fight with the forces of darkness. This fight begins and ends with knowing God. Paul writes, "Take hold of the eternal life." All too often we are preoccupied with Satan more than we are with God. Here, the Apostle Paul writes, "Take hold of," which means grasp and hold on for dear life. The man of God had a dogged determination to know God for himself. 

The story is told of a young man who went to a wise old man for advice. When he found the wise man he was sitting on the banks of a large lake. The young man sat down next to him and asked, "How can I become as wise as you, sir?" At that point the wise old man raised up and plunged the young man's head down into the water and the young man fought hard to raise his head up but to no avail. The young man feared that he was going to die. At the last moment the wise man lifted the young man's head out of the water and said, "When you fight as hard at fighting the good fight as when I held you head under that water, it will be then that you will be wise."

The man of God flees sin, follows God and fights the good fight of faith. The result of this is the man of God is laid hold of by that which he is trying to lay hold of; he is laid hold of by God Himself. And, as the Potter, He shapes us and equips us to fight the good fight of faith. It is this faith or our heart's ability to see God for ourselves which enables us to beat a path to knowing Him for ourselves, and it is this faith which enables us to fight for those who have yet to enter into a personal relationship with God.

1 Timothy 6:11

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But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ~ 1 Timothy 6:11

We come today to the final section of Paul's first epistle to Timothy. In today's text, we discover what it means to be a "man of God." There are three imperative verbs here in 1 Timothy 6:11-12 that enables one to be a man of God. First, "flee," second, "pursue," and third, "fight." Today, we are  considering the first two of these three.

In the Old Testament the title, man of God, was reserved only for the prophets. In fact, it is used seventy times in the Old Testament, always referring to someone who speaks God’s Word. In the New Testament this term is only used of Timothy.

You will remember that Timothy is one of the leading Elders in the church in Ephesus. There were false teachers there who were pointing people away from God. As a result, sin was rampant. Where truth is not holding sin in check, sin will run wild. There was doctrinal confusion there because the false teachers were undermining the truth. Thus, the people there were abandoning the truth and it was diminishing the ministry of the gospel. 

As we learn later, this led the church at Ephesus to be referred to by the Apostle John in the book of the Revelation as having left their first love. In all of this, while caring for the needs of God's people, Timothy needed to care for himself as well, so Paul gives him these instructions.

The first step toward being a man of God is to “flee from all this.” 

Paul is here referring to what he has just covered in the previous paragraph about false teachers. Timothy is to flee false teaching and the characteristics associated with it including selfishness, arrogance, conceit, pride, the love of controversy, and the love of money. 

In today's text, the Apostle Paul commands the man of God to "flee" which means "to run from." It means to flee like a fugitive. During our whole life here on earth, the man of God is on the run from sin. This doesn't mean he will not sin, but it means that he will be aware of and stay away from those certain sins that hinders the furtherance of the Gospel. 

Next, the man of God is to pursue which is to run hard after something. His first pursuit is righteousness not as a behavior, but as a belief. When we came to know the Lord Jesus Christ, He gave us His righteousness, and, as we understand that this is the way God sees us, we are to see ourselves as no longer guilty, no longer tied to evil, but made righteous by God. We are to therefore live out of our righteous standing in Christ.

This is what gives a sense of security and stability in life. If we are always focusing on our behavior, trying to get a sense of worth because we act right, we will end up becoming legalists, feeling that our behavior is what makes us acceptable before God. But if we understand that God has already made us acceptable in Jesus Christ when we believed in Him, and, therefore, that God loves us with the same love He has for the Lord Jesus. This means we are as righteous as the Lord Jesus is in the eyes of God. This is the basis of stability and of proper functioning in life.

This leads us to the next pursuit which is godliness which means balanced wholeness. The Apostle is speaking of a mind that views life the way God sees it. Our minds, wills and emotions are brought under His control so that we are not off balance all the time. This means we are not merely living for the visible things of life, but we see our relationship with God as the most important factor in life. That is godliness, balanced wholeness.

Next, the man of God pursues faith which is having confident trust in God for everything. As a result, we literally put our lives  into God’s hands, and we trust Him with everything. We will then find ourselves living under His gracious sovereignty. When we look to Him for our needs and not others, we will genuinely love others. 

The next pursuit of the man of God is love which is agape love. This is the type of love that is commitment love. Agape love sacrifices for the sake of others. It seeks to give, not to gain.

The man of God's next pursuit is endurance which is perseverance or patience. This quality carries the idea of sticking to it when the going is tough. It is not a complacency that waits, but a courage that continues in hard places.

The final pursuit of the man of God is gentleness which is meekness or power under control. A courageous endurance without gentleness would make the man of God a tyrant, but this will not be so if He lives out of His relationship with the Lord for He is most gentle with His children. Those who have experienced the gentleness of God, render it to others.

