Timothy’s instruction in ministry

Timothy’s instruction in ministry

This bible study is part of a series on the book of 1st Timothy, in order to see the full series please check out our “epistle” page or alternatively please check out our page dedicated to the book of 1st Timothy for other studies in this book.

When I set this blog up my intention was to explore the epistles and do the occasional bible study based on what I had studied and learned, what you are reading below is notes I have made. I have to confess that this bible study is basic in its content and is not prepared by a pastor and I have to admit I have no theological training; my hope in prayer is that someone will be blessed by the notes below.

Let’s start in verse six of the fourth chapter of First Timothy.

A Good Servant of Christ Jesus

1st Timothy 4:6 (ESV) If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Paul ties up his previous thoughts and gives the exhortation that if he instructs (or put these things before the brothers) then he will be doing what he is called to do and be a good servant of Jesus Christ. He was calling Timothy to instruct in words, deeds and actions. He had already stated the standard of conduct in chapter three.

For me the greatest leaders or best pastors are those who lead from the front, who not only instruct the word but they live the word and let their lives be a testimony, they pray hard, they trust more and they are more likely to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, they will be mentors, they will be trainers, they will be teachers and they will be shepherds.

Being trained in the words of the faith

This is just the foundation though; the important part comes next…

V6b …being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed…

Timothy will do well if he follows those principles, but he has to remember the main thing that he has to do all these things but he has to use the good doctrine, the doctrine that he got straight from Paul and minister to where he has been planted. He must remain grounded in God’s word, much like a ship with an anchor; he has to use this as his sure foundation. The next part shows what Paul means…

Nothing to do with silly myths

V7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness;

As stated prior; we (Timothy also) have to have our priority on God’s word and not the daily rumor mill that will change from day to day. If we have our foundation on something that is so changeable as the words of man, whether it be what we call news, whether it be entertainment, whether it be philosophies that have no eternal value. That is really the crux of what he is saying to Timothy that he has to stay on point. This point that he has to remain focused on God’s infallible word. God is truth and God never changes and man’s word is so unreliable.

Train yourself for godliness

You have to ask yourself, would you base your life’s philosophy on what is said on Fox News? Or what is on the NFL channel? Or is it based on your favorite sports team’s results? Or what movies are playing? Or what your favorite celebrities are saying?  These things will all change tomorrow; it is easy to get caught up in it. (My hot buttons are politics and sports)

What I am asking is “Are you passing time or are you fighting the LORDs fight?” Is your focus on the eternal things or the earthly temporary things? Paul covers this when he states to “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths” and Paul states what should replace that. Paul states that you should “train yourself for godliness” and then explains what he means by this using a culture that was prevalent at that time and one that we can recognize today.

Godliness is of value in every way

V8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

Paul is speaking to a culture that placed a lot of credence in body sculpting and personal fitness. The Roman army chose the finest specimens in the empire to serve in the Imperial army! So much so that in that culture having a fit body and becoming fitter and fitter was an overriding passion and an idol in so many people’s lives.

Don’t get me wrong, I would like to drop a few pounds (or 50/60) and I am covetous of (or certainly admire) those who have kept better shape than I have and I do have it as an ambition of mine to become in better shape, but I want to do it for my service to the LORD and in order to better serve my wife and daughter rather than wishing to compete in any competition. This is not the only time Paul talks about training like an athlete, Let’s look at Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth…

Perishable prize

1st Corinthians 9:24 (ESV) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Explains what I explained although much better!

Finding Godly contentment

We have to be careful that we don’t find our contentment in things that are not Godly! Paul talks about an idol of the day and whilst that gives a temporary accomplishment, it will eventually not be as fulfilling as before.

Paul has a great attitude about this; he equates the training that one does for a competition as how we should train ourselves for godliness. We should have that same desire, same drive for success and same discipline that an athlete has when they are trying to better themselves, not for a crown or a piece of gold, but for eternal reward!

Paul promises that godliness is the only life that holds promise both in this life and the life to come, to those who believe. Our life has meaning and has eternal value once we believe and have faith that Jesus did in fact paid it all. God does not desire that any should perish but have everlasting life. We won’t all be in heaven because some men have hard hearts and will not believe in the lifesaving power of the cross. Which is how Paul finishes this passage…

Set your hope on the living God

V9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

It reminds me of a story that my father told me about a man who was evangelizing in a big city and wished to find out the effectiveness of handing out flyers for his Christian event, so he and a friend handed out flyers promising that if people met them in a certain place in about 6 hours from when they received that flyer they would receive a free gift of 5 pounds (UK money) all they had to do was turn up at the appointed time with the invite (the flyer) and accept the free gift.

