Hold Fast to the Faith

Hey, good morning.

I want to invite you to turn with me, if you would, in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 1.

1 Timothy 1 · chapter mention

! 1 Timothy chapter 1 in our continuing series in this letter.

1 Timothy 1 · chapter mention

! If you're using the Pew Bible in front of you, it's on page 991.

The last song just kind of set the tone for the passage for today,

where we're called to listen to the call from Christ the Captain,

and we're reminded about the call to war that we have been given as God's church,

both of which will be themes of this morning's message.

A call to war and following after the message and the marching orders of our Captain Jesus Christ.

But how much do we see the Christian life as a battle?

How much awareness is there in our life about the enemy that we fight

and the battle that rages around us?

That song also helped to allude to the fact that there is a battle that happens,

and in order to be prepared for that battle,

there's weaponry that we're given.

There's armor that the Christian has given to help engage this battle in a way

that will help to protect him, help to safeguard him.

Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10.

Ephesians 6:10

Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against

the wiles or the schemes of the devil.

We have an enemy that is ferocious.

We have an enemy that is out to destroy your faith.

We have an enemy that is interested in dismantling truth

so he can disassemble and deconstruct your confidence in God and in his word

and help you or cause you to abandon the faith that you have.

We live in a time and an age where the word deconstruction perhaps has become more and more familiar.

You become more and more aware of deconstruction that's happening all around us.

So that prominent leaders and pastors,

maybe the most prominent that you would know is Joshua Harris,

who because of deconstruction has essentially abandoned the faith

and has postured himself against the gospel.

A book that's been written recently, it's called The Deconstruction of Christianity.

It's by Alyssa Childers and Tim Barnett.

I would recommend that book to you.

It helps to provide some understanding related to this topic.

They describe the deconstruction movement this way.

They say faith deconstruction is a postmodern process of,

excuse me, rethinking your faith without regarding Scripture as a standard.

The desire is for you to evaluate those things, those tenets of truth,

and reevaluate them in light of the culture

and then push them away because of the arguments that they will give

to try to undermine those truths.

One of the first and prominent leaders of this,

his name is Blake Chastain.

They say that he grew up in an evangelical church

and began to deconstruct during college.

Although he attends a mainline church,

he articulates that he is, to some degree, an agnostic.

In 2016, he birthed the hashtag,

and for those of you who are aware of hashtags,

those of us in my generation, maybe not so much,

but a hashtag movement called Exvangelical.

Not evangelical, but Exvangelical,

which has since grown into a movement

with multiple millions of views on TikTok

and over 100,000 impressions on Twitter every day.

100,000 impressions on Twitter

with the hashtag, Exvangelical.

Blake Chastain has penned a blog post

in which he has fleshed out what it means

to use this hashtag, Exvangelical.

He referred to it as a working definition

and acknowledged that there is more work to do.

But the number one tenant of those

who would follow after the Exvangelical hashtag

is they push against a literal reading of the Scripture.

They don't want a literal reading of the Scripture.

They don't want a standard of truth

that is over us and provides a measure of accountability.

They want to undermine the faith

by disarming and discrediting the truth.

It's the age-old problem

that goes all the way back to creation.

It's the same thing that the enemy did in the garden

when instructions were given to Adam and Eve

about how to live.

What were they told?

Don't eat of the tree in the midst of the garden

because you eat of the tree

that's in the midst of the garden,

you will surely die.

And what does Satan do?

Satan does what every deconstructionist does,

and that is to call the truth claims,

the commands of God into question.

He says,

Did God really say?

And that becomes the hallmark

of the deconstruction movement,

to call into question

the truth claims of God.

And then to turn and twist those truth claims

and to present them as not true.

And Satan then will say,

in response to Eve,

he will say,

You will not surely die.

This is the age in which we live.

This age of deconstruction,

of calling into question

the truth claims of Scripture

and to discredit them

and dismantle them,

not just to try to deconstruct

the truth for you,

but especially to deconstruct your faith

so that you will totally abandon God.

Here's the deconstruction project.

It works in three stages.

Stage one,

identify a problem in society.

Step two,

show how the church

has actively endorsed

or passively allowed injustice

in that area.

And then step three,

conclude that because the church

was passive

in this seeming area

of injustice,

then it just helps

to underscore the fact

that they don't really embrace

the truths that are in the word of God

at all.

