Author Archives: preacherwin
Divisions
In C.S. Lewis’ novel, The Great Divorce, he depicts a kind of metaphorical bus tour of Heaven , Hell, and a kind of in-between place, much as did Dante in his Divine Comedy. For Lewis, the aspect of Hell that he emphasizes the most is that of privation, or the separation from anything that is good. While Lewis did not reject the language of positive retribution or destruction that the Bible speaks of, it is the idea of the “outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth” that depicted the awefulness of Hell to him.
As part of this tour, he described the people building houses with walls, but the walls only kept other people out and did nothing to protect the one within from the weather. Further, he depicted hell as a place utterly devoid of community. When someone would move nearby, those already there would quickly move away to avoid interaction with others. Lewis understood, as did Aristotle, that humans are social animals and separation from others is a most difficult thing to face — something that was a suitable part of God’s eternal and righteous judgment.
Yet, what strikes me as odd is that as a society, we are doing everything in our power to create that context here in this life, in this case, through the many labels that have been assigned to people, putting them into ever-smaller groups in both church and in society. We use terms like liberal and conservative, which have meanings, but don’t always define a person’s specific view. Most of us fall across a spectrum that falls between the far left and far right. In matters of religion, there are fundamentalists and liberals, orthodox and Neo-orthodox, evangelicals, confessionalists, Reformed or Arminian, pentecostal or cessationist, post-mil, a-mil, pre-mil, pan-mil and a wide range of in-betweens. I sometimes describe myself as a Confessionally Reformed, a-mil with post-mil sympathies, supralapsarian, paedo-baptist, creedo-communion, presuppositional in the Clarkian school of thought, sola psalmis, Christian with certain theonomic sympathies. And, I imagine that some of you, dear readers, either don’t know what all of these distinctions mean and others may be outraged by some of them.
My point is this: labels can be useful when understanding a person’s thoughts and motivations, but they are destructive when they just create walls between people that prevent constructive conversation. Socially, we see the same thing happening. People have created numerous “gender expressions,” which tend to put people into boxes that separate them from genuine community with anyone who does not hold their exact set of preferences. Largely, this generation has grown up being told they can be anything they want to be. Even in the church, this has been taking place as people often misquote Philippians 4:13. Paul saying that he can “do all things through him who strengthens me” does not mean that Paul could flap his arms and fly. It does not mean that he could breathe underwater. Similarly, people with lousy eyesight are not going to become Air Force fighter pilots even if that is what they most “want to be.”
Humans thrive in community and one of the reasons that the American Experiment has been so wildly successful (at least culturally and technologically) is because people of varying backgrounds have been able to come together to share ideas, cultural traditions, and to meet shared goals while also sharing a commitment to Truth (both in natural law and in spiritual law). Yet, today, as labels arise, as “personal truths” supplant the idea of absolute truth, we create chasms between ourselves, our ideas, and our cultural distinctives that do not belong if we are going to live in a united society.
Unity, Hegel, and the Universe
If everything is in conflict, unity is impossible.
For decades, Cosmologists have been seeking to proffer a “Grand Unified Theories (GUT)” of all things as a way to explain all of the phenomena that are observable in the universe around us. Theologians write systematic theologies with the same intention, hoping to set forth a “Grand Unified Theology (GUT)” of all things to explain all that God has revealed in His Word and in His world. More narrowly, sociologists talk about unified theories of learning, social change, and behavior. Yet, as one might suspect, there are many competing “unified” theories, and often these competing systems are mutually exclusive rather than being complementary to one another.
Enter the influence of G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831). In his lifetime, Hegel introduced the philosophical paradigm known better today as “Hegel’s Dialectic.” For Hegel, all systems were in a constant state of evolutionary flux. Established ideas (known as Theses) were always seen in a state of tension with competing views (known as Antitheses). Out of that tension would arise a Synthesis which, in principle, united the best elements of the thesis and antithesis into a better system of thought. Then, the synthesis would in turn become the new thesis, and a new antithesis would later emerge. This way of thinking has shaped much of the modern Western world, and in many (if not most) fields, it has become the standard paradigm by which knowledge is advanced.
The problem with the Hegelian model is that it presents all things as being in a state of conflict. Further, it presents that conflict as ongoing and indefinite, that as long as there is the possibility of an antithesis, one has never truly arrived at a “Grand Unified Theory of Anything.” The problem, then, lies with the definition. Unity, derived from the Latin word unitas, meaning “one.” It speaks to the notion of an indivisible whole that is fully and completely at harmony within itself, and if one thing were added or taken away from it, the unity would be obliterated. The difficulty with the Hegelian model is that it is limited to human knowledge and experience and makes instruction from the divine an almost irrelevant matter.
