WEBVTT 00:00:08.330 --> 00:00:12.990 And so we are in chapter 4 of 1 Timothy. We are 00:00:12.990 --> 00:00:15.849 going to go back to chapter 1 during this message. 00:00:16.370 --> 00:00:19.589 So just get ready to have a little walk. You 00:00:19.589 --> 00:00:22.129 guys know how this is. Are you guys ready? Father, 00:00:22.190 --> 00:00:24.410 I want to thank you so much for your faithfulness 00:00:24.410 --> 00:00:26.109 and goodness. Thank you, Lord, for your word. 00:00:26.410 --> 00:00:31.449 Thank you that it does accomplish all that you've 00:00:31.449 --> 00:00:33.450 set it out to do, that it does not return to 00:00:33.450 --> 00:00:36.149 you void, that your word is living and active. 00:00:36.729 --> 00:00:39.270 We thank you that it is everything we need for 00:00:39.270 --> 00:00:42.409 life and godliness. We thank you that you have 00:00:42.409 --> 00:00:45.810 clearly defined what it is to be a man and what 00:00:45.810 --> 00:00:48.130 it is to be a woman, but specifically what it 00:00:48.130 --> 00:00:50.549 means, what it is to be a man and woman of God, 00:00:50.689 --> 00:00:55.609 a family of God, to raise up children for you, 00:00:55.729 --> 00:00:58.549 children of God. Lord, we praise you and thank 00:00:58.549 --> 00:01:00.270 you for your faithfulness and your goodness. 00:01:00.689 --> 00:01:02.890 Help us to be a shining light in a very dark 00:01:02.890 --> 00:01:05.129 world. We praise you. To you be honor and glory 00:01:05.129 --> 00:01:08.959 forever in Jesus' name. amen so principle number 00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:11.560 one we are in first timothy chapter four let 00:01:11.560 --> 00:01:13.840 me let me read first timothy four first before 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:17.299 we um before we go into the principles so it 00:01:17.299 --> 00:01:21.400 says now the spirit expressively says that in 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:25.599 the latter time some will depart from the faith 00:01:26.090 --> 00:01:29.250 by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and 00:01:29.250 --> 00:01:32.670 teachings of demons, through the insincerity 00:01:32.670 --> 00:01:36.890 of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid 00:01:36.890 --> 00:01:41.150 marriage and require abstinence from foods that 00:01:41.150 --> 00:01:43.349 God created to be received with thanksgiving 00:01:43.349 --> 00:01:46.189 by those who believe and know the truth. For 00:01:46.189 --> 00:01:49.250 everything created by God is good, and nothing 00:01:49.250 --> 00:01:53.230 is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 00:01:53.489 --> 00:01:57.230 for it is made holy. by the word of God in prayer. 00:01:57.469 --> 00:02:00.549 If you put these things before the brothers, 00:02:00.870 --> 00:02:04.209 you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being 00:02:04.209 --> 00:02:07.430 trained in the words of the faith and of the 00:02:07.430 --> 00:02:10.389 good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing 00:02:10.389 --> 00:02:14.409 to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather, train 00:02:14.409 --> 00:02:17.750 yourselves for godliness. For while bodily training 00:02:17.750 --> 00:02:22.770 is of some value, godliness is of value in every 00:02:22.770 --> 00:02:26.650 way, as it holds promise. for the present life 00:02:26.650 --> 00:02:29.129 and also for the life to come. The saying is 00:02:29.129 --> 00:02:31.729 trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 00:02:32.009 --> 00:02:35.009 For to this end, we toil and strive because we 00:02:35.009 --> 00:02:39.629 have our hope set on the living God, who is the 00:02:39.629 --> 00:02:43.229 Savior of all people, especially those who believe. 00:02:43.889 --> 00:02:47.569 Commend and teach these things. Let no one despise 00:02:47.569 --> 00:02:50.330 you for your youth, but set the believers an 00:02:50.330 --> 00:02:54.830 example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith. 00:02:55.319 --> 00:02:59.180 impurity. Until I come, devote yourself to the 00:02:59.180 --> 00:03:03.379 public reading of scripture, to exhortation, 00:03:03.500 --> 00:03:07.099 to teaching. Do not neglect the gift which was 00:03:07.099 --> 00:03:09.879 given you by prophecy when the council of elders 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:13.319 laid hands on you. Practice these things. Immerse 00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:17.599 yourself in them so that all may see your progress. 00:03:17.960 --> 00:03:21.979 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. 00:03:22.539 --> 00:03:26.379 Persist in this. For by doing so, you will save 00:03:26.379 --> 00:03:30.840 both yourself and your hearers. What an imperative. 00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:35.439 What an encouragement that Paul gives. He exhorts 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:39.879 Timothy to be one who rightly handles, preaches, 00:03:40.139 --> 00:03:45.020 teaches, walks, lives, is committed and fully 00:03:45.020 --> 00:03:49.719 devoted to the word of God. That is the necessity 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:54.469 here. So as men, we must commit. To the word 00:03:54.469 --> 00:03:57.789 of God. Our wives, our children are watching. 