1 TIMOTHY 4:1-112007 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 1 Timothy 4:1-11

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2007.

But as we have seen, and as I continue to remind you, and once again, bring to remembrance in your mind and heart this morning, that every single one of us, every believer in Jesus Christ, is called into full-time ministry. Because we've all been given the commission to go into all the world and make disciples.

Every one of us have people in our lives that God wants us to impact spiritually for eternity. He has people in our lives that he calls us to be an example to. And we'll look at that a little bit more next week as we go on into verse 12 of chapter four. He's got people that are that are in our lives that we're called to share the gospel with.

He's placed people in our lives that we're called to teach the word of God to. He's put people in our lives for us to disciple and to draw them closer to Jesus Christ. You and I are very similar to Timothy in that way.

Oh no, we might not all have the same calling and not all of us are called to be pastors, but we're all called to make disciples and to be spiritual leaders in the lives of the people that God has placed around us. And so as we look at 1 Timothy 4, verses 1-11, we need to remember that, that this message was not just for Timothy, but it's for me. It's for you because God has called you into the ministry.

Paul has been writing to Timothy and he's been really sharing with him the things that need to be put in order in the church and the way that things are supposed to take place. In chapter two, he was sharing with Timothy the importance and the emphasis of prayer. Then he went on in chapter two to share with him the role and the place of men and women within the church and the functions that they're to fulfill.

In chapter 3, Paul gave to Timothy the criteria, the requirements, the qualifications for those who are in leadership and those who are serving within the church and the qualifications of the bishops and the deacons.

And so we have the leadership structure and the guidelines for that that Paul gives. And now as we go into chapter four, Paul is telling Timothy the things that need to happen and take place. And he shares with Timothy, Timothy, here's what you need to do now. He's been talking about the church in general, but he focuses on Timothy and Timothy. Here's what you need to do to be a good minister of Jesus Christ.

Again, you and I are called into the ministry as believers in Jesus Christ. And if you want to know how to be a good minister.

Well, just stay tuned to what Paul will say in the following verses this week and next week and even going on into the weeks after that. Paul will be sharing with Timothy now. Here's what you need to do, Timothy. Here's what you need to keep in mind. Here's the attitude in the heart that you need to have. Here's how to be a good minister. And we'll look at four things that Paul will tell Timothy on how to be a good minister this morning. And

And so we start in verse 1, again in chapter 4, Paul tells Timothy, Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. Paul begins by telling Timothy, Okay, Timothy, changing the subject a little bit. Here's what the Spirit expressly or clearly says.

The Spirit says that in the latter times, some will depart from the faith.

Now, how is it that the Spirit clearly says this? Well, we believe it's through the Word of God. There might have been words of wisdom and prophecy that were going forth by the power of the Holy Spirit in that time, and that might be what Paul is referring to. But we also see this message throughout the Bible, that there will be those who fall away. There will be those who lead others astray. There will be those who deceive multitudes.

The book of Daniel, the book of Isaiah, the book of Jeremiah. Jesus himself shared these things. They all prophesied that there would be an abundance of false prophets and false teachers and that there would be many who would follow them and be led astray. We need to believe God at his word and recognize it's very clear. Some will depart from the faith.

This is the first thing we can learn about being a good minister this morning. How do you be a good minister? First, do not depart from the faith. If you want to be a good minister, don't depart from the faith. I know that seems a little silly and perhaps redundant to say, but it's the truth. If you depart from the faith, automatically you will not be a good minister.

Because there's no other message. There's no other gospel. There's no other name by which we must be saved. And so you cannot...

Separate yourself from the gospel message and the truth of God's word and be a good minister. No matter how many people you help and no matter how many habits you help them break or no matter how many fears you help them overcome or no matter what kind of good things that you feel that you give to people, you cannot be a good minister if you have departed from the faith in Jesus Christ, if you've departed from the word of God.

In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus warned us that such prophets and teachers would come. He said in verse 5 of Matthew 24, he says, Jesus says, Hey, in the latter days, in the last days, and the days come,

Before my coming, there's going to be many who say, I'm the Savior, I'm the Messiah, and they will deceive many. There's not just a few that are going to follow them, but there's going to be great multitudes that follow them. Jesus goes on to say, you'll hear of wars and rumors of wars, and you probably are familiar with this portion of Scripture. He says, nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdoms. But this will not be the end. There's still more to come.