And so,

you need to abandon

the church altogether.

Of course,

we understand,

as Paul will say

in this letter to Timothy,

that the church

is the pillar

and the buttress

of the truth.

And so,

if we as God's people

are going to preserve

and protect ourselves

and to safeguard ourselves

from the error

of deconstruction,

we need to follow

the instructions

that were given

by the Apostle Paul

in this letter

to help safeguard our hearts

to maintain

this consistent appeal

and love

for the truth.

Forever to remain

in the truth

and to stand strong

in the face of opposition

and uncertainty,

we need to heed

the warning

and the instructions

the Apostle Paul

will give to us

in our passage this morning.

So,

if you're not already there,

please turn with me

to 1 Timothy 1.

We're going to begin

in verse 12,

kind of pick it up

in the midway

and carry it

through the end.

We're going to begin

to recognize

that one of the first

safeguards for us

in helping to preserve

our hearts

and our minds

and to preserve them

in the truth,

we need to celebrate

God's work in our life.

We must celebrate

God's work in our life.

Notice verse 12.

I thank Him

who has given me strength,

Christ Jesus our Lord,

because He has judged me

faithful,

appointing me

to His service.

Though formerly

I was a blasphemer,

a persecutor,

and an insolent opponent,

I received mercy

because I acted

ignorantly in unbelief.

And the grace

of our Lord

overflowed for me

with the faith

and love

that are in Christ Jesus.

Then He concludes

this section

in verse 17

with this.

To the King of Ages,

immortal,

invisible,

the only God,

be honor and glory

forever and ever.

Amen.

Safeguard your heart

by celebrating

the work of God

in your life.

You see,

it's hard to be critical

when you're thankful.

It's hard to have

the posture

of one who is skeptical

when your heart

is moving towards worship,

is moving in the direction

of praise.

And so the Apostle Paul

throughout the course

of his life

is always seeming

to amplify his heart

in his life

in celebrating

the work of God

in his life.

It becomes

and has become

for him

a bastion,

a stronghold

for him

to safeguard

his own heart

in the face

of deconstruction.

This section

is punctuated

by praise

to God

from the beginning

to end.

Paul is blown

away

by God's

gracious work

in his life.

This opening phrase,

thanks,

is emphatic,

meaning thanks

is put at the very beginning

so literally

it should read,

thanks I have

to God.

This word thanks

is the word kindness,

grace,

gift,

and thanks.

And Paul's

begins with this

thanks to God

because he understands

that it's God

who has strengthened

Paul for ministry.

That everything

that the Apostle Paul

has to be grateful for,

everything that has been

good in his life

is due

to the work of God.

He's been strengthened

by God.

So it leads his heart

to thanksgiving.

Paul is thankful

for two significant reasons

in our passage.

He's first

rejoicing

in the strengthening

power of Christ

and second

we're going to see

in this little piece

that he's thankful

for God

in appointing him

to ministry.

Everything

that Paul has,

everything that Paul

has cherished,

everything that Paul

has accomplished

in life

is due

to the work

of Christ.

First,

thankful for strength.

This word for strength

is the word

cause

to be able

to give strength

or to strengthen.

It's in the passive voice

which means

that the Apostle Paul

is a recipient

of this strengthening power.

It's not a power

that he brought

to the table.

It's not a strength

that he put

into practice.

It was a work

of God

in strengthening

him for a task.

This word

is used

seven times

in the New Testament

but three times

we find it here

within 1 Timothy.

We see it

in Acts 9

Acts 9:22

verse 22

where Paul's

describing

this work.

I don't have

this slide for you

but listen.

It says,

but Paul increased

all the more

in strength

and confounded

the Jews

who lived

in Damascus

by proving

that Jesus

was the Christ.

This strengthening

work of God

in Paul's life

to help him

to work out

ministry.

In Ephesians

Ephesians 6:10

chapter 6

verse 10

the verse

that we

have quoted

at the beginning

of this time

together.

Finally be strong

in the Lord

in the strength

of his might.

That same strength

that was available

to the Apostle Paul

is available

to every believer

in Christ.

in 2 Timothy

2 Timothy 4:17

chapter 4

verse 17

but the Lord

stood with me

and strengthened me

so that through me

the message

might be fully

proclaimed

and all the Gentiles

might hear it

so I was rescued

from the lion's mouth.

