Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
FREE PRESBYTERIAN ISSUES -- GOSPEL ISSUES -- PROTESTANT ISSUES -- EVANGELISM ISSUES -- CALVINISM
ISSUES -- C.H. SPURGEON INDEX -- SERMON NOTES -- MAIN
Read: 1 Timothy 1:1-20 Text: v18-20 [SERIES 5]
The Apostle Paul did in this epistle what he was in a habit of doing in
other epistles - he went off in a wee bit of a tangent!
We are all apt to do that when we get going!
Difference: Paul’s tangents were inspired and worth listening to
When Paul gets to vs11-12 he launches into an amazing word of personal testimony, rising up to a great crescendo/praise in v17
You’ve got to hand it to Paul for his God given ability to lead us into the Heavenlies with God!
Why should we let him go there alone?
Perhaps his testimony was more dramatic than ours,
But ours is none the less real and glorious too
When one single sinner seeks the Lord in repentance/faith then there is much rejoicing among the angels/God in Heaven
Sin is forgiven and guilt removed
Christ’s work/Cross is vindicated and God is glorified
Satan and Hell is robbed of their prey
Why should we not likewise be lost in wonder, love and praise?
But Paul did not write to Timothy to merely recount these things
This is a business letter – not a holiday postcard
I do not know if these letters were smuggled out or if such subterfuge was unnecessary – it matters little in the end
Paul is writing from a prison cell – the care of all the churches still weighing heavily upon him
The point is that Paul had things to tell Timothy
It was said of Al Capone that he ran Chicago from Chicago Prison
The constant use of mobile phones in Irish prisons suggest there is criminal activity being conducted in similar circumstances
Well, here is good activity being conducted from a prison cell
If people heeded Paul’s message, then prisons would be a thing of
the past because whom the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36)
We have 5 main thoughts to consider in these verses (v18-20)
1) THE REPEATING OF THE CHARGE:
This charge…
A/ As indicated, Paul had already broached this matter/Timothy
Now he returns to it again, because it is of/utmost importance
The word charge in the English language caress many meanings:
[i] A criminal charge – an indictment laid by the law/land
[ii] A fee to be paid – Money given for services/goods rendered
[iii] A military attack/assault upon the enemy
[iv] A formal commissioning to do something important
It is this last one – the formal setting aside of Timothy for a particular and important task that Paul returns to again
B/ Perhaps Timothy had other charges to keep also
He was not only a pastor, but a citizen, a family man (with many
different relationships – a son, a brother?, a husband? etc.,)
But here is perhaps his most important charge of all
C/ What was this charge? As given in v3 that Timothy himself charge some that they teach no other doctrine than Bible truth
This is the foundation of church survival
Once a church leaves the Bible, it ceases be a church
Becomes a mere community/people – a mere club/hobby society
Might retain/religious veneer, but…not a church/NT sense/word
Therefore Timothy was to keep pressing this matter home
There was to be a perpetual “Back to the Bible” campaign
2) THE REGISTERING OF THE CHARGE:
This charge (v18) was according to earlier prophecies that concerned Timothy’s call to the ministry
A/ We are not told the exact nature of these prophecies
That they laid to Timothy’s taking up the pastorate is undoubted
Some think they refer to the judgements of good men concerning him i.e. as recognition of his preaching gifts/call etc.,
Reference is made elsewhere/epistles concerning the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery
The
NT church does not recognise the principle of maverick preachers – boys
who but set themselves up in the business almost at whim and fancy
There will be ordinarily a recognition by other men/God
There be a sending forth of a Presbytery/mission board etc.,
B/ Others think that these prophesies refer to supernatural and Divine revelations given to Paul (and others) re: Timothy
The NT church age was noted for such happenings
Today, we work on less dramatic indicators
I think William Hendriksen strikes a good chord here
Admitting
that he was working on assumption, yet he (I believe, rightly) assumes
that this prophetic call/Timothy was similar to that of Paul when he
was called to the ministry
(Minus, of course, the dramatic Road/Damascus surroundings)
[i] Timothy would then have been singled out for service
This is how Paul was singled out:
But
the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he [Paul] is a chosen vessel
unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the
children of Israel: (Acts 9:15)
Back to Timothy:
There were thousands of young men in the church at this time
Many of them were perhaps gifted in Christian work
They were sober headed, godly and wise for their years
Had the ability to understand/communicate good Bible doctrine
But not all were called to minister the word/God
No man taketh this honour unto himself… (Hebrews 5:4)
Just as Saul was singled out for the ministry...likewise Timothy
[ii] He would have been (like Saul) instructed as to his duties
And
he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest
know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of
his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast
seen and heard… And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far
hence unto the Gentiles. (Acts 22:14/15/21)
This is the work of a preacher whom God calls
Not to invent doctrine or morals as he goes along
His work is to witness to people what he has seen and heard i.e. what God has shown and told him
A witness stands in a courtroom and is sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth
Not for them to spice up the story and make it more interesting
Does not matter that their evidence is not what the people want to hear – that it effectively condemns the accused etc.,
The witness/preacher is just to tell the truth/God’s word
If any one has a problem with this – let them take it up with God
[iii] Likely Saul, this prophetic word given him would have assured him of Divine help and support in his ministry:
But
rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this
purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things
which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear
unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto
whom now I send thee, (Acts 26:17)
C/ When Paul reminded Timothy of his charge, he was putting no new
burden upon this young man – just repeating the old charge
D/ Maybe you say – I have no specific charge re: these things
This all seems to be the stuff of ministers and pastors
Answer:- OK, maybe you don’t, but you still have responsibilities of your own about these things
It is your work, as a Christian in the pew, to prayer for those whose job it is to maintain purity in the church/Jesus Christ
The
pew is not to watch on in a helpless, frozen state, but is at liberty
to raise its concerns if it sees the direction of the church swing away
from the truth/God towards error
3) THE REASON OF THIS CHARGE:
Simply put: That Timothy might war a good warfare
A/ God’s people ought to be a peace loving people
A professing Christian who is always going round looking for fights/arguments and delights/friction has not so learned Christ
The Saviour described Himself as the Prince/Peace (Isaiah 9:6)
The fruit/Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering etc., (Galatians 5:22)
We are to live in peace with all men, as much as is in us
And as much as it is possible (Romans 12:18)
Someone who is quick on the draw has spiritual problems
Particularly if he holds spiritual authority in the church
A church full of fighting people will self destruct:
But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. (Galatians 5:15)
This is why Paul wished Timothy peace from God (v2)
B/ How then can we reconcile this thought with our text?