And in verse 11 of Matthew chapter 24, he says it again. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. In the latter times, the Spirit's very clear. There's going to be many who are deceived and there's going to be many who deceive others. And we are living in those latter times. And in those latter times, some will depart from the faith.

So, adding all the math together, we're living in the latter times. I don't think any Christian would really disagree with that.

And in the latter times, some will depart from the faith. So that means in the times that we are living in, just as it was taking place in Ephesus and Paul's day and Timothy's day, even still today, it's taking place. Many are departing from the faith. Some are departing from the faith. So that means that there's still the danger today and will continue on in the coming days. There's the danger of people departing from the faith.

To be a good minister, you must make sure that you do not depart from the faith. How do we keep ourselves from departing from the faith? Because it's a danger, because it's a reality, because people will depart from the faith. The Spirit clearly says it. It's abundantly clear throughout the Scripture. How do you and I keep ourselves from departing from the faith? Now, of course, anybody who is walking with the Lord knows

Well, our normal response to that thought would be, well, I would never do that. But much like Peter, right? Lord, I would never deny you. Even everybody else, man, all living water could fall away, but I'd still walk with you, Lord. I'd still follow you. But we have the tendency to think that would never happen to me. I wouldn't depart from the faith. I couldn't be deceived. I've walked too long. I've known too much. I've seen too much. God's been so good.

But the reality is we need to be a little concerned. We need to be aware of our weakness and frailty. There's none of us that are not capable of departing from the faith. So how do we protect ourselves? How do we keep ourselves from departing? And the simple answer, of course, is to stay close to Jesus Christ, to abide in him, to walk with him and keep our relationship with him as close as

As we possibly can. We need to be a student of his word. We need to live our lives by it. We need to be spending time in prayer with him and serving him as he gives us opportunity. Jesus made it very clear for us in John chapter 15 and verse five of John 15. He says, I am the vine. You are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit for without me, you can do nothing.

Jesus talks about abiding in the vine and remaining in the vine, and that is what we need to do in order to not depart from the faith. We must abide in the vine, which is Jesus Christ. We must live our lives in him. And when we do the fruits of that or how we will recognize when we're doing that is that we will bear much fruit because without him we can do nothing.

And so this morning I would encourage you, I would challenge you with this question. Are you abiding in Jesus Christ? Are you living in a relationship with Jesus Christ?

The idea of abide is a continual dwelling. It's not a come and go. It's not, you know, like we have our homes where we, you know, we leave and come back. And sometimes we go on vacation for a couple of weeks. That's not what God's talking about. But it's the continual dwelling with Jesus Christ. Are you abiding in him? See, there's a real war going on. God wants to save people from hell.

But Satan and his demons desire to take people to hell and condemn people. How do they do that? Well, by deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. They fight their battle with lies and deception, with doctrine that keeps people from abiding in Christ.

With doctrines that keep people trusting in themselves, any other religion, any other promise of eternal life, any other savior is not of God. And if it's not of God, I'll give you two guesses who it's of.

Either you or the devil. It's demonic. There is a reality of deception, of lies, of doctrines, of demons, of people that will really take those who believe in Jesus, turn them away, put their trust and cause them to put their trust in other things to deceive them and to lead them straight to hell.

It's a war. It's a battle. The casualties are great and the repercussions of it are eternal. The best thing that you can do to be a good minister is do not depart from the faith because there's a real war, a real battle for your soul, for our eternal residence, where we will be for the rest of eternity. And the message that we preach and the message that we share by the lives that we live and the things that we say and the way that we represent God is

It's a testimony, the doctrines of demons. Again, anyone, any person that teaches salvation and anything else other than Jesus Christ is a doctrine of demons. It's a lie and deception. You say, well, that's narrow-minded. Mormonism, Buddhism, Jehovah's Witness, all those who teach things that are contrary to the Word of God.

It's deception. It's the doctrine of demons. That's narrow-minded. No, it's not. Well, maybe it is. But it's okay because it's what Jesus said. In John 14, verse 6, familiar portion to many of you,

Jesus says, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. There is only one way of salvation. There's only one way to eternity with God. And it's through Jesus Christ. He said so. And so any religion and any doctrine that teaches otherwise, anyone who teaches other than that is. Well, it's those who participating in the deceiving spirits and the doctrines of demons.

Again, there's a real war that is taking place. A battle for the hearts of the people around you for eternity. Do not depart from the faith. Hold fast to the word of God. Hold fast to the truth that Jesus Christ is the only way, the truth and the life. Do not depart from the faith, but hold fast to the truth of the word of God.

