Biblical Manhood & Womanhood - 1 Timothy 1 - Foundations of Male Leadership Pt.2

music.

If you guys would, we're going to be finishing first Timothy chapter one.

This is the second half as we really start to look at how Paul looks at himself as a man of God and how he's really challenging young Timothy to shepherd.

I will tell you as men it's important that we understand the importance of shepherding our homes.

You are the shepherd of your home men and there's a lot to learn with these three letters, first and second Timothy and Titus.

There's a lot more to learn even as we look at the examples of really bad fathers in the Old Testament and really good fathers.

So we got a little journey to go through and then we'll be also dealing with in chapter two the women

and really starting to establish an understanding of complementarianism and the importance of that.

So as we dig into the rest of chapter two I'd like you to look at verse eight.

We're going to read there and go right in to verse twelve.

So let me get there. I should have turned there first and I didn't. So my fault. Please forgive.

Huh? Oh, Doctrine or Focus. Thank you very much. I forgot that.

You know who's not here to remind me, Carol? She would have reminded me.

So let's as a congregation read.

God's providence in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God.

He is the cause of all things to come to pass without change and error.

Yet by his providence, he also orders them to come about according to the nature of all things, either necessarily, freely or contingently.

So in other words, even in the things that God has established through nature and all the other things,

if you would imagine even our sinful nature, God is provident. God's providence rules all of those things.

And so it's interesting. So that's the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter five of Providence, Section two.

I really enjoy doing those things. So thank you for reminding me.

All right. Here we go. First Timothy, Chapter one, verse eight.

Now we know that the law is good if anyone uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just, but for the lawless and the disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers,

for 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.

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formally I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent, but I have received mercy because I have acted ignorantly in unbelief.

And the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and the love that are in Christ Jesus.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the foremost, but I've received mercy for this reason that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example 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. This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you that by them you may wage a good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience.

By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenius and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

So there's quite a bit in these last half here. So the reminder is that the law of God was given specifically for the evil doer.

It's not given for the just, right? Our justification is in Christ. He has fulfilled the requirement of the law.

He has obeyed it perfectly, and in him it's as if we have done it, okay? But only in him.

That's why at the end of chapter of in verse 11, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted, he's reminding you that it's the gospel that has made this possible for us.

Now, principle number three, technically, because we already did the first two, grace and mercy are given to the people of God. We all have acted in unbelief, living in opposition to Christ, and we are chosen by him, okay?

We all have acted in unbelief. God has bestowed upon us his people grace and mercy, and we are chosen in him.

You have before Christ been an opponent to Christ. You were not part of his team, okay?

Now, for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of your own doing. It is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

This very gift of faith, this understanding that we can believe is because the gift of faith, which is Christ's faith, has been given unto us.

We'll clarify this in a minute. Now, in 1 Timothy chapter 1, 12 through 17, notice what Paul says.

1 Timothy 1 · chapter mention

Paul deals with himself directly. He's talking about him, so that Timothy understands he should not be there, but he is there because of God's mercy.

Now, he says, I thank him who has given me strength, who is him, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful. This word judge is the word deem, to declare.

He deemed him faithful. Now, think about that. You know Paul's life. Was there anything faithful about Paul's life? But yet, Christ has deemed him faithful and appointed him to his service, appointing me to God's service, to Christ's service.

Now, think about that. How could God deem Paul faithful and appoint, bestow upon him the requirement of his God's service of the gospel when he was an opponent?

And that's what he says, though formally I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent opponent.

Now, depending on your translation, the word insolent opponent is the correct translation, and ESV does a really good job here, because it means to be against one who was purposeful, being purposed an insolent person that is against God.

So, he not only blasphemed God, but he persecuted the body of Christ and the people of God, and he was an opponent, someone who was of the opposite team.

Now, how can God establish and determine him to be faithful and give him a service if he's this way?

This is what he says here, but I received mercy. He received mercy.

This word received mercy is specifically of God granting to the unworthy favor, benefits, opportunities, and particularly salvation by Christ.

