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RETURN TO SYLLABUS
1TIMOTHY 6:1-21
LESSON #15
SOME GUIDELINES FOR INTER-CHURCH RELATIONSHIPS
MEMORY VERSE: 1TIMOTHY 6:12
- IN OUR STUDY OF ORDER IN THE CHURCH, WE STARTED AT THE TOP OF OUR CHAIN OF COMMAND. WE HAVE WORKED OUR WAY DOWN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO CHAPTER 6.
- THE PASTORS CALLING BY GOD
- THE PASTORS RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER ELDERS
- THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ELDERS AND DEACONS
- THE CONGREGATIONS RESPONSIBILITIES TO PASTORS, ELDERS, AND DEACONS.
- CHURCH LEADERS RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE CONGREGATION.
- IN CHAPTER 6 WE WILL CONSIDER THE BELIEVERS RELATIONSHIPS TO EACH OTHER AND TO THOSE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH.
- READ 1TIM 6:1-5 SERVANTS AND MASTERS
- IN PAULS DAY SLAVERY WAS A COMMON PRACTICE IN SOCIETY. IN FACT, HALF OF THE PEOPLE IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE WERE SLAVES. HERE IN 1TIM 6, PAUL CONCERNS HIMSELF WITH THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SERVANTS AND THEIR MASTERS. REMEMBER THAT THROUGH 1TIMOTHY, PAULS MAIN CONCERN IS SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITY.
- WE HAVE DISCUSSED SUBMISSION TO THE PASTOR, SUBMISSION TO ELDERS, AND CHURCH LEADERS, AND SUBMISSION OF A WIFE TO HER HUSBAND. NOW PAUL IS CONCERNED WITH A SERVANTS SUBMISSION TO HIS MASTER.
- WHILE WE DO NOT HAVE THIS EVIL SOCIAL PRACTICE IN OUR DAY, THE PRINCIPLES ARE THE SAME FOR EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYER.
- WHAT SHOULD BE THE RELATIONSHIP IF ONE IS A CHRISTIAN AND THE OTHER IS NOT?
- WHAT SHOULD BE THE RELATIONSHIP IF BOTH EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYER ARE CHRISTIANS?
- A CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE THE BEST EMPLOYEE HE CAN POSSIBLY BE. HE SHOULD GIVE A FULL DAYS WORK FOR A FULL DAYS PAY. THE CHRISTIAN OWES HIS EMPLOYER HIS LOYALTY AND HIS TIME. THIS IS TRUE WHETHER THE BOSS IS A CHRISTIAN OR NOT. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE FOR THIS? THE CHRISTIAN MUST DO THIS BECAUSE HIS LIFESTYLE ADVERTIZES THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
- HOWEVER, IF BOTH THE EMPLOYEE AND THE EMPLOYER ARE CHRISTIANS, IT RAISES THE LEVEL OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP ABOVE A LEGAL CONTRACT TO ONE OF A FAMILY RELATIONSHIP. IF YOUR BOSS IS ALSO A CHRISTIAN, YOU OWE HIM MORE RESPECT, MORE FAITHFULNESS, AND MORE CONSIDERATION THAN IF HE WERE A NON-CHRISTIAN. WHY? BECAUSE HE IS YOUR BROTHER.
- THE SAME IS TRUE IF YOU ARE THE BOSS AND YOUR EMPLOYEE IS NOT A CHRISTIAN. YOU OWE THAT EMPLOYEE A FAIR WAGE, AND HUMAN CONSIDERATION. YOU MUST NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIM.
- WHY DOES PAUL DEAL WITH THESE MATTERS? WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ORDER IN THE CHURCH?
- IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THAT IN THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS, THERE WERE CHRISTIAN WORKERS WHOSE BOSSES WERE ALSO CHRISTIANS IN THE CHURCH. THESE OUTSIDE RELATIONSHIPS MUST NOT DISRUPT ORDER IN THE CHURCH. ACCORDING TO VERSES 3-5 THESE RELATIONSHIPS WERE DISRUPTING ORDER IN THE CHURCH. THEREFORE, PAUL SAYS THAT EVEN THOUGH ONE WORKS FOR THE OTHER, THEY ARE STILL BROTHERS IN CHRIST. THEY SHOULD TREAT EACH OTHER AS MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY.
- THESE MEN WERE ARGUING. THE BOSSES WERE TREATING THE WORKERS AS LOWER CLASS CITIZENS. THEY WERE NOT TREATING EACH OTHER AS BROTHERS.
- THE MOTIVES BEHIND SUCH ARGUMENTS IN THE CHURCH:
- PRIDE
- O OBTAIN MORE MONEY
- PRINCIPLE #42
ALL CHRISTIAN RELATIONSHIPS SHOULD BE GUIDED BY THE FACT THAT WE ARE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST
- READ 1TIM 6:6-10
- PAUL GIVES US THE CHRISTIANS PRIORITY AND ATTITUDE IN LIFE.
- GODLINESS IS THE CHRISTIANS HIGHEST PRIORITY NOT MONEY.
- CONTENTMENT WITH YOUR POSITION IN LIFE IS THE CHRISTIANS MOTIVE.
- CONTENTMENT = AN INNER PEACE NO MATTER WHAT THE EXTERIOR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE.
- BY THE WAY, VERSE 10 IS OFTEN MIS-QUOTED. IT IS NOT MONEY THAT IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL, BUT THE LOVE OF MONEY.
- WHY IS THE LOVE OF MONEY THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL?
- THE LOVE OF MONEY PROMPTS PEOPLE TO COMMIT EVERY EVIL DEED COMMON TO MAN. (MURDER, THEFT, VIOLENCE, DECEPTION, LIES, HATRED, EXTREME AMBITION, HUNGER FOR POWER AND CONTROL, ETC.)
- WHY IS THE LOVE OF MONEY A ROOT FOR EVIL? BECAUSE THE LOVE OF MONEY GROWS LIKE A PLANT AND LEADS TO PRIDE AND SELF-RELIANCE. WEALTH CAN DISTRACT YOU FROM LIFES TRUE PLEASURES.
- ABRAHAM, JOB, AND SOLOMON WERE EXTREMELY WEALTHY BELIEVERS, GIFTED WITH WEALTH BY GOD.
- THE CHRISTIAN MUST UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE NOT OWNERS OF ANYTHING. WE ARE SIMPLY STEWARDS OF WHAT GOD GIVES US.
- READ 1TIM 6:11-16
- THE CHRISTIANS PURSUIT OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE INCLUDES:
- RIGHTEOUSNESS (PERSONAL INTEGRITY)
- GODLINESS (HOLINESS)
- FAITH (FAITHFULNESS TO GOD)
- LOVE (SACRIFICIAL LOVE FOR OTHERS)
- PATIENCE (ENDURANCE THROUGH HARD TIMES)
- MEEKNESS (UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT)
- THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN SHOULD BE AN OBVIOUS TESTIMONY TO EVERYONE THAT JESUS IS HIS LORD.
- “FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH, LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE” (12)
- IF YOU WERE ARRESTED BECAUSE SOMEONE THOUGHT YOU WERE A CHRISTIAN, WOULD THERE BE ENOUGH EVIDENCE IN A COURTROOM TO CONVICT YOU OF BEING A CHRISTIAN?
- FIGHT = STRUGGLE IN AGONY TO WIN
- HOW DO YOU LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE?
- YOU USE YOUR MONEY, YOUR TIME, YOUR TALENTS AND INVEST THEM IN PEOPLE WHO WILL INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE. THE ONLY THING IN THIS WORLD THAT ENDURES FOREVER IS A HUMAN SOUL. THEREFORE, IF YOU USE EVERYTHING AT YOUR DISPOSAL TO INVEST IN PEOPLE WHO WILL LIVE FOREVER WITH CHRIST, YOU WILL STORE UP RICHES IN HEAVEN. (MAT 6:19-21)
- “THAT THOU KEEP THIS COMMANDMENT WITHOUT SPOT, UNREBUKEABLE UNTIL THE APPEARING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.” (14)
- “WITHOUT SPOT” = UNSTAINED INWARDLY
- “UNREBUKEABLE” = FREE FROM OUTWARD ACCUSATIONS
- READ 1TIM 6:17-19
- A WARNING TO THOSE WHO ARE RICH:
- DONT LET MONEY BECOME YOUR GOD.
- THE PURSUIT OF WEALTH IS EVIDENCE OF INSECURITY AND A LACK OF TRUST IN GOD.
- USE YOUR MONEY TO BENEFIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
- MONEY IS A GIFT FROM GOD FOR YOU TO USE TO BENEFIT OTHERS. THIS IS THE LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY: TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, MUCH IS REQUIRED. (LUK 12:48)
- DONT USE MONEY TO BUY INFLUENCE IN THE CHURCH.
- READ 1TIM 6:20-21
- ADVICE TO TIMOTHY:
- HE SHOULD AVOID PROFANE AND VAIN BABBLINGS.
- WORLDLY PHILOSOPHY.
- HE SHOULD AVOID “OPPOSITIONS OF SCIENCE FALSELY” (IT LITERALLY MEANS KNOWLEDGE THAT IS FALSELY CALLED KNOWLEDGE.)THIS IS A REFERENCE TO THE FALSE GNOSTIC DOCTRINE THAT SAID JESUS CHRIST WAS NOT GOD IN THE FLESH.
- THIS DOCTRINE AND OTHER HUMANISTIC PHILOSOPHIES HAVE NO EQUALITY WITH THE TRUTH OF THE WORD OF GOD.
- THE ADVICE IS NOT JUST TO TIMOTHY (21)
- “GRACE BE WITH THEE”
- THE WORD “THEE” IS PLURAL. PAUL HAD IN MIND TIMOTHYS WHOLE CHURCH.
- ALL THE BELIEVERS IN TIMOTHYS CHURCH HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY TO HEAR AND OBEY THE WISDOM THAT PAUL WROTE IN THIS BOOK. ALL BELIEVERS TODAY HAVE THE SAME RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE IT PART OF THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD.
THIS ENDS 1TIMOTHY. THE SERIES ON ORDER IN THE CHURCH
CONTINUES WITH 2TIMOTHY.
HOMEWORK
2TIMOTHY 1:1-18
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
- APPLICATION OF 1TIM 6:1-21
- IN YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE, DO YOU CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THE PERSON IS A BROTHER OR SISTER IN CHRIST?
- IN WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT THIS FAMILY ATTITUDE CHANGES HOW YOU TREAT OTHER CHRISTIANS? GIVE A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.
- ON A SCALE FROM 1 TO 10, WHAT IS YOUR LOVE OF MONEY?
LOW MEDIUM HIGH
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
- WHAT SPECIFIC THINGS CAN YOU DO TO LOWER THIS NUMBER?
- PREPARATION FOR 2TIM 1:1-18
- READ 2TIM 1:1-18
- WHAT DO YOU NOTICE ARE SOME AFFLICTIONS THAT COME WITH BEING A COMMITTED CHRISTIAN?
- WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTER QUALITY THROUGHOUT THIS CHAPTER THAT A CHRISTIAN CAN DEVELOP?
- MEMORY VERSE: 2TIMOTHY 1:7
