1 Timothy 4:11-16 says,...
Today's verses are 1 Timothy 4:11-16, which read,
v.11 - Prescribe and teach these things.
Paul has been warning Timothy of the false teachers and false converts that will appear in the body of believers. They teach a different gospel. Some will follow them. Paul instructs Timothy that to discern and do battle with these hindrances to the gospel of Christ is to be in the Word heavily and living a life of sound doctrine.
v.12 - Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
Timothy is probably in his 30's but that was young for someone in a leadership position in the Greek culture of Ephesus. I think about being appointed to my first church at the mature age of 21 and leading a group of white haired saints and thinking I knew what I was doing. Paul gives Timothy another list for us to look at for the example that is to be seen for those who believe.
v.13 - Until I come, give attention to exhortation and teaching.
Timothy was to give spiritual encouragement to others through the words of the Scriptures. His book was the Bible and the counsel that he gave was to come from it. Paul is planning a visit and until he comes, Timothy is to that person who speaks and lives the Word of God before the Christians in the Ephesus church.
v.14 - Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of the hands by the presbytery.
Each believer is given a spiritual gift from God to be used for the common good of the church. Timothy's are to exhort and to teach. This was confirmed by the church leaders, the presbytery. After it was verified then came an official commissioning of the church with the laying on of hands. This spiritual gift that you have from God will be evident to others and confirmed by them. To be able to affirm it, they will have seen you use it, not neglect it, within the body of Christ. This is very different than the spiritual inventory tests that were very popular some years ago. You just answered these 176 questions and you would know your spiritual gift. Paul instructs Timothy to go with what others have seen, spoken of, and openly supported as God's gift to him.
v.15 - Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
What do I do with my spiritual gift given by God once it has been identified? Paul tells Timothy to dive into the use of it. Don't set it on the shelf but exercise it so that progress can be seen by those who have affirmed it. Progress is a military term that means advancement in position. Timothy is to use what God has given him and be taking advance classes in that area. A teacher is a teacher but they take continuing educational classes to better themselves in the field that they are already in. Timothy is to be always learning for the purpose of serving the Lord even more.
v.16 - Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
The spiritual leader is only as good as his own conduct to the teaching that he is giving. He is practicing what he is preaching. As Timothy rightly gives the Word of God to others, they are hearing rightly what it means to follow Christ and be truly converted as he, Timothy, is rightly hearing and following himself. This has been a continual challenge to me as I give the invitations of Christ to my hearers. I offer them Christ's salvation and not my own and therefore I think long and hard about how to describe it so they can have the best picture possible of what it means. My words and my actions are tied together when it comes to communicating God's truth and therefore I must pay close attention to them both.
Have you noticed that it is not so much knowing about the enemy but more about looking at yourself to follow closely to your leader Jesus Christ? You don't prepare by knowing about the cults that are out there but you prepare by knowing your own faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and actually living it out on a daily basis. The strong stance you take for the Lord comes not from knowing about all those other religions and making some comparison which is beneficial but it comes from you knowing your faith deeply and persevering in it daily. Let's pray.
"Lord, You have given Your saints another Lord's Day to gather together. May our time in Your house be spent hearing Your words. May we be encouraged to know You more than anything or anyone else. May our actions match our words and may that witness to the world whose we are, Yours. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.11 - Prescribe and teach these things.
Paul has been warning Timothy of the false teachers and false converts that will appear in the body of believers. They teach a different gospel. Some will follow them. Paul instructs Timothy that to discern and do battle with these hindrances to the gospel of Christ is to be in the Word heavily and living a life of sound doctrine.
v.12 - Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
Timothy is probably in his 30's but that was young for someone in a leadership position in the Greek culture of Ephesus. I think about being appointed to my first church at the mature age of 21 and leading a group of white haired saints and thinking I knew what I was doing. Paul gives Timothy another list for us to look at for the example that is to be seen for those who believe.
- speech - wholesome talk, what I say
- conduct - righteous living, how I live
- love - self-sacrificial service for others, my others' focus
- faith - belief backed by commitment, my deep direction
- purity - holy morals held, my respect for God's ways
v.13 - Until I come, give attention to exhortation and teaching.
Timothy was to give spiritual encouragement to others through the words of the Scriptures. His book was the Bible and the counsel that he gave was to come from it. Paul is planning a visit and until he comes, Timothy is to that person who speaks and lives the Word of God before the Christians in the Ephesus church.
v.14 - Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of the hands by the presbytery.
Each believer is given a spiritual gift from God to be used for the common good of the church. Timothy's are to exhort and to teach. This was confirmed by the church leaders, the presbytery. After it was verified then came an official commissioning of the church with the laying on of hands. This spiritual gift that you have from God will be evident to others and confirmed by them. To be able to affirm it, they will have seen you use it, not neglect it, within the body of Christ. This is very different than the spiritual inventory tests that were very popular some years ago. You just answered these 176 questions and you would know your spiritual gift. Paul instructs Timothy to go with what others have seen, spoken of, and openly supported as God's gift to him.
v.15 - Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
What do I do with my spiritual gift given by God once it has been identified? Paul tells Timothy to dive into the use of it. Don't set it on the shelf but exercise it so that progress can be seen by those who have affirmed it. Progress is a military term that means advancement in position. Timothy is to use what God has given him and be taking advance classes in that area. A teacher is a teacher but they take continuing educational classes to better themselves in the field that they are already in. Timothy is to be always learning for the purpose of serving the Lord even more.
v.16 - Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
The spiritual leader is only as good as his own conduct to the teaching that he is giving. He is practicing what he is preaching. As Timothy rightly gives the Word of God to others, they are hearing rightly what it means to follow Christ and be truly converted as he, Timothy, is rightly hearing and following himself. This has been a continual challenge to me as I give the invitations of Christ to my hearers. I offer them Christ's salvation and not my own and therefore I think long and hard about how to describe it so they can have the best picture possible of what it means. My words and my actions are tied together when it comes to communicating God's truth and therefore I must pay close attention to them both.
Have you noticed that it is not so much knowing about the enemy but more about looking at yourself to follow closely to your leader Jesus Christ? You don't prepare by knowing about the cults that are out there but you prepare by knowing your own faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and actually living it out on a daily basis. The strong stance you take for the Lord comes not from knowing about all those other religions and making some comparison which is beneficial but it comes from you knowing your faith deeply and persevering in it daily. Let's pray.
"Lord, You have given Your saints another Lord's Day to gather together. May our time in Your house be spent hearing Your words. May we be encouraged to know You more than anything or anyone else. May our actions match our words and may that witness to the world whose we are, Yours. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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