When we flee sin and we pursue God amazing things can happen. In actuality, when we do these and the third thing Paul tells us to do, we find ourselves being conduits for God to work amazing things into and through our yielded lives. Today is the the day to enter into the fray of the man of God. Will you do it?

1 Timothy 6:9-10

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9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. ~ 1 Timothy 6:9-10

We return to the final chapter of Paul's first epistle to Timothy. The Apostle opened this letter with warnings about false teachers, and now, he closes with deeper explanations for how the false wrecks our lives if we are defined by it.

In v.9 we read, "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction."

Paul describes a person who has to have more and more material things in order to be happy and feel successful. But the riches of this world can be a trap, leading us into bondage away from freedom. Instead of giving satisfaction, the riches of this world create additional lusts which are never satisfied. The result is "ruin and destruction." 

When we set our hearts on money, we expose ourselves to powerful temptations that have ruined many people. Money is a great servant but a terrible master. If we set our hearts on money, it will break our hearts. We will not keep what we gain. We will give into powerful temptations that lead us to those places that we can check in to but we can not check out of. In fact, we may wander from the faith. 

The picture given here is of someone who gives his heart to the things of this world, and then can not resist its lure, and then we find ourselves being plunged into the greatest depths from which we may never recover. 

When we resist bringing our desires down to the level of our possessions, we enter the process of arriving at that which God calls "great gain." This is why godliness with contentment is great gain. When we have less, we must learn the art of contentment. It is at this point that we will begin to discover that having less is really more.

No one gets to ruin and destruction in one large step. No, we get there through a series of little, small baby steps, not realizing what is happening to us until it is too late. No temptation appears as temptation. No one ever deliberately steps into a trap that they know in advance will destroy them. Temptation always carries with it bait that appeals to our natural desires. The bait not only attracts us, but it also hides the fact that yielding to it will eventually bring death and destruction. The bait is always that which keeps us from seeing the consequences of living beyond God's definitions of things.

In v.10 we read, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

Experts tell us that the average person thinks about money fifty percent of the time. Now, having money is not wrong in itself. Money, in and of itself, is neither moral or immoral. It is what we do with it that determines whether it is moral or immoral. The key is that we seek His kingdom first, then everything else, including money, will be seen by us from His view point.

Our hearts will always be attached to that which we give them. The term "love of money" is one word in the Greek, and means affection for silver. The issue is our affection. The issue isn’t money, the issue is how we feel about money. And the sin here is the sin of greed. When we find ourselves spending more time thinking about how to get more money, we are probably guilty at loving money. This leads to trying to find ways to acquire more money. And, those who love money in order to get money will be tempted to take bribes, distort justice and take advantage of the poor to get it. This leads to lying, cheating, deceiving, stealing, robbing and abusing to get more money. Those who love money will never be satisfied and therefore they will commit every imaginable sin if they think it will gain them more money. The love of money is a mad exercise that pleases its appetite never.

Understanding the principles the Apostle Paul is giving here helps us to understand Judas Iscariot who chose thirty pieces of silver over the greatest person to ever walk the earth. And, this drove him suicidally mad.

In Psalm 17:15 we read, "As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your likeness." This is the wise man's pursuit. And anything we possess is only to be used to advance His kingdom in this world. Money love is deadly love. It ignores the true gain; it focuses on the temporal; it obscures the simple joys of life; it leads to sinful entrapment; it succumbs to harmful lusts. To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength is the way of the truly rich.

1 Timothy 6:6-8

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6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ~ 1 Timothy 6:6-8

In the previous verse, the Apostle Paul addressed the fact that false teachers are very often motivated by financial gain. They use false godliness to garner material gain. When we believe this world is the ultimate, we will live for what this world has to offer us. This world will define more than God does, thus we will have false godliness. We experience false godliness because we are not willing to bow our will to the Lord and to let Him have His way in our lives. 

In v.6 we read, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." 

Godliness grows not through the pursuit of a process, but through the presence of a person. The presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives is the mystery of godliness. But, His presence isn't enough, we must practice His presence which is to treat Him like we do our best friend. 

Twice in this passage the Apostle uses the word content which is true wealth. We are taught in this world that contentment is the product of the comfort of this world. When we are being defined by God and what He says, our love for money will diminish because we will increasingly be defined by His pursuit of us. Loving money ignores the true gain which is the discovery of what is really real. 

The word used for godliness is the Greek word which means sacred awe or awe of God. This is the secret to contentment, the awe of God. In Colossians 1:27 we discover that it is Christ in us that is the hope of glory or the presence of God in our lives. So, it is not just His presence, it is when we practice His presence that we develop this sense of awe of Him. And, this awe is the product of getting to know Him on a personal level. And, if all we pursue is money, we will never have this awe of God, because we will never be made content by money. Only God renders contentment in the soul that He has created. Genuine gain comes from true godliness which is inseparably linked to His presence in our lives and the contentment that only He can give. 

