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1 Timothy 1:18-20
We invite you to join us for worship each Sunday morning at 9:30. You can download our service on iTunes or tune in for “The Good Word” each day on AM 1230 WSAL or on Hoosier Country 103.7 FM just after 8am. Paul brings this first section of his letter to a close by picking up with the charge he gave to Timothy at the beginning of the letter. The charge was to remind people not to get distracted from their daily walk with Christ by false doctrines, false information, and miss-representations of truth! The reason for the charge was to encourage and even command, a solid commitment to Scripture without adding or subtracting anything in any way. In v. 12-17 Paul rehearses the main theme of the Gospel by reminding Timothy and us, the *central focus of the gospel is the amazing truth that Christ came into the world to save sinners. Paul makes the point here, and Scripture makes it clear throughout, there is no one anywhere God won’t or can’t save. There is no human reason to think a person has no hope of ever being able to establish and live in a right relationship with God. Scripture tells us “all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” John tells us in the 12th verse of His gospel that “all who receive Him, (Christ), who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children off God.” Paul begins this section with
I. DEDICATION TO THE SCRIPTURES V. 18. Paul actually wrote to Timothy “this charge I command you…” The New American Standard Bible is the only popular or widely used version I found that prints the word “command.” Charge and instructions are the more commonly used words. They imply the same meaning as “command” but not with the same force! Back in vs. 3 and 5 the word Paul used is command. Over in 2:2 Paul again uses the same word. Paul was passing to Timothy what God had taught him about sound Biblical doctrine, and Paul was telling Timothy he would pass the same along to those men who God called into leadership positions after him. Timothy must be absolutely sure he was not turning to the right or left and wandering away from pure Biblical truth and doctrine as he taught those under his ministry. Whenever any leader in any local church begins to take a soft approach to Scripture, the move away from sound Biblical doctrine has begun, and it is only a matter of time before the church becomes apostate. The further the church wanders into error the more God removes His blessing and glory from that church, until the people finally turn away completely! Paul now tells Timothy sincere dedication to the gospel shows itself in a Christian’s life by aII.
II. DETERMINATION TO LIVE BY THE SCRIPTURES – 19. Paul explains living by the Scriptures requires 2 inseparable components. Neither can exist without the other. First, is faith. One author gives a simple, yet profound definition for faith is when he says it is “personal commitment to Christ – as a result of personal faith in Him.” Notice how “personal” this is. You remember Paul told Timothy a good conscience is one of the character qualities that results from a life dedicated to agape love. Faith and commitment build upon one another. A large part of the Christian life is focused on learning to live as Christ lived. In reality faith and commitment can’t be separated, because commitment is the result of faith! Paul links faith to commitment as the 1st component of a Christian’s determination to live by Scripture. The second component is: a good conscience.” A good conscience is the result of living in obedience to all of Scripture, listen, as the driving force in a person’s life. The word “and” is the connector. The way The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write this makes faith and a good conscience both working parts of an unwavering dedication leading a person to a non-negotiable determination to live a godly life. Paul understood in his day, just as in our day today, faith, commitment and a good conscience must all be present and work in harmony with one another to remain both dedication to Scripture and determined to live by them every day. One writer makes this observation: “most religious error is born of moral rebellion, rather that intellectual denial.” The point there is that most people who are unsaved, and those who say they are, but don’t live like it, have the attitude I believe God exists, I just don’t want to let go of myself and live in submission and obedience to Him. They fail to understand the consequences of trying to receive all God offers on their own terms. There is nothing harder than coming clean, and there is nothing more liberating, cleansing, and enlightening than God’s amazing grace in the spiritual freedom of letting go of all of you and letting God have all of you. Dedicate yourself to the Scriptures, and then determine you are going to live by them. Let go of you and take hold of God. You won’t believe what happens next!
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