Strengthening

power of God

to Paul

to help him

carry out

the work of ministry

that God had entrusted

him to carry out.

This testimony

of Paul's life

is that every

good work

in and through Paul

is because

of Christ's

empowering work

through him.

Second

he judged him faithful

notice

appointing him

to service.

This word for judge

is the word

to consider

the word to be

of an opinion

or to think

or regard.

God regarded

or considered

that Paul

was faithful.

So when did

God consider

that Paul

was faithful

and then appointed

him to ministry?

Well on the surface

perhaps it doesn't

seem so surprising

but when you know

the life

of the apostle Paul

and when you come

to understand

when this appointment

took place

it will take your breath

away

to recognize

that God's

call for ministry

coincided

with God

choosing

the apostle Paul

and setting apart

for salvation.

You remember

those of you

who've read through

the book of Acts

in Acts chapter 9

Acts 9 · chapter mention

you'll remember

the story

that Saul

we don't need

this slide

quite yet

but the apostle

Saul

who was Saul

and then the apostle

Paul

he was given

orders

and letters

to go to

Damascus

and the reason

why he was going

to Damascus

is for the express

purpose of rounding

up the Christians

both men and women

and hauling them

off to jail

but just outside

of Damascus

what happens

a light shines

on Saul

the apostle Paul

shines on him

and a voice

comes from heaven

and says

Saul

Saul

why are you

persecuting me?

Jesus then instructs

Paul to go

into Damascus

and wait for him

there

wait for further

instructions

those instructions

would be that

a man by the name

of Ananias

would come

lay his hands

on Paul

and Paul

would receive

his sight

meanwhile

God shows up

to Ananias

in the city

of Damascus

Ananias

has heard

what Paul

is going to do

and

in Acts chapter 9

Acts 9:15

verses 15 and 16

these are the instructions

that now

God will give

to Ananias

the Lord said

go

for he is a chosen

instrument

instrument of mine

to carry my name

before the Gentiles

and kings

and the children

of Israel

for I will show him

how much

he must suffer

for the sake

of my name

a chosen

instrument

to carry

my name

before Gentiles

how was he

faithful

well he was

faithful

on the basis

of the faithfulness

of God

not on the basis

of the faithfulness

of Paul

Paul

at this point

hadn't become

a Christian

until

a light

shone on him

on the road

to Damascus

he hadn't

gone to seminary

he hadn't been

established

in a church

he hadn't

proven himself

as a faithful

Christian

for any

length of time

no

God

had set him

apart

God

had appointed

him for ministry

at the moment

of his conversion

it was God's

faithfulness

that shines

in the foreground

of this passage

this is how

Paul describes it

later in

his letter

to Galatians

in Galatians

Galatians 1:15

chapter 1

verses 15 and 16

he says this

but when he

who had set me

apart

before I was born

and who called

me by his grace

was pleased

to reveal his son

in me

in order that I

might preach him

among the Gentiles

God in his grace

shone on the heart

of the apostle Paul

set him apart

for salvation

and simultaneously

set him apart

and appointed him

for ministry

this work

of God

was happening

in and through

the apostle Paul's

life

through no credit

of Paul himself

so that at this point

Paul is now

emphasizing

I thank him

who has given me

strength

Christ Jesus

because he

judged me faithful

appointing me

to his service

God's grace

caused

this ever

abounding

ever present

thankfulness

in Paul's heart

which helped

to strengthen him

not only

in the ministry

but helped

to preserve him

in the face

of the danger

of deconstruction

in verses 13 to 15

we find that God

delivered Paul

from sin

God delivered

Paul from sin

notice

though formerly

!

