1 Timothy 1 Pt. 3 Don't Deviate From Apostolic Truth

1 Timothy 1:3-5  As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 4)  Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. 5)  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 

In our last post, we noted that Paul left Timothy at Ephesus in order to confront certain false teachers.

Pagans propagated mythologies and Judaizers tried to put the church under the law of Moses.

Both kinds of error needed to be confronted by Timothy, so that the church was edified, rather than divided.

Paul reminds us when the Holy Spirit regenerates our heart and indwells us, we will want to obey God's commands. 

Love for God and love for others creates a clean conscience before God and a Christ like love for others in us. 

Do not turn aside to man centered teaching that is empty. 

1 Timothy 1:6  From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 

Because of false teachers, some Christians turned aside from pure faith in Christ, love for God and others. To "swerve" means to deviate from a standard, to miss the mark.

To "turn aside" means to be twisted, to shun something by turning away from it. The Greek word is actually a medical term referring to dislocated limbs that are twisted out of place.

False teachers seek to twist Christians out of place from faith in Jesus Christ, by spreading man centered false teaching.

Be Consistent, set our sights on the things of God and press on.

Philippians 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.  

False teachers professed to help people move forward in faith with Jesus Christ, but their false doctrines actually caused them to swerve, or miss that mark. 

Apostles like Paul point us to Christ, urging us to follow hard after Jesus. This is our privilege and high calling. 

We must consistently press on toward that mark, no matter how difficult our earthly circumstances may be. 

Therefore, Paul warns us to avoid any teaching that causes us to deviate from pressing toward the mark, of walking with the Lord Jesus Christ each day.

"Vain jangling" is foolish religious speculation, empty talk that fails to exalt Jesus Christ and does nothing to edify the hearers. 

Learn and trust God's word to refute false teaching.

Titus 1:9-11  Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. 10)  For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 11)  Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. 

Pastors, bishops, and church leaders must hold fast the faithful word that has been taught to them by trustworthy men.

This is the platform necessary for using sound doctrine to refute false teaching.

In writing to Titus, Paul identifies false teachers as being unruly, vain talkers, whose goal is to deceive the hearers. 

Their mouths must be stopped by clearly and accurately teaching sound doctrine.

Titus 3:9  But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. 

Again, Paul admonished Titus, pastors in general, and the church at large. Avoid foolish questions, avoid getting wrapped up in genealogies.

Do not promote contention, strife and debates about the law. None of these things leads us to a closer walk with our Lord.

False teachers fail to recognize God's intent for His law. 

1 Timothy 1:7  Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

Judaizers at Ephesus wanted to be esteemed or celebrated as rabbis. They wanted to be viewed as intellectuals who were able to answer challenging questions.

Here is an example of foolishness from a rabbinical  commentary known as the Jerusalem targum, that comments on Genesis 1:15. 

"And God made two great lights, and they were equal in splendor twenty-one years, the six hundred and seventy-second part of an hour excepted: and afterwards the moon brought a false accusation against the sun, and therefore she was lessened; and God made the sun the greater light to superintend the day."

These words are pure speculation from men's corrupted imaginations. The scripture does not say this at all, nor does it imply any support for such a fabrication. 

This is vain jangling by Jewish rabbis who had no clue what they were affirming, but they loved the praise of men, who thought they had it figured out. 

This is the kind of man centered, false teaching that was superimposed upon the plain truth of the scriptures. These are worthless speculations that obscure the glory of God and distracts the church. 

God has good purposes for His law. 

1 Timothy 1:8  But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 

The law is good, if a man use it lawfully. The Jews used it unlawfully, as a means to divide the church. They used is as a cover for their malicious opposition  to the gospel of Christ.

Thus, they used God's law unlawfully. We must not ever think that it can be set aside, but use it lawfully, for the restraint of sin.

A man must interpret the law according to its own spirit and design. A man must use it for the purposes God gave it. 

The moral law is designed to restrain crimes and inflict punishment upon those who commit them. This is a safeguard for families and society. 

The ceremonial law is designed to lead us to faith in Jesus Christ. 

The law points to Christ and condemns sin.

Galatians 3:24-25  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25)  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 

The  ceremonial law was a schoolmaster to lead us unto Christ, and Christ is the end of that law for justification to every one that believes.

Some teach that because we are under grace, the law of God no longer applies. This is false. The law is an expression of God's holiness, righteousness and moral perfection. 

When we are "in Christ" through the new birth, we are justified by faith in Christ, who fulfilled the demands of the law, for us.

However, the indwelling Spirit of God will always lead us to conform to God's law. 

That is, we will not want to have any idols. We will not want to lie, murder, steal or commit sexual sin, and so on. 

The righteous, holy standard of the law is never going away, because God is always holy, righteous and just. 

Romans 7:12  Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

The law was given by God to provide an absolute standard of moral purity.  The law is holy because God is holy. The law is just because God is just. The law is good because God is good.

However, the law can only condemn us, for it points out our sins. The purpose of the law is to point us to the Savior, who did satisfy its demand for moral perfection. 

1 Timothy 1:9-11  Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10)  For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 11)  According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 

The moral law is made for sinners, for unrighteous people who are lawless and commit all manner of immorality. 

The law is made for wicked persons, to restrain them, to check them, and to limit the spread of depravity and degradation in the world. 

It is the grace of God that changes men's hearts, and the ceremonies of God's law all point to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Paul shows us the glory and grace of the gospel, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Let us remember that our God is the blessed God, who is infinitely happy in the enjoyment of Himself and His own perfections. 

Let us learn to call the gospel the glorious gospel, for so it is. Much glory of God appears in the works of creation and His providence to us, but much more glory is found in the gospel, which elevates our Savior, King, Master, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Paul considered it a great privilege that this glorious gospel was committed to his trust. He was blessed to preach it, to live by it and to declare it to men both great and small.  

We too, should be willing witnesses telling others about sin, death, hell, our Savior, salvation, eternal life and heaven. 

Bob