Oakbrook Evangelical Free Church

Introduction:

Timothy was Paul protégé.
Apparently became a Christian during Paul’s1st missionary trip to Lystra (Acts 14:6-23). Joined Paul on his second trip (16:1-3)

Tim helped Paul in Troas, Philippi, Berea, Thessalonica, Athens and Corinth.

On the 3rd missionary journey he was with Paul in Ephesus from which Paul sent him to Macedonia (Acts 19:22

When Paul left Ephesus after his first imprisonment he left Timothy in charge. Apparently, Timothy wrote Paul and asked if he could rejoin him. Here Paul instructs Timothy to stay in Ephesus where he was Paul’s representative and not one of the elders.

An apostle by the command of God =
Strong word in which Paul stressed the importance of being faithful to persevere in God’s calling.

When Paul met with the Ephesian elders he warned them
Acts 20:29-30 ““I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; “and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. ” NASB95

1 & 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon are called Pastoral Epistles because they are written to pastors or shepherds of churches. Their main duty seems to be to defend sound teaching, set things in order (organize and administrate) and maintain discipline in the church.

1 Timothy 1:3-7 “As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, “nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. “For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, “wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. ” NASB95

1 Timothy 1:18-20 “This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, “keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. “Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme.” NASB95

1 Timothy 4:1-5 “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, “by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, “men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; “for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.” NASB95

1 Timothy 6:3-5 “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, “he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, “and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. ” NASB95

1 Timothy 6:20-21 “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”— “which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith. Grace be with you.” NASB95

The conversations of youth – the fun-loving idleness of youth

The process of growing up – must distance yourself from what your parents believe and what you believe. In the end, you embrace your own convictions that you own!

You have my total support in this process.
Don’t play like you know more than you know to impress anyone!

The need for a place to ask questions and for deeper discussions!

But this is different than a propensity or a tendency toward triviality and word wrestling. There is a time to grow up! If you want to be a teach then you much have given yourself to the disciple of study, have learned not only content but processes of discovering truth and handling God’s Word.

I. The Mentality of False Teachers
“Devoted to” – quite the commitment
A. In principle they “know nothing” “they do not understand”

1 Timothy 1:7 “wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions. ” NASB95

1. God calls false teaching “foolishness”
1 Corinthians 3:19 “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; ” NASB95

They don’t have insight into any matter of spiritual truth.
Their wisdom is not from above but is earthly, sensual and demonical.

Matthew 11:25 “At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. ” NASB95

God has hidden His truth from the self-promoting minds of this world and given it to those who believe His Word.

2. Paul called it “false doctrine” and “myths” 1:3
3. Peter called it
2 Peter 2:12 “But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed”

2 Peter 2:17 “These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. ” NASB95

4. Jude called it
Jude 12-13 “These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; “wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. ” NASB95

B. In principle they promote “word wrestling” and “meaningless words”

“endless genealogies” “mere speculation” “fruitless discussions”
“doting about questions and disputes of words”

Majoring on minor issues!

Could be translated: “having a sick craving for questions and word battles”. They have a disease – a morbid preoccupation with useless questions and word battles. They make a fuss about terminology. The Greek word translated “questions” means “idle speculations”.

Nothing more than pseudo-intellectual theorizing. They make a fuss about theory instead of the truth of God’s Word. Those involved in the conversations get lost in all the words and speculations.

They battle over terminology. They battle over semantics that don’t go anywhere.

Produce fruitlessness:
Strife, debate, bickering, error

C. Two Specific Issues Theological Issues troubled the early church
1. Jewish legalism
2. Growing Gnosticism

Myths about what Jesus did as a child – ear-tickling entertainment
i.e. formed a bird out of clay, blew on it and it came to life and flew
Example: preoccupation with numerology and

II. The Biblical Goal of Teaching

Is Not: to generate debate and controversy
Is: to cultivate love in the lives of those who listen

Funnel:
Pure heart
Conscience voice of shame
Genuine trust in God.

Conscience – the internal judge of one’s actions
The pain you feel because of your thoughts and actions

Crucial test of one’s teaching: does it produce love and harmony and godliness? When people learn and apply God’s Word their love for God and for each other will grow.

Is there anything you are holding onto that keeps you from loving God or others?

Are you asking legitimate questions or merely spoofing yourself and others?

Are you doing the necessary work of study to learn and apply the truth? This requires discipline and effort.

James 3:15-17 – Evaluate yourself
Earthly wisdom:
natural,
demonic,
where jealousy
selfish ambition
disorder
every evil thing.

Wisdom from above
first pure,
then peaceable,
gentle,
reasonable,
full of mercy and good fruits,
unwavering,
without hypocrisy