though formerly

I was a blasphemer

a persecutor

an insolent opponent

I received mercy

because I had acted

ignorantly

in unbelief

and the grace

of our Lord

overflowed for me

with the faith

and love

that are in Christ Jesus

this saying

is trustworthy

and deserving

of full acceptance

that Christ Jesus

came into the world

to save sinners

of whom

I am

the foremost

the apostle Paul

his posture

of humility

before the Lord

not only

in having

a posture

of thankfulness

in understanding

that God's mercy

has caused him

to be strengthened

and set apart

for ministry

but here

in verses 13 to 15

recognizing

what he deserved

who he really was

and as one

who is a recipient

of the mercy

and grace

of God

he stands

as one

who receives

God's kindness

he's not one

who is in a place

of passing judgment

he's not one

who's in a place

of being a judge

over God

and over the truths

that God has

set before him

he stands

as one

who is a

humble recipient

of those truths

Paul uses

some strong language

here to describe

his condition

we work through

all of these

these attitudes

and characteristics

that he

that he spells out here

a blasphemer

a persecutor

an insolent opponent

foremost

among sinners

the worst

of the worst

I'm the chief

of sinners

it's especially

interesting

considering

what Paul

has just

expounded on

in verses

8 to 11

just back up

with me for a moment

I want to remind

you of this

because this is

I think one of the

big reasons

why the apostle

Paul takes this

approach

he says

now we know

this is verse 8

we know that the

law is good

if one uses it

lawfully

understanding this

that the law

is not laid down

for the just

but for the lawless

and disobedient

for the ungodly

and sinner

for the unholy

and profane

for those who

strike their fathers

and mothers

and for murderers

the sexually immoral

men who practice

homosexuality

enslavers

liars

perjurers

and whatever else

is contrary

to sound doctrine

in accordance

with the gospel

of the glory

of the blessed God

with which

I have been

entrusted

what is the apostle

Paul doing here

why does he spell

out his sins

why does he begin

to compare himself

with the sinners

and insolent people

the unholy

and profane people

of verses 8 to 11

Paul's personal testimony

is by design

Paul wants

those in Ephesus

and especially

Timothy

to recognize

the posture

of one who should be

a true leader

of God's church

those who were

in Ephesus

who were teaching

a different doctrine

were not using

the law

in a correct way

that's why

the apostle Paul

spells that out

the law is good

if one uses it

lawfully

and the implication

then is that

those who

Timothy was to address

were not using it

in the right way

they were teaching

a different doctrine

a doctrine

that was totally

unrelated to

the doctrine

and the gospel

that the apostle Paul

had originally

provided

a doctrine

that is dependent

upon depravity

a doctrine

that points

to our unworthiness

rather

it's likely

that those

Judaizers

those teachers

those leaders

in Ephesus

were seeking

to draw attention

to themselves

hey look at us

our ministry

that's approved

by the law

look at our ministry

that is validated

by our morality

look how godly

we are

how exemplary

our lives

look at the example

that we set

and the people

we become

Paul addresses this

again

in his second letter

to Timothy

in 2nd Timothy

chapter 3

verses 1 to 5

he says

understand this

the law

excuse me

that in latter days

there will be

there will come

times of difficulty

people will be

lovers of self

lovers of money

proud

arrogant

abusive

disobedient

to their parents

ungrateful

unholy

having

the appearance

of godliness

but denying

the power

avoid

such

people

these teachers

these leaders

these spiritual

authorities

in the church

of Ephesus

were promoting

their own

goodness

their own

righteousness

their own

adherence

to the law

similar to what

we find in

other churches

in the region

and in the book

of the letter

to the Philippians

in Philippians 3

4 to 8

the apostle Paul

addresses a similar

thing

he says

though I myself

have reason

for confidence

in the flesh

also

if anyone

thinks he has

reason for confidence

in the flesh

I more so

let me just

pause there

for a moment

basically

those who are

teaching

those who are

promoting

themselves

and looking

at their

credentials

as it were

of being

the kinds

of teachers

that are

exemplary

and want

you to have

that same

kind of life

they want

you to be

validated

by that same

kind of

posture

apostle Paul

says

well if they

think they

have credentials

then let me

explain

my credentials

circumcised

on the eighth

day

of the people

