The Preacher is Warned About False Doctrine – 1 Timothy 1:1-11. – Bible study
THE PREACHER IS WARNED ABOUT FALSE DOCTRINE
1 Timothy 1:1-11
by Cooper Abrams
- I. Paul an apostle by the commandment of God. V1
- A. Preachers are called and appointed by God.
- 1. Because of all the false preachers who enter preaching as a profession for the prestige and money, it sometime makes people suspect of real preacher called of God.
2. In Verse 1 and 12, Paul states the it Christ who commanded him and put him in the ministry.
3. Acts 20:28, states that the Holy Spirit made the pastors in Ephesus overseers of the church.
B. Many time I fear many in the church are not aware of this aspect of a pastors calling.
- 1. When God calls a man into service, whether it be as a pastor or any position it is not optional. When God commands, God expects man to respond.
- a. Jonah, when called of God ran from the calling.
b. Yet God brought him to his knees and Jonah finally accepted God’s call to go to Nineveh.
- 2. Many a man called of God to be a pastor has refused. Some of the most miserable men I know I believe were called of God and yet refused to respond.
3. Folks the True Gospel preacher and pastor is where he is because God commanded him to take the position. Had he not responded, what miserable creature he would be forever out of God’s will.
C. J. Vernon McGee, says “this was why Paul could walk into a synagogue or go before a gainsaying audience in Athens or a group of rotten, corrupt sinners in Corinth, and boldly declare the Gospel. He was a soldier under orders, an apostle by the commandment-not by commission, but by commandment.
Any man who is going to speak for God today needs to do it with authority or he ought to keep quiet.” (J. Vernon McGee, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon page 21)
D. Timothy was instructed by Paul, under the inspiration of God, to “let no man despise thy youth” 4:12 and “neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee.” 4:14
- 1. In 4:6, He job was to put the brethren into remembrance of these things…
2. In 4:13, he is told to give attention to reading to exhortation to doctrine.
II. THE WARNING ABOUT FALSE DOCTRINE. 1:3-11
- A. Paul told Timothy he was to stay in Ephesus and “charge” some to that they teach no other doctrine.
- 1. Paul left him in Ephesus that he might, command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor devote themselves to myths and end less genealogies.” 1:3-4
2. Paul was saying it was a serious problem and Timothy was to deal with the matter head on.
B. It is impossible for a man who desires to act right and sincerely live for the Lord Jesus to do so when his thinking is wrong or based on untrue information.
- 1. The Judaizers were preaching another Gospel, a Gospel mingled which error.
- a. In Acts what made the church the church at the beginning was that “they continued in the apostles doctrines”. Acts 2:42, 46
b. The church had as a foundation the doctrines of the apostles, fellowship, prayers, and the Lords Supper.
c. No church is a true church of God if it is not soundly founded in the Doctrine of the N.T.
2. “Myths”. Ephesus was the home of idol Diana, the temple to Trajan, Hadrian and all these were based on Greek Mythology.
Paul also could be talking about Philo, the Jewish philosopher who spiritualized the O.T. making it all a series of myths instead of the inspired Word of God.
3. Genealogies: May refer to the false idea that the church is just a continuation of Judaism.
In other words, these Judaizers, were counting on their heritage as Jews to give the position in the church and with God in reference to their salvation.
4. Paul says these things cause confusion because the are not true. In other words they promoted controversy rather than the Lord’s word, which is done in faith. These false teachers were teaching a works salvation instead of salvation by faith.
Godly edifying means preaching the true, and Paul says this do!
III. THE GOAL OF THE COMMANDMENT: 1:5
- A. What is produced in the church should be from love and out of a pure heart.
- 1. The “goal” of commanding him to stop the false teachings was to produce a serve out of love and not from obedience to a act or work, which comes from an unpure heart.
2. So many false teachings today teach you can pre- form some ritual and in this manner please God and earn God acceptance.
- a. Nothing is further from the truth.
b. This type of false teaching in a real sense gives people a license to sin.
c. During the week, live as you please as long as you go to church on Sunday.
3. The Lord wants us to serve because of a oneness of mind with Him. A Christian is saved, and comes to the truth.
Knowing the truth as to who God is and that he loves us and cares for our present and eternal life is good and proper motivation to live for the Lord.
We serve our of dedication and love which keeps us committed to His will in our lives.
B. Some turn aside in the church from the truth and substituted for the glorious truth, vain jangling or meaningless talk.
- 1. V7 Paul addressed the problem of the many who want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or about the errors they so confidently confirm.”
2. V8 Paul says the law is good if it is used properly. The law is basically teaching right and wrong. It points out sin and defines what is proper in God’s sight.
It is a school master, it teaches us what is right and proper. You learn the lesson of the school teacher and then you go on an leave that behind. You don’t need to stay in school all your life you come to a time you are on your own.
3. The law defines sin for us. It only says we are sinners in need of salvation. It has not means to save us…it only points out our present condition.
A road map will show you where you are but will not get you to your destination.
C. A person who knows the way and is on the right road does not need a map. v9-10.
- 1. The law are rules to define what is a wrong and in the Bible a sin. Civil law defines what is unacceptable behavior and assigns a penalty for breaking the law. The law against murder has no hold on a man who doesn’t have murder in his heart. The same applies to all civil and spiritual laws. The law is good as Paul says because it defines what is wrong. (V8) For some it is the threat of the law that keeps them from breaking the law.
2. However, if a believer’s only motive for living right is being afraid of God’s wrath that is a poor reason. A believer who is spiritual will living willing doing that which is right. They do so because they know right from wrong and that doing wrong is destructive. Most of all they realize it dishonors the Lord and that He had to suffer for all our sins 2000 years ago on the Cross. This is what Paul was talking about in 1 Corinthians 11:29. We should be thankful for Christ’s suffering and sacrifice for us and with a discerning spirit not cause Him more suffering because of our callousness in willingly sinning.
3. Paul lists a series of gross sins in which the lawless indulge. He concludes saying that it is lawlessness to do anything contrary to sound doctrine. This statement strikes at the heart of the modern thinking that doctrine is not important. Sound doctrine means correct doctrine, which must be without error. Repeated the Bible statements leave no room for the compromising of God’s word or ignoring its teachings. A Christian is above the law only as long as he lives in accordance with God’s word. To entertain any false doctrine is to become lawless and outside God’s will.
4. Sadly there are many popular preachers on television and who write books who teach unsound doctrines. Many are very respected men who have a large audience. One of the most popular ones was on the radio this week teaching the false teaching of Calvinism which distorts the very nature of Almighty God and His sovereignty of God and the doctrine of election. Others compromise God’s teaching on the His plan for the propagation of the Gospel through the local church. The child of God must be careful who he listens to and what he supports. Paul was warning young Timothy of the pitfalls of false teaching that could easily slip into a church.
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