Now he had money to pay if everyone turned up, and he estimated that he handed out about 500 flyers and he stood there and waited at the appointed time and very few people came to claim their prize. It cost them nothing and the price was bared by the man who offered the free gift!

Jesus offered us a free gift too, eternal life! It cost us nothing but cost him everything! The Christian life isn’t easy, when we accept Jesus we are not no longer affected by toil and strife, we will still have earthly issues distracting and getting us down. So Paul is correct, we do toil and strive in this life, being a Christian doesn’t mean an easy life it means that we are forgiven in our sins and will still have issues.

But this life is no longer the end of the road for us; we have our hope set on a heavenly existence eternally with our creator God, for me it sounds awesome and a much better alternative to an existence in the lake of fire!

From my point of view, I have tried a life of sin and it left me really unfulfilled, when I was in alcohol I had a temporary high (that felt good, I am not going to lie) and then came a huge low (when the after effects kicked in) it profited me little as I was destroying myself and it also had no heavenly value.

Which is the question I leave you with, do you live your life in a way that has eternal worth? All that the earth offers, wealth, fame, fortune, notoriety none of that will matter when you pass from this earth, as Greg Laurie says “you don’t ever see a U-Haul following a funeral car!” Which is the truth, you can’t take it with you! What will your legacy be? Will it be a life lived for you or a life lived for Christ?

Thank you again for finding this article and I pray these bible studies are a blessing. Please feel free to comment, like or share as the LORD leads you to.
TGBTG
TTE

Pray with holy hands and women be modest

This bible study is part of a series on the book of 1st Timothy, in order to see the full series please check out our “epistle” page or alternatively please check out our page dedicated to the book of 1st Timothy for other studies in this book. 

When I set this blog up my intention was to explore the epistles and do the occasional bible study based on what I had studied and learned, what you are reading below is notes I have made. I have to confess that this bible study is basic in its content and is not prepared by a pastor and I have to admit I have no theological training; my hope in prayer is that someone will be blessed by the notes below.

Let’s start in verse eight of the second chapter of First Timothy.

1st Timothy 2:8 (ESV) I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Constant state of prayer

Paul continues in his “conduct for the church” thought by stating that “every place the men should pray” which tells us Paul’s attitude towards prayer and how normal it should be for us as followers of Christ to be in a constant state of prayer. There is no caveats, no allowances for time, other things that the men have to do or even where the men were in the region, the expectation was that the men should pray and they should pray in every place.

Looking at this from an application standpoint I feel convicted on this area as (much like many of us) I could really be doing with spending more time in prayer. By western standards I have a fairly healthy prayer life but I do long for more time in prayer, but the biggest barrier to more prayer is me and trying to please myself.

The heart of the church service

Paul is speaking about the church as a whole also and it is imperative that prayer and communion with God are at the center (or heart) of any church service. Prayer is vital, not just for our individual communion with God, but praying corporately as a body is vital with a group of believers who have their hearts in a state of submission to God glorifies God in ways I cannot even fathom to describe.

Lift holy hands with no strife

Paul tells us that the men are to lead this; they are to lead and be “lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling” this also leads us into the next chapter which talks about the qualifications for leadership in the church and Paul advises that the ones leading, the deacons, the overseers, the ones beginning the public prayers should all have one thing in common, they should all be men.

They should be raising hands that are holy, ones that are set apart for God, not prone to evil. We are all sinners and we do all sin, some greater than others and I am grateful for the grace of God that I am not deemed holy based on who I am or what I am done. I am holy because of what Christ has done for me when he died on the cross at Calvary.

We are to pray without anger or quarreling, we are human we will have and will hold grudges and we all have different “hot buttons”, something that annoys me may fly over your radar and something that irks you to the point of frustration I may have no quarrel with. We cannot use prayers to target people, especially if we are praying in a group or corporate setting. I have heard (and heard of) prayers that were so obviously aimed at another in the group and you could feel the seethe emanating from the person, this is what Paul is talking about! We may dress it up as “holy concern” or however we dress it up as, but we are not praying in a holy way and most certainly not lifting up holy hands. It may be a case you may have to check your heart to see where your true motives lie.

Pray for those who despise us

This may seem like a contradiction as we are also told to “pray for those who persecute you” but it is not really. This command was talking about praying for those who were against you, not in a vengeful way but pray for things that are both temporary and eternal for that person. I know I have in the past prayed for people who have despised me and prayed that we would have at least a civil relationship (temporary) and also as I grew in prayer for them I prayed for their salvation or for them to grow in God if they were a Christian. (Yes Christians can be jerks too!)