The Greek word for contentment means unflappable, not moved by circumstance, the ability to live immune to external distraction, oblivious to outside troubles. Being content with what we have is one of the greatest things in life. Our contentment is based on the sufficiency of Christ. It is the product of knowing Him and discovering that He is our provider and He is enough. True contentment comes from God in our heart, not wealth in our hand. A person who depends on material things for peace and assurance will never be satisfied, for material things have a way of being lost. 

True riches is not related to how much we have, it is related to whether we are content with what we have. The root of all sin is that last of the Ten Commandments: do not covet. The person who is rich is the person who doesn’t need anything else. The Greek philosopher Epicurus said “The secret of contentment is not to add to a man’s possessions but to take away from his desires.”

The only thing that makes us truly rich is God who uses contentment to enable us to see and hear Him more clearly. And, the practice of His presence yields a greater expression of Him in and through our lives. This is godliness. So, great gain comes through godliness linked to contentment. To pursue riches out of discontent is an illusion and is to ignore the true gain.

In v.7 we read, "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." The Greek word translated nothing is the first word of the verse. It literally reads: “Nothing we brought into the world.” Someone once said, “Money is like sea water, the more you drink the thirstier you get.” God has promised that our basic needs will be met. Even millionaires do not die as millionaires because they can not take their wealth with them beyond the realm of time and space.

In v.8 we read, "But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."

It is clear in this passage that contentment comes from a whole and balanced life. And, wholeness is a product of His holiness which is His definition of all of life. And, wholeness produces a contented heart. Some think contentment is getting everything we want as soon as we want it. One of the best definitions of contentment is, "not having all we want but wanting only what we have been given by the Lord."

Contentment, therefore, is finding joy in what God has given to us. The opposite of contentment is greed which destroys our capacity to enjoy God and what He has given. Being content with what we have is satisfaction. This is why the Lord Jesus taught in Matthew 5, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." 

He also said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."  It is our knowledge of and our fellowship with the Lord Jesus that makes our hearts rejoice. From Him do we receive peace and a sense of worth and security. This is contentment, this is real life.

1 Timothy 6:3-5

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3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. ~ 1 Timothy 6:3-5

As the Apostle Paul brings 1 Timothy to a conclusion, he addresses some of the things most dear to his heart. In today's text, he returns to the subject of false teachers. The spiritual leaders in the local church must constantly oversee what is being taught because it is easy for false doctrines to slip in without notice.

In v.3 we read, "If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching."  

The first mark of the false teacher is he "teaches otherwise." The Greek word the Apostle uses here for teaches otherwise is heterodidaskalei which essentially means heresy. It is heresy because it is contrary to God's definitions of things. It is teaching that denies that the God of the Bible is the only true God. It is teaching that is error about Christ, His lineage, His virgin birth, His teaching and His salvation.

The litmus test of truth is the Scriptures. Since false teaching is contrary to the Scriptures, one who has been born again, overcomes the false by the Word of God. The believer must know the Word, so that we may be able to discern error. A believer who understands the Word will have a broken heart, but not a big head. 

The false teacher is not willing to agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Greek word translated sound is the English word hygiene. The false teacher does not give himself to hygienic words, healthy words, wholesome words, beneficial words that are the definitions of our Lord Jesus Christ.

As indicated at the very end of v.3, the ultimate test of a teaching is whether it produces godliness. Truth always results in godliness when it is applied correctly. The Word of God will produce healthy spiritual behavior. The Word of God will bring truth to bear on a life that results in godliness, because God is the truth personified in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.4-5 we read, "4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain."

The second mark of the false teacher is he is conceited or arrogant. The Greek word used here for conceited means to be enveloped in smoke. It means false teachers are in a settled state of being engulfed in their own smoke. They’re just a big puff of hot air. 

The result of unspiritual teaching is "envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions." Godliness is the ultimate test of truth. And, so is unity. The thing that unites us is our common commitment to truth. Since we all believe the same truth, we’re all linked together.

When the false teacher teaches what is right in his own eyes, he will eventually be at odds with everyone. This is the sign that he has been robbed of the truth. Satan himself is the one who used just enough of the truth to deceive Eve in the Garden. As a result, all he teaches leads to chaos, and envy reigns. Envy is that inward discontent with the advantages enjoyed by someone else’s popularity and prosperity. 

Envy will always lead to strife because strife is the outward expression of the inward reality. Then strife gives way to malicious talk or insults. Then malicious talk gives life to evil suspicion, which means to embrace evil motives. All of this results in constant friction.

