1 Timothy Lesson #5

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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
1TIMOTHY 1:18-20
LESSON #5
MANAGING MAJOR CHURCH CONFLICTS

MEMORY VERSE: 1TIMOTHY 1:19

• IN 1TIMOTHY 1 WE HAVE BEEN GATHERING PRINCIPLES FOR ORDER IN THE CHURCH. WE HAVE STARTED AT THE TOP OF CHURCH ORGANIZATION WHERE CHRIST IS HEAD OF THE CHURCH. WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE ROLE OF A PASTOR. THE PREVIOUS PRINCIPLE WE DISCOVERED IN OUR LAST LESSON WAS THAT GOD PUTS PEOPLE IN LEADERSHIP.
• READ 1TIM 1:18-20
• 1TIM 1:18-19 MANAGING CONFLICTS IN THE MINISTRY
• PAUL REMINDS TIMOTHY OF PROPHECIES WHICH WERE GIVEN TO TIMOTHY IN A CHURCH ABOUT BECOMING A PASTOR. IT IS GOD WHO CALLED TIMOTHY TO BE A PASTOR AND GAVE PROPHECIES TO CONFIRM HIS CALLING.
• THE MINISTRY IS A WARFARE:
• WHETHER YOU ARE THE PASTOR, A TEACHER, A LEADER, THE PERSON WHO CLEANS THE CHURCH, YOUR JOB IS PART OF A WARFARE.