Women be modest

V9… likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works…

Paul is saying in laymen’s terms “Women, don’t be a distraction” now we can pull this text apart in all manners of ways that it was never intended to be pulled in. Really what Paul is stating is that the female of the species is a very attractive being, that they should show beauty in the things that really matter. Paul advises that they should be modest; they should not draw away or cause distraction from the worship which of course is the point of them being there in the first place.

They should be in respectable apparel, now people have tacked on many things to this which some are good and some are not so good, for a time in church women wore hats, (some denominations or creeds demanded the covering of heads) they wore sober business type suits, some wore long flowing dresses some wore long skirts all of these are good and acceptable but what I believe that Paul is saying is dress appropriately for the occasion, if you are spilling out of your clothes or trying to draw attention to you rather than God then you are a distraction.

Which leads us into “modesty and self-control” it is fairly obvious what Paul is driving at here. We have to be careful not to lower our standards to the world’s standards. The world would have you exposed in a heartbeat and I will be honest and state that until I had a daughter of my own, I really hadn’t pondered too much what this meant. Really we should be looking for moderation because in some ways, the way we present ourselves does give an idea into how we view ourselves and an idea what is in our hearts. If we have a heart given over to self-glory and self-gratification then that will show in the way we dress.

Paul gives two examples of how women used to dress themselves up in those days, that we shouldn’t be looking to adorn ourselves with things that draw attention to us. Costly attire is something that we even do today, we call it “designer clothes” and whilst it is not a sin to own nice things, we should not let our things be elevated to a place they should never be.

Profess godliness with good works

And then we get to the point of what Paul is saying…

V10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. 11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness.

Paul states that we shouldn’t be eternally adorning ourselves, remember in that culture you could “rent” gold rings before you went into meetings or the temple to make you look more affluent than you actually were. He states what makes real beauty “godliness and good works” which unlike jewelry and temporary looks, that will not fade.

We read that the women are to learn quietly, without contention and not causing a distraction to the men chosen to lead in the church. The idea here is that they learn in a submissive nature and not try to grasp authority from the leaders. They are to learn in submission, not as second class citizens but under the respect of those chosen to lead.

Oppress the womem?

People get this impression that women are oppressed and that is not correct, it is like all forms of life. When I was in school, I had to submit to the authority of my teachers, when I joined the Territorial Army in the UK I was under the jurisdiction of the Corporals and Sergeants that were training me and when I sought employment I had managers that were above me so it is not unusual to have a ranking system. If the church allowed a melee or free for all then it would be chaos!  

Women not to exercise authority over a man

12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Paul reveals a doctrine that is contentious in today’s Christian church that “women are not to teach or exercise authority over a man” Paul is being clear in what he says here and I do accept that many women are gifted teachers, my wife is one of them but I know that my wife would never go to the front of our assembly and teach a bible study and explain doctrine in a room full of men. Paul states the same in the letter to the Corinthians (1st Corinthians 11:1-12) I would take both passages side by side to show the full counsel of God’s word. Below is that text…
 

1st Corinthians 11:1 (ESV) Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. 2 Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, 5 but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. 6 For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. 7 For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. 9 Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; 12 for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.

Head of the home

Paul states in both places that the men are to be “head of the home” and the wife is to be in submission to her husband. It goes without saying that when the families come together to make up the congregation it would be out of order for the woman to then rule over the man in the assembly of God and take the place of those qualified to be overseers or deacons. (More on that in chapter 3)

Paul cites the order of creation as the reason behind his statement; God created man first and delegated authority to him. From that authority Eve then was in submission to Adam but Paul cites the fall of man and Adam is blamed for the fall of man due to the authority he had over his household. (Romans 5:12) Eve is not blamed because she was tricked, but Adam took the fruit from his wife even although he had a direct command from God not to do so. Eve was tricked and turned around; Adam rebelled against a command of God.

Romans 5:12 (ESV) Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.

Childbearing and the health of the church

Paul lastly talks about a role for the women through childbearing, Paul does look at the health of the church and if the women are neglecting an opportunity to grow their family by seeking offices they were never intended to be in (see chapter 3 regarding overseers and deacons)  then that is a problem. Paul reiterates that they are to be in faith, love and self-control (again speaks of the attributes discussed above)

Not all women are meant to have children and my wife and I have had issues in this area (infertility) and we have been blessed by a daughter who truly is a gift from God, but even if God had not blessed us with a child we would still have praised him.

Thank you again for finding this article and I pray these bible studies are a blessing. Please feel free to comment, like or share as the LORD leads you to.
TGBTG
TTE