As a result, the false teacher has but a legacy of error and chaos and selfish financial gain. They produce no good effect. They exploit through false words. They entice unstable souls. They forsake the right way. They promise freedom but are the slaves of corruption. They have gone the path of the flesh and they perish in their own rebellion. 

But, the truth always wins because the truth will always remain the same and it will always endure. The truth permits us to be all that we were meant to be. The truth delivers us from self as it confronts us with its stability. The Lord Jesus says to us, "Come to me. Look at life as I see it and a wonderful thing will happen: there will be a change in you. You will be given a life that you never had before, and you will be freed from the destiny to which the false leads."  

1 Timothy 6:1-2

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"1 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves. These are the things you are to teach and insist on." ~ 1 Timothy 6:1-2

When the Apostle Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy, half the population of the Roman Empire were slaves. Many of them had been taken as prisoners of war by the Roman legions. Some were taken away out of their own countries, while others were kept captive within their own lands. Slavery, then, became an immediate problem in the early church, as both slaves and their masters were being converted to Christianity. 

Many today are troubled by the fact the New Testament does not denounce slavery. Passages like this sound as though slavery was accepted and was acceptable in Christianity. But the truth is the Scripture does not approve of slavery. There is no defense of slavery in Scripture; there is no attempt made to perpetuate it in any way. In fact, by the end of the second century slavery had widely disappeared, largely because of the impact of Christian teaching and influence of Christians throughout the Empire. 

In today's text, the Apostle Paul continues teaching on how the believer in Christ best ministers to the various groups in the church at Ephesus. While he uses the terminology of the servant-master relationship, this teaching applies to us today in the context of the employer-employee relationship. 

The Apostle uses the Greek word douloi which describes those who have chosen to be in submission to someone as a slave. This slave is willfully employed and paid to do a job for the employer. The Greek word translated masters is despotēs which refers to one who had unrestricted, unrestrained, sovereign authority over the employee.

Today's text was penned by Paul because there were some slaves who used their newfound freedom in Christ as an excuse to disobey their masters. They didn't understand that their spiritual freedom in Christ did not alter their social position, even though they were accepted graciously into the fellowship of the church. For a slave to rebel against an unsaved master would bring disgrace on the gospel.

In v.1 we read, "All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered."

The danger here is that a Christian slave might take advantage of his master because both are saved. “My master is my brother!” a slave might argue. “Since we are equal, he has no right to tell me what to do!” he might think. This attitude would create serious problems both in the homes and in the churches.

The Apostle Paul explains why Christian employees should show respect for their believing employers and not take advantage of them. The most obvious reason is their employers are Christians and love does not rebel or look for opportunities to escape responsibility.

If we work for a non-Christian employer, we are to give him all of the honor that is due to one who is in the position of authority and who is providing our livelihood, in order that the name of God and the doctrine of the gospel might not be spoken evil against. 

How we function in an employment situation is of grave spiritual significance. We should live out our Christianity before men in such a way as to make the gospel attractive to all who look on. Our faith must be lived out in our jobs as a sacred duty which is rendered on behalf of God.

In v. 2 we read, "Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves. These are the things you are to teach and insist on."

If we are working for a believing boss, we are not to think less of him as our employer because he’s also our brother. But we are to serve him even more because he is a believer. 

We serve God by serving others. From this angle we begin to see our jobs as our ministry. This is a whole different approach to ministry. When we live godly lives and work with godly attitudes, others will see it and they will begin to desire what we have. And then, in eternity, we may see them because of our commitment to be defined by God in the workplace.

1 Timothy 5:22-25

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22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses. 24 The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. 25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever. ~ 1 Timothy 5:22-25

In our text today, the Apostle Paul continues his instructions for a more biblical eldership in the local church. In view of the tremendous honor that should be given to an elder, and in view of the great potential for dishonor, shame and public disgrace, the last point that Paul makes on the subject is here in 1 Timothy 5:22-25.

In v.22 we read, "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure."

As we see in 1 Timothy 4:14, the laying of hands has to do with commending a brother into the work of the Lord. With it came the recognition that this man was chosen of the Lord to do the work that he was already doing. The laying on of the hands of the elders is a symbol of God's affirmation of His call on this man's life and ministry.

In the Old Testament sacrificial system, God instructed the Jews to put their hands on the sacrifice that was put on the altar. And in that symbolic act he was saying I identify with this sacrifice made for the forgiveness of my sin. This is the point of laying hands on a brother: it symbolized agreement, unity, identification and affirmation of someone as being set apart by God to do a certain work of ministry.

The Apostle is saying here, "Do not be so quick to agree to the setting apart of a man into the work of the Lord until you know this is true, because you could be sharing in something that is not of God."

