These teachings promote a godly life

1Tim. 6:3-11 NLT 

   3Some people may contradict our teaching, but these are the wholesome teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. These teachings promote a godly life. 4 Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. 5 These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy. 

   6 Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. 7 After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. 8 So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. 

   9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 

   11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. 

Chapters 5 and 6 contain some very unusual teachings that seem culturally abrasive to our western politically correct culture traditions today. There are discussions about the church providing for widows, but only those widows who do not have believing children to care for them. There are words condemning believing children who refuse to care for their widow parents and force the burden on to the church (that was a neat trick of the Pharasees and Sadducees in Jesus' day.  There are words about Christians who are lazy and how the church should not be burdened with supporting them. But then the church should support the needy. There are words of caution about sins that we cover up and are not discovered until the end-- they lead to certain judgment and condemnation.

Then we move to chapter six and discuss proper conduct by Christians who are slaves. Slavery has, itself, become a sin in today's culture though some say we merely have a different form of it in our fiscal credit obligations. But that's another discussion.

In 6:3, Paul picks up the discussion reflecting back on the teaching themes of Chapter 5.Paul cautions Pastor Tim that there will be those who Contradict sound teaching from the Lord. He cautions that those who oppose them do so out of ignorance and even arrogance, seeking only to stir up controversies and trouble and appear to elevate themselves-- if only in their own eyes. He speaks of believers in the church. Notice he says in verse 5 that 'their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth" and now only use the faith community as access to wealth. To do this means they once embraced the truth but then turned again toward darkness.  Those clinging to a distance altar experience to save them, but who are not continuing in obedience do so at great risk according to this passage. The desirable alternative is Godliness (v 6) which is more valuable than wealth.

Paul warns us all that wealth is a dangerous element to the believer because it brings temptations and traps to stop trusting in God and trust, instead, in the wealth and its sources. Again we see the caution against turning away, in verses 9-10 where longing for money has caused people to have "wandered from the true faith. . ."

Your servant in Christ
Dan
drdanelliott@gmail.com

Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching

1Tim. 4:11-16 NLT  

   11Teach these things and insist that everyone learn them. 12 Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 13 Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them. 

   14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you. 15 Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.

Can a young person teach an older one? According to God's Word, if the older one is a wise person, yes because a wise person is always willing to learn from anyone. However there is responsibility in the younger person as well. Notice verse 12 follows the statement about teaching and insisting others learn. One of the things we should teach and promote mastery for is the idea that a younger person has input as to whether others they seek to teach do or do not 'think less' of them, merely because of their youth. They must make daily decisions about life that exemplify Christ and their commitment to Him. This can only come as we request and permit God to purify our hearts and change us from the self-absorbed creatures our fallen nature produced in us.

We are not sure what Timothy's Spiritual gift was but we know it came as a result of his initiation or ordination into ministry work. We know it gave Timothy internal resources to conduct the ministry God would place within his hands to accomplish across his life time.  All of us who come to Christ receive such gifts. Sometimes they are used and often they are neglected because we never venture into an arena where they can be called upon. One day sitting in an adult Bible study taught by a wonderful teacher (so I was not bored), I found myself looking into the faces of my class mates-- many of whom I had known at my church for ten or 20 years. Many I had seen grow and mature from young adults to wise middle adults. I imagined a question, what if everyone in this room who has successfully taught a Bible study or a Sunday school class, or who has mentored another into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ was doing so this same week of our meeting?  I counted 23 adults present. Allowing for couples, among those 23, I imagined that there COULD be at least 15 powerful on-going efforts to grow the Kingdom, just in this room. And there were many more rooms just like ours at our church at that moment.

Do you ever get the feeling that the church spends a large portion of its time talking to. . . well, 'the church.'  When does the world get to hear what we have been learning in 'the church?' Paul encouraged Pastor Tim to pay attention to his living and to his teaching. That would have to mean that he was doing some teaching, right? Now we all are not pastors, I know, but are we all called by Christ to go across all the world where our steps take us and to make disciples and to teach those disciples to obey all the things Christ has taught us? I think He said that to us in several places (see Mt 28:19-20)

Your servant

Dan

drdanelliott@gmail.com

Our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all

1Tim. 4:1-10 NLT  

   1 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. 