00:03:58.009 --> 00:04:00.750 The world is watching. So the teaching and the 00:04:00.750 --> 00:04:03.990 schemes of demons continue even today. And the 00:04:03.990 --> 00:04:07.189 inoculation of false doctrine is Christ's true 00:04:07.189 --> 00:04:10.069 and faithful doctrine. There is a doctrine. There's 00:04:10.069 --> 00:04:13.729 one doctrine. One true and real doctrine. The 00:04:13.729 --> 00:04:16.579 doctrine of Christ. The complete truth of His 00:04:16.579 --> 00:04:20.019 Word. This is what it says in 2 Peter 2, verse 00:04:20.019 --> 00:04:23.720 1. But false prophets also arose among the people, 00:04:23.899 --> 00:04:27.279 just as there will be false teachers among you 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:30.540 who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, 00:04:30.579 --> 00:04:34.620 even denying the Master who bought them, bringing 00:04:34.620 --> 00:04:38.660 upon themselves swift destruction. Isn't it interesting 00:04:38.660 --> 00:04:41.860 that Peter says the same exact thing that Paul 00:04:41.860 --> 00:04:45.300 says to Timothy here? Now the Spirit expressively 00:04:45.300 --> 00:04:49.860 says that in later times. So this is a prophecy 00:04:49.860 --> 00:04:54.480 that the Holy Spirit is giving Paul to tell Timothy. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:59.000 This is from God himself. The Spirit of God says 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:02.759 this. In latter times. What's interesting about 00:05:02.759 --> 00:05:06.060 this word times is it's a fixed and definite 00:05:06.060 --> 00:05:09.740 time. What time? Today time. How do we know? 00:05:09.899 --> 00:05:13.339 Look at the world. Look at the preachers. Look 00:05:13.339 --> 00:05:17.480 at the teachers. We live in that time now. That's 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:20.959 the time. Some. This word some, as I explained 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:23.600 to you last week, this word tis means certain 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:26.420 ones. Which ones? The ones that were not of the 00:05:26.420 --> 00:05:29.680 family, who came in as if they were of the family, 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:33.019 wolves dressed in sheep's clothing, and they, 00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:36.180 those ones, will depart. They were never of us. 00:05:36.220 --> 00:05:38.040 If they had been of us, they would have remained 00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:40.699 with us. But because they're not of us, they're 00:05:40.699 --> 00:05:43.709 gone. Eventually they'll leave because they've 00:05:43.709 --> 00:05:46.730 came in and devoured the sheep and tried to wreck 00:05:46.730 --> 00:05:49.089 the church and as a result have left the church 00:05:49.089 --> 00:05:52.170 in a dismantled way. That's the idea. Or they 00:05:52.170 --> 00:05:54.850 get caught and then they're slain like a bad 00:05:54.850 --> 00:05:57.110 wolf that they are, right? Slain with the word 00:05:57.110 --> 00:06:00.310 of God. Now, to this word, some means certain 00:06:00.310 --> 00:06:04.829 ones will depart, episteme, withdraw oneself. 00:06:04.949 --> 00:06:09.430 They will withdraw themselves from the faith, 00:06:09.589 --> 00:06:13.139 from the pistis. The word faith here means gospel. 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:16.779 They will withdraw from the sound doctrine of 00:06:16.779 --> 00:06:20.019 the gospel. But what happens in our day that 00:06:20.019 --> 00:06:22.660 we live? The day that we live is these men who 00:06:22.660 --> 00:06:25.259 have withdrawn from the sound doctrine of the 00:06:25.259 --> 00:06:29.800 gospel have built up churches to teach bad doctrine. 00:06:29.980 --> 00:06:33.379 And they draw in thousands. And people give thousands 00:06:33.379 --> 00:06:36.899 of dollars to these people. Because they write 00:06:36.899 --> 00:06:39.839 a book that we think is Christian, they've got 00:06:39.839 --> 00:06:42.959 to be believers. I mean, you're promised that 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:46.540 if you give $1 ,000, you're going to get that 00:06:46.540 --> 00:06:49.000 new car. It's only a matter of time if the only 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:54.199 new people have been deceived. And to some degree, 00:06:54.259 --> 00:06:56.699 I can't help but think that this deception is 00:06:56.699 --> 00:06:59.399 a judgment upon them from God himself, which 00:06:59.399 --> 00:07:03.540 we will read later on. So these people, these 00:07:03.540 --> 00:07:06.370 men have departed. have withdrawn themselves 00:07:06.370 --> 00:07:09.670 from the sound truth of the gospel, and they 00:07:09.670 --> 00:07:12.350 have devoted. This word devoting means to apply, 00:07:12.730 --> 00:07:17.029 attach, hold, or cleave oneself to. They have 00:07:17.029 --> 00:07:20.709 fully committed themselves to deceitful spirits. 00:07:21.230 --> 00:07:24.050 Like, think about that. This word deceitful means 00:07:24.050 --> 00:07:28.629 actuated or moved by. It's an attitude of disposition. 00:07:29.250 --> 00:07:32.310 What are they? actuated or moved by they're actuated 00:07:32.310 --> 00:07:36.350 and moved by the teachings of demons that's what 00:07:36.350 --> 00:07:38.730 moves them that's what that's what motivates 00:07:38.730 --> 00:07:43.129 them to do what they do now these teachings of 00:07:43.129 --> 00:07:47.310 demons this word teachings is our teachings the 00:07:47.310 --> 00:07:51.129 demons means teachings disseminated by evil spirits 00:07:51.129 --> 00:07:54.410 and seducing people from the truth now what we'll 00:07:54.410 --> 00:07:57.589 read here is that these particular men had said 00:07:57.589 --> 00:08:00.620 that they need to They need to stop marrying. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:02.899 They need to stop having intimacy with their 00:08:02.899 --> 00:08:07.480 wives. They need to stop eating food that God 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:11.639 has declared clean. Why? Think about Ephesus. 