And, in context here, the subject is restoring a man who has fallen in one way or another. Paul is saying, "Do not be too quick to put that man back into a position of leadership. Give it time." And, if we hurry a man into commendation and he is unsuited and unfitted, and he has sinned, you literally, koinonos, fellowship in that sin. There is culpability. The implications of the union are very deep and very profound.

In v.23 we read, "Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses." Right on the heels of saying, "Keep yourself pure" The Apostle Paul reminds Timothy that it is not wrong to drink some wine for medicinal purposes. All of the ruckus in the church in Ephesus gave Timothy some stomach issues, so the Apostle addresses it in a practical way. God gave us wine partly to be a medicine for settling our stomach.

In v.24 we read, "The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them."  The Apostle Paul reminds us that it isn't too difficult to recognize the things in a man's life that disqualify him from being a recognized leader in the church, because there are some people whose sins are plain, open, and obvious. Their sin leads and follows them. And, their sin disqualifies them to be recognized as a leader.

In v.25 we read, "In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever." 

If there is a man who is doing the work of an elder and fits the qualifications given in 1 Timothy 3, his good work will be known by all. The principle here is whether the man is qualified by his character and is he naturally doing the work among the people. All too often, churches choose men to be elders who have not and will not do the work of an elder. This is not to be the case. If that man has a heart for the people and the work therein, it will be obvious to recognize him and his work. He should be doing the work before being recognized as such.

Finally, no leader is perfect, but that should not hinder any of us from striving for perfection. The ministry of the Lord Jesus on this earth rises and falls with people who have God-given leadership skills. God has gifted and talented us all to do the work that He has designed us to do. And, godly leadership means God’s blessing, and that is what we want and that is what we need.

1 Timothy 5:19-21

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19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. 21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism. ~ 1 Timothy 5:19-21

The church at Ephesus was declining due to its lack of commitment to the Word of God, and, as a result, it had fallen into immorality. Their condition was primarily related to the decline in its leadership. Our ability to reach the world with the Gospel is linked to our commitment to the Lord and His Word. This side of heaven, we will never be perfect, but we can be true to His Word, defined by Him, honest, humble and authentic.

In today's text, the Apostle Paul gives further instruction regarding those who are in leadership roles in the local church. In v.19 we read, "Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses."

When a man qualifies for spiritual leadership, at some point, he has to anticipate that certain people will falsely accuse him to try to ruin his ministry. It is the standard approach of the enemy to discredit the effective leader. Our ministries can be brought to a halt due to no fault of our own, but due to the fault of people who will listen to false accusations. 

The word accusation used in v.19 is the Greek word katēgoria which is the word from which we get our English word category. It is the combination of two words, agora which means a meeting place, and kata which means against. So, when combined, it is to say something against a person in a public meeting place or to bring a formal public accusation against a leader. And when someone comes to bring a formal public accusation against an elder, we are not to listen to it, entertain or investigate it. 

Now, the only time we ever even entertain an accusation is when it comes to us from two or three confirming witnesses. If a person comes with some kind of accusation against an elder, our first reaction should always be to deny it, unless it is confirmed by two or three trustworthy witnesses.

In v. 20 we read, "But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning."

The Apostle Paul isn't just talking about any sin. We are all sinners, we sin every day. If just any sin disqualifies us, we would all be disqualified. However, there is absolutely no immunity for spiritual leaders who fall into certain sins. 

You will remember that in 1 Timothy 3:2 we read, "Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach." 

The Apostle instructed us that an elder is qualified as a spiritual leader because he is above reproach and is a one-woman man. And, when the elder doesn’t exercise the self-control to remain faithful to his wife, he is living in sin. He must be confronted for not being faithful to his wife.

In addition, to being unfaithful to his wife, the elder can be disqualified if he becomes a drunkard or he becomes so greedy that he embezzles money from the church or his family is not walking with the Lord. When an elder is found guilty of these particular sins, he is to be "reproved before everyone." 

Of course, not all of these "sins" will disqualify him permanently from the ministry, there is a reasonable argument to be made that he should be permanently disqualified if he commits certain sexual sins, becomes an alcoholic and/or embezzles money from the church.

When an accusation has been made and it has been investigated and confirmed by two or three witnesses, he is to be publicly rebuked. The word reprove means to expose, to bring out in the open, to correct, or to rebuke. Once an elder’s guilt is established, he is to be publicly exposed, and his credibility and ministry is possibly forfeited. Of course, the rebuke of his lack of hospitality will look different from the rebuke he would receive for running around with the church secretary.

In v.21 we read, "I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism."

Church discipline usually goes to one of two extremes. Either there is no discipline at all and the church languishes because of its lack of commitment to the truth, or the church becomes legalistic and suffers the lack of spiritual depth because they have violated so many healthy biblical principles.

