1 Timothy Lesson #3

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1 Timothy

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1 Timothy Lesson #2

January 22, 2010

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
1TIMOTHY 1:4-10
LESSON #3
THE 3 NECESSITIES IN A CHURCH

MEMORY VERSE: 1TIM 1:8

• PAUL GAVE A WARNING TO TIMOTHY THAT HE SHOULD NOT PERMIT ANY FALSE DOCTRINE TO BE TAUGHT IN THE CHURCH. (1:3)
• PRINCIPLES FROM OUR LAST LESSON:

• PRINCIPLE #1
• THE PASTOR OF A CHURCH THAT IS THE WORK OF GOD IS CALLED BY GOD.
• PRINCIPLE #2
• JESUS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
• PRINCIPLE #3
• THE PASTOR OF A CHURCH HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT CORRECT DOCTRINE IS TAUGHT IN THE CHURCH.

• READ 1TIM 1:4-10
• “..FABLES AND ENDLESS GENEALOGIES…” (4)
• PAUL MENTIONS SOME OF THE FALSE DOCTRINES PRESENT IN TIMOTHY’S CHURCH.
• FABLES:
• IT WAS IN EPHESUS THAT THE “MYSTERY RELIGION” CULTS WERE STRONG.
• THESE MYSTERY RELIGIONS WERE ALL BASED ON GREEK MYTHOLOGY. THEY SAID THAT THERE WERE SECRET RITES AND SECRET KNOWLEDGE FOR ONLY SPECIAL PEOPLE. IN EPHESUS THERE WAS A TEMPLE FOR THE WORSHIP OF HADRIAN, A TEMPLE TO WORSHIP TRAJAN, AND A TEMPLE TO WORSHIP DIANA.
• THERE WAS A BRILLIANT AND FAMOUS ISRAELITE PHILOSOPHER NAMED PHILO WHO TOOK THE OLD TESTAMENT AND SPIRITUALIZED IT.
• IN OTHER WORDS, HE SAID THE OLD TESTAMENT STORIES OF MIRACLES WERE NOT REALLY TRUE, ONLY MYTHS, BUT THEY CONTAINED SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES. THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE CULT OF GNOSTICISM.
• GENEALOGIES:
• THIS COULD MEAN EITHER OR BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING DOCTRINES:
• THERE WAS A CONFUSION BETWEEN PROMISES GIVEN TO ISRAEL AND THOSE GIVEN TO THE CHURCH. SOME SAID THAT THE CHURCH REPLACED ISRAEL AND WAS THE RECIPIENT OF ALL THE PROMISES. THIS FALSE DOCTRINE STILL EXISTS TODAY. IT IS CALLED RECONSTRUCTIONISM. PAUL WROTE ROMANS 9, 10, AND 11 TO COUNTER THIS FALSE DOCTRINE.
• THERE WAS A GREEK TEACHING CALLED “demiurge” WHICH BECAME PART OF GNOSTICISM. THEY TAUGHT THAT THERE WERE EMANATIONS FROM A DIVINE CENTER IN THE FORM OF CREATED BEINGS IN A HIERARCHY. THERE WAS AN ARGUMENT AS TO WHERE IN THE HIERARCHY TO PLACE JESUS CHRIST.
• THESE FALSE DOCTRINES CAUSE DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH. THEY DO NOT MAKE PEOPLE MATURE IN THE FAITH.
• THEREFORE, WHAT IS TAUGHT IN THE CHURCH SHOULD MOVE PEOPLE TO LOVE EACH OTHER.
• THE THREE CHARACTERISTICS THAT A CHURCH SHOULD HAVE: (5)
• FAITH
• A GROWING AND MATURING FAITH TOWARD GOD IS NECESSARY FOR A CHURCH TO WITHSTAND THE ATTACKS OF SATAN.
• FAITH IS NOT JUST A WORD BUT MUST BE PRACTICED. THERE MUST BE ACTIONS THAT PROVE YOUR FAITH. (JAM 2:18,20)
• LOVE
• JESUS SAID THAT THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT IS TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART. THE SECOND GREATEST COMMANDMENT IS TO LOVE OTHERS AS YOURSELF.
• (MAT 22:38-39)
• LOVE IS NOT JUST A WORD BUT MUST BE PRACTICED.
• A GOOD CONSCIENCE
• A GOOD CONSCIENCE IS THE SAME THING AS A SENSITIVITY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS YOU OF SIN, DO YOU IMMEDIATELY REPENT OF IT?
• WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT SHOWS YOU THAT SOMEONE IN THE CHURCH HAS A NEED, DO YOU ACT TO FILL THAT NEED?

• WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT TELLS YOU THAT YOU HAVE HURT SOMEONE’S FEELINGS, DO YOU IMMEDIATELY GO TO THAT PERSON AND APOLOGIZE?

• PRINCIPLE #4

A CHURCH MUST HAVE 3 THINGS IN OPERATION: FAITH, LOVE, AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE

• WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM IN TIMOTHY’S CHURCH? (6)
• TIMOTHY’S CHURCH DID NOT HAVE THESE 3 THREE THINGS. INSTEAD THEY HAD “VAIN JANGLING”.
• WHAT IS VAIN JANGLING?
• VAIN JANGLING MEANS = EMPTY CHATTER, WORDS WITHOUT SUBSTANCE, FLOWERY WORDS.
• HOW DID THIS PROBLEM MANIFEST ITSELF IN THAT CHURCH?
• IN THE TEACHING OF FAITH AND DOCTRINE (7)
• THEY EVIDENTLY HAD TEACHERS WHO DID NOT TEACH DOCTRINE AND FAITH. INSTEAD THEY TAUGHT PHILOSOPHY AND THINGS THAT SOUNDED GOOD, BUT WERE NOT TRUTH FROM THE WORD OF GOD.
• IN THE PRACTICE OF LOVE
• PEOPLE EVIDENTLY SAID THEY LOVED EACH OTHER WITH EMPTY WORDS, BUT THEY DID NOT PRACTICE LOVE. THEY WOULD PROBABLY GOSSIP ABOUT EACH OTHER. THEY WOULD NOT HELP EACH OTHER WHEN THERE WAS A NEED.
• TEACHING THE LAW (8)
• THE OTHER FALSE DOCTRINE IN TIMOTHY’S CHURCH BESIDES “FABLES” AND “GENEALOGIES” WAS “LEGALISM”.
• IN THE CHURCHES OF PAUL’S DAY, THERE WAS A GROUP OF JEWS WHO CONVERTED TO CHRIST AND THOUGHT THAT YOU STILL HAD TO KEEP THE LAW TO BE SAVED. THEY WERE CALLED “LEGALISTS”.

DOCTRINE OF THE “LEGALISTS”:	DOCTRINE OF TRUTH:
KEEPING THE 10 COMMANDMENTS AND THE MOSAIC LAW ALONG WITH RECEIVING CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR WAS THE WAY TO SALVATION.	“FOR BY GRACE ARE YOU SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD. NOT OF WORKS LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.” EPH 2:8-9

• WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW? (9-10)
• READ GAL 3:24-26
• THE LAW IS GOD’S STANDARD. THAT IS WHY THE LAW IS GOOD.
• NOTICE THAT PAUL LISTS A LOT OF SINS IN VERSES 10 AND 11. (THEY REFER TO 5 OF THE 10 COMMANDMENTS). THE LAW WAS MADE FOR SINNERS. GOD GAVE IT TO TEACH MAN THAT HE CANNOT LIVE UP TO GOD’S STANDARD. IT WAS TO CALL ATTENTION TO SIN AND TO PROVE THAT WE ARE ALL SINNERS. THEREFORE, WHEN CHRIST CAME MAN WOULD SEE HIS NEED FOR A SAVIOR AND RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST BY FAITH.
• THE NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIAN DOES NOT NEED LEGALISM FOR SALVATION, AND HE DOES NOT NEED IT TO LIVE A CHRISTIAN LIFE. WHY?
• READ HEB 8:10
• WHEN WE RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST IN OUR HEARTS, HE WRITES HIS LAW WITHIN US.
• WHEN WE RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST IN OUR HEARTS, HE GIVES US THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO CONVICTS US OF SIN.
• IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THIS NEW TESTAMENT CONCEPT. WHY?
• THERE IS A HUMAN TENDENCY TO JUDGE OTHER PEOPLE BY SETTING WHAT WE THINK ARE STANDARDS FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
• WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE STANDARDS?
• A CHRISTIAN DOESN’T SMOKE.
• A CHRISTIAN DOESN’T DRINK ALCOHOL.
• A CHRISTIAN DOESN’T GO TO “R” RATED MOVIES.
• A CHRISTIAN WOMAN DOESN’T WEAR SLACKS OR PANTS.
• A CHRISTIAN WOMAN DOESN’T WEAR MAKEUP.
• A CHRISTIAN WOMAN DOESN’T WEAR LOTS OF JEWELRY.
• WHAT IS WRONG WITH MAKING THESE STANDARDS?
• READ MAT 7:1-5
• JESUS INDICATES THAT WE ARE IN NO POSITION TO JUDGE OTHER PEOPLE BECAUSE WE ALSO HAVE FAULTS.
• CONVICTING A CHRISTIAN OF SIN IS THE JOB OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. WHEN WE JUDGE OTHERS BY OUR STANDARDS, WE ARE TAKING ON THE JOB OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THAT’S A DANGEROUS POSITION IN WHICH TO PLACE YOURSELF. JESUS SAYS WE WILL BE JUDGED BY HOW WE JUDGE OTHERS.
• PRINCIPLE #5

LEGALISTIC RULES OF BEHAVIOR SHOULD NOT BE SET BY A CHURCH OR BY CHRISTIANS FOR OTHERCHRISTIANS

• WHY DOES PAUL TELL TIMOTHY ABOUT LEGALISM?
• LEGALISM DIVIDES A CHURCH. IT ENCOURAGES EVERY CHRISTIAN TO BE A JUDGE OVER EVERY OTHER CHRISTIAN. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DEVASTATING TO LEADERSHIP WHO ARE CONSTANTLY CRITICIZED AND JUDGED BY CHURCH MEMBERS.

• APPLICATION:
• NOTICE THAT A LACK OF FAITH, LOVE, AND A GOOD CONSCIENCE RESULTS IN A FALSE CONCEPT OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
• IF YOU DON’T HAVE FAITH IN GOD THAT HE WILL CHANGE LIVES, YOU HAVE A TENDENCY TO JUDGE OTHERS.
• IF YOU DON’T HAVE LOVE FOR OTHER CHRISTIANS, YOU WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO FAIL IN THEIR EFFORT TO GROW IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE.
• IF YOU DON’T HAVE A GOOD CONSCIENCE, YOU WILL NOT ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDES TOWARD OTHERS.
• WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO A DIVISIVE SPIRIT OF LEGALISM IN A CHURCH?
• CHRISTIANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT SATAN USES THIS KIND OF DIVISIVE SPIRIT TO DIVIDE A CHURCH AND TO CAST DOUBT ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LEADERS.
• CHRISTIANS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE FREE IN JESUS CHRIST.
• READ ROM 6:18, 22

HOMEWORK

1TIMOTHY 1:11-17

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF 1TIM 1:4-8
• IN WHICH AREAS OF YOUR LIFE DO YOU NEED TO CONCENTRATE MOST, FAITH, LOVE, OR A GOOD CONSCIENCE?

• IS THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTING YOU OF A LEGALISTIC SPIRIT IN YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD OTHER CHRISTIANS?

• IF YOUR ANSWER IS YES, ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU OF THIS ATTITUDE, AND MAKE A DETERMINATION THAT YOU WILL NO LONGER BE THE TOOL OF SATAN.

• IN PRAYER, ASK GOD TO HELP YOU WITH THESE AREAS.

• PREPARATION FOR 1TIM 1:11-17
• READ 1TIM 1:11-17
• WHAT CHARACTERISTIC ABOUT PAUL, AS A CHURCH LEADER, DO YOU FIND THE MOST OBVIOUS IN THIS SECTION OF SCRIPTURE?

• MEMORY VERSE: MATTHEW 20:27