1 TIMOTHY 1
5 Outlines
1Timothy 1:1-2
GETTING IT DONE
Do you get any
satisfaction from completing a job? I do. When we finished
shampooing some of our carpets recently it was nice to say,
"That's done!"
When I complete
preparing a message or sending out an edition of Sermon
Seeds, it's nice to say,
"That's done!" My wife Dottie and I have completed
raising our children from childhood through to early adulthood. We
are
delighted to see that the task is done and our children are
functioning
successfully on their own.
On the cross of
completed everything necessary to pay for the sins of mankind. It was
done!
When Paul came to the
end of his life, Paul was able to joyfully say, "I'm
done, and I did it well." 2 Timothy 4:7-8
It will also be nice,
comforting, and pleasing to God if at the end of our
lives we can say with Paul, "I have fought a good fight, I
have finished my
course, I have kept the faith:"
As Christians we are
responsible to live lives which please God. Such lives
require sacrifice. Luke 9:23-24, Luke 14:25-33, Galatians 2:20
1 Timothy 1:1-2 shows us
how we can go about "Getting it done", living a
life that in the end pleases God.
GOD CALLING ME -
COMMANDMENT - Vs. 1
Because this was an open
letter as well as a personal letter, Paul had to
establish his authority. He said that he was an Apostle. Paul was an
apostle
because God had commanded him to be an Apostle.
God has called the
Christian to do God's will (Romans 12:1-2, Ephesians
also has a specific plan for each life. We are to use the gifts
and
abilities God has give us in the way God commands us to use them.
Some will
be in full time Christian service while most will not.
However, no matter
what our jobs, we are all called to be full time Christians.
If we are going to get
the job done, we must be following God's commands.
GOD HELPING ME - GRACE -
Vs. 2
In verse 2 Paul wishes
for Timothy 3 qualities that helped Timothy get the
job done. They will help us as well. The first one mentioned is
"grace". A
Christian first receives
grace, or God's unmerited favor when he or she is
saved (Ephesians 2:8-9).
God's grace continues
after salvation.
God's grace will enable
to get the job done.
God's grace will give me
the power to live the Christian life.
God's grace will give me
the power to stand against sin.
God's grace will enable
me to witness, to serve, to lead, to raise my
family, and do anything else God commands me to do.
I keep grace working in
life as I grow in grace and knowledge of my Lord. 1
Peter 3:18
I keep grace working in
my life as I humbly call upon Him for help and
submit to His leadership. James 4:6-7
GOD PARDONING ME - MERCY
- Vs. 2
Grace is God giving me
what I don't deserve.
Mercy is God not giving
me what I do deserve.
I first received mercy
when I trusted Christ and was cleansed of my sin
(Isaiah 53).
I receive mercy today as
I acknowledge my sins to God and confess them. 1
John 1:9, Psalm 32:5
GOD KEEPING ME - PEACE -
Vs. 2
The moment I was saved I
received peace with God. Romans 5:1
As I stay focused on the
Lord and bring all my cares to Him I will
experience the peace of God. Isaiah 26:3, Philippians 4:6-7
1 Timothy 1:3-11
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THE BOTTOM LINE
1 Timothy 1:5 - Now the end of the commandment is charity
out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
How can we tell when
someone is a false teacher?
What are some of the
ways of detecting that someone is teaching a wrong doctrine?
How can we discern what
is Bible truth and what is not?
First, if a person is
born-again, he will have the Holy Spirit living within in and pointing out the
truth. John 16:13
Second, a false teacher
will have his doctrine or teaching concerning Jesus Christ mixed up. 1 John
2:22-23, 1 John 4:2-3
Third, a false teacher
will have the wrong bottom line from his teaching.
The bottom line in
business is the results or profit after all income is counted and all expenses
paid. It is the net profit or loss of
the business.
In teaching the Word of
God there is a bottom line.
When the Word of God is
preached by a false teacher the bottom line is a loss.
When the Word of God is
taught properly, there is a bottom line or profit for the Body of Christ.
Timothy had been
mentored by Paul, and often served as a special assistant. In this case, as verses 3-4 show us, Timothy
was left behind in
The result of accurate
teaching, the bottom line, will be love (charity). Right teaching promotes true
Christian love for the brethren, and the world will be
able to see the difference. 1 John
In 1 Timothy 1:5 Paul gives
us three reasons for love based on accurate teaching.