• PRINCIPLE #10

SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS PART OF THE MINISTRY

• WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
• 1. NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO FOR CHRIST, SATAN DESIRES THAT YOU DO NOT ACCOMPLISH IT.
• 2. THE HIGHER THE POSITION OF LEADERSHIP, THE MORE SPIRITUAL BATTLES YOU WILL HAVE.
• 3. LEADERS WILL BATTLE PERSONALITY PROBLEMS, DISCONTENT, AND CRITICISM. THE MORE RESPONSIBILITY THERE IS, THE GREATER THE BATTLE WILL BE.
• A LEADER MUST LEARN TO DEAL WITH THE BATTLE.
• HOW WILL HE DO THIS?
• HE MUST REMEMBER THAT HIS CALLING IS BY GOD WHO HAS PUT HIM IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION.
• HE MUST REMEMBER TO CONSTANTLY LOOK TO AND DEPEND ON GOD FOR DIRECTION.
• HE MUST REMEMBER THAT HE IS ACCOUNTABLE PRIMARILY TO GOD.
• READ GAL 1:10
• HE MUST REMEMBER TO STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH WITH A GOOD CONSCIENCE. (1TIM 1:19)
• HE DETERMINES THAT HE WILL DO GOD’S WILL EVEN WHEN THERE IS OPPOSITION.
• WHAT DOES A GOOD CONSCIENCE HAVE TO DO WITH IT?
• YOU KEEP YOUR CONSCIENCE CLEAR BY DOING WHAT GOD HAS DIRECTED THAT YOU DO AND NOT BY FAVORITISM TO SOME PEOPLE OVER OTHERS.
• CONCLUSION TO MANAGING CONFLICTS IN THE MINISTRY:
• CHURCH ORDER CAN BE MAINTAINED NOT BY AN ABSENCE OF CONFLICTS, WHICH WILL NEVER HAPPEN, BUT BY MANAGING THEM WELL.
• PRAY AND TRUST GOD.
• BE FIRM AND CONSISTENT IN FOLLOWING GUIDELINES FOR YOUR MINISTRY..
• BE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS BUT NOT COMMITTED TO DO THEM.
• BE OPEN TO ADMITTING MISTAKES.
• 1TIM 1:19-20 HANDLING CHURCH DISCIPLINE:
• NOTICE THAT PAUL GIVES AN EXAMPLE OF CHURCH CONFLICT AND HOW IT SHOULD BE HANDLED.
• HE MENTIONS 2 MEN, HYMENAEUS AND ALEXANDER, WHO MADE SHIPWRECK OF THEIR FAITH AND WERE PERSONAL ENEMIES OF PAUL..
• THESE TWO MEN FELL AWAY FROM THE FAITH AND STOPPED FOLLOWING GOD. IN FACT, THEY WENT SO FAR AWAY FROM GOD THAT THEY BEGAN TO BLASPHEME AGAINST GOD. (19) THEY ALSO BECAME PAUL’S ENEMIES WHO TAUGHT FALSE DOCTRINE PERSUADING CHRISTIANS TO FOLLOW THEM INSTEAD OF PAUL. THIS SAME ALEXANDER IS PERHAPS THE ONE WHO CAUSED THE RIOT IN EPHESUS IN ACT 19:33. THESE 2 MEN CAUSED DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH AND A HINDRANCE TO THE GOSPEL.
• “DELIVERED UNTO SATAN” (20)
• PAUL SAYS HE HAS DELIVERED THESE TWO MEN TO SATAN.
• THIS IS THE ULTIMATE OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE. THERE ARE SOME THEOLOGIANS WHO SAY ONLY THE APOSTLES HAD THIS AUTHORITY, AND THAT THIS AUTHORITY IS NOT MEANT FOR CHURCHES TODAY.
• HOWEVER, THE PROBLEMS OF THE CHURCH AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE CHURCH WITH JESUS CHRIST AS ITS HEAD AND THE PASTOR IN AUTHORITY HAS NOT CHANGED FROM THE EARLY CHURCH.
• WE SEE THIS KIND OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE IN:
• ACT 5:3-11 THE STORY OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA
• ACT 8:19-24 THE STORY OF SIMON’S DESIRE TO PURCHASE THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• ACT 13:9-11 THE STORY OF ELYMAS, THE SORCERER, STRUCK BLIND BY PAUL.
• READ 1COR 5:1-13
• WHAT DO YOU THINK PAUL MEANS, “DELIVERED UNTO SATAN”, IN 1TIM 1:20?
• THE PASSAGE IN 1COR 5 SEEMS TO EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL THIS KIND OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE. PAUL TELLS THE CHURCH TO EXCOMMUNICATE FROM FELLOWSHIP CERTAINCHRISTIANS WHO CAUSE SERIOUS OFFENSES.
• IN OTHER WORDS, THE PERSON IS RELEASED FROM PROTECTION IN THE CHURCH SO THAT SATAN CAN DESTROY HIS BODY AND THAT HIS SOUL MIGHT BE SAVED. THIS ACTION PUTS PRESSURE ON THE PERSON TO REPENT AND TURN TO GOD.
• FELLOWSHIP IN A CHURCH GIVES A BELIEVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PROTECTION.
• IF HE HAS A SERIOUS PERSONAL NEED, HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST WILL PRAY FOR HIM AND HELP HIM.
• HE WILL BE GUARDED AGAINST FALSE DOCTRINE WITHIN THE CHURCH.
• NOTICE THE LIST OF OFFENSES WORTHY OF EXCOMMUNICATION IN 1COR 5:11.
• FORNICATOR
• SEXUAL INTERCOURSE OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE
• COVETOUS
• THE DESIRE FOR DISHONEST GAIN; OR THE DESIRE FOR ANOTHER’S POSSESSIONS.
• IDOLATOR
• THE WORSHIP OF ANOTHER GOD; TO REPLACE GOD WITH ANYTHING ELSE.
• RAILER
• TO BLASPHEME, TO REVILE, TO SPEAK EVIL OF EITHER GOD OR ANOTHER PERSON.
• DRUNKARD
• SOMEONE WHO DRINKS TO EXCESS.
• EXTORTIONER
• TO ROB, TO GAIN ADVANTAGE BY FORCE.
• THERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE INVOLVED IN CHURCH DISCIPLINE THAT WE FIND IN 1TIM 1:20. PAUL SAYS THAT THESE 2 MEN MUST “LEARN” NOT TO BLASPHEME.
• PRINCIPLE #11

THE PURPOSE OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE MUST ALWAYS BE TO BRING A PERSON TO REPENTANCEAND RESTORATION

• THEREFORE, CHURCH DISCIPLINE MUST NEVER BE A MEANS OF PUNISHMENT.
• IF A PERSON REPENTS BEFORE HE IS EXCOMMUNICATED FROM FELLOWSHIP, THERE IS NO NEED FOR EXCOMMUNICATION.