How many people are unworthy of God's favor, God's benefits, God's opportunities, and God's salvation by Christ?

All of us are unworthy. He has granted, he has given, he has bestowed upon us these things.

So, it's very important that you notice that the favor, benefits, and opportunities are clearly linked to salvation, not linked to what I can prove my salvation by, look how much favor I have.

Right? I'm not going to get into, you know, beating up the false teachers at this point. That's pretty clear.

Okay. Why would God give him mercy? Why would God grant this unworthy creature favor, benefits, opportunities, and particularly eternity by Christ, salvation, the removal of the sin, the requirement of sin, the removal of the penalty of sin.

He's done all of those. He's given us justification. He has sanctified us in Christ. He has bestowed upon us the name being called children of God, the name of Christ.

How in the world, why in the world would God do that? Knowing, Paul says, because I had acted ignorantly.

This word ignorantly means to not know. It's all it means. He acted in not knowing. Not knowing what? Not knowing what? Not knowing Christ? That's obvious.

Not knowing how the plan of salvation was going to be accomplished? That's obvious.

It's this understanding of not knowing God. And he clarifies this in the next part of this statement, in unbelief.

Now what's interesting is many would say, unbelief concerning who God is. Well, this word unbelief literally means by opposition of the gospel.

So he acted in in not knowing of the opposition of the gospel. He thought he was doing God a favor by being an opponent of the gospel.

So this unbelief is one who is the opposition of the gospel against the gospel.

We would use the word antithetical is a term that we could use here. He was antithetical to the gospel and he did not know.

Sounds like someone who lived on by his instinct, doesn't it? So what happened? What changed Paul?

How did he move away from acting ignorantly in being an opposition to the gospel? Verse 14.

And the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

It is the grace of God that has been overflowed into his life through faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

You don't have this type of faith and love. That's what this means. This is faith and love in Christ Jesus. You receive his faith and his love.

Now, this word overflowed. All right. Who per plot. I knew I was going to mess this up. I worked hard on trying to say this word last night.

Greek always messes me up. Always does. Who per play odd. So thank you. Who per play odd. So is the word here.

And it means to be exceedingly abundant, exceedingly abundant.

The grace of God was exceedingly abundant for me with the faith and love that are in Jesus.

In other words, this faith and love only comes from him and it comes from him not in little trickles.

He overflows. He exceedingly abundantly gives you more than you can imagine.

Now, why does he say this? Because he makes it very clear how we receive this faith and love as men of God and as women,

how God has who per play odd. So exceedingly abundantly overflowed is the grace in our life,

how he has moved us away from being ignorant and being an opposition of the gospel.

How does he do that? Look what it says in in verse 15.

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Notice how he says this. Christ has come into the world to save sinners. To save all sinners? No.

We'll clarify this actually in this in this group. I want you to be able to see this. This is important.

It's to save sinners. Which sinners? His sinners that he will convert from from being enemies of God and and children of wrath to children of God.

This word come into the world to save sinners is the gospel, the very thing that is in Christ Jesus faith and love.

We receive in Christ through the acceptance of the gospel.

This is a trustworthy saying. Christ came to save people.

Now what does he say? Of whom I am the foremost. This word foremost.

He is the worst of these sinners. That's what he's saying. I am first in rank the chief.

Now he can say that. He is he is the general of sinners.

All right. But I've received mercy for this reason. So he is first and ranked the chief among all sinners.

But I received mercy. Ilea. All right. This word here mercy is is what I gave you up up at the very beginning.

Specifically a specifically this is specifically of God granted to the unworthy.

Right. This favor and these benefits and all the things that come.

So he has received mercy. For what reason? Because he was the worst.

Like think about that. But I received mercy for this reason.

That in me as the foremost. Like can you imagine God saves Paul because he is the worst.

To prove something. Well God doesn't really need to prove anything.

It's to show something. And we're going to see that. Watch this. Right.