of Israel

of the tribe

of Benjamin

a Hebrew

of the Hebrews

as to the law

of Pharisee

as to zeal

a persecutor

of the church

as to righteousness

under the law

blameless

how about that

for credentials

but whatever

gain I had

I counted

as loss

for the sake

of Christ

indeed

I count

everything as loss

because of the

surpassing

worth of knowing

Christ Jesus

my Lord

for his sake

I have suffered

the loss

of all things

and count them

as rubbish

in order

that I

might gain

Christ

Christ

is worthy

and the power

of the gospel

is what my life

demonstrates

the fact

that I am

a blasphemer

an insolent man

that I am

the chief

of sinners

that helps

to prove

that God's

gospel

the gospel

of salvation

has power

it's not built

on my merit

it's not built

on my ability

to follow through

in some way

and so

when we look

at the law

we understand

the law

is good

if it helps

to underscore

the need

that we have

for God

and the power

of God

to save

God's power

to save

this was

the way

that the apostle

Paul

sought to encourage

and address

Timothy

to help call

attention

to the work

of God

in his life

verse 14

and 15

draws that out

some more

and the grace

of our Lord

overflowed for me

with the faith

and love

that are in

Christ Jesus

the gospel

has power

the grace

of God

overflows

this word

for grace

that overflows

is to be poured

out abundantly

in the Greek

it is this

emphatic word

that the apostle

Paul puts

another emphatic

term in front

of it

to help it

mean it's

overabundant

it's a super

charged

kind

of grace

super abounding

grace

Paul's life

is proof

that the gospel

has power

Paul's life

demonstrates

his need

and dependence

on the

savior

Jesus

as Paul

will say

in Ephesians

2 8 9

for by grace

you've been saved

through faith

and that not

of yourselves

it is the gift

of God

not of works

so that no one

should boast

that's what the law

is meant to do

for us

that's what the gospel

accomplishes

for us

and when we come

to a place

of recognizing

where we really

stand before God

we recognize

his place

is a place

of supremacy

our place

is a place

of dependence

that helps

preserve

and protect

us

from the

deconstruction

work of calling

into question

the truths

that God

has given

to us

and then

in your note

God uses

Paul's life

as an example

Paul uses

God uses

Paul's life

as an example

1 Timothy

1 16 and 17

says

but I receive mercy

for this reason

that in me

as the foremost

Jesus Christ

might display

his perfect patience

as an example

to me

to those who

were to believe

in him

for eternal life

to the king

of ages

immortal

invisible

the only God

be honor

and glory

forever and ever

amen

in other words

I received

mercy

so that

Jesus Christ

might display

that he

is everything

it was

meant

to help

me

be an example

for those

who might

wonder

if God

could possibly

save them

all who follow

after Paul's

example

all who

see his life

might be able

to say

God

if God

can save

the apostle

Paul

then God

can save

me too

Paul

is meant

to be a prototype

a pattern

for the grace

of God

in coming over

in rescuing

sinners

this attitude

that Paul

demonstrates here

will provide

the stabilizing

power

for us

because it

removes

a heart

of entitlement

it helps

to erase

the spirit

of criticism

it replaces

that spirit

with a spirit

of worship

in us

and reinforces

the wonder

of God

in salvation

the apostle Paul

is interested

in helping

to make sure

that Timothy

understands

his responsibility

to safeguard

this church

and it begins

with a posture

towards God

in the gospel

of recognizing

that he

strengthens us

for ministry

and he saves

us

according to

his grace

then

the apostle

Paul

turns his

attention

his focus

on Timothy

now that he

has spoken

about the

work of God

in his life

now he

turns the page

turns the focus

and wants

Timothy

to understand

the responsibility

that he has

now over

the church

he is to

wage war

against

false teaching

wage war

against false

teaching

there in

verse 18

notice

this charge

I entrust

to you

Timothy

my child

in accordance

with the

prophecies

previously made

about you

that by them

you may wage

the good

warfare

holding faith

in a good

conscience

by rejecting

this

some have

made shipwreck

of their

faith

among whom

are Hymenaeus

and Alexander

whom I've

handed over

to Satan

that they may

learn not

to blaspheme

Timothy

was tasked

with a

responsibility

a responsibility

to as we

see here

at the end

of verse 18

to wage

the good

warfare

we are in a

battle

for truth

the war

for faith

is fought

on the

battleground

of truth

you must

know the

truth

or you will