00:08:11.959 --> 00:08:14.699 What was all over Ephesus? If you stop having 00:08:14.699 --> 00:08:16.639 sex with your wife, where are you going to go 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:19.660 have sex? At the next temple down the road. Because 00:08:19.660 --> 00:08:22.339 that's what they did. If you stop eating food 00:08:22.339 --> 00:08:25.199 that God has declared clean, what have you done? 00:08:25.399 --> 00:08:28.129 You end up being a hypocrite. Because you can't 00:08:28.129 --> 00:08:30.250 gather with those who eat differently than you. 00:08:30.370 --> 00:08:34.190 They live in Ephesus. It's a very different type 00:08:34.190 --> 00:08:37.990 of city than Jerusalem. And so what we end up 00:08:37.990 --> 00:08:41.029 seeing is they have given themselves over to 00:08:41.029 --> 00:08:44.230 these teachings of demons. Now what's interesting 00:08:44.230 --> 00:08:46.590 is that as they've given themselves over to the 00:08:46.590 --> 00:08:49.450 teachings of demons, through the insincerity 00:08:49.450 --> 00:08:53.909 of liars, this term, insincerity of liars, means 00:08:53.909 --> 00:08:58.350 lies. Or false teachings, hypocrisy. They are 00:08:58.350 --> 00:09:01.830 hypocrites. You call yourself a believer in Jesus, 00:09:01.950 --> 00:09:05.509 but you live as if you're not. You want to follow 00:09:05.509 --> 00:09:09.490 the law and deny the grace of God. When in reality, 00:09:09.570 --> 00:09:13.450 the law is the teacher. The law is the proof 00:09:13.450 --> 00:09:16.889 that you are lost and desperately wicked. But 00:09:16.889 --> 00:09:19.149 they commit to the law, not commit to Christ. 00:09:19.330 --> 00:09:22.000 The fulfillment of the law. whose consciences 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:25.299 were seared. This word, conscience, is burned 00:09:25.299 --> 00:09:28.940 in with a branding iron. Now, how many of you 00:09:28.940 --> 00:09:32.360 guys ever looked at a cow get burned with a branding 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:35.279 iron? Can you make that brand go away? You've 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:37.940 got to kill the cow. So the point is that their 00:09:37.940 --> 00:09:41.019 consciences have been seared with a branding 00:09:41.019 --> 00:09:44.360 iron that will always be there. They have given 00:09:44.360 --> 00:09:48.679 themselves over to these bad, evil teachings. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:52.389 Now, How do we know this? Go to 1 Timothy chapter 00:09:52.389 --> 00:09:56.690 1. Why was Paul telling Timothy this? It's a 00:09:56.690 --> 00:09:59.809 reminder of what he says to Timothy in chapter 00:09:59.809 --> 00:10:03.330 1, verse 5 through 7. Look what it says. The 00:10:03.330 --> 00:10:07.450 aim of our charge is love. What Paul is doing 00:10:07.450 --> 00:10:11.470 here in telling Timothy about these evil men, 00:10:11.509 --> 00:10:13.809 and we know who these evil men are because they're 00:10:13.809 --> 00:10:18.289 mentioned at the end of chapter 1. Is that our 00:10:18.289 --> 00:10:20.509 aim for you, Timothy, and for the brothers and 00:10:20.509 --> 00:10:24.490 sisters in Ephesus is love. And our love that 00:10:24.490 --> 00:10:29.409 issues from a pure heart and a good conscience 00:10:29.409 --> 00:10:32.830 and a sincere faith. We're telling you this because 00:10:32.830 --> 00:10:36.309 it is of a clear conscience that what we're telling 00:10:36.309 --> 00:10:41.070 you is absolutely true. It is with sincere faith, 00:10:41.309 --> 00:10:44.129 knowing the gospel, that we share this to you. 00:10:44.230 --> 00:10:47.210 And then he says in verse 6, Certain persons, 00:10:47.230 --> 00:10:51.250 by swerving from these, by swerving from what? 00:10:51.350 --> 00:10:56.110 Love, good conscience, sincere faith, have wandered 00:10:56.110 --> 00:11:00.649 away into vain discussion, into doctrines of 00:11:00.649 --> 00:11:03.889 demons. That's what he means here. Into these 00:11:03.889 --> 00:11:09.559 deceitful, actuated, and moved attitudes. concerning 00:11:09.559 --> 00:11:12.460 the word of God, desiring to be teachers of the 00:11:12.460 --> 00:11:15.240 law without understanding either what they are 00:11:15.240 --> 00:11:19.480 saying or the things about which they make confident 00:11:19.480 --> 00:11:22.320 assertions. They spoke to the people in Ephesus 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:25.799 as if it was factual. You know you need to abstain 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:28.659 from sex with your wife. Don't get married. You 00:11:28.659 --> 00:11:31.220 know you can't eat this type of food. And what 00:11:31.220 --> 00:11:34.960 Paul does in verse 3, chapter 4, verse 3, he 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:38.539 says, These particular men say, who forbid marriage, 00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:41.879 require abstinence from food? This is a false 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:45.980 sense of high moral standard, a self -righteousness 00:11:45.980 --> 00:11:50.019 by following the law. Look at what I can do. 00:11:50.259 --> 00:11:54.399 But he says this, but, right, that God created 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:57.379 to be received with thanksgiving. These foods 00:11:57.379 --> 00:12:01.220 that God created, these marriages that God has 00:12:01.220 --> 00:12:04.820 united, should be received with thanksgiving. 00:12:05.289 --> 00:12:09.110 The whole point, men, of marriage is to be an 00:12:09.110 --> 00:12:12.330 example of Christ and his church. Without marriage, 00:12:12.509 --> 00:12:16.210 what other example will the world see? The first 00:12:16.210 --> 00:12:19.850 institution that he created was family. The family 00:12:19.850 --> 00:12:23.470 is necessary for the proclamation of the gospel. 