That in me as the foremost as the first in rank as the chief Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Remember that this little statement up here Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

Why was Paul chosen? Because God wanted to display his perfect patience.

Many people have have thought through this process and tried to figure out what second Peter 3 9 really says.

So here it is. I'm sure many of us have heard this used out of context. Right.

Here we go. Verse 9. Second Peter chapter 3 verse 9.

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slow list slow slowness but is patient toward you not wishing that any should perish but all should come to repentance.

You know why God saves people. God is patient because he's perfectly patient.

What's the point. The point is second Peter 3 9.

Paul clarifies this truth in First Timothy 1 16.

But I received mercy for this reason that in me as the foremost Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.

God is patient not for the entire world. God is patient for his people.

He will not lose any. Jesus says all that the father has given me. I will not lose.

What's the promise that he's talking about here. I will not lose. That's the promise.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise. I will not lose those that the father has given me as some would count slowness but he is perfectly patient in the same way he's patient with Paul.

He is patient with every one of us that we will come.

He is patient toward you not willing that any of you should perish but that all of you should reach repentance.

Now clarify that. Have you ever read this moment and you're looking at this and you're like how in the world can we support that that God is perfectly patient.

And there it is precept upon precept context upon context scripture upon scripture.

Second Peter 3 9 is clear and Paul clarifies that.

And what does he say and response to the perfect patience of God in redeeming Paul so that he is an example that God is patient toward you also.

He says to the king of the ages immortal invisible the only God be honor glory forever and ever.

Amen. That's the only response that we should be saying in reality to the conversion of a broken human being of which Paul says he's the worst.

What grace and mercy he has bestowed upon us.

God has given a trust to us especially to men.

Men of God are given a trust. All of us are given a trust.

The doctrines of the faith which we all have received through the gospel in Christ Jesus.

These doctrines are yours to contend for to fight for to go to war for.

That's what Paul is building up here.

If God has taken the worst of all men and in perfect patience has redeemed me and he's giving the most trustworthy saying is that all all of God's people are saved in Christ.

Then how should we hold to the truths of the doctrines that God has given us.

But as for you oh man flee these things pursue righteousness godliness faith love steadfastness gentleness fight the good fight of faith.

Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you've made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

That's in first Timothy six verse 11 through 12.

Paul pounds this into the mind of Timothy.

You oh man of God.

Pursue righteousness godliness faith love steadfastness gentleness. What do you pursue.

What is your pursuit is your pursuit the next year is your pursuit the next win is the pursuit is your pursuit to to find happiness to to make that make your house the most wonderful it could be.

All those are issues of stewardship.

We're not talking about that you can't do things excellently.

But what do you pursue. Where is your deepest desire. Where's the thing that drives you the most.

So as men what we pursue what we desire speaks volumes of what we value.

First Timothy one 18 through 20.

Paul says this to Timothy this charge this word charge is the word the doctrines of Christian living.

That's what it means.

These doctrines of Christian living.

I entrust to you Timothy.

That's the charge.

Isn't that interesting.

He doesn't say hey I've been trusted to you.

Put anything you want there.

The most valuable thing that that God has given Timothy to do and Paul and all of us men are the doctrines of truth the doctrines of Christ.

He has entrusted them as stewards.

This is your. These are the goal that that the that that have been given to you.

Don't bury it.

I've been trusted to you Timothy my child in accordance with the teachings and doctrines of the gospel.

That's what this word prophecies mean.

The word prophecies here is in accordance with the teachings and doctrines of the gospel.

This isn't the prophecies of someone saying something about Timothy's life that one day he's going to be a pastor.

It's not what this means here.

This is a these are the messages or the truths that I gave you when I was with you.

The word prophecy means to give a message to fourth tell the truth of God.

That's all the word prophecy means.

Now notice what he says.

Previously made about you proceeding or coming from the gospel.

Timothy you will you will be a man of the gospel.

Well that's true because anybody who comes to Christ to God converts to God changes he has told you to go and preach the gospel.

It's a command.

It's not some some weird voice coming from somewhere.

As if as if you were hearing another message.