   3 They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. 4 Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. 5 For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer. 

   6 If you explain these things to the brothers and sisters, Timothy, you will be a worthy servant of Christ Jesus, one who is nourished by the message of faith and the good teaching you have followed. 7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. 8 Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. 10 This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers.

Paul lays out for Pastor Tim some more of the principles for Christian life that he should be teaching the church at Galatia, and for us as well. Some among the Jewish Christians and the gentile members of that church were caught up in wrong doctrines. Paul reminds us that this occurs from time to time because of 'deceptive spirits,' and because of the teachings those demons deliver through foolish people whom they can dominate and influence. Paul wants us not to be dismayed about those forces nor those hypocritical people who lie about us and the truth of God. In the end God will bring justice. If they do not repent, if they do not embrace or re-embrace the Salvation that Christ suffered to grant them, there will be 'hell to pay.'

When people start listing for you bunches of prohibitions and permissions you may want to step back from them and just pray for God's wisdom. We can learn directly from God, through Scripture, the things we should do. Some are called to teach us about God's word and we should listen to them. But when their message departs from The Word, we must discount them. And the debates or arguments they might stir up are other distractions. Paul teaches us (vs 7) not to waste our time with arguments. We should be teaching others about Christ-- PERIOD!  The Good News is what we are called to share, not philosophies of life, the world, and all they contain.

To teach like that we need to live simple lives, focused on Christ -- living like the Word teaches us that He lived. That is 'godliness' and vs. 8 explains that we should seek godliness. All people are invited into Godliness.  It is 'believers' who have accepted the invitation but all are invited and could experience it upon believing in the Savior sent by God and embracing the Spirit of God who waits to enter and remake us into His image.
Your Servant in Christ's love

Dan

drdanelliott@gmail.com

He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.

1Tim. 2:1-6 NLT  

   1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5 For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

How should we who are surrendered and submitted to God through faith and trust in Jesus Christ conduct ourselves daily? Prayer, that's how!  Paul tells the believers at Galatia, and us as well to be men and women of prayer. Verse 1 says we should pray for 'all people.'  All people!  That might take a while. Especially if we pray with knowledge about each person. I suppose we could pray "Dear Lord, bless all people everywhere. . ." but I don't think that was what Paul had in mind here. We certainly can't pray for all people because we don't know all people. However, what IF we DID pray for each person we know? Time to start making a list?









How do we pray for each person we know? For starters, he says, we should be asking God to help them. We don't know what they might be facing in the immediate future, nor do they. But God does. And we are authorized to loose the power of God on their future according to His will. Next we can 'intercede for them.'  That means we can pray intense focused and long-term prayers for the circumstances we do know about. A young man named Chris, who sings with me in my church choir asked the choir to pray for him today for an 'unspoken' need. I heard the Spirit whisper that I should daily pray intently for Chris's need though I don't know what it involves. I do know Chris and I do know God's will for Chris' life-- to walk in peace and strength with God through faith in Christ. So that will be my intercessory prayer until I hear from him again.















Next, Paul says I should 'give thanks for them.'  I can give thanks for the people God has brought into my life. I can give thanks for people I have been permitted to see a need in their life to pray for because it gives me a chance to minister in Christ. I can give thanks for people who cause me harm, because it gives me a chance to demonstrate Christ's unconditional love to them and also a chance to rely upon God when all other hope is gone.

Next, Paul reminds me that among those "all people" I should pray for are the political leaders of my nation and other nations. Even when I do not agree with their politics and their policies, I am still instructed to pray for them.  I can pray that God will cause them to hear from Him and repent from worldly ways. I can pray for their protection. I can pray for their peace because if they are in peace then we have a greater chance of enjoying national peace.