It is sad when a church member fails and must be disciplined, but it is even more sad when a spiritual leader fails and must be disciplined, for when leaders fall, there is a much greater impact on others in the community.

Having said that, the ultimate biblical purpose of discipline is restoration. Our purpose must be to restore the offender. Our attitude must be one of love and gentleness as seen in Galatians 6. In fact the verb restore that Paul used in Galatians 6:1 means “to reset a broken bone.” Think of the patience and gentleness involved in that procedure!

The Apostle Paul cautions us to to be sure of the facts, and the way to do that is to have two or three credible witnesses. The accused always must have the right to face his accusers in the presence of witnesses. But, when the accused is found guilty, God's goal is the restoration of that brother to Him and the church community. 

This does not necessarily mean he will return to the same ministry that he had before. It does mean the church takes God's instructions in this area seriously. It also means this will aid in the restored brother's deepening understanding of His Father's unflinching faithfulness to him as the church is used of God to restore such a one back to Him.

1 Timothy 5:17-18

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17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” ~ 1 Timothy 5:17-18

The effectiveness of advancing the causes of the Lord Jesus in this world is largely dependent upon the believer's ability to remain true to God's word and authentic with our fellow man. And so there’s a premium, as there always has been, on authentic leadership among God's people. 

Leadership will always parallel how valued the people feel by those who are leading them. John Maxwell once said, "To add value to others, one must first value others." And, the context of today's text is right in the middle of teaching which tells us to do just that. 

In v.17 we read, "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching."

In our text for today, the Apostle Paul begins with honoring elders. The word the Apostle uses here translated elder is the Greek word presbuteros which means one who is of a plurality of biblically qualified men who jointly shepherd and oversee a local body of believers. Our text emphasizes the teaching responsibility of those who are being used of God to lead the local church. 

Now, in the Scripture we are presented a shared leadership model with a team approach concept. The Bible emphasizes a plurality of leadership who equally share the responsibilities of leadership, though our functions in specifics may be somewhat different. This shared leadership is the design of God. It wasn’t any different in Timothy’s day as it is today. There is wisdom in many counselors.

The Greek word used here for honor is timē which means respect or regard. This means we are supposed to show respect to the elder. This word, timē, also used in 1 Timothy 5:3 included the idea of remuneration for the work rendered. Today, we use the word honorarium to describe this practice.

When writing to the Corinthians, the Galatians and the Philippians, the Apostle Paul referred to money as fellowship. The sharing of money or having fellowship with an elder conveys a heart attitude, a motive, a sense of love and intimacy and spiritual significance. The bottom line here is that the one who has dedicated his life to the leadership of the sheep is to be honored in terms of respect and remuneration. The phrase double honor means generous respect and generous remuneration.

In v.18 we read, "For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages." 

Here the Apostle quotes Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7. The picture here is that if we have an ox grinding out grain and that ox is providing food for us, then we should allow the ox to eat. Paul is saying, "Don’t muzzle his mouth while he’s doing that, let him eat as he works."

The picture is that of a threshing floor where bundles of grain were thrown out on the threshing floor for the grain to be crushed under the feet of the ox and the grain would be released from the chaff. The threshing floors were built on a flat rock, high on a hill, so that the wind would blow the chaff away from the grain. And when the oxen had done his job, he would have separated the kernels from the chaff which would have been blown away from the wind. And, if an ox performed this work to produce food, then he was allowed to eat some of the grain. 

God’s desire is that the full time worker is provided for and He moves the hearts of the people to have fellowship with the teacher. The Greek word misthos, “his wages” is used here in v.18. This is not a reward, it is a wage. The worker is due to pay for his work is the idea.

As you know, I taught Bible and coached at a local Christian school for thirty one years. Then, I decided the Lord would have me to begin a discipleship program for anyone who desired it. This meant that the expected and guaranteed salary from the school was going away. I have to say, it was a tough decision to step out in faith and trust the Lord. But, do you know what? The Lord has not missed a beat. I essentially receive every month the equivalent of what I received at that Christian school. And, I have discovered that just as the Lord met my needs while teacher there at the Christian school, He meets my needs now. The key? Walking in His will and being defined by His word.

1 Timothy 5:11-16

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11 As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan. 16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need. ~ 1 Timothy 5:11-16

We have been studying 1 Timothy 5 for some time now. The subject of this section is the care of widows. In today's text, the Apostle Paul provides instructions for the young widows who would be more likely to remarry given their husbands are no longer with them.

In v.11 we read, "As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry."

For the woman who is younger than sixty and is widowed and she finds that she has the desire to remarry, the Apostle Paul writes, "do not put her on the list of widows" who do the afore mentioned ministry." In fact, the Apostle instructs us to encourage her to remarry, to make a lifelong commitment to the man the Lord has brought into her life, even if she had committed to serve the Lord as a single person. This is normal and there is nothing wrong for her to want to spend the rest of her days with a man that she is attracted to and whom she can care for.

