1 Timothy
The time frame that Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy is estimated to be about 58-63 A.D. The
place where he wrote the epistle is unknown. But we must also bear in mind that all of the
apostles, including John were dead before Jerusalem fell in 70 A.D. as none of their writings
mention that fact, and an event of that magnitude would certainly have been written about.
1 TIMOTHY 1:1-2
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,
2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
This greeting is somewhat odd, in that Paul would identify himself the way he does as Timothy knew very well that Paul was an apostle, unless Paul knew that others would read the letter as well and wanted to establish his authority and credentials to his readers.
1 TIMOTHY 1:3-4
3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia; remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.
Some people are naturally argumentative and contentious, especially so when it comes to religious doctrine. Satan will do his best to deflect the preaching of the Gospel into petty arguments over trivial or irrelevant issues which engender frustrations and the truth becomes obscured.
We are constantly warned in Scripture to watch for false teachers and false doctrines within the churches, yet there are many churches that are dead or basically useless because Christians either are asleep, don’t care, or are not watchful. I’ve seen and heard of doctrines being taught in churches that range from head-shaking disbelief to downright hair-raising, yet people follow them without question. Unfortunately, Jesus will bring about the Great Tribulation to clean out the “dead wood” in His churches and present Himself a pure, faithful Bride at His return.
1 TIMOTHY 1:5-7
5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk,
7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.
Unfortunately there are those who believe religion is a source of monetary gain (like modern-day Sadducees) or who seek attention and glory (like modern-day Pharisees) and the Church body suffers as a whole as unbelievers see these people as examples of Christianity and become cynical, believing that all Christians are like that.
During Paul’s time, many were hiring themselves out as teachers of the Law of Moses, but were ignorant of the precepts of the Law and had no clue of the things of the Law that they as supposed teachers approved of.
Even today there are those who preach erroneous doctrines, who make slick presentations with broad smiles, becoming what I call “Patchwork Preachers”. These are people who select verses from the Bible and sew them together into some kind of believable doctrine (the “Prosperity Gospel”, also known as the “Name It And Claim It” Gospel is a good example). This doctrine teaches that God is a divine ‘Sugar Daddy’ who can’t resist giving His children riches in this life.
But there is a catch - you need to donate to the Church, then God will release wealth to you: the more you donate, the more He gives! And if it doesn’t work, the preachers of this false doctrine worm out of responsibility by telling you that you just don’t have enough faith! Far too many people desiring to be rich follow this erroneous belief.
They openly preach this despite Jesus’ blunt warning about riches;
MATTHEW 19:23-24
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Does that sound like God is a ‘Sugar Daddy’ to you?
1 TIMOTHY 1:8-11
8 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully,
9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.
The purpose of the Law of Moses was to identify what constituted sin in God’s eyes, and to set down what were considered sinful behaviors in His sight. He also set down what were approved actions and what constituted righteousness in His sight, giving Man clearly-defined guidelines to follow.
Satan hadn’t anticipated God instilling an instinctive knowledge of good and evil in Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden when they disobeyed God and ate the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. But ‘truth’ is relative and is subject to individual interpretation unless compared to and defined by an accepted standard such as God’s perfect Word.
But even though we have a instinctive knowledge of good and evil, there are those who ignore or who willfully reject the warnings of their subconscious to the point of where after a while it no longer registers on their conscious mind. These are people like serial killers, habitual liars, serial rapists, career thieves, those who frequently use profanity, etc. It was for people like these that the Law and later the New Testament commandments were written, to penetrate the darkness of sin that Satan blinds us with, and to help us fight sin itself.
1 TIMOTHY 1:12-17
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul freely admits to his former sinful behavior before he accepted Jesus, when he beat, imprisoned, murdered and persecuted Christians and destroyed any churches he could find. But he also freely admits that he did these things in ignorance, out of misguided zeal for God and the traditions of the Pharisees, believing Christians to be dangerous heretics whose (to him and others) blasphemous teachings must be destroyed.
He also understood that Jesus had mercy on him because of Paul’s misguided zeal and ignorance, appearing to him and instructing him in the truth of the Christian faith. He also chose Paul because he was a perfect vessel for preaching the Gospel: he was highly educated, spoke and wrote Hebrew, Greek, and presumably Aramaic, was trained in oratory skills, knew the Law of Moses better than most of his contemporaries and teachers, and was very passionate and hard-core for his beliefs, just to name a few benefits. With what he knew, he would be a perfect vessel to mightily refute and confound the Jews who still followed the now-dead Law of Moses, showing both Jews and Gentiles that Jesus was the promised Messiah and fulfillment of the Law and the prophets.
