1 Timothy 4
June Memory Verse: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
Read: 1 Timothy 4
If you go back to the beginning of 1 Timothy, you will remember that one of the reasons that Paul is writing this letter is to combat the danger of false teachers who teach with what does not accord with sound doctrine (1:10) gaining influence in the church. Paul spends chapters 2 and 3 talking about ways that the church should be ordered, and therefore protected, against false teachers: by having strong leadership in place that proclaim sound doctrine and a sound life. Chapter 4 shows us the danger when the church does not follow the course of sound doctrine: people will be led astray and depart from the faith.
As a church, Center Point strongly stands on the belief that once you are a true Christian, you cannot lose your salvation. If salvation was dependent upon us, we would all be in trouble! Because of that, it is right to assume that these people who are “departing from the faith” (4:1) either never truly had personal faith in Christ, but just associative faith with him; OR they will one day return to the faith once they realize the error of the false teaching. Either way, the importance of churches teaching and training people to know sound doctrine from false teaching is paramount. That is why we teach the Bible, open the Bible in Connect Groups, discipleship relationships, and evangelism—the BIble is how God has revealed himself to us, and is completely inerrant, infallible, and sufficient for everything pertaining to life and godliness.
This false teaching comes with it unbiblical ideas of right and wrong, and what it takes to be holy. This is not a new fight for Paul (see 1 Cor. 7:25-35, 8:1-10:33). Verse 4 shows us the importance of placing everything in our lives under the authority of God’s Word.
Paul then exhorts Timothy to focus on godliness (v. 7), teach sound doctrine (v. 11), set the example (v. 12), and shows what a worship service should look like (v. 13). Essentially, as we have seen in chapters 2 and 3, the way we fight against false teaching is through sound doctrine that leads to a sound life.
Much of what we have seen in this book is directed at church leadership, and if you are not on staff or in a “formal” leadership position, the temptation is to think that this is really just important for those who are in leadership. And while there is a small amount of truth to that, I want to challenge you to see the importance of knowing and loving sound doctrine that leads to you living a sound life, no matter your “position.”
What areas of doctrine do you need more confidence in? Are you content to stay in that place or are you willing to take steps to grow in understanding more of what sound doctrine is according to the Bible? The good news is that there are amazing resources on the internet to help you grow in your understanding of theology! (But also a lot of sources that are harmful; if you have any questions about what is good and bad, please reach out to us!)
By: Graham Withers
Read: 1 Timothy 4
If you go back to the beginning of 1 Timothy, you will remember that one of the reasons that Paul is writing this letter is to combat the danger of false teachers who teach with what does not accord with sound doctrine (1:10) gaining influence in the church. Paul spends chapters 2 and 3 talking about ways that the church should be ordered, and therefore protected, against false teachers: by having strong leadership in place that proclaim sound doctrine and a sound life. Chapter 4 shows us the danger when the church does not follow the course of sound doctrine: people will be led astray and depart from the faith.
As a church, Center Point strongly stands on the belief that once you are a true Christian, you cannot lose your salvation. If salvation was dependent upon us, we would all be in trouble! Because of that, it is right to assume that these people who are “departing from the faith” (4:1) either never truly had personal faith in Christ, but just associative faith with him; OR they will one day return to the faith once they realize the error of the false teaching. Either way, the importance of churches teaching and training people to know sound doctrine from false teaching is paramount. That is why we teach the Bible, open the Bible in Connect Groups, discipleship relationships, and evangelism—the BIble is how God has revealed himself to us, and is completely inerrant, infallible, and sufficient for everything pertaining to life and godliness.
This false teaching comes with it unbiblical ideas of right and wrong, and what it takes to be holy. This is not a new fight for Paul (see 1 Cor. 7:25-35, 8:1-10:33). Verse 4 shows us the importance of placing everything in our lives under the authority of God’s Word.
Paul then exhorts Timothy to focus on godliness (v. 7), teach sound doctrine (v. 11), set the example (v. 12), and shows what a worship service should look like (v. 13). Essentially, as we have seen in chapters 2 and 3, the way we fight against false teaching is through sound doctrine that leads to a sound life.
Much of what we have seen in this book is directed at church leadership, and if you are not on staff or in a “formal” leadership position, the temptation is to think that this is really just important for those who are in leadership. And while there is a small amount of truth to that, I want to challenge you to see the importance of knowing and loving sound doctrine that leads to you living a sound life, no matter your “position.”
What areas of doctrine do you need more confidence in? Are you content to stay in that place or are you willing to take steps to grow in understanding more of what sound doctrine is according to the Bible? The good news is that there are amazing resources on the internet to help you grow in your understanding of theology! (But also a lot of sources that are harmful; if you have any questions about what is good and bad, please reach out to us!)
By: Graham Withers
5 Comments
Encouraging word Graham. Three things from chapter 4 spoke to me this morning.
1) Train yourself to be godly (v7)
2) Do not neglect your gift (v14)
3) Watch your life & doctrine closely (v16)
I love the Summer Olympic Games and have since I was a child. I’m hopeful they will take place in Tokyo later this summer. Olympic athletes are the best in the world and have spent days, months, & years training and disciplining their bodies. They don’t just train occasionally or when they feel like it. Likewise, we must train ourselves to be godly by practicing daily disciplines like scripture reading, prayer, & focused evangelism.
Every healthy church has people with unique gifts given by God to strengthen and grow the body. If we neglect the gifts God has given us the church suffers. Not everyone is called to full time ministry but every believer is called to evangelism and using their gifts in the local church.
Guarding your life and doctrine closely is essential and a consistent theme throughout 1st Timothy. People fall prey to false doctrine when they don’t know what the Bible says. When a believer is consistently reading The Word they will have a troubled spirit when exposed to false doctrine. We cannot claim ignorance when God’s Word is so easily accessible on smart phones. Most of us have multiple Bibles in our homes. Don’t give Satan a foothold by being ignorant of Truth.
Thanks again for the commentary Graham!
Great thoughts Mike!
Great job today Graham! Thank you for being so faithful to the word of God and helping us keep our church heading in the correct direction theologically. You are a gift from God
Thanks Tim!
Great Job Graham!!!!!