In v.12-13 we read, "12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to."

If these younger widows still had the desire to marry, Paul encourages them to marry. God puts these desires in our hearts, even if she had made a pledge to serve the Lord as a widow. The judgment in v.12 would have been from those who were aware of her "first pledge" to serve the Lord as a widow and never marry again. 

In v.13, the Apostle Paul describes a woman who has the desire to get married again, yet she thinks this desire is not from God. When we do not understand God's will for our lives, it is then that we are more likely to feed the flesh. Thinking the desire is not from God, we wrestle with it more and more. Then  we struggle to know what to do with the angst that has been created. And, when we find ourselves in these places, we do what is easiest and most natural: we give in to feeding the flesh. This is what Paul is describing in v.13.

Lest any of us become judgmental, we have all experienced this when we have concluded the wrong thing about the Lord's  will for our lives and we are discouraged and distracted and we do not know what to do. It is at this point that we find ourselves giving up on walking with His Spirit and we resort to feeding the flesh. The flesh always has a greater chance to strengthen itself when we start operating off of an incorrect understanding of God and His will for our lives. And, think of it, her desire to be married is from God.

If it is God's will for the widow to remarry, she should not be involved in the ministry that those who are sixty and above are involved in. I have found, when I am out of God's will for my life, the flesh seems to be that much more stronger in its lure of getting me to go its way. The key here is to know God's will and do it. And, for a widow, remarrying is not sinful, but being a busybody is, especially if she is saying things which are the products of the flesh.

In v.14-15 we read, "14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan."

The Apostle here gives some reasons for encouraging us to encourage a widow to remarry: “to have children.” This was God’s command to our first parents in Genesis 1:28. So, the normal result of marriage is a family. Raising up children who have a heart for the Lord and others is the purpose for which God has designed the home. Having and training children to love God is God’s purpose for mankind, and, even though a woman had been married, lost her husband, and needed to be remarried again, the purpose doesn’t change.

We live in a culture which rejects the idea of the wife not working and the husband being the bread winner for the family, but this is God's design. This is one of several explanations for the disintegration of the American family. And, I know it is hard, my wife and I lived off of a Christian school salary for years, but we were determined to obey the Lord's teaching. And, He blessed us and provided even though we had some very lean years there for a while. We were convinced that someone in a Day Care would not train our children quite the way we would if their momma had stayed home with them. To ignore God's design for the family is paramount to turning away to Satan's ways of thinking and living.

In v.16 we read, "If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need."

Paul is careful here to not discourage those who want to do this ministry to those who are widows. God has always had a heart for the helpless, the weak, the lonely, and the discouraged. This is a major reason why you and I have been included in His family, that we might have a heart for the neglected, lonely, and despairing. And, even if we are not ministering to widows today, the principle is yet for us all: Look for someone to encourage today. Lord knows we need it in our sin ravaged world!

1 Timothy 5:9-10

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9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 10 and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. ~ 1 Timothy 5:9-10

Christianity places very high value on loving those who are most vulnerable. We do this in response to God's heart which has always been for the weak and the least. And, if we have been born again and we are growing in our walk with the Lord, we will reflect the Father's heart to others, especially the most vulnerable among us. 

In today's text, God gives more instruction for the widows in the church. We have already learned from the Apostle Paul that the children and grandchildren of the widow are held responsible for taking care of her. If she has no children or grandchildren, her second means of support should come from those who know her in her extended family. And only after those two options have been exhausted does a woman then become the care of the whole church body.

In the early church there were widowed women who had very important roles in the church. These women were called on to several different types of ministries wherein they would help the needy in the church. Many would counsel the younger women and others would help with the children's ministry in the church. And, even then, many would help with the abandoned children in their city, in this case, Ephesus. 

You see, in those days children were often abandoned and someone would have to take them in and care for them or else the boys would be taken into the gladiator training program, and the young girls would be taken in by some prostitute who would raise them to eventually be prostitutes in one of the many local brothels.

In today's text we are given the qualifications for these widows.  In v.9 we read, "No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband."

The first qualification is that they are at least sixty years of age. In that day sixty was the age of retirement. The idea was they would be very unlikely to remarry and they would be able to throw themselves into this much needed ministry. Of course, if the ministry was not their desire, they were not forced into the ministry.

The second qualification given in v.9 she is to have been a one-man woman. The construction of this verse doesn’t mean that she’s only been married once because as we read in v.14, it was no sin for a younger woman to want to remarry. A one-man woman is a woman who was devoted to the man to whom she was married. She was not known to have run around on her husband. Divorce did not disqualify her for this type of ministry.