He also was a living example of Jesus’ compassion and mercy in being willing to offer salvation to Paul despite his past activities. He also used Paul as an example of accountability for sin, for many of Paul’s sufferings were the very things that Paul had himself performed on other Christians (beatings, stoning, imprisonment, trials before authorities, etc.)
This is also to show that even though He forgives us, sometimes He punishes us for our sins.
I spent 5 years deeply into the Occult before I accepted Jesus, and even though I was forgiven I was punished with 5 rounds of pneumonia, the last bordering on meningitis which nearly killed me. I have never been so sick in my life!!!
1 TIMOTHY 1:18-20
18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made
concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19 having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,
20 of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
This is a difficult passage of Scripture, as Paul isn‘t very clear as to what he is referring to as far as the sins of Hymenaeus and Alexander. From his tone and previous parts of his letter, I suspect that they, envying Paul’s popularity and desiring adulation and popularity for themselves, were fancying themselves teachers of both the Law and Christianity and were teaching serious errors in the Ephesian Church, poisoning the Church congregation with blasphemous teachings.
He had already spoken of this in his letter earlier when he said;
1 TIMOTHY 1:3-7
3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia to remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.
5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,
6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk,
7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.
He also reiterated the same to Titus;
TITUS 1:10-11
10 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.
As for Paul delivering them to Satan, he had no power or authority to deliver them personally to Satan. None of us have that power. I think he meant he was going to turn them out of the Church so that the Church would no longer be hurt by their poisonous teachings, and that they would be deprived of the Church’s protection against Satan.
(One time while attending a strong Foursquare Church, in the middle of the sermon, in my mind I saw Satan, appearing as a huge tiger, pacing in the parking lot some distance away from the church, snarling in anger and frustration because the Holy Spirit was so strong inside he couldn’t get anywhere near it. I’d dealt with the same tiger years before and God had identified him as Satan.)
So by turning those two out of the Church, it would remove the Church’s protection and give Satan access to them.
1 TIMOTHY 2:1-7
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle. I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying - a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
We always need to remember to keep our leaders in prayer, for they determine how our civil lives are lived as they generate and enforce our laws. We may not like a particular leader, but we need to always lift them up in prayer that God will guide them in their work and that they will rule justly.
Note that Paul says that there is ONE mediator between God and man, namely Jesus Christ. No Pope, priest, “saints” or any other person (including Mary) has been given this authority from God no matter what religious leaders claim! The only sins that we can forgive are sins committed directly against us, personally. No one can forgive sins committed by others against God or anyone else as only God can do that! This was shown in Scripture when Jesus healed a paralytic;
MARK 2:3-7
3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.
4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, Son, your sins are forgiven you.
6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,
7 “Why does this man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
In the Old Testament Law, God had ordained a priesthood from the lineage of Moses’ brother Aaron as intercessors between God and man for the sins of the people, in which the penitent would bring an appropriate sacrifice for their sins to the priest and confess their sin(s).
The priest in turn would offer the sacrifice for the atonement of their sin, and their sin(s) were
covered and forgiven. The priest acted as a mediator between sinful man and a sinless, holy God
and no man could enter the presence of God without an atoning sacrifice. But remember, the
sin(s) had only been covered, they had not been removed in God’s sight. As king David had
said;
PSALMS 32:1-2
1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.
The barrier of sin separating man from God (physically represented by the Temple veil) was still there, therefore the imperfect animal sacrifices which could only cover sins needed to continue until the perfect sacrifice would come which would remove sin forever.
As the scribes correctly reasoned, only God has the authority to forgive all sins. Therefore according to Scripture, Jesus showed His authority as God by forgiving the man’s sins and healing him of his paralysis, proving Himself to be equal with God.
So if someone claims to be able to forgive sins that you have committed against God or against another person, they are claiming to be equal with God which is blasphemy. Scripturally they have no authority to forgive such sins, for if that were possible, Jesus would not have needed to come and die for our sins.