Hold fast to the gospel message that he has presented to us. We didn't make it up. This is what God has given to us. It's the way that he has chosen for salvation to come. It's the way that he has chosen for us to spend eternity with him. Do not depart from it. Do not turn from it. Do not sway from it. Do not water it down. Do not apologize for it. It's the truth. And it needs to be expressed through your life today.

Through your words, do not depart from the faith. Going on in verse 2, he continues talking about these deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. He says they're speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. They're speaking lies in hypocrisy. There are those who deceive and there are those who are deceived.

It's something important to consider. There are those who deceive and then there are those who are deceived. Those who deceive are the ones that Paul is talking about here. They're the ones speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own consciences seared with a hot iron. Paul is talking about those who deceive. They're speaking lies, but it's in hypocrisy.

That word hypocrisy, it simply means to act. So they're acting and they're pretending that what they share and what they say, what they teach is the truth.

But the reality is their own conscience is seared with a hot iron means they're lying. They're acting and it doesn't bother their conscience. It doesn't affect them at all. It doesn't impact them. They don't feel guilty over it because their conscience has been seared as with a hot iron because they've rejected completely the gospel message, the goodness of God in relationship with him. On some level, they know what they're doing.

But they're speaking lies and hypocrisy. Now, this is important to know because we can listen to people or hear people or know people and they're so sincere or they seem to really know what they're talking about or they really believe what they say. But the reality is,

Those who teach a message other than the gospel, other than what the Bible teaches, if it's not in agreement with the word of God, they're speaking lies and hypocrisy. They say they have experience with God, but it's a lie and hypocrisy. Their conscience is seared with a hot iron because they continue to rebel against the things of God and the checks of the Holy Spirit, the convictions of God, but they ignore those convictions. They ignore all

God's speaking to their heart to the point that they become callous, their conscience becomes seared with a hot iron. And so it doesn't bother them to lie and deceive and to lead others astray. There are those who deceive, but also remember that there are those who are deceived. Not everybody that follows those other religions are out to deceive everyone else, but most are deceived.

And to those, there needs to be the demonstration on love from us, the demonstration of love from us. We need to represent Christ and share the truth and pray that God would allow the truth to pierce through to their hearts. Not us piercing it through to their hearts, but allowing the Holy Spirit to do that work. We need to recognize that, yes, there are those who deceive and those who lead others astray, and that is incredibly horrible.

And wretched. It's just, it's unfathomable that people would lead others to hell. But it happens. It takes place. There are those who do that. But the majority of the people that knock on your door or that you run into in the store, the co-workers that you have, they're not necessarily those who deceive. Their conscience has been seared with a hot iron. But they're probably deceived by those who are the deceivers. And so we need to love them and share the gospel.

We need to not depart from the faith and be true to what God has revealed in his word. Going on talking about these deceivers, Paul says in verse 3, Paul here gives just two examples of the kinds of things that they will teach.

There are those who will come deceiving and they will not try to pull people away from religion, but they will try to come in promoting religion. They won't try to pull people away from coming to church or being good or following God, but they will come promoting relationship with God, right standing with God through a legalistic relationship with God.

They'll come promoting the works, the do's and the don'ts, the commanding and the forbidding, the legalistic relationship. See, because if the enemy can get us trusting in our own selves for salvation, then he has achieved his goal. If I no longer look to Jesus Christ, or if a person trusts in their religion or their religious activity, how religious they are, well, there's a danger there.

Because salvation is only found in Jesus Christ. If the enemy can get us to trust in our own selves, then he's won. He's achieved his goal. If he can get us to rely upon our own works, how good we are, how much we have done, how faithful we are, then he's achieved his goal.

The false teachers that Paul is talking about is not people coming in and saying, hey, forget about God. Who cares about God? Let's just go party and have a good time. Although there are those. No, but the ones that Paul is talking about here is that from within their midst.

As he said to the Ephesian elders, there will be wolves that come up from within your midst. And they'll seek to lead others astray. They'll seek to deceive people and cause them to follow after them. But not by saying, hey, let's forget about God. But by saying, hey, to really be spiritual or to really have relationship with God, to have right standing with God, here's what you need to do. Now, these people that Paul is talking about, he gives us the example of forbidding to marry.