00:12:23.789 --> 00:12:26.509 Without the family, where does the gospel go? 00:12:26.690 --> 00:12:30.490 Because families build the family of God. Isn't 00:12:30.490 --> 00:12:33.740 that interesting? Look what it says. By those 00:12:33.740 --> 00:12:37.240 who believe and know the truth. That we who know 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:40.659 the truth, who believe in Christ, should receive 00:12:40.659 --> 00:12:44.940 these things with thanksgiving. Verse 4. For 00:12:44.940 --> 00:12:48.039 everything created by God is good, and nothing 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:51.919 is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. 00:12:52.220 --> 00:12:57.299 Why? For it is made holy by the word of God and 00:12:57.299 --> 00:13:01.059 prayer. Every wedding that I have done has been... 00:13:01.289 --> 00:13:04.570 has been clearly articulated through the scripture 00:13:04.570 --> 00:13:08.669 of Christ and his church, and has been poured 00:13:08.669 --> 00:13:11.870 out in prayer in that service. When we sit down 00:13:11.870 --> 00:13:15.909 and eat, we pray. And we praise God for his creation, 00:13:16.009 --> 00:13:18.850 that he has given us all things. And it says 00:13:18.850 --> 00:13:21.350 in Genesis, when he had finished the work, he 00:13:21.350 --> 00:13:25.210 said, it is very good. Why do we call things 00:13:25.210 --> 00:13:28.899 as if they're bad? Second principle. Faithful 00:13:28.899 --> 00:13:32.139 men commit to the full gospel and sound doctrine 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:36.279 by which they can avoid false and silly doctrine. 00:13:36.360 --> 00:13:40.159 Now, these verses might be slightly offensive 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:42.740 a little bit, and I'm okay with that. So please 00:13:42.740 --> 00:13:44.960 make sure you understand the heart of why I'm 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:47.659 saying what I'm saying, okay? But before we go 00:13:47.659 --> 00:13:50.509 there, 2 Peter chapter 3. Verse 17 through 18 00:13:50.509 --> 00:13:53.789 says this. You therefore, beloved, knowing this 00:13:53.789 --> 00:13:56.909 beforehand, take care that you are not carried 00:13:56.909 --> 00:14:00.629 away with the error of lawless people and lose 00:14:00.629 --> 00:14:04.970 your own stability. If you do not stand on the 00:14:04.970 --> 00:14:07.830 chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ, upon the foundation 00:14:07.830 --> 00:14:10.570 of the apostles and the prophets, which is the 00:14:10.570 --> 00:14:13.389 word of God brought to us and given to us on 00:14:13.389 --> 00:14:15.549 paper, then where else are you going to stand? 00:14:15.690 --> 00:14:19.960 But on sand. Now. but grow in the grace and knowledge 00:14:19.960 --> 00:14:22.980 of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be 00:14:22.980 --> 00:14:27.360 the glory both now and to the day of eternity. 00:14:27.659 --> 00:14:33.240 Amen. 1 Timothy 4, 6 through 7a. If you put these 00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:36.179 things, what's these things? The instructions 00:14:36.179 --> 00:14:38.820 that have been supplied to you. What instructions? 00:14:39.299 --> 00:14:41.620 Everything that I've talked to you about, Timothy. 00:14:41.720 --> 00:14:44.820 All the things that you've learned under my mentorship. 00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:48.159 Everything I've said from chapter 1 to chapter 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:52.419 4 so far. These things. Supply these things before 00:14:52.419 --> 00:14:55.559 the brothers. Give them to the brothers. This 00:14:55.559 --> 00:14:58.460 is what a pastor does. This is what a teacher 00:14:58.460 --> 00:15:01.820 does. We come before you and we give you these 00:15:01.820 --> 00:15:04.879 things. And your responsibility is to diligently 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:07.980 search them out and prove them. And when you 00:15:07.980 --> 00:15:11.580 prove them, apply them. Now, if you put these 00:15:11.580 --> 00:15:14.360 things before the brothers, you will be a good 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:17.879 servant. Of Christ Jesus. You hear that? What 00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:19.860 happens if you don't put these things before 00:15:19.860 --> 00:15:23.620 the brothers? You're a bad servant. So when I 00:15:23.620 --> 00:15:26.799 share with you things that are difficult. I have 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:29.159 a responsibility to put them there. Especially 00:15:29.159 --> 00:15:31.759 if I search them out to be true. Based upon all 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:34.139 of the study and teaching that I've gone through 00:15:34.139 --> 00:15:37.539 myself. Now that being said. Let's keep reading. 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:40.899 Being trained. And trefo is the word here. Means 00:15:40.899 --> 00:15:44.879 to educate or form the mind. What's the proof 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:48.000 of this? Romans chapter 12, verse 2. Do not be 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:49.860 conformed to the pattern of this world, but be 00:15:49.860 --> 00:15:52.240 transformed by the renewing of your mind. This 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:57.320 word training means to educate or form the mind 00:15:57.320 --> 00:16:02.659 in the words of faith, in the words of the gospel 00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:07.279 of Christ, in the sound doctrine of Christ. And 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:10.779 that's what it says next. And of the good. the 00:16:10.779 --> 00:16:13.919 teachings of Christ that you followed. You, Timothy, 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:18.220 must educate, continue to educate, form the mind 00:16:18.220 --> 00:16:21.799 in the words of the gospel of Christ and of the 00:16:21.799 --> 00:16:24.200 sound doctrine, the teachings of Christ that 00:16:24.200 --> 00:16:26.700 you have followed, that you have committed your 00:16:26.700 --> 00:16:31.620 life to. This word follow is the word perakal. 