Remember, God destroyed the Temple to end the priesthood, so today an intercessory priesthood is not needed. We can now go directly to God Himself through Jesus Christ to have our sins forgiven.
1 TIMOTHY 2:8-15
8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
9 in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,
10 but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.
11 Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.
12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.
13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
15 Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.
A lot of people have problems with the set of verses above, and they accuse Paul of being a woman-hater because of them. But remember, their culture of that time was far different from ours. Women were expected to remain at home for the most part, taking care of the household and being involved in child-rearing.
The women attending synagogue usually sat in a separate section behind a curtain, so as not to distract the men during teaching, prayers and worship. Paul didn’t want women dressing up to bring attention to themselves in the synagogues or churches, distracting from the hearing of the Word. Women also didn’t get to socialize much due to daily duties, and he didn’t want synagogues and churches to be distracted by women gossiping and socializing while the Word was being preached.
He didn‘t hate women, he was just zealous for God’s Word.
1 TIMOTHY 3:1-7
1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
7 moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Any organization needs leadership and churches are no different. Bishops (or elders) are the senior leaders of the Church, much like Vice-Presidents of a corporation with the Pastor being the head of the church.
The duties of bishops or elders are to oversee the daily operations of the Church, leaving the Pastor free to create sermons, visit the sick, counsel those who seek it, etc. The value of Bishops cannot be overstated as they are invaluable to the Church and the Pastor, both.
One important note: Paul says that Bishops must be married to one wife and must have children who are well-behaved. Some denominations (Roman Catholic mainly) violate this Scripture as according to Catholic doctrine priests are to remain celibate (unmarried) all their lives as they are all supposedly married to the Church. This is wrong, as the Church has only one husband, Jesus Christ, and their doctrine gives the Church many husbands; it also elevates the priests to be equal with Jesus Christ, which is blasphemy.
A bishop (or elder) must also be an experienced Christian, not new to the faith, and must have a good reputation in the surrounding community.
Some churches do not have Bishops and that is fine, as they have a group of Elders who function in the same capacity. But above all, bishops and elders must remember that they are shepherds of the flock as much as the Pastor is, and that they perform a vital function within the Church.
1 TIMOTHY 3:8-13
8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money,
9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.
10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.
11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.
12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Deacons take care of the daily functions of the Churches. The term “deacon” (Greek (‘diaconos”) is translated as “servant”, and in the book of Acts Stephen and 6 others were chosen by the Apostles to serve the early Church, overseeing the daily distribution of food to widows within the Church body. As Scripture says;
ACTS 6:1-6
1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
The growing Church needed people dedicated to oversee the daily needs of church members, as the Greek believers thought that the Jewish believers were serving only their own widows with daily food, probably an oversight.
So seven good men were chose to oversee this and other small matters.
Some view this office as being beneath them, but we must remember that Jesus didn’t consider being a servant in the days of His flesh as being beneath Him. Remember when He washed the disciples’ feet? That was a job for house-servants. And as He Himself said when the disciples disputed who was greatest among them;
MATTHEW 20:26-28
26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.
27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Pride has brought about the downfall of many church members. Remember, it is not the perceived importance of your work that matters to God, it is the willingness and quality of your work for Him that matters. A person who daily ministers to the needs of the disabled and shut-ins (those housebound by illness or disabilities) is greater in God’s sight than a pompous pastor who preaches to thousands. We all need to periodically ask ourselves, “Am I doing this for the Lord, or for the praise of men?”
1 TIMOTHY 3:14-16
14 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly;
15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.
Paul closes this chapter with a condensed version of the entire Four Gospels.
1 TIMOTHY 4:1-5
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;
5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
We’re seeing this in churches today. Many churches are spiritually dead or listless causing Christianity to be mocked and maligned as people seeking spiritual and emotional help see nothing vibrant or attractive in Christianity to help them.
Strange and un-Scriptural doctrines are being taught and practiced unchallenged in churches
Hank Hanegraaf in his eye-opening book “Counterfeit Revival” speaks of churches where people were jumping like frogs and barking like dogs and they were attributing their behaviors to the Holy Spirit!!
This is outright blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, calling the works of Satan the work of the Holy Spirit.