Hey, you really want to be spiritual? You really want to be right with God? Well, you need to not get married. Or you need to not engage in a marital relationship. You really want to be spiritual? You really want to be close to God? Well, here's the kind of foods that you need to stay away from then. You can't eat these things. If you eat these things, then you're not godly and you're not spiritual. It's just two examples. We could look at many, many more throughout the scriptures of the ways that

we can become legalistic in our relationship with God. If you remember when Paul first started writing to Timothy in chapter 1, he was talking about these false teachers that have risen up there in Ephesus.

And they were the false teachers that had come in and they desired to be teachers of the law. First Timothy chapter one tells us in verse six that some have strayed concerning the faith. They've turned aside. And in verse seven, Paul says that they desire to be teachers of the law, but they don't know what they're talking about. They don't know what they so eagerly affirm. They want to be teachers of the law.

They want to teach people to be legalistic and to relate to God based on what they've done, how good they've been. Now, the law did not forbid marriage, but Paul says it'll be forbidding to marry. And that's what happens with false prophets and false teachers. They begin to go beyond the Word of God because the Word of God is not their standard because they've rejected that and are now teaching something contrary.

And so they begin to apply rules and regulations, forbiddings that God does not give to us, that God does not require of us. Do not depart from the faith. If you do, you will be lost. But not just you. You will lead others astray.

Because God's called you to the ministry. And there's people in your life that God has placed there that you might be an example to them and to demonstrate to them how to walk with God and have relationship with God. That you might share with them and instruct them and disciple them in the faith. And if you depart from the faith, they will be affected as well. They will be impacted as well if you do not hold true to the gospel message. You want to be a good minister of the gospel? You want to be a good minister like Timothy?

then you and I must not depart from the faith. We must not delve into legalism, requiring more than God requires. Salvation is by faith through grace. By grace through faith, rather. And that is not even of ourselves, but that is a gift of God. It's not of works so that none of us can boast. Ephesians 2, 8 and 9 tells us we need to stay true to the gospel message. Abide in Christ.

And do not depart from the faith. The second point on how to be a good minister we find in verses 4 and 5 which says this. For every creature of God is good. And nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. The second thing Paul tells Timothy. It's really in response to these false teachers who are coming in. The second thing he says is this.

to receive food with thanksgiving. To receive food with thanksgiving. He says, every creature of God is good and nothing is to be refused if it's received with thanksgiving. Now, I don't know about you, but there are some foods that I cannot receive with thanksgiving. When we went to Okinawa in December, me and Richard, we were the picky ones. We were the ones who would go to McDonald's on the way when everybody else was going to other places. And I

We would very carefully pick off the menu and if they have pictures of the food, that's even better because we can look and go, okay, that doesn't look good. I can't receive that with Thanksgiving. But George Sedota, on the other hand, if you ever go to Okinawa with him, he'll eat whatever, anything. He'll just say, just tell me what you say I should eat and he'll eat it. And he was eating things that just kind of made me sick to look at. I can't receive those kinds of things with Thanksgiving.

The same thing in American Samoa, right? Pastor Pule, we'd have the Fia Fionga, the big celebrations, and they have all these interesting, you know,

delicacies from that they're used to and that they enjoy. And you go and you go, what is that in this banana leaf thing? And it's all, you know, mushy and gooey and there's things crawling in it. No, I'm just kidding. But, you know, I just have a hard time receiving those things at Thanksgiving. But Paul says every creature of God is good.

There are those who would come and be legalistic and restrictive and say, hey, you have to eat this type of foods and be on this type of diet if you really want to be spiritual. But the reality is, Paul says, look, nothing is to be refused if it's received with thanksgiving. So if you want to go to the Philippines and eat the monkey's brains right out of his head on the table, hey, receive it with thanksgiving, have at it. That's all, but I won't join you. I hope you know that. The point here is not so much the food itself,

The point is to receive with thanksgiving. See, God didn't require all of these things. He didn't require all those that the regulations and rules that we can put upon ourselves or that others will try to put upon us. And so where God has not required and where he has not forbidden, then, as Paul would say, all things are lawful for me. Now, not all things are beneficial, but all things are lawful. You're free if you want to eat well.

Those types of things, you're free. There's no moral or spiritual issue there. And don't let anyone make a moral or spiritual issue out of it. If God doesn't command it, if he does not forbid it in his word, then you are free. You're free to participate and enjoy. But receive it with thanksgiving, as Paul's point says.