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:33.620 I knew I was going to mess that up. I do that 00:16:33.620 --> 00:16:35.850 every time. Every week I've got a Greek word. 00:16:35.889 --> 00:16:37.490 I'm not even going to say the word because it's 00:16:37.490 --> 00:16:39.370 not going to come out right now. But this word 00:16:39.370 --> 00:16:43.389 means conform oneself to. I still want to say 00:16:43.389 --> 00:16:46.730 it, but I'm not going to. That's my ADD. I see 00:16:46.730 --> 00:16:48.029 it. I've got to do it, but I'm not going to do 00:16:48.029 --> 00:16:50.629 it. Anyway, it means to conform. What are you 00:16:50.629 --> 00:16:54.350 conforming yourself to, Timothy? The gospel and 00:16:54.350 --> 00:16:57.009 the teachings of Christ have nothing to do with 00:16:57.009 --> 00:17:01.610 irreverent, profane, silly myths. This word silly, 00:17:01.870 --> 00:17:05.890 here's where. I'm so sorry. But when I read this, 00:17:06.029 --> 00:17:11.190 I'm like, oh, Lord, do I? Yes, I have to. This 00:17:11.190 --> 00:17:17.890 word silly means grandma or old womanish. Now, 00:17:17.910 --> 00:17:20.029 what? I noticed everybody starts laughing at 00:17:20.029 --> 00:17:22.150 that. Like, what are you talking about? Well, 00:17:22.309 --> 00:17:26.230 grandma with the little kids. Grandmom says silly 00:17:26.230 --> 00:17:28.990 or old womanish things. And the children go, 00:17:29.109 --> 00:17:32.000 what are you talking about, grandma? That doesn't 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:35.079 even make sense. That's because we think differently. 00:17:35.299 --> 00:17:37.380 So when you're thinking about this issue, he's 00:17:37.380 --> 00:17:39.759 really getting us to understand that we should 00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:42.960 have nothing to do with profane or things that 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:46.220 don't make sense, right? And myths, this word 00:17:46.220 --> 00:17:49.039 myths means fiction or falsehood. Now that I'm 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:53.079 older and getting older, I know that I'm going 00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:55.440 to say something to my kids that are going to 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:57.519 be silly. I know when I was a youth pastor because 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:01.160 of my age, I say stuff and they're going, Pastor 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:04.039 Joe, you're just dumb. Like, you don't even know, 00:18:04.259 --> 00:18:09.000 right? So think of it this way. It's this idea 00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:12.059 of the big fat Greek wedding. Does Windex really 00:18:12.059 --> 00:18:15.980 make any sense? So if you ever watched my big 00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:18.180 fat Greek wedding, they would put Windex on everything. 00:18:18.460 --> 00:18:21.220 You get a scrape, Windex. You want to clean the 00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:23.619 countertop, Windex. Everything's Windex. Windex 00:18:23.619 --> 00:18:26.420 fixed everything. That's silly. Where'd it come 00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:29.730 from? Grandma. It makes no sense. That's the 00:18:29.730 --> 00:18:33.130 idea here. So let's move on from that. I figured 00:18:33.130 --> 00:18:35.950 you would laugh at that. Third principle, men 00:18:35.950 --> 00:18:38.809 of God fight, contend for the sound doctrine 00:18:38.809 --> 00:18:42.450 of God by the consistent study of the word and 00:18:42.450 --> 00:18:46.089 must expose all who contradict it. He must hold 00:18:46.089 --> 00:18:50.250 firm to the trustworthy word as taught so that 00:18:50.250 --> 00:18:53.809 he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine 00:18:53.809 --> 00:18:58.019 and also to rebuke those who contradict it. Titus 00:18:58.019 --> 00:19:01.480 chapter 1 verse 9. Look what it says in 1 Timothy 00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:07.019 4, 7b to 10. Rather, train yourself for godliness. 00:19:07.559 --> 00:19:10.480 This phrase, train yourself for godliness, means 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:15.440 purpose to exercise vigorously the mind to become 00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:19.700 godly or to become like Christ. You have a responsibility 00:19:19.700 --> 00:19:24.920 to exercise vigorously the mind. You've got to 00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:27.380 spend time in the word. You wonder why Christians 00:19:27.380 --> 00:19:30.920 walk defeated lives all day long. It's because 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:33.079 they haven't spent time in the Word. And then 00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:35.619 when they look at the Word, they haven't searched 00:19:35.619 --> 00:19:38.960 it out for a while. Bodily training is of some 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:44.019 value. Godliness is of value in every way. Why? 00:19:44.589 --> 00:19:47.990 Because if the word of God is renewing my mind 00:19:47.990 --> 00:19:51.269 and if the word of God is really saturating my 00:19:51.269 --> 00:19:54.670 life, then the stewardship and the care of all 00:19:54.670 --> 00:19:59.470 things will be lived out. As it holds promise 00:19:59.470 --> 00:20:03.210 for the present life and also for the life to 00:20:03.210 --> 00:20:07.250 come. Can you imagine that godliness today is 00:20:07.250 --> 00:20:10.650 not a waste because of what's to come. What you 00:20:10.650 --> 00:20:15.019 do today... is going to and is actively impacting 00:20:15.019 --> 00:20:18.480 your eternity. Like, it's not a waste of time. 00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:21.460 God doesn't put us on earth here, and then once 00:20:21.460 --> 00:20:25.700 it's all over, we go, well, he just washes it 00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:29.319 clean and starts over again. No, he started the 00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:32.299 process for you in the beginning of time. When 00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:34.059 he wrote your name in the Lamb's book of life. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:36.819 And then through that time period as he brings 00:20:36.819 --> 00:20:39.059 you to salvation. And then progressively starts 00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:41.519 to sanctify you. To make you more like Christ. 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:45.119 The scripture says that he will complete the 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:47.839 work that he started. You have been predestined 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:51.359 to be conformed into the image of his son. You 00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:54.019 are a work in progress. And he will finish that 00:20:54.019 --> 00:20:57.359 work when Christ returns. He doesn't come and 00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:59.279 then start all over again. And wash you clean 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:01.630 and just give you everything you wanted. It's 00:21:01.630 --> 00:21:05.490 not how God works. Now, understanding that, how 00:21:05.490 --> 00:21:07.910 should you live? How should you be living out 00:21:07.910 --> 00:21:10.470 your life now? What kind of effort should you 00:21:10.470 --> 00:21:13.809 be putting in now? Now, godliness is a value 00:21:13.809 --> 00:21:16.730 in every way as it holds promise for the present 00:21:16.730 --> 00:21:19.450 life and also for the life to come. This promised 00:21:19.450 --> 00:21:22.750 life, present and future. The more perfect state 00:21:22.750 --> 00:21:26.650 of things. The saying. What saying? The saying 00:21:26.650 --> 00:21:29.589 that's in verse 7 and 8. That saying, the one 00:21:29.589 --> 00:21:32.319 we just talked about. is trustworthy and deserving 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:36.519 of full acceptance. Live now. Work now. Spiritually 00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:40.220 exercise now. It's not a waste of time. Look 00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:43.119 what it says this here. For to this end we toil, 00:21:43.180 --> 00:21:47.160 we labor, and strive, contend. So to this end 00:21:47.160 --> 00:21:50.859 we labor and contend because we have our hope 00:21:50.859 --> 00:21:54.920 set on the living God. I love when Paul uses 00:21:54.920 --> 00:21:58.599 this term, living God. He's not a God who's dead 00:21:58.599 --> 00:22:01.660 like the rest of the idols and false gods. This 00:22:01.660 --> 00:22:04.799 is the living God. Like all we do for him now 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:08.839 is effective and purposeful. And he is the savior 00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:12.819 of all people. All what people? Especially, chiefly, 00:22:12.819 --> 00:22:15.900 those who believe. He saves those who believe. 00:22:16.180 --> 00:22:19.970 And has commanded... that we must command and 00:22:19.970 --> 00:22:24.029 teach these things, Paul says, that we should 00:22:24.029 --> 00:22:26.789 be commanding these things and teaching these 00:22:26.789 --> 00:22:29.750 things. Now, you guys know, love God, love his 00:22:29.750 --> 00:22:31.809 word, love his ways, love his things, right? 00:22:31.950 --> 00:22:34.390 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing 00:22:34.390 --> 00:22:35.849 them in the name of the Father, Son, and the 00:22:35.849 --> 00:22:38.589 Holy Spirit. A lot of churches stop there. It 00:22:38.589 --> 00:22:41.609 doesn't stop there. What we see is surrender, 00:22:41.890 --> 00:22:46.029 conformity. Conformity. Sanctification. You cannot 00:22:46.029 --> 00:22:48.630 understand the purpose of the work of the sanctifying 00:22:48.630 --> 00:22:51.369 work of God unless you are in the word. You must 00:22:51.369 --> 00:22:54.349 obey. There is not an option here. Teaching them 00:22:54.349 --> 00:22:58.609 to observe all that I command. Not the things 00:22:58.609 --> 00:23:01.609 I want or the things I don't want. All that I've 00:23:01.609 --> 00:23:04.049 commanded you. I can't help but think in Romania 00:23:04.049 --> 00:23:06.950 that they do this. This is a common understanding 00:23:06.950 --> 00:23:09.210 in different countries. But here in America, 00:23:09.349 --> 00:23:12.599 it's not a common teaching. Because all we want 00:23:12.599 --> 00:23:15.420 to do is tickle ears and make people feel like, 00:23:15.460 --> 00:23:18.579 oh, God loves me. But Jesus says, if you love 00:23:18.579 --> 00:23:21.740 me, you obey my commands. This is not an issue 00:23:21.740 --> 00:23:24.000 of legalism. It's an issue of surrendered heart 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:26.980 and life to the purpose of glorifying God in 00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:29.859 how I live. It's good for you. That's why he 00:23:29.859 --> 00:23:33.599 says here, train yourself. Exercise vigorously 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:38.180 the mind to become