I attended a church one time where whenever the congregation sang praise songs, people started jumping up and down like they were being stuck with hat-pins or were on pogo sticks!!! The pastor then stood up and said that God had told him that He was going to make twelve people in the congregation millionaires, and those who wished to become millionaires should stand up. No one stood, and he insisted that he was not going to preach his sermon until twelve people stood up. Finally twelve obviously reluctant people stood up and he continued the service.
This is in clear violation of;
MATTHEW 19:23-24
23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
1 TIMOTHY 6:8-10
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Some years ago, I had a strange dream. I was standing in a lush green field, with bright sunshine all around, and all about me were fat sheep grazing contentedly. But about 20 feet away was a huge tiger who was crouched over the bloody remains of a sheep that he had devoured. He had blood and wool around his mouth, there was blood and wool on the ground in front of him.
He was staring at the rest of the sheep and snarling, and I sensed that he was still hungry, and was about to select his next victim. What surprised me the most, was that the rest of the sheep were still grazing, either unaware of the tiger or uncaring that he was there.
Then the tiger saw me. He immediately raced over to me, springing up with teeth and claws bared to attack. I pointed at him and commanded, "In the name of Jesus Christ, get down!" He immediately crouched at my feet, snarling, and his eyes literally glowed yellow with rage. I could tell that he wanted to tear me into pieces, but could not do so.
I awoke, and wrote it off as a weird dream. But it kept nagging at me throughout the day, and when I questioned the Lord about it, He told me this. He said that the sheep are the churches; the tiger is Satan. He said that as the sheep were unaware or unconcerned that the tiger was among them, so are many of the churches today.
They are either asleep, or are more interested in their own comfort, rather than doing God’s will. And Satan is destroying them spiritually one by one. Remember, these are God’s words, not mine.
When is the last time that you heard a good strong sermon on the Judgment and Hell? When have you heard a good sermon on the sins of the flesh? Or a good sermon on spiritual warfare? How to fight Satan and win? Jesus spoke more on these things than anyone, and yet many churches are silent on the subject, their leaders afraid of offending their congregations.
Pastors also allow doctrines in the churches that have no Scriptural backing and allow the promotion of clearly unbiblical teachings. It is my sincere hope and prayer to the Father that people who visit here will understand and wake up to what is happening today.
Pastors, you are responsible for the doctrines taught in your church. God has set you up as a teacher for your flock, and He has commissioned you to care for them, and feed them. If you teach or allow doctrines to be taught that you cannot back up with Scripture in context, you are in serious danger of falling into Satan’s hands, and taking your congregation with you.
Some years ago I was attending a Baptist church, when I spotted two witches in the congregation. I was sure of them as I could sense the demons within them. One Sunday after the service the older of the two turned and looked at me, and my spirit felt like it had hit a brick wall at a dead run and I was certain of their identity then. I notified the pastor of this, and he basically said, "That’s nice...." and did nothing about it.
Over the next several months I watched them carefully, and frequently bound the demons in them during the church service. Whenever I did so, the older of the two would glare at the floor apparently knowing that her power and influence had been restrained.
After several months had passed, the pastor called me into his office and uncomfortably admitted that I had been right. He wouldn’t give any details, but he had asked the two women to leave, and they had threatened him and the congregation. The worst part was that one of the women had been the church secretary! No one else in the church had a clue about these two women.
I also briefly attended a church that had a demon-possessed pastor preaching in it. I won’t go into details here, but you can read about it in the Spiritual Warfare part of my Web site.
This should give you who read this an example of how spiritually blind the churches are today. I am not saying that churches should hunt for witches in their congregations, but if we are more in tune with the Lord, He will show us if there are servants of Satan within the congregations.
Forced celibacy has long been established in the Roman Catholic Church, and we are seeing today the awful effects of that un-Scriptural doctrine in reports of pedophile priests molesting and raping children. In far too many cases pedophile priests when accused, rather than being expelled and turned over to secular authorities for prosecution, are merely removed from their parish and sent elsewhere where they continue their molestations.
The commandment for celibacy among priests was first decreed in the Council of Elvira in 305 A.D. Canon 33 said, “It is decided that marriage be altogether prohibited to bishops, priests, and deacons, or to all clerics placed in the ministry, and that they keep away from their wives and not beget children; whoever does this shall be deprived of the honor of the clerical office.
Men are to not marry, or are to keep away from their wives? Sounds like what Paul warned us about, when he said;
1 TIMOTHY 4:1-3
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
Jesus said concerning the issue;
MATTHEW 19:12
12 For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”
Let’s break this down a bit.