This word thanksgiving here, it's related to the word for grace. And it means to receive something, recognizing that I don't deserve it and I haven't earned it. Just receive it, recognizing, hey, this is a gift from God. This is something that God gives to me. I don't earn it. I haven't deserved it. But God has allowed me to participate in it. And so I receive it joyfully with thanksgiving. And that is how we are to approach this life. The things that we eat,

activities that we participate in, the blessings that God gives to us, receive them with thanksgiving. Don't get caught up in legalism. Don't get caught up in and try to make spiritual issues out of things that God has not commanded or forbidden. If he hasn't specified it in his word,

then you are free. And if you want to participate, if you want to eat those types of things, if you want to be involved in those types of activities, then receive it with thanksgiving. Enjoy the freedom that God has given to you to live in relationship with him and the things where he has allowed that freedom in your life. Number three, how to be a good minister.

We find in verse 6, it says, Number three, I've worded this way, command, teach, and instruct sound doctrine.

Command, teach and instruct sound doctrine. We find that word instruct here in verse six. He says, if you instruct the brethren of these things, you will be a good minister. That's what we desire to be. Again, we want to stand before the Lord, as we looked at last week, and to hear him say, well done, good and faithful servant. I want to be a good minister. How do I do that?

Well, first of all, I need to not depart from the faith. Second, I need to receive with thanksgiving. And third, I need to instruct the brethren. And I also said to command and teach because that's what Paul says, wrapping it up in verse 11, that these things command and teach. But I want to look at these words for a moment because they give us great insight into what God has called us to do as ministers of the gospel message. That word instructs.

Really means to remind or suggest. He says, instruct the brethren in these things. He's saying, remind the brethren or suggest to the brethren these things. And this is one of the marks or the differences between a false teacher and the good minister. Those who command or demand and those who remind or suggest.

Even those who God has given authority to within his body, we need to understand that they have it in a very limited sense. And there is no one who has the authority to demand or command you personally in your life, except for God.

Special relationships like child to parent. Well, then there's a whole different story there. But in general, within the body of Christ, a pastor, a minister, a leader does not have the authority to command or forbid you personally.

That is that the leader in the church or the minister of the gospel doesn't have the authority to tell you how you are supposed to live your life or how you must live your life. They don't have the authority to forbid you to marry or to command you to abstain from certain types of foods. No one has that right. No one has that authority except for God. See, God has that authority in your life. God can tell me

And command me and forbid things to me other than what he has placed in his word. There's things for me, some freedoms that others have that God will not allow me to participate in. And God has that authority. But no one else has that authority.

A good minister instructs, which means that they remind or suggest. See, a good minister will remind you, hey, this is what God has said. This is what God has taught. A good minister will suggest this is what God's word says. But none of us have the authority to command or forbid. Now, sometimes that can be quite frustrating sometimes.

Because I'm sure you've experienced in your own life, people around you, you know they're going to hurt themselves. You know the path that they're on. You know the things that they're involved in really are going to bring them trouble and hurt down the road. But we don't have the authority to command and demand from people in their lives. Our job is to remind, to point them back to what God has said.

Because what God desires is not for them to have a relationship with him through us. But God desires to have a relationship with each person that's real and personal. God desires for you to make the choices that you make because of your relationship with him. And what he has spoken to you. Not what some other person has spoken of in your life.

No one has the authority to command or forbid in your personal life. Paul gave the example of to marry. No one has that authority. To say, no, you cannot marry that person. No one has the authority. No, you have to eat this kind of food and be on this kind of diet. Now again, there's the special relationships, child, parent, maybe spouse. But in the church, in spiritual things,

Understand the difference. The false teacher, the false apostle, the false prophet will come in and command and demand and require more than what God requires. And the emphasis will be on the works and the relationship that you have based upon the things that you do. But that is not the relationship that God has presented to us. And if someone is commanding and demanding and forbidding you.

Then run from that relationship. Run from that person. Run from that ministry. Because God has not given us that authority. And you yourself, as a minister, remind and suggest. That's your role. That's what God has called us to do. He hasn't called us to be the lords of people's lives. But he's called us to represent him and share his word. We're not the Holy Spirit in people's lives.

We cannot convict, neither can we command nor forbid. Now, in verse 11, Paul uses the word command, but this word command simply means to announce the message of another. It means to pass on a command or pass on a message that someone else has given. Again, that is what God has called us to do. The only things that we can command are

And not based on our own authority, but based upon the authority of God, it is when the message of another, we're passing it along. The message of God is to be passed along through to us or through us to those around us. So God has the authority to command and forbid in a person's life. And he does so personally through his word personally.