shipwreck

your faith

that's what

Paul is saying

here

and now

this war

that Paul

had fought

and had led

now he is

allowing Timothy

and turning

over the keys

as it were

this continuing

charge to

Timothy

to take up

this mantle

and to carry

it on

the continuing

charge to

Timothy

remember this

word

means command

this word

for charge

is the word

for command

the first time

we saw this

word was in

verse 3

where Paul

urges Timothy

to charge

or command

some

that they

teach no

other doctrine

Paul uses

military language

to enforce

this statement

to charge

this urgent

command

that's handed

down

from a

superior

officer

Paul has

been issued

a command

from Christ

we saw that

at the very

beginning

of this

chapter

Paul himself

had a command

Paul himself

was directed

into ministry

by the commandment

of God

we saw that

in verse 1

Paul an apostle

of Jesus Christ

by the command

of God

our Savior

and of Christ

Jesus

and now

because of

this command

we recognize

in verse 12

that there's

not just a

command

to engage

but this

appointment

that is

happening

verse 12

I thank him

who has given

me strength

Christ Jesus

our Lord

he judged

me faithful

appointing

me

to his

service

now this

charge

that Paul

had received

this command

that Paul

had been

given

by Christ

now Paul

will issue

to Timothy

to continue

the ministry

of serving

Christ's church

this charge

to serve

Christ

to be

strengthened

by Christ

to preserve

the message

of Christ

to protect

the church

of Christ

to carry out

the responsibility

to the Lord

and the church

Timothy

had a command

a command

to obey

to obey

in 1st Timothy

chapter 5

verse 21

we see this

charge

that Timothy

that Paul

will continue

to give

Timothy

I charge

you in the

presence of

God

and of

Christ Jesus

it wasn't

just a

command

without

teeth

it was a

command

that was

issued

by God

himself

in the

presence

of God

accountability

to him

and then

in 2nd

Timothy

chapter 4

verses 1

and 2

I charge

you in

the presence

of God

and of

Christ

Jesus

preach

the word

be ready

in season

and out

of season

reprove

rebuke

exhort

with

complete

patience

and teaching

the same

charge

now is

entrusted

to every

spiritual

leader

every

leader

who's

been

entrusted

with

the

leadership

and

teaching

of

Christ's

church

now has

been

given

this

same

charge

this

same

entrustment

this

word

to

entrust

is

to

be

responsible

for

Paul

will

use

the

same

word

in

2nd

Timothy

chapter 2

verses 1

and 2

you then

my child

be strengthened

by the

grace

that is

in Christ

Jesus

and what

you have

heard

from me

in the

presence

of many

witnesses

entrust

that's

our word

to faithful

men

who will

be able

to teach

others

also

Paul

have been

entrusted

with the

ministry

of

Christ

strengthened

by the

power

of

Christ

now

Paul

is

issuing

this

charge

to

continue

this

succession

of

responsibility

to

Timothy

who

then

in turn

in the

second

letter

is to

entrust

that

same

ministry

to

other

faithful

men

be

strengthened

Timothy

entrust

this

work

to

others

Timothy

God

will

strengthen

you

for

this

process

God

will

help

to

direct

you

and

guide

you

and

help

you

to

be

bold

in

waging

the

good

warfare

Paul

sets

this

military

context

because

he

recognizes

how

fierce

the

battle

is

and

how

aggressive

the

enemy

is

and

the

ways

in

which

the

enemy

would

seek

to

dismantle

the

leaders

that

God

has placed

over

his

people

through

discouragement

through

persecution

and even

through

disqualification

those of

you

who

have

been

tuning

in

to

any

of

the

news

from

this

weekend

will

understand

that

a

very

prominent

pastor

just

this

weekend

had

to

step

down

from

ministry

because

of

being

disqualified

our

enemy

will

seek

to

dismantle

the

church

any

way

he

can

but

especially

through

the

perversion

of truth

the

twisting

of truth

the

corruption

of truth

he

wants

to

rob

you

of

the

truth

and

thus

rob

you

of

faith

and

that's

where

Paul

turns

next

in

verses

19

to

20

he

wants

you

to

understand

what

is

at

stake

why

is

this

warfare

so

important

what

is

at

stake

in

verse

19

holding

faith

and

a

good

conscience

by

rejecting

this

some

have

made

shipwreck

of

their

faith

among

whom

are

Hymenaeus

and

Alexander

whom

I've

handed

over

to

Satan

that

they

may

learn

not

to

blaspheme

what

is

at

stake

is

the

very

foundation

of

your

faith

you

lose

the

truth

you

pervert

the

truth

you

lose

your

faith

remember

these

are the

elemental

principles

that

Paul

pointed