• PRINCIPLE #12

EXCOMMUNICATION MUST BE DONE ONLY IF THE OFFENSE IS CAUSING EXTENSIVE CHURCH PROBLEMS

• WHO DO YOU THINK SHOULD MAKE THE JUDGMENT CONCERNING EXCOMMUNICATION?
• ACCORDING TO PAUL, IT IS THE PASTOR AND THOSE IN AUTHORITY OVER THE CHURCH WHO MAKE THIS JUDGMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, THE CHURCH LEADERSHIP.
• PERHAPS YOU ARE THINKING, “I THOUGHT WE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO JUDGE OTHER PEOPLE.”
• INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS ARE NOT TO CONDEMN OTHER PEOPLE FOR THEIR FAULTS. BUT CHURCH LEADERSHIP IS GIVEN THE AUTHORITY TO GUARD THE WELFARE OF THE CHURCH AS A WHOLE.
• WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE IN SOCIETY IN GENERAL:
• AN INDIVIDUAL PERSON IS NOT TO ARREST, JUDGE, CONDEMN, AND PUNISH A PERSON FOR A CRIME HE SEES ANOTHER PERSON COMMIT. SOCIETY HAS A LEGAL SYSTEM TO APPREHEND, TO JUDGE, AND TO PRONOUNCE PUNISHMENT. THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE CHURCH.

• WE ALSO HAVE OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES WHERE THE ISRAELITES WERE TO PHYSICALLY REMOVE SIN FROM THEIR CAMP BECAUSE SIN POLLUTES THE WHOLE BODY OF BELIEVERS.
• PAUL USES THESE OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES IN THE PASSAGE WE READ IN 1COR 5.

• THE VALUE OF EXCOMMUNICATION:
• UNFORTUNATELY THE VALUE OF EXCOMMUNICATION IS NOT AS PROFOUND TODAY ON THE INDIVIDUAL AS IT WAS IN THE EARLY CHURCH OF THE APOSTLES.
• THERE WERE NOT THAT MANY CHURCHES, OFTEN ONE CHURCH IN A CITY. IF YOU WERE EXCOMMUNICATED, YOU HAD NO PLACE TO GO.
• TODAY AN EXCOMMUNICATED BELIEVER JUST GOES TO A DIFFERENT CHURCH.
• THERE WAS PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS SO THAT CHRISTIANS HAD TO RELY ON OTHER CHRISTIANS JUST TO LIVE.
• TODAY THERE IS NOT THE PERSECUTION NOR THE NEED TO RELY UPON OTHERS FOR YOUR VERY LIFE.
• HOWEVER, THE VALUE OF EXCOMMUNICATION ON THE LOCAL CHURCH IS STILL PROFOUND.
• IT ESTABLISHES STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR THAT AFFECT THE BODY OF BELIEVERS.
• IT SERVES AS A PURIFYING AGENT FOR THE GOOD OF THE LOCAL FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIANS.
• CONCLUSIONS REGARDING CHURCH DISCIPLINE: (1COR 5:13)
• PRINCIPLE #13

FOR EXCOMMUNICATION TO BE EFFECTIVE, OTHER CHRISTIANS WITHIN THE LOCAL CHURCH MUST SUPPORT IT BY THEIR ACTIONS

 

HOMEWORK

1TIMOTHY 2:1-8

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

 

• APPLICATION OF 1TIM 1:18-20
• ARE THERE ANY SINS LISTED IN 1COR 5:11 FOR WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICTS YOU?
• IF THERE ARE, REPENT AND ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU SO THAT IT DOES NOT BECOME A BIGGER PROBLEM IN THE CHURCH THAT REQUIRES CHURCH DISCIPLINE.
• PREPARATION FOR 1TIM 2:1-8 PUBLIC PRAYER
• READ 1TIM 2:1-8
• WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN PUBLIC PRAYER AND WHY?
• MEMORY VERSE: 1TIMOTHY 2:8