And as ministers of God, as those who are called to make disciples and to be leaders in people's lives, to be examples in people's lives, we don't have authority over others in the sense that we can command and forbid things that are contrary or not included in the word of God. However, we can remind and suggest, hey, this is what God's word says. We can announce the message that God has said.

And so therefore, boldly and with authority, we can pronounce what is sin to be sin because we're passing on, not based on our own wisdom or understanding our own opinion or conviction, but based upon what God has said. No sexual immorality is sin. You must turn from that. You must follow Jesus Christ. We have the ability to pass on the commands that he has given, but we do not have the authority to.

To command or forbid anything that God has not specifically given to us in his word. Only God has that right and authority in your life and in the people that he has called you to minister to. And so if you ever find yourself in a situation where a spiritual leader is trying to command or forbid more than what God has commanded or forbidden, then run from that ministry. Run from that leadership.

Because only God has that leadership and that authority in your life. Our role is to instruct and remind. To announce the message and the commands of Jesus Christ, of God, in His Word. Our role is to teach and instruct and allow them to work out those things in their lives with God as they develop their personal relationship with Him. That is what you and I are called to do as good ministers of Jesus Christ.

So command, teach, and instruct sound doctrine or good doctrine. And that is the things that we find written in the word of God. Fourthly, we look at verses 7 and 8. He says, but reject profane and old wives' fables and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things.

Having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. Fourthly, we see on how to be a good minister. Paul would say number four, exercise yourself toward godliness. You want to be a good minister? Well, that's great. Here's what you want to do then. Exercise yourself toward godliness. He starts out by telling Timothy what to reject. Reject profane and old wives fables.

He tells Timothy, don't waste your time with the junk. During that day, if you remember Paul, when he was there in Greece, and he went to Mars Hill, and it says that there was those who were there who did nothing all day except to talk about whatever new thought was going through, and whatever new teaching was taking place, and whatever wind of doctrine was going through. All they did was talk and debate those things all day. That was their life.

There will always be those types of opportunities. There's lots of profane and old wives fables. Lots of ideas and opinions that we can listen to and get involved in and debate and talk about and study. But Paul tells Timothy and we should take heed, reject those things. That word profane means that it has nothing to do with God. If it has nothing to do with God,

If it's not based on something that God has given to us in his word, reject it. Don't even waste your time with it, Paul tells Timothy. I like in this same line of thoughts, I really enjoy Isaiah chapter 8 verse 20.

It is a good standard for our hearts and our lives and what we discuss and think about and who we believe and follow. Isaiah chapter 8 verse 20 says to the law and to the testimony, to the law and to the testimony. He says, if they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Go to the law. Go to the testimony. Go to the word of God. And if they do not speak according to this word, it's because there's no light in them. They're in darkness. And if they're in darkness, don't waste your time listening to or figuring out or debating or meditating on the things that are not of God. If it's not found in the word of God, if it's not in accordance with the word of God.

Paul tells Timothy, reject those things that are not of God. The old wives' fables, you know. Hey, if you keep making that face, it'll stay that way. The things, sometimes Christians, we can be somewhat gullible and ridiculous. As a whole, Christians in general. There's the movements that go through the church. Oh, we were praying and gold dust just started falling from the sky and

I had some fillings and they turned to gold. There's all types of myths and fables and things that, hey, this isn't according to what we see in the Word of God. It's not what we see taking place in His Word. Reject profane and old wives' fables. The Word of God needs to be the standard in our lives and in our hearts.

To the law and to the testimony. If they don't speak according to this word, then there is no light in them. And so Paul tells Timothy to reject those things and instead, in place of them, exercise yourself towards godliness. Don't worry about debating and figuring out all the different sayings and opinions and doctrines that come through and that you can be involved in. Just reject them altogether and use that time to exercise yourself

Toward godliness. Work on becoming more godly, Timothy. We talked about godliness last week. It means to be like God, to have his character and his nature. Timothy, exercise yourself towards that. Don't debate and get involved in all of these things that will just waste your time. No, use that time and spend time working towards godliness.

You don't have to have all your theology tacked down and nailed down and have an answer to every question and a way to debate any subject. Don't involve yourself in that, Timothy. Instead, exercise yourself towards godliness. You know the age-old question, how many angels can dance on the head of a pin? Who cares? Exercise yourself towards godliness.