Paul summarizes all this by pronouncing it good and pleasing to God. In the same sentence Paul reminds us that God wants everyone to be saved. So much for the misguided teaching that some people are destined not to be saved. God has proclaimed that they can be, if they choose to. The option is theirs. If anyone doubts this truth, review verse 6 that explains the purpose of Christ's sacrifice.  It involves 'everyone.'  Those are the 'everyone' that we should be praying for as well.

Your servant in Christ's Love
Dan
drdanelliott@gmail.com

Some people have deliberately violated their . . . faith

1Tim. 1:12-20 NLT 

  12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. 

   15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” —and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. 

   18 Timothy, my son, here are my instructions for you, based on the prophetic words spoken about you earlier. May they help you fight well in the Lord’s battles. 19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. 20 Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God.

It is not often that we see in the Bible where an apostle "threw them out" of the church. People of the world who criticize us for having church in the first place would not hesitate to criticize us if we were to throw someone in our church out on the same basis as did Paul to Hymenaeus and Alexander. We read of Hymenaeus again in Second Timothy for continuing to cause cancerous sin inside the church community.

Paul was never quick to take such action for he saw himself as 'chief among sinners.' And he constantly recounted joys of being permitted to call sinners to repentance. He called these particular sinners to repentance. He calls sinners in our churches today who engage in similar activities to repentance--something we should do as well. And even this was not Paul's key message in these verses. His main point was to lift up awareness of God's grace in forgiveness of sin. He wants young Pastor Tim to 'cling to your faith in Christ. . .' He wants Pastor Tim to 'fight well' in the battle that belongs to the Lord. He wants us to do that also.

Paul uses himself as the case-in-point. Since God could deliver him from sinning and forgive his own terrible sins, then God will forgive anyone's sins. However, some just blithely turn their backs on this great grace and even enter the Church of the Lord with the intent of doing harm to weaker believers. These people are condemned by their very actions and Paul simply advises us to purge our congregations of them, until they genuinely repent.

This is a tough teaching? But we should never take action like this in haste. Only after prayer and fasting and much coaching and conversation can we do this. In all my years as a pastor there was only one that I had to take such action about and it broke my heart. But it had to be done. I still pray for that person that they will yet be redeemed.

Your servant in Christ's love
Dan
drdanelliott@gmail.com

Stop Teachings that are Contrary to Truth

1Tim. 1:1-11 NLT 

   1  This letter is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, appointed by the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus, who gives us hope. 

   2  I am writing to Timothy, my true son in the faith. May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. 

   3  When I left for Macedonia, I urged you to stay there in Ephesus and stop those whose teaching is contrary to the truth. 4 Don’t let them waste their time in endless discussion of myths and spiritual pedigrees. These things only lead to meaningless speculations, which don’t help people live a life of faith in God. 

   5 The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. 6 But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. 7 They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently. 

   8 We know that the law is good when used correctly. 9 For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.

Paul gives wise instruction to his young associate pastor, Timothy, in these books we call the "Pastoral Epistles." While Paul moved on to evangelize elsewhere, God lead him to leave Timothy there as a pastor-teacher. In these passages we see instruction to a younger believer who has been called upon to be a powerful spiritual influence against the forces of evil that are attacking the new church of Jesus Christ. You and I should never hesitate to step into such roles when God opens such doors to us. God will equip us and we, too, can follow these instruction of Paul to Pastor Tim.

Stop Teaching that is Contrary to Truth (v3)
In Christ's church-- the body of all obedient believers-- among thousands of local congregations, and among denominations or non-denominational groups, we must hold all teaching up to the scrutiny of the Bible-- the inspired Word of God. When we find teachings that are misaligned we must correct them. We are obligated to do so, but always in the Spirit of Christ-- Love.

