1 Timothy 1:1-20
Paul and Timothy
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2To Timothy my true son in the faith:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Warning Against False Teachers of the Law
3As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work—which is by faith. 5The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. 7They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
8We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
The Lord's Grace to Paul
12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
18Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. 20Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Paul writes to Timothy, his true son in faith...Timothy was a special spiritual friend to Paul...He assisted Paul in his ministry...Paul tells us, Jesus Christ by the command of God, is our hope...Jesus sums up all our hopes...He is our hope for today, our hope for happiness, our eternal hope...
Paul warns Timothy about the teachings of false teachers...False teachers promote controversy rather than God's work...Controversy about God is not the goal...Paul tells Timothy that the goal of the gospel is love...Love comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith...The false teachers have wandered and drifted away from these teachings...
The Law of Moses is good, if one uses it properly...The law is not made for the righteous, but for sinners and lawbreakers...The problem is none of us are completely righteous...Because of God's grace and our faith in Jesus, we have the road map to do what is right, but we still sin...It seems no matter how hard we try to do good, we cannot always do good...If we were good all the time and righteous all the time, we would not need the law... God is the ultimate moral law, the higher law we must follow...In Him, we want to be perfect, but still we can't be perfect...We are wretched men...No man is one hundred perfect righteous...We still sin...We need the Father and Son to help us try to be better men...We have the law to show us we fall short of the glory of God, and need His grace to be saved...
Paul thanks God that He has given us Jesus our LORD...Jesus gives him strength...God also considers Paul faithful and is happy He appointed him to His service, even though he was once a persecutor, a blasphemer, and a violent man...
Paul gives thanks to the Father...The grace of the Father has been poured out to him abundantly, along with the faith and love of Christ Jesus...Christ came into this world to save sinners, which Paul says he was the worst...For that very reason, he was shown mercy being the worst of all sinners, that Jesus might display His unlimited patience, as an example for those who believe in Him, and will receive external life...Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory, forever and ever, amen...
Paul gives Timothy further instruction in keeping with the prophecies that he will follow them so he may fight the good fight, while holding on to his faith in good conscience...While Timothy is a good example, Hymenaeus and Alexander were shipwrecked in their faith and were removed from the church by Paul, so they might see the seriousness of their false teachings...
Paul, the church leader, was like a father to Timothy...He gives Timothy good and practical advice to better lead the church in Ephesus... False teachers would be a past, current, and future threat for Timothy (and Paul)...Paul gives Timothy examples of false teachers and how they promote controversy in God, instead of a pure heart and faith in Him...Paul then tells Timothy about God's grace, and how God has poured out His grace to him...God sent the resurrected Jesus to Paul on the road to Damascus to show him how he persecuted followers of Christ, which was an actual persecution of Jesus...When Paul persecuted His followers, he persecuted Him...
Jesus is our Savior and our hope...Through His resurrection is our hope for eternal life...Paul, like the loving father, gives advice to his good spiritual son, Timothy...The church is to be built up with faith and love and not be torn down with controversy...