Did Adam have a belly button? Who cares? Exercise yourself towards godliness. And on and on and on we could go. All the different things that have been debated with great passion throughout the years. No, you want to be a good minister? Exercise yourself towards godliness. Become more like God. Ask God to be working in your heart to make you more like Him. To mold you and shape you in His image that you might represent and honor Him.

He goes on to say bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things. Bodily exercise profits a little, said the chubby Pastor Jerry. Right. Bodily exercise profits a little, Paul says. It's a little helpful, right?

Now, I don't think he's just talking about, you know, working out and exercise the way that we know it. But the false teachers that were rising up in that day and those that will continue to come will be those who will be working on the outward. They were known as the ascetics. They would punish their body in order to because they believed that all things material were evil.

And so that's why they said, hey, don't get married because you're going to bring pleasure to your body. And that's wrong and that's evil. And you don't want to involve yourself in that. And they would say, hey, stay away from these foods because they taste good and you'll enjoy them. And that's evil. And so you don't want to be involved in that. And they're trying to exercise their body in order to stay away from anything that's enjoyable or pleasurable and place these incredible restrictions upon themselves and

That they might feel closer to God. That they might feel that they're right with God. But Paul's saying, look, if you want to have some exercise, you want to train your body, hey, it profits a little. It is good. It does profit a little bit. But godliness is profitable for all things. So one is greatly more valuable than the other.

You know, there's the saying, eat right, stay fit, die anyway. It's the truth. You can eat right and you can exercise a lot and you can be real healthy and you're still going to die. It doesn't change that.

I think the statistic, I remember someone quoting, you know, for every hour that you spend in the gym, you add an hour on to your life. So it's kind of equal, right? So just skip the gym altogether and enjoy life. Why would you go? Now, I'm not saying that we should all be chubby and fat and never exercise. But the point is, hey, it profits a little. It does help a little. It has a little worth. But godliness is not compared to that because godliness is profitable for all things, right?

Again, Paul's emphasis is not, you know, hey, don't exercise, you know, let yourself go. He's not saying that. He's just saying, look, here's the more important thing. Here's the more valuable thing. Godliness.

This will profit you in every aspect of your life. This will profit you in every element and everything that you're involved in. Godliness will help you within your marriage. Godliness will profit you as a parent or as a child. Godliness will profit you at school or in the workplace. Godliness will profit you on the freeway or in church. Godliness will profit everything in your life.

will benefit if you will put on the nature and character of God, if you will become more like God. It's profitable for all things. But not only in this life, he says, having the promise of the life that now is, but and that which is to come. And that's the wonderful thing about godliness.

Exercise, bodily exercise and the restraints and things that you put upon yourself. Hey, they're helpful, but you'll die anyways. And you just profit in this life. But godliness is profitable for all things in your life. But not only that, it's profitable for beyond your life into eternity. Of course, starting with salvation because you get to spend eternity with God in heaven. But going on beyond that.

God has even given us the opportunity to be rewarded as we are obedient to the things that he commands in our lives. Paul's emphasis here is godliness. Exercise yourself toward godliness. It's profitable in this life. We learn that over and over in the book of Proverbs. When you live by God's principles and guidelines, you experience the joy and fulfillment that God intends for you as you apply his standards to your life.

But it's also profitable in the life that is to come. Because as you exercise yourself towards godliness, you'll be storing up for yourselves treasure in heaven. Making a way for yourself, as Paul said, an abundant entrance into the kingdom of God. And that's what we desire. Again, to hear God say, well done, good and faithful servants. Godliness is profitable for all things. So exercise yourself towards godliness.

Paul goes on in verse 9 saying, This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. Verse 10, For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Here we have one of the faithful sayings of the Apostle Paul. He gives five of them to Timothy and Titus in the books 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus.

These are the things that Paul says you can count on these things. These are sure and steadfast. This is a faithful saying. What is a faithful saying? Well, he's saying, he's been saying, that godliness has the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. This is something you can count on. This is something that's sure and steadfast. This is a faithful saying. If you will exercise yourself towards godliness...

It will benefit you in this life and in the life that is to come. Paul says it's to this end that we labor and suffer reproach. This is what we're working so hard for. This is what we're going through all these trials and difficulties for. Because we trust in the living God. That godliness is profitable in this life and in the life that is to come. Because he is the savior of all men. Especially of those who believe.