Don't Waste Time in Endless Discussion (v4)
Week after week we may just sit in our groups 'discussing' the truths of scripture. That is good, right? However,  have you often heard a topic discussed in these Bible study groups that you have heard and discussed multiple times before? How often should we listen to the same teachings about the same scriptures before we put some feet to those truths and engage the battle? If the Battle Belongs to The Lord, as the saying goes, then all we need to do is 'just show up for that battle.' But are we showing up? Or are we still back in the safe places of our discussion study groups?

Some People have Missed the Point (v6)
The Apostle teaches us to minister to others, along with what he taught Pastor Tim. He teaches us that our preparation is to become "filled with love. . ."  This infilling love, he said, comes from a "pure heart."  It comes from that heart augmented by a clear conscience. That heart and conscience come from a genuine faith" in Christ. Reversing that, we should be able to say that 'through faith in Jesus Christ, my conscience has become clear, purifying my heart, and filling my live with the same unconditional love that was exhibited by Christ.

They Don't Know What They are Talking About (v7)
There might be persons within Christian church groups and organizations who have been designated as teachers, pastors, leaders by human procedures within those organizations, but who may not have a genuine infusion of the Spirit of God. Why? Perhaps because they seek to be leaders and to control others, rather than to be servants obeying God's leadership? Perhaps their efforts are not to lead in Christ's name but to dominate in their own. Once who are changed by the pure heart, conscience, and genuine faith will never cling to personal preferences. They receive pure joy from serving in Christ, and none from serving themselves.  They rule by law rather than love. Paul said of them that they are rebellious and sinful, sexually immoral, practicing homosexuality and enslavement of others, liars, unfaithful even to their own word. They are ones who actually contradict wholesome teaching rather than extend it because what they do they do in their own names.

But the 'Good News' comes from God and frees everyone from these burdens. And those among us, in our churches and Christian organizations, who are leading in their own names, can never find the peace we teach about until they surrender themselves to God's will. Perhaps we can help show them the way back to real peace. But we must always resist false teaching wherever we find it.

Your Servant in Christ's love
Dan
drdanelliott@gmail.com

Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment

Jude 14-23 NLT

   14 Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones 15 to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 

   16 These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want. 

   17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ said.  18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19 These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. 

 20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. 

   22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.  23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

In his quick "note' to the Church, Jude, youngest brother of Jesus, brings light to the life of living Christianly. He writes to warn of false teachers who pervert and twist the good news to their own advantage. He warns against religious leaders in the church who claim authority by virtue of visions they claim to have had. He warns of religious leaders who promote themselves over others. He reminds of the lessons from antiquity that demonstrated how Satan involves himself into the lives of God's people and the national affairs of the people of God. In those days it took strong arch angles to fight against the work of the arch enemy of God where people were concerned and even then some were turned toward evil.

Do we have such concerns in our age of the Church? Is the church being what it was birthed to be two thousand years ago? Are the members of the church reaching out to bring good news or are they just resting in their comfortable circumstances. We know of incredible church around the third world countries where salvation in Christ often comes at the risk of death by believers. There the church is growing so fast that trained pastors cannot be found to lead them. Yet in our comfortable churches, more than likely new members come from other churches rather than from the world of sin. Are you asking yourself, like I am asking myself this?  "What am I doing, Lord to obey you and extend the good news to those who need to know? Am I merely one of the grumblers and complainers who live only to satisfy my desires?"  Jude reminded us about scoffers in our midst and against our focus on creature comfort over obedience.

Instead, in these latter days, we should be guiding each other up in faith.  We read that we should be praying in the power of the Holy Spirit. We see that we must wait upon and trust in the mercy of Christ that he will bring us to eternal life by showing His very mercy to others whose faith might be wavering. We read that we should be working to snatch ' them from the flames of judgment.'  Jude warns us that we should do this with great caution. We should hate sins, but love such sinners enough to risk discomfort to help them find truth.

Read the entire Epistle of Jude this morning and ask God what you should be doing this day in His name?
Your servant in Christ
Dan
drdanelliott@gmail.com