In v.10 we are given a third qualification. It reads, "She is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds." 

She had a reputation for good works and of excellent character. This is the kind of woman the early church put on the list because this is the kind of woman one would want all the rest of our women to be. 

Her qualities had been demonstrated in her home while raising her children and showing hospitality to those who needed lodging. She was known to wash the feet of those who would come to her home. She was a woman who is not above the most humble menial service rendered to someone else. She spent her life helping people at personal inconvenience with humility.

It is no wonder that those who walk closest to the Lord are used in the best ways in the lives of others. As we choose to give our hearts to Him daily, He is faithful to give us His heart for Him and others, especially those who can not repay us. This is the essence of true ministry. Ministry is finding creative ways to love people in practical ways.

It is often that the injured injure others. This makes sense and is common. What is not common is when the injured bless others. This is the work God. Only God can teach us to turn a pain into a blessing. This is the practical application of His cross to our perception of life. When God invited us into His presence, He made it possible for us to witness His reality. He experienced pain, the worst pain, so that we could see the blessing in the pain. A wounded heart makes for effective ministry because it knows the healing touch of its Savior.

1 Timothy 5:5-8

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5 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. 8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. ~ 1 Timothy 5:5-8

Today, we come back to the Apostle Paul's instructions to Timothy regarding widows. Whereas in our last blog, he addresses children and grandchildren taking care of their widowed mother or grandmother, today we turn our attention to those who are widowed and have no-one to help them, not even children or grandchildren.

In v.5 we read, "The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help."

The Apostle uses the Greek word elpizō here which is the verb meaning, “hope in God.” This verb is written in the perfect tense, meaning, she not only is in a continual condition of being without but she is in a continual condition of presenting herself to God as her only hope. She has the attitude of cemented hope in God. She has no one to care for her and she has fixed her hope on God. God is saying here to us that we are answerable to Him to help her as she looks to God to supply her needs.

This lady's hope is in God who has specifically promised in His word to meet her every need. She understands that God will use all kind of means to supply her need. She knows that God may even use the Church to do so, but her trust is in no man, she trusts the Lord completely. And, she knows that when things get "iffy," this is just another opportunity for God to show Himself strong in her life. 

Rather than being focused on her needs being met, she is being trained by God to look for Him and see Him with her heart. The result is knowing God first-hand and as He meets her needs in very creative ways, she discovers He is the One who meets her needs and, as a result, she gets to know Him more intimately.

She is most blessed, even though she is most needy, because her trials force her to seek and rely upon God. She prays or talks to God regularly and she is learning to give her heart to Him more readily because He is trustworthy and He is truly the One who meets her needs.

In v.6 we read, "But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives." This verse literally reads, "the living for pleasure one living is dead." 

In other words, the one who gets newfound freedoms and she lives for her own ease and satisfaction and indulgence, she may be living physically but she is dead spiritually. Learning to trust God is the ultimate for her. Those who do not learn to trust in the Lord do not trust Him for His guidance. They don’t depend on God. They have no heart of devotion to Him, no love for Him, no dependence on Him, no desire to obey Him, but rather they live for pleasure. 

Now the Greek term used for pleasure here in v.6 is a very rare verb which means to plunge into wastefulness. It means to lead a life much like that of the Prodigal in Luke 15. The word includes the idea that she disregards what is right. To lead this type of life of pleasure describes one who is self-indulgent. She is not living as if she were a believer. The church is under obligation according to the Word of God to be of help to this kind of widow.

In v.7 we read, "Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame." 

The church should be a model of virtue in this area, leaving no legitimate fault to be exploited by the critics. The reputation of the church is at stake in this issue. And, the church is to be blameless in caring for widows who are widows without support and who walk with the Lord.

In v.8 we read, "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 

The Apostle Paul states in v.8 negatively what he said in v.4 positively. In v.4 he said, "children take care of your parents." Here in v.8, he adds to v.4 by saying, "if you don’t take care of your parents and your family, you’re worse than an unbeliever." 

The fact that he said it in v.4 in a positive way and now says it in v.8 in a negative way leads me to believe that there were a lot of violations of this in Ephesus, and the level of Paul’s exasperation was rising and rising because so many people were violating the biblical ethic toward women in need. We should not be so engaged in ministry to others that our own family is neglected.

Now, the Apostle doesn’t mean we personally lose our salvation. How can we lose that which we never earned? What he means is we deny the biblical principle of compassionate love that is at the very heart of the Christian faith when we neglect our elderly parents and our family.

Finally, let me return to the "fixed hope of the widow." Without trials we do not get to this point. We are actually most blessed when we are going through a trial of some sort, especially if it is the means by which we are pursuing God more aggressively. C.S. Lewis said it well when he wrote, "The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation."