MISCELLANEOUS INSTRUCTIONS 1 Timothy 6:1-21
Over the past 5 sessions we have discovered what it must have been like for young Timothy to take on the task of ministering to the church at Ephesus during the early 60s AD.
Recap: 1 Tim 1. Shackleton’s advert for his South pole expedition was similar to the requirements of those who are called to lead the people of God. Love for God and his people spring from a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. The difference between mercy and grace.
1 Tim 2. We looked at the hot potato of women in ministry. The false teachers were targeting younger widows, so Paul’s instruction to Timothy was to undermine the authority of the false teachers by forbidding the women in Ephesus to teach. In other places Paul encourages women in ministry, so we are to learn to apply how to interpret Paul’s letters for today. Also we learnt that the basis of worship is prayer.
1 Tim 3. We discovered the qualifications for leaders: overseers and deacons in terms of their character and behaviour. It was a call for us to step up to a higher level of faithfulness.
1 Tim 4. Being a person of God, without feeling intimidated. Three things that will help: sharing the word, practising the word and progressing in the word.
Last week, 1 Tim 5. We looked at the relationships and responsibility we have with different groups of people in the fellowship. We looked at our responsibility to be considerate of others; to care for those we have responsibility to care for; and to seek the wisdom of God in all matters of appointment and discipline.
Today: miscellaneous instructions.
VV1-2 In the 1st century (when Paul wrote to Timothy at Ephesus) there were many slaves in the community. Christian communities often included slaves as well as masters. Relationships between them were a constant problem. Slaves enjoyed equal status in the Church, but were often considered like cattle in their community. Two situations were dealt with here. Firstly, Christian slaves were instructed to serve their non-Christian masters with full respect. Secondly, where both masters and slaves were believers, slaves were to serve their masters even better than if they were not believers. Slavery is outlawed in our society, so the best way to apply this today is to consider the relationship between employees and employers. That is, employees are to show full respect to those who employ them, regardless of how harshly they are treated. Also, if you have a Christian boss, provide even greater service, because those who benefit are believers. The danger is that a Christian worker might take advantage of a Christian boss, because both are equal brothers or sisters in Christ. But, how can one Christian take advantage of another? Secondly, Christian masters (bosses) are the beloved, and love does not look for opportunities to escape responsibility. Thirdly, both master and servant (Christian boss and employee) alike benefit from obeying. There is mutual blessing when Christians serve each other.
Vv3-5a Again we have more warnings against the false teachers. The first issue: We are to be on guard against heresy, and keep focussed on the Lord Jesus and the teaching that leads to godliness (v3). The second issue (v4): the teacher’s own attitude needs to be true to the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23). The godly teacher will have a burning heart to share the truth, not a big head that is full of pride. The result of unspiritual teaching is that it results in envy, quarrelling, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction (v4b-5a). Tragically, these results do not lead to growth in grace, but a loss of godly character.
Warning! Danger!
Paul warns of the dangers of falling in love with MONEY!
Vv5b-10 Paul now deals with the practical matters of money and the desire to be wealthy. The false teachers were manipulators and they were predators of God’s people for their own financial gain (5b). There are dangers for believers in the abundance of wealth. Being wealthy is not wrong, but it can be dangerous to faith. Let us take heed for ourselves.
Paul raises 12 dangers we face. These include:
1.The fallacy of thinking that because we become Christians that we will automatically become financially wealthy people (5b);
2.recognising that the abundance of wealth removes the need to fully rely on God because wealth reduces the appeal of living a godly life (6);
3.the abundance of wealth gives us a false sense of being invincible (we can take no material possessions with us beyond the grave)(7);
4.all other possessions beyond adequate food and clean warm clothes are to be considered as luxuries, (live simply so that others may simply live)(8);
5.the desire to be wealthy is a great temptation in itself (9);
6.the desire to be wealthy often leads to foolish choices (9);
7.the desire to be wealthy often leads to greater stress and risky actions which put our safety and the safety of our loved ones in jeopardy (9);
8.many who seek after wealth will find that their lives will be ruined or destroyed (9);
9.all kinds of evil come from the love of money (10);
10.the love of money makes people wander away from the faith (10);
11.the love of money often leads to many griefs (10).
12. No doubt that Paul considered those who were in love with money were under the yoke of slavery (v1).
Vv 11-16. Timothy, the pastor, is given 4 instructions to be followed. They are:
- a) Flee. In this case fleeing from the love of money is not cowardice, it is wisdom (11) *money temptation *sexual temptation *glory temptation.
- b) Follow. Pursuing righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness (11).
- c) Fight. The fight is not against believers, but against the powers of darkness around Timothy (12-16).
- d) Be faithful. Paul had passed on the truth to Timothy, and now he was charged to pass it on (20-21).
Vv 17-19. Final charge. Paul added a final charge to Timothy before closing the letter. This charge applies to us as we are wealthy compared with the people around the world who are starving.
be humble (17)
trust God, not money (17)
enjoy what God provides (17)
use what God provides (18)
receive God’s grace (21).