1.
ACCURATE TEACHING WILL
PRODUCE LOVE OUT OF A PURE HEART
We read in verse 3 that
Timothy was to charge some teachers that they teach no other doctrine. I want
us to especially think of the doctrine of salvation and the doctrine of Christ.
Paul was narrow minded because only correct doctrine produces love
from a purified heart. Jeremiah 17:9, Hebrews 10:16-17
2.
ACCURATE TEACHING WILL
PRODUCE LOVE OUT OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE
You've heard the
expression, "Let your conscience be your guide."
Well, that's all right
if you have a good conscience. A good conscience is one which has been under
the accurate teaching of the Gospel, and has been cleansed in the blood of
Christ. Hebrews 9:14
Verse 4 - False teaching
does not provide a good conscience because false teaching is not edifying. It
does not build.
3.
ACCURATE TEACHING WILL
PRODUCE LOVE OUT OF AN UNFEIGNED FAITH.
Unfeigned means not
hypocritical. There is plenty of hypocrisy in false teaching.
Verse 6 - When someone
does not accurately teaching concerning God's law, he swerves.
And when a person
swerves from teaching truth, he uses empty words with no content. This verse
calls it "vain jangling".
Verse 7 - False teachers
want to teach, and don't know that they are talking about. This leads to
hypocrisy.
Verse 8 - The law is
good, when it is properly understood and explained.
Verses 9-10 - The law
was not made for a righteous man. Instead the law was written to show us what
sinners we really are.
The law, and the fact
that no one has obeyed it perfectly, except the Lord Jesus, is the document
which shows us that we are sinners in need of the Savior! Romans 3:10-12
Verse 11 - An unfeigned
faith is produced by the glorious Gospel of Christ.
Such an unfeigned faith
says,
"Yes, I am a
sinner, according to the law. Yes, I have failed God. Yes, I deserve
punishment. (Ezekiel 18:4) But Jesus Christ died for my sins. Jesus Christ shed
His blood for me. Jesus Christ was buried and rose again. I trust Jesus as my
Savior. I now have eternal life." John 3:36
True doctrine produces a
faith without hypocrisy which acknowledges sin and forgiveness for it through
faith in Christ.
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MR. ENTHUSIASM
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Isn't it interesting how
we get excited about secular things like jobs, sports, hobbies, vacations,
etc., but we can't get as excited as we would like about the things of
God. Paul is our example of Godly
enthusiasm.
1. THE SECRET OF PAUL'S
POWER Vs. 12
2. THE SADNESS OF PAUL'S
PAST Vs. 13
3. THE SOURCE OF PAUL'S
PARDON Vss. 14-15
4. THE SENSE OF GOD'S
PURPOSE Vs. 16
5. THE SOUND OF PAUL'S
PRAISE Vs. 17
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1 Timothy 1:12-17
BE ENCOURAGED
The Apostle Paul was
probably one of the greatest Christians who ever lived. He was a great theologian, pastor,
missionary, writer, Bible teacher and witness.
Although God greatly used Paul in the areas just mentioned Paul is also
valuable to us as an encouragement. If
God was able to do so much with a man who called himself "chief of
sinners", think of how much he can do for us.
Paul encourages us by
sharing:
GOD'S POWER FOR CHANGE -
Vss.12-14
God took Paul and
miraculously saved him and changed him. See Acts 9.
GOD'S PLAN FOR SINNERS -
Vs. 15
GOD'S PATTERN OF GRACE -
Vs. 16
Paul serves as a
"pattern" to all. If God can save Paul, He can save anyone.
GOD'S PRAISE FROM
BELIEVERS - Vs. 17
The previous statements
of Paul should encourage our hearts, leading us to praise of God.
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1 Timothy 1:12-17
RECLAMATION PROJECT
I see Paul and any other sinner as a great reclamation
project. We were condemned to hell
because of our sins. But God has saved us.
We have been reclaimed by Him.
JESUS SAW PAUL AS FAITHFUL – Vs. 12
JESUS SAVED PAUL FROM A SINFUL PAST – Vss. 13-15
JESUS SHOWED PAUL MERCY AS AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS – Vs.
16
PAUL SANG PRAISE BECAUSE OF GOD’S GREAT MERCY – Vs. 17
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