godly. Lastly, I can't believe 00:23:38.180 --> 00:23:41.410 we got this entire chapter done. Praise God. 00:23:41.769 --> 00:23:46.029 Men of God, keep careful attention to that which 00:23:46.029 --> 00:23:49.650 is entrusted to them. You must keep careful attention 00:23:49.650 --> 00:23:52.769 to that which God has entrusted to you. And I'm 00:23:52.769 --> 00:23:54.170 going to give you some basic things that God 00:23:54.170 --> 00:23:56.150 has entrusted to you. First and foremost, he's 00:23:56.150 --> 00:23:59.109 entrusted the gospel to you. The most important 00:23:59.109 --> 00:24:01.349 thing on the planet, more important than your 00:24:01.349 --> 00:24:04.849 wife, the gospel of Jesus Christ, the life -giving 00:24:04.849 --> 00:24:07.390 word of God. There is nothing more important 00:24:07.390 --> 00:24:11.200 than that. The second, your wife. Take good care 00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:13.839 of her. Be the example of Christ in the church 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:17.299 by being sacrificial to her. And then third, 00:24:17.480 --> 00:24:21.000 your children. The future of what God has given 00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:25.579 as a gift to you. Your children are his. He desires 00:24:25.579 --> 00:24:29.779 godly offspring. So men of God, keep careful 00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:32.200 attention to which God has entrusted to you. 00:24:32.299 --> 00:24:35.539 The word of God and the gospel of Christ. Let 00:24:35.539 --> 00:24:38.660 us hold fast the confession of our hope. without 00:24:38.660 --> 00:24:42.960 wavering, for he who promised is faithful. What 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:45.359 is he faithful to do? Everything that he's promised. 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:50.539 You must be careful to care for and contend for 00:24:50.539 --> 00:24:53.380 what he's entrusted to you. 1 Timothy 4, 12 through 00:24:53.380 --> 00:24:57.099 16. Let no one despise you. Let no one think 00:24:57.099 --> 00:25:00.900 little, disdain you for your youth. If you are 00:25:00.900 --> 00:25:04.400 young, good. Youth has nothing to do with godliness. 00:25:04.599 --> 00:25:07.900 If you're a godly man, or a godly woman and you're 00:25:07.900 --> 00:25:11.140 young, be an example of godliness. Because there's 00:25:11.140 --> 00:25:13.700 a lot of old people that need to see that. Timothy, 00:25:13.880 --> 00:25:16.319 roughly around 19 to 20 years old, like I've 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:21.019 said, he was an example of godliness to the older 00:25:21.019 --> 00:25:23.140 men in the community. And they said, don't let 00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:26.839 anyone look down on you, disdain you, or despise 00:25:26.839 --> 00:25:29.980 you, Timothy, but set the believers an example. 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:33.259 And there is no other word in the Greek, I looked 00:25:33.259 --> 00:25:36.460 them all up, This list is exactly what he means. 00:25:36.579 --> 00:25:40.779 An example in speech and how I speak. In conduct 00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:44.740 and how I live. In love and how I give my life 00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:48.200 for God and his people. In faith and how I contend 00:25:48.200 --> 00:25:50.339 to the gospel and the doctrine of truth. And 00:25:50.339 --> 00:25:53.519 in purity and how I live so that no one can say 00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:56.420 anything about me. Do this, Timothy says, until 00:25:56.420 --> 00:25:59.660 I come. And then he says, devote. Devote thought 00:25:59.660 --> 00:26:04.000 and effort, Timothy. To what? to public reading 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:07.660 of scripture, of exhortation and teaching. Do 00:26:07.660 --> 00:26:11.039 not. This is an imperative statement. It's a 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:15.339 command. Do not neglect. Amaleo is the word here. 00:26:15.460 --> 00:26:19.500 Do not be careless with the gift. What gift? 00:26:19.740 --> 00:26:23.079 The God -given power to discharge the office 00:26:23.079 --> 00:26:26.099 of an evangelist is the word here. This word 00:26:26.099 --> 00:26:30.660 gift means that. Do not stop being an evangelist 00:26:30.660 --> 00:26:33.440 and preaching the full counsel of God's word 00:26:33.440 --> 00:26:37.480 and the gospel. You have ensue is the word here. 00:26:37.579 --> 00:26:42.779 You have in you what's in us. God, you have, 00:26:42.819 --> 00:26:46.279 that word you have means in you. Do not be careless 00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:49.839 with the gift that is in you, which was given 00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:53.500 by prophecy. The word prophecy means this, that 00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:56.359 which comes through and by the gospel. It's not 00:26:56.359 --> 00:27:00.059 by. Men laying hands on the person and some power 00:27:00.059 --> 00:27:02.420 comes out and all of a sudden they have received 00:27:02.420 --> 00:27:04.720 something that they never had before. That's 00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:07.579 not what it means here. The power of the evangelist 00:27:07.579 --> 00:27:10.599 comes by the power of the Holy Spirit by which 00:27:10.599 --> 00:27:14.740 he has been given through the gospel. All things 00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:18.259 come through Christ. That which comes through 00:27:18.259 --> 00:27:22.619 and by the gospel. When the council of elders... 00:27:23.289 --> 00:27:25.430 Presbyterion is the word here. It's where they 00:27:25.430 --> 00:27:29.329 get the word presbytery from or presbyterians. 