Paul's saying Jesus Christ died on the cross for the whole world, but those who experience that, those who receive that, well, those who benefit from his death are those who receive his gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. And so God is the savior of all men, especially of those who believe, because it's only those who believe that receive the promise of eternal life. This is a sure and faithful saying. It's worthy of all acceptance.

Godliness is profitable for all things in this life.

Don't just get caught up in this life. There's a life yet to come. There's eternity in store for those who believe in Jesus Christ. This is faithful and sure. And so exercise yourself toward godliness. He ends in verse 11 by saying, these things command and teach. Timothy, if you want to be a good minister, here's where you need to focus. Here's what you need to stay on. Don't get caught up. Just reject altogether the fables, the fables.

the legalism, the old wives tales, all the things that are not of God and instead command and teach godliness.

Godliness. Don't be concerned about all the answers to the debates and the questions. Hey, stick to the word of God and stick to how do we live this out? How do we become godly? How do we walk in the character and nature of God? Command and teach those things, Timothy, because those things are profitable for now, but also for eternity. So that's where your focus needs to be, Timothy. And you and I as Timothys, as we

Close our time together this morning. We're called into the ministry. We're called to make disciples. God has placed people in our lives that he wants us to have an eternal impact on. And so if you want to be obedient, if you want to be the disciple that God has called you to be,

Here's how to be a good minister. Here's the things that you need to know that you might be faithful to God, that you might be a good minister with what God has given to you. First of all, do not depart from the faith. Don't stray into legalism. Don't stray into those other doctrines. Don't depart from the word of God, but hold fast to the doctrine that you have received. Second, receive with thanksgiving.

Enjoy the freedoms that God has given. Enjoy the food that God has allowed you to enjoy and eat. Receive it with thanksgiving, recognizing, hey, this is from God. I don't deserve this. I haven't earned this. But God is so good and he has blessed me. Number three, command, teach, and instruct sound doctrine. Remind, suggest, pass on the commands of God.

Share what God has spoken and remind others of what God has said. And fourthly, exercise yourself towards godliness. Don't worry about the fables and myths and all the crazy questions that could be asked. Instead, go before the Lord and work out godliness. Exercise yourself towards godliness that you might become more like him. And as I shared last week, how do you become more godly?

How do you have the nature and character of God more and more in your life? How do you grow in that? It's not by being more determined. It's not by trying harder. It's by simply spending time with Him. We go back to the beginning. Abide in Christ. Allow Him to impact your heart with His nature, with His character, with who He is. And as you become more like Him, it will profit you in this life forever.

And in the life that is to come. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, it's a scary thing to realize that there are those who are out to deceive and to lead people astray. Lord, as we recognize and realize the war that is taking place for people's hearts and souls for eternity. God, how serious it is, this life and the choices that we make. The way that we represent you.

And God, as you've called us to be like Timothy, ministers of the gospel message, I ask, Lord, that you would help us to be good ministers. Lord, that we would be faithful to you. Lord, help us not to depart from the faith. Protect us from legalism. Protect us from the lying spirits, the deceiving spirits, and the doctrines of demons.

God, I pray that you would help us to abide in you, that we would be able to recognize those things that are not of you, that we might stay away from them and not get caught up in the doctrines of demons, the things that would lead us astray. God, I pray that you would help us to receive with thanksgiving. God, we don't deserve anything. We haven't earned anything. But Lord, you've blessed us with wonderful freedom. You've blessed us with wonderful gifts and opportunities.

With great things to enjoy. So God, help us to receive those. To enjoy them. Those things that you desire for us to be blessed by. And God, I pray that you would help us as good ministers to instruct and command and teach sound doctrine. Your word. God, that we would not take authority in the lives of others that you haven't given to us. But Lord, that you would help us to simply point people back to you.

Lord, that we would encourage them and remind them of what you have said, that they might grow deeper and further in their relationship with you. And God, I pray for us that you would help us to exercise ourselves toward godliness. There's so many things that we can get caught up in, so many doctrines that we can follow and things that we can debate and activities and hobbies that can consume our time. God, help us.

to exercise ourselves toward godliness, to give you authority in our hearts. Lord, to give you time to speak to us and work within us, to mold us and shape us. Lord, teach us to train ourselves to be more like you. And I pray that you would give us the grace and the strength to live it out, that we might be a good witness, a good minister of you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

We pray you have been blessed by this Bible teaching. The power of God to change a life is found in the daily reading of His Word. Visit ferventword.com to find more teachings and Bible study resources.