Some of these men say no.

This this truth about Timothy is coming from the gospel that by them by what by the sound doctrine that you have been given.

You may wage strato is the word here strategy strategize when you go to war.

They don't just well I'm guessing an appropriate example would be taking our troops out of Afghanistan.

That's what happens when there's no strategy.

People die when you go to war when you wage a war you strategize you lead soldiers to war or battle that you've prepared a plan.

That's the that's the idea strato to lead soldiers to war or battle the good warfare that by them you may wage strato the good warfare.

What is the good warfare the doctrine that's worth fighting for especially in this day and age.

So here we go holding faith and a good conscience.

Faith gift of God good conscience made righteous holding faith and a good conscience.

This understanding of good conscience means to be free from guilt and you will be living right.

You are free from guilt and you are living right.

That's what a good conscience is free of guilt living right in Christ we are free are we not.

Are we living right.

But there are those by rejecting Apatheo by re by by rejecting by thrusting away by driving away by by repudiating rejecting refusing this truth.

What this the doctrines for those who have thrusted away the doctrines for those who have driven away the doctrines for those who have rejected the doctrines.

They have made shipwreck of their faith.

Another way to say is they suffer shipwreck regarding faith.

Now think about that.

What happens when you shipwreck.

Do you rebuild the ship.

No you burn it down.

You go build a new one.

If you have any questions about that look at all the ships have gone down there still in the bottom of the ocean.

So no they have shipwrecked her faith and he mentions two men among whom.

Haman is or high manias and Alexander whom I have handed over to Satan is the word that is used here interesting satanas.

This word satanas means to deliver to the power of the adversary to be harassed and tormented with evils.

That's what the word satanas means adversary to deliver to the power of the adversary.

And to be harassed and tormented with evils.

That they may learn not to blaspheme.

But and the word blaspheme here means to speak reproachfully rail at revile or culminate.

It's interesting uses this term handed over to Satan because reality is a manias and Alexander weren't believers.

So what would he give Satan if this is Satan what is already his.

Because it's not really it's the understanding that he has handed them over to be harassed and tormented because they are liars.

May their sin torment them.

May the adversary torment them is the idea here.

Why because they are blasphemers they speak reproachfully against God they rail at God they're reviled God they culminate against God.

So we got to think biblically right.

So what do we learn from these things through this chapter one of First Timothy.

Some very important lessons that men of God must first and foremost hold to the gospel by which you have been saved.

It's by that gospel that the sound doctrines of God's truth has been given to you as a trust to guard and wage the good warfare.

That you must continue to understanding that you are chosen by God contend and fight for these doctrines.

And that you must bestow them to your families as shepherds.

One of the easiest ways to do to teach sound doctrine and to teach doctrine of God is what we do every Sunday.

We do confession and catechism every Sunday.

Thank you for reminding.

It's important because they teach the doctrines of God.

Do you catechize do you do you do you profess confession about these truths.

In a world today that does not want truth.

That's not my truth they say.

God doesn't care.

It's his truth that matters.

So as men of God foundationally there are some clear corners cornerstone is Christ and there are there are clear corners in order to build the house.

The gospel doctrine faith faith comes from Christ chief cornerstone.

Christ gospel faith and doctrine.

Okay so very important.

Are we handling these things as we should as men.

Are you leading your homes.

Well now we will be talking next week.

Well with the ladies and we'll be doing some a lot more stuff in how are we how are we edifying.

How are we coming alongside our wives and our kids and helping them as a not only as a parent as a coach and as a mentor helping them to grow in faith.

Are we just domineering.

Are we rightly handling the word loving our spouses and our children.

Very important father want to thank you so much for your goodness and faithfulness.

Thank you Lord for your word.

Thank you for helping us to know that you are perfectly patient with us.

And as men you have called us to contend for the sound doctrine to to that you've been trusted to us.

And most of all that we would contend for the gospel the truth that you came that you died on the cross you were buried in Rosalind 30 to give us life and that we are to teach others.

To be.