Some people are born without or have a greatly reduced sex drive. These people usually spend their lives remaining single.
In ancient times conquering kings imported court officials of conquered countries to their palaces as advisors and court functionaries but castrated the men to remind them that they were subjugated people, and set men to guard their harems, making sure that they were eunuchs for obvious reasons. The prophet Daniel and his companions were made eunuchs in Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar’s court.
And finally there are those who remain celibate in their service to the Lord, such as the apostle Paul... but with one very important difference. Carefully read the verse below;
1 CORINTHIANS 7:7
7 For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.
Paul says that celibacy can be a gift from God, thus freeing them from the temptation of lust which Satan uses very effectively. And as Jesus said; “He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”
Forced celibacy as practiced by the Roman Catholic Church is an abomination, as the priests are given no choice in the matter, and we see the results in the news today of priests who are either homosexual or pedophiles, some having abused children for decades.
The Roman Catholic Church has commanded that priests, being labeled an “alter Christus” (another Christ) are married to the Church, the Bride of Christ, and nuns are married to Jesus.
This presents several problems.
Paul told his audience of believers;
2 CORINTHIANS 11:2
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Paul states that the Church, the chaste Bride of Christ is betrothed (engaged) to one husband, Jesus. And by claiming that they are married to the Church, each priest is claiming to be equal with Jesus and gives the Church many husbands. There is only one bridegroom, namely Jesus Christ.
The same with nuns - by claiming to be married to Jesus, that means that He has many wives, both doctrines being blasphemous, man-made traditions.
The Catholic Church has long advocated “meatless Fridays” as a form of “penance”. Again, this is un-Scriptural and is a man-made commandment as is forbidding marriage, just as Paul warned us about at the beginning of this chapter.
1 TIMOTHY 4:6-11
6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.
7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.
8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.
10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
11 These things command and teach.
Paul warns that Satan will always try to insert false doctrines and practices into the churches. Some of the biggest abuses I have seen have been misuse of or faking of the Gifts of the Spirit, in which people try to display gifts they don’t actually possess (speaking in tongues being one of the biggest offenders), or not following Paul’s instructions as to how the Gifts are to be used in the churches.
Right after I got out of the Occult and became a Christian, I once attended a Pentecostal church. At first things went well, then the minister said, “We’re all going to speak in tongues, now”. Immediately the whole congregation began speaking in weird languages and the minister began wildly blowing a trumpet at the podium. It was total chaos!!!
I left the church after the service, stunned and saddened by what I had seen. Heartbroken, I sadly told God, “If this is what is required to worship You, I was better off in the Occult!” I know better now, but at the time I thought these people were nuts!! As Paul said concerning this kind of behavior;
1 CORINTHIANS 14:23
23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
Abuses of spiritual gifts have become so bad that some churches have actually banned the display of spiritual gifts completely, just to be sure no abuses occur. While well-meaning, this is wrong as it weakens the churches spiritually. But if they would strictly enforce Paul’s commandments for their use in 1 Corinthians 14, fake and counterfeit displays would be quickly identified and weeded out.
(For information on the correct use and identification of the Gifts of the Spirit, please see the study concerning the Gifts in this site).
While bodily exercise is good, keeping yourself close to God and avoiding evil has both physical and spiritual benefits. As it says in Proverbs;
PROVERBS 3:7-8
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.
1 TIMOTHY 4:12-16
12 Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
15 Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.
16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Unfortunately older people, even among Christians, tend to believe that younger Christians have nothing to offer an older person in the way of wisdom or knowledge. I remember attending a church where an older gentleman flatly told me, “There‘s nothing that I can learn from a younger person.” That was a sign of a closed mind and heart, and it told me that he would never grow any further in Christ. Who are we to say whom God can use to teach doctrine or wisdom, especially if older hearts and minds are hardened and closed?
Satan is tireless in his efforts to entice believers with false doctrines and teachings, therefore we must be diligent to remain grounded in the truth of God’s Word. We must also be diligent to be good examples to both believers and unbelievers alike. That way we set role models for believers, and set examples of Christianity to unbelievers, so that they may want the joy and freedom we have in Christ.