00:27:29.650 --> 00:27:33.069 The council of elders. That's why the elders 00:27:33.069 --> 00:27:36.970 have a very important role that we play in how 00:27:36.970 --> 00:27:41.490 we look at, evaluate deeply those who are the 00:27:41.490 --> 00:27:44.150 elders and the deacons of the church. The church 00:27:44.150 --> 00:27:47.029 doesn't make that choice. God makes that choice. 00:27:47.269 --> 00:27:50.039 What do we do? This council of lepers that have 00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:54.140 been laid, they laid their hands. Epithesis is 00:27:54.140 --> 00:27:57.940 the word here. They imposed. Imposed what? Imposed 00:27:57.940 --> 00:28:02.160 the power and the truth of God to Timothy. They 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:06.880 have imposed God truth upon him. He says this, 00:28:06.900 --> 00:28:10.019 Timothy, practice. Attend carefully these things. 00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:12.880 Immerse yourself in them. Do you hear that, men? 00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:17.180 How much do you immerse yourself in the word 00:28:17.180 --> 00:28:20.769 of God? How much time do you spend listening, 00:28:21.210 --> 00:28:26.609 singing, hearing, writing, thinking about? You'll 00:28:26.609 --> 00:28:28.549 be like, that's a little bit too much. Man does 00:28:28.549 --> 00:28:30.490 not live by bread alone, but by every word that 00:28:30.490 --> 00:28:32.549 comes out of the mouth of God. The very word 00:28:32.549 --> 00:28:35.289 of God keeps you alive. And you can't devote 00:28:35.289 --> 00:28:39.009 yourself 15, 20 minutes to that. I'm too busy. 00:28:39.430 --> 00:28:42.250 There's nothing in your life that's so busy that 00:28:42.250 --> 00:28:45.289 you can't spend time with God and his word. There's 00:28:45.289 --> 00:28:47.829 no reason. There's no excuse. You've got 24 hours 00:28:47.829 --> 00:28:50.190 a day. I don't have enough time. God is giving 00:28:50.190 --> 00:28:52.609 you enough time. He's giving you 24 hours. And 00:28:52.609 --> 00:28:54.670 you don't know the day when it's all done. You 00:28:54.670 --> 00:28:56.950 better get it in now because when the day is 00:28:56.950 --> 00:28:59.509 over, you ain't getting it in no more. Practice 00:28:59.509 --> 00:29:02.390 is done. Practice. Attend carefully to these 00:29:02.390 --> 00:29:05.890 things. Immerse yourselves in them. Why? So that 00:29:05.890 --> 00:29:09.690 all may see your progress. You hear that? That 00:29:09.690 --> 00:29:12.950 all may see the sanctifying work of God in your 00:29:12.950 --> 00:29:15.369 life. So it's not, I don't do this because I 00:29:15.369 --> 00:29:17.569 want to feel good. I'm doing this so others can 00:29:17.569 --> 00:29:21.990 see. When others see, others may want. Very interesting. 00:29:22.410 --> 00:29:25.869 This word progress means make known. Make known 00:29:25.869 --> 00:29:29.950 what? The effectual work of the word of God. 00:29:30.130 --> 00:29:34.529 Make known. Now, keep a close watch. Give attention 00:29:34.529 --> 00:29:38.529 to what? Yourself. Watch yourself, Timothy. Pay 00:29:38.529 --> 00:29:41.089 attention. Keep the word. That's what he says 00:29:41.089 --> 00:29:44.849 here. Keep watch. On yourself and on the teaching. 00:29:45.049 --> 00:29:47.930 What teaching? That which has been taught. The 00:29:47.930 --> 00:29:50.069 doctrine that you've been given. Not some new 00:29:50.069 --> 00:29:53.029 doctrine. There's no new truth coming. It's what 00:29:53.029 --> 00:29:55.390 you've been given now through the word. And then 00:29:55.390 --> 00:30:01.990 he says this. Persist in this. In what? In the 00:30:01.990 --> 00:30:03.910 work of the teaching of the doctrine that you've 00:30:03.910 --> 00:30:07.230 been given. For by so doing, you will save both 00:30:07.230 --> 00:30:09.470 yourself. And your hearers, what's he mean you 00:30:09.470 --> 00:30:12.650 will save? The word means to maintain, to keep, 00:30:12.750 --> 00:30:17.170 to live in such a way that your life is so impactful 00:30:17.170 --> 00:30:20.829 that your hearers will be impacted. In other 00:30:20.829 --> 00:30:24.869 words, the effectual work of God will not be 00:30:24.869 --> 00:30:28.829 a waste. And it's never a waste. Now, so as men, 00:30:28.829 --> 00:30:32.410 we have a high responsibility. And as men of 00:30:32.410 --> 00:30:35.150 God and preachers, we have the greatest responsibility 00:30:35.150 --> 00:30:38.390 within the church. And so one of the things I 00:30:38.390 --> 00:30:40.650 want you to continue to hear over this next year, 00:30:40.829 --> 00:30:43.869 as men and women of God, as we really look at 00:30:43.869 --> 00:30:45.849 the importance of biblical manhood, biblical 00:30:45.849 --> 00:30:49.650 womanhood, get this basic, simple motto deep 00:30:49.650 --> 00:30:54.569 down. Love God, love his word, love his ways, 00:30:54.670 --> 00:30:58.589 and love his things. When you can do that, you 00:30:58.589 --> 00:31:01.150 will continue to walk in a way that honors him. 00:31:01.210 --> 00:31:04.329 You have to love his word. You love his word, 00:31:04.369 --> 00:31:07.190 you will love to live. When you love to live 00:31:07.190 --> 00:31:10.150 His ways, then you will love and steward His 00:31:10.150 --> 00:31:12.910 things. Father, I want to thank you so much for 00:31:12.910 --> 00:31:15.269 your faithfulness and goodness. We praise you 00:31:15.269 --> 00:31:18.750 for your word. We praise you that you are actively 00:31:18.750 --> 00:31:22.069 working in the hearts and the lives of your people 00:31:22.069 --> 00:31:24.990 to conform us in the image of the living Son 00:31:24.990 --> 00:31:27.369 of God. We praise you and thank you in Jesus' 00:31:27.470 --> 00:31:28.509 name. Amen.