Ans:- Qualification of Romans 12:18 is the key: As it is possible
Reality is: Not possible to live in peace with false teachers
They are the aggressors – the wolves coming to eat/flock
In such a situation, we need to go to war and fight
It is this that makes it a good warfare
The idea of it being good points in several directions:
[i] It is good because the cause is good
Not seeking any physical good/advantage but purely spiritual
The alternative is horrific – loss of the only gospel that saves
Many people in eternity who will wish that they forwent that false peace of the careless to fight this good warfare
[ii] It is good because the tactics are good
Other wars involve injury and death and great desolation
The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual
Maybe we should reread what happened when the injurious Saul/Tarsus
came out with his hands up to the Captain/Lord’s Host – “I obtained mercy” (v16)
Any religion that needs to be enforced by the sword is a poor religion – Christ’s religion is that of the persuader:
Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord (Isaiah 1:18)
[iii] It is good because the end result is good
Righteousness really does triumph over evil
In these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37)
Sure, we lose a battle here and there along the way
Sure, (as will soon see) there are causalities in this fight
But the Gates/Hell ultimately will not prevail against the church
Satan will ultimately be driven back and just as Hitler ended his days
in WWII in a bunker – so too Satan and his apostate angels will
be cast into the Lake/Fire and tormented for ever and ever
[iv] It is a good warfare is to be fought since even though our weapons are graciously invincible, yet they must be used right
Already we’ve been instructed over the right use/law of God (v8)
Later on, Timothy will be instructed to be a good soldier/Christ enduring hardness in the battle (2:2:3)
The whole armour of God is pretty daunting too and shows the hatred and danger of the enemy (fiery darts)
But the charge is given again to Timothy and to us so that we might war this good warfare
Are you fighting in this good fight of faith?
It is very easy to be a pacifist in this war
God is calling us to arms and ultimately to victory
4) THE RETAINING OF THE CHARGE:
How is this done – year and year out?
Ans:- Holding faith and a good conscience
A/
Faith here is not merely the subjective (doubtless necessary) But it is
the objective - the body of doctrines which we believe
We are not warring a good warfare if we have become lax in the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith
To change the metaphor (but not the thought)
If the foundations be destroyed…what can the righteous do?
If
we surrender up the Virgin Birth/Deity/Inspiration of the Bible or the
Blood Atonement and Resurrection etc., - then we have signally
lost/battle and Satan (at least in our lives) has won
There can be no a-la-carté approach to the Christian Faith
Who are we to judge what doctrine is to be received or rejected
We must take it all and contend for it all as it stands
Hold tight and cherish it
Interesting: Same word is used of Mary would carry the Lord Jesus in her womb – what protection/closeness is implied there
B/ Furthermore, we are retain a good conscience
We are to hold fast the faith because we believe it is the right thing before God to do
No Christian is to be a time server
Saul/Tarsus found pardon because even though he injured Christians yet he did it in ignorance and unbelief
He gave himself to it with all his heart because he felt he was doing
God service – His conscience then did not condemn him
(Later it did when he realised that his zeal was misplaced)
Just as Saul/Tarsus served with a great zeal/conscience against Christ – let us serve for Him with a similar zeal/conscience
Where conscience is compromised – cannot be a good warfare
We will be beset with all kinds of problems
As our last point appears to be pointing out…
5) THE RENOUNCING OF THE CHARGE:
A/ Why is such instruction given all the authority of a charge?
Why is it tied into the designation of faith and attached to the need of a good conscience?
Ans:
- Because some (here named) having once put their names to these very
things let them go – succumbed/Satanic attacks – and made shipwreck of
their faith
We are to be good sailors as well as good soldiers/Jesus Christ
Would seem that these men were excommunicated from/church
And yet with the view of bringing them back into the fold again
Yet…let us not go down that road but keep faithful to our charge
THE END