Remember, when you say you’re a Christian, you’re living in a fish bowl and people are going to watch and see if you “practice what you preach”. There are far too many bad examples out there, such as “prime-time preachers” who beg for money while driving expensive cars, wearing expensive suits, owning personal luxury aircraft, flashing expensive watches, own one or more multi-million dollar mansions, have million dollar yearly salaries and who preach that God is a divine “sugar Daddy” who will shower believers with riches if they donate to the church. Is it any wonder that unbelievers are cynical of Christians with such visible examples of corrupt Christianity?
1 TIMOTHY 5:1-2
1 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers,
2 older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.
We are to honor all fellow believers; the elders are not to despise the younger, but tutor them in the ways of the Lord, and younger members are to respect their elders, treating them as honored mothers and fathers. God also stated in the Law;
LEVITICUS 19:32
32 You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.
1 TIMOTHY 5:3-8
3 Honor widows who are really widows.
4 But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show piety at home and to repay their parents; for this is good and acceptable before God.
5 Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.
6 But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.
7 And these things command, that they may be blameless.
8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Back in New Testament times and even today, women didn’t work outside the home but stayed at home keeping the household running, a hard and important job indeed!. They were highly valued and honored for the work they did and were considered the crown of their husbands.
PROVERBS 12:4
4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones.
PROVERBS 31:10-12
10 Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.
Unfortunately in today’s world, women who stay at home and are “home-makers” are looked down upon by some who work outside the home. And many husbands really don’t truly appreciate the work their wives do in maintaining an efficiently functioning household - until they try it themselves, immediately finding out that being “Mr. Mom” is incredibly hard work, especially if children are involved!
Unlike today, there was no Welfare or Social Security system to provide income for those unable to work. If a woman’s husband died, she was on her own to find income. If she was young enough, she could marry again, but if she was old and had no family to take her in, she was in serious trouble!
Thus Paul tells the Churches that if believing widows have children and grandchildren, let them take her in so the congregation can support those that are truly widows. He also warns widows to be sure and lead Godly lives, and not be caught up in worldly pleasures, implying that they will become dead spiritually and will be rejected by the Church.
He also warns that if families are unwilling to take in and care for their widowed mothers or grandmothers, in God’s eyes their professions of faith are worthless and they are worse than unbelievers.
1 TIMOTHY 5:9-16
9 Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man,
10 well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.
11 But refuse the younger widows; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they desire to marry,
12 having condemnation because they have cast off their first faith.
13 And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.
14 Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
15 For some have already turned aside after Satan.
16 If any believing man or woman has widows, let them relieve them, and do not let the church be burdened, that it may relieve those who are really widows.
Paul sets down stringent rules for widows, which to our permissive society seem harsh but actually fit into the culture of his time.
Remember, back then there was no welfare, and women rarely had jobs that would support them, so if a woman’s husband died and she had no family to take her in, she would wind up begging or finding less respectable means to survive unless she remarried.
Up to the age of 60, women were still considered to be of childbearing age, and were expected to bear children to help support the nation, and she who was barren was considered cursed by God and was a reproach to her village.
Widows were to have a good character reference from those outside of the church, known for diligence and good works. That was to ensure widows were productive in serving the needs of the church, and weren’t just an idle mouth to feed.
We’ve also all heard of the “merry widow”, younger widows who now being free of a husband becoming “party girls”, living wild lifestyles. Such widows would bring shame and all kinds of malignant influences and people into the church and the church would be destroyed in short order.
He ends with the admonition to ensure that only if a widow is truly destitute is she to be supported by the church. Churches have limited sources of income and Paul wants to ensure that church resources are spent where they are truly needed, not on wasteful individuals.
1 TIMOTHY 5:17-20
17 Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine.
18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses.
20 Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.
Elders are not to be looked down upon just because they are older. They have long experience in life matters for the most part, and should be given the same honor as fathers. They are living storehouses of wisdom and life experience and younger members would be wise to avail themselves of that knowledge.
They are also shepherds of the church, mentoring and shepherding the people of God’s flock, always watching to keep false teachings, doctrines and behaviors from poisoning the church, and keeping the pastor informed of the church’s spiritual health. They should be greatly respected, as they work quietly behind the scenes, not drawing attention to themselves, but serving God’s church and laying up for themselves a great reward in Heaven.
Any accusation of misconduct brought against an elder is to be verified by two or more witnesses to prevent a disgruntled or reprimanded member making an accusation out of spite or malice. As God stated in the Law of Moses;
DEUTERONOMY 19:15
15 “One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established
1 TIMOTHY 5:21-25
21 I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality.
22 Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other peoples’ sins; keep yourself pure.
23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities.
24 Some mens’ sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later.
25 Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden.
Do not elevate anyone over another in your estimation, as God shows no partiality to anyone. If you, Moses, Elijah and Peter stood before God, He would view all of you equally. On Earth, churches have people set over us in what is called ‘positional authority’ such as pastors, elders and other church authorities.
Due to human nature, we may not like a person in authority, but we must respect the position they hold as a fellow laborer in God’s kingdom. By the same token, do not honor a member above others because of social status, likeability or personal wealth. Satan’s kingdom is rife with competition and jockeying for position and glory, God’s kingdom is not.
Some misinterpret the meaning of “laying on of hands” in verse 22 as being the practice of blessing someone, or performing healing or some beneficial action. He actually meant to not suddenly lay hands on them as in taking them into custody for an infraction.
An example of this is found in the book of Nehemiah. In 586 B.C. God had sent Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar to destroy Jerusalem and all of Judah, including the destruction of Solomon’s Temple. He then deported the Jews as captives for 70 years as punishment for their sins, during which time the country remained a wasteland.
70 years later the Jews were freed by Persian king Cyrus the Great and they were permitted to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple with Ezra the priest and Nehemiah the Governor overseeing the work. According to the ordinance of the Law of Moses, the people built for 6 days and rested completely from all work on the Sabbath.
However trouble began immediately with greedy Jewish and foreign merchants trying to sell their wares on the Sabbath. Nehemiah finally forced the merchants out of the city gates on the eve of the Sabbath and wouldn’t allow them back in until the morning after the Sabbath.
So these greedy merchants would sit outside the city gates on the Sabbath and hawk their wares to whomever came in or out on the Sabbath, violating the Law of Moses that no manner of burdens be borne or work be done on the Sabbath.
Nehemiah, angered by this blatant disobedience of the Law so soon after their divine punishment and exile, and frightened of God’s wrath took action:
NEHEMIAH 13:19-22
19 So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day.
20 Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.
21 Then I warned them, and said to them, “Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!” From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath.
22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates, to sanctify the Sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of Your mercy!
Timothy is also told to be sure to drink wine occasionally as wine alcohol has curative properties for stomach ailments (perhaps from food and water-borne illnesses) And note that he says a little wine, not excessive amounts!
History has recorded the actions of good people as well as some true monsters whose works
precede them to judgment. There are also those whose sins and good works are hidden. But they
all will be revealed at the Judgment.
God views us and judges us without partiality or respect of persons and we should do the same.
1 TIMOTHY 6:1-2
1 Let as many bond servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.
2 And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefitted are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.
Oddly enough God never condemned slavery, but in the Law of Moses He did however set down laws as to how servants and slaves were to be treated. For example;
EXODUS 21:2
2 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing.
EXODUS 21:26-27
26 If a man strikes the eye of his male or female servant, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for the sake of his eye.
27 And if he knocks out the tooth of his male or female servant, he shall let him go free for the sake of his tooth.
In Old Testament times if a man owed a debt and his creditor(s) threatened him with confiscation of his house for example, he could sell his son(s) or daughter(s) as servants, only to other Hebrews in order to pay the debt. However, the servant would serve only 6 years and then they must be set free.
Such behavior may seem barbaric or reprehensible to us today, but such was an accepted part of Hebrew culture and it is not really fair to judge them by our present-day standards. God didn’t condemn the custom, but He did set down regulations concerning its application.
Paul also admonishes servants to faithfully serve their masters, so their conduct as Christians will be noted by the quality and fidelity of their service. Not only will God approve of their conduct, but if they have an unbelieving master, he might come to Christ by observing their conduct.
Paul defuses a potential problem with Christian servants who have believing masters, telling the servants that just because they have a believing master, it does not free them from their obligations as a servant, nor does it mean the master is obligated to set them free before their release date. It is God’s will that they be servants at this time, so they are to glorify God and honor their master with diligent service.
1 TIMOTHY 6:3-5
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,
4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,
5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
We have seen or heard of these types of people, who love to argue, especially when it comes to doctrine. The Pharisees and lawyers of Jesus’ time were experts in this, wrangling endlessly over words and interpretations of the Law which left the hearers confused as to what constituted the truth.
The Pharisees and scribes followed the Oral Law, which was a combination of the Law of Moses and the teachings of various Rabbis on the subject in question. That is why the people were astonished at Jesus’ teachings, as He didn’t give ambiguous answers or the opinions and interpretations of others but essentially said “This is the way it is...”
If you want an example of the confusion generated by the Oral Law, try reading the Talmud. It contains many subjects, and the teachings (which many times disagree with each other or contradict each other) of various rabbis and sages, all claiming to be teaching the truth. Which teaching is actually right, if any?
A Jewish comedian once stated, “Get three Jews together, ask them the same question and you’ll get seven different opinions”. I guess that explains the Talmud, too!!!
1 TIMOTHY 6:6-10
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
I really have a problem with the so-called “Prosperity Gospel” or the Name It And Claim It” gospel, in which God is a big “Sugar Daddy” who gives His children whatever they want.
Usually the preacher says God wants you to be rich and that if you give to the church, God will shower you with wealth in return and will make you rich. In the end, the only one who becomes rich is the preacher. And if God doesn’t respond, the people are told that they just don’t have enough faith. Pretty slick, huh?
We are warned over and over in the Bible about seeking after riches and the dangers they pose, yet people greedily rush after them, generally bringing misery into their lives. Remember, it’s not called “cold cash” for nothing. You can love it, but it can never love you. Just ask lottery winners.
A rich man was touring his house one day admiring his possessions when he looked out his window and saw a poor man next door happily playing with his children in his front yard. As the rich man watched, he suddenly realized that the poor man was actually the truly rich man as the love of his family was greater riches than any material possessions.
We’ve all heard the saying that “Money is the root of all evil”, but if you read verse 10 above carefully, it is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil. A rich man once said during an interview, “No matter how much you have, it is never enough.” Money had become the center of his life, and had become an obsession and an idol to him. Money was his god.
There is nothing wrong with being rich - but what place wealth occupies in your life determines whether it becomes sinful or not. Money is like fire: a good servant, but a bad master! And as Paul stated, echoing Solomon in the Old Testament, we came into this world with nothing, and we will leave it the same way, leaving what we have collected to someone else;
ECCLESIASTES 2:10-11
10 Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.
ECCLESIASTES 2:18-19
18 Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
19 And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
This realization caused a man named Agur to say;
PROVERBS 30:7-9
7 Two things I request of You (deprive me not before I die):
8 Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food allotted to me;
9 Lest I be full and deny You, and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God.
1 TIMOTHY 6:11-16
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,
14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing,
15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
Paul warns Timothy to avoid the pitfalls he has listed in the previous parts of his letter which can all too easily entangle us in unprofitable and sinful behaviors and make us ineffective spiritually. And by defining them as sin, it actually makes them easier to recognize and avoid.
He also admonishes Timothy to keep fighting for the faith, keep himself pure as Satan will not stop trying to corrupt us until Jesus calls us home.
1 TIMOTHY 6:17-21
17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,
19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge,
21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.
Unfortunately in many people (I see this in politicians a lot) with riches comes power and with power comes corruption, arrogance and haughtiness. With too many they view the world as divided between the Elites (themselves) and the Great Unwashed (everyone else) or they refer to everyone else as “The masses” (I hate that Marxist term), referring to faceless crowds of people.
Again, there is nothing wrong with being rich, and there are kind, generous people who are wealthy, but unfortunately wealth and the power that goes with it all too easily corrupts the souls of those who possess it.
Remember, riches can be gone in an instant (the Great Depression of 1929 is a good example) which saw stockbrokers in New York City committing suicide by jumping out of skyscraper windows because their wealth was suddenly gone and they couldn’t live without it.
Nor can it save your life in times of peril, as the Babylonians found out when they were attacked by the Medes and Persians;
ISAIAH 13:17-19
17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, who will not regard silver; and as for gold, they will not delight in it.
18 Also their bows will dash the young men to pieces, and they will have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye will not spare children.
19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
Finally, Paul warns Timothy to avoid vain philosophies which were rampant during the time, Nicolaitanism, Stoicism, Epicurianism and other humanistic teachings (some of which survive today) which can draw people away from the truths of Scriptural teachings.
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