From a Christian perspective, human knowledge is indeed limited, but Divine knowledge is not. Divine knowledge is infinite in its depth, breadth, and substance and it is absolute. Further, God has given us a Grand Unified Theory in the 66 books of the Bible. It is perfect and God the Holy Spirit has preserved it not just through the ages, but also across the cultures and languages. Indeed, some err, but their error always is a result of their own human limitations, not any limitation in the Divine.
As one might expect, the word “universe” also has its derivation from the word unitas. It comes from the combination of the word unitas and versus. Literally, the word means, “one thing that turns together.” It is applied to our universe based on two presumptions. First, that the universe as a whole, is a whole that is interconnected on some level. Second, while we do not yet understand it, there is a Grand Unified Theory that explains the whole. For example, while the speed of light is considered a standard of measurement, it is also recognized that the speed of light varies. These variations, though, can be explained within the system of the whole (for example, the medium that light passes through affects its speed).
As a side note, lately it has become popular to speak about a “multiverse.” In other words, people suggest that there are parallel universes that are not connected. Yet, if unconnected, it is impossible for us to know anything about these “other” universes or even if they exist. Further, if it were possible to know or observe said “parallel” universe, or if a bridge were to somehow interconnect these separate universes (as is popular in science fiction stories), then the “multiverse” ceases to be “multi.” It is simply a universe that has many branches but is still explainable through the same Grand Unified Theory.
In the end, though, the only way a Grand Unified Theory can be established is if we draw from that which has been revealed by the Divine who created the universe and has perfect knowledge over his creation. And that means leaving Hegel’s Dialectic behind. The best that Hegel’s dialectic can give us is pure humanism. God’s Law — God’s Word gives us truth. It gives us a truth that makes any synthesis with outside ideas impossible because syntheses are at best, compromises. It is only in light of the Scriptures that unity can be had.
Church Discipline
“Of whom are Hymenaios and Alexander, whom I handed over to Satan in order that they may be taught how not to blaspheme.” (1 Timothy 1:21)
Paul gives us two examples of people who have not been faithful as “good soldiers” of Jesus Christ. Hymenaeus, we see again in 2 Timothy 2:17, along with Philetus, as one who is irreverent in his speech and was leading people into ungodliness. If we presume that this Alexander is the same person as “Alexander the Coppersmith” found again in 2 Timothy 4:14, it can be inferred that these men did not learn their lesson.
What lesson, perhaps, is that? It is the lesson that calls upon all who name the name of Christ to live out lives in accordance with the way God has called us to live. Jesus said that we are to make disciples of the nations and part of that disciple-making process is to teach said disciples to obey all that Christ has commanded (Matthew 18:20). In turn, when sin is embraced rather than put to death, there is a place in the life of Christ’s church for the practice of discipline for the chastisement of sin (see Matthew 18:15-20). Here, Paul is referring to an instance where he has disciplined those in the community where Timothy is laboring (Ephesus).
The question that many raise is, why does Paul name-drop here? Arguably, it is not simply to make a point, but to prepare Timothy for those who might work against him. Those who had been disciplined by the Apostle Paul may very well become enemies of Paul’s emissary. Yet, that brings up a question of propriety. Many would suggest that for a preacher today to name-drop would be in poor taste. Nevertheless, Paul stated that we should imitate him as he imitated Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). It should also be said that if a church disciplines a member of the church, especially to the point of removing that member from the rolls, then the rest of the body should know who that happens to be and why indeed they should be avoiding them (2 Thessalonians 3:6). Further, should not a shepherd warn his sheep of known threats from false teachers? While it may not seem to be “in good taste,” it is the example set for us in God’s word…something which we should be keen to follow.
The goal, though, of all discipline, is to teach the body how not to blaspheme, whether that blasphemy is to be uttered with one’s lips or communicated by one’s actions.
All Kinds of Prayers for All Kinds of People
“I urge you, firstly, that all kinds of requests, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be made for all mankind,”
(1 Timothy 2:1)
When we arrive at these verses, we often have a tendency of focusing on the importance of our praying for kings and other leaders. While it is true that we are to pray for such people who are in positions of influence over our lives, we sometimes overlook the two things that are being asserted here. First, our prayers should be for all kinds of people, not just the rich and powerful. We should be praying for the poor, the widow, the laborer who lives down the street, as well as those who are doctors, lawyers, and other people of wealth and influence. We should be praying for blue-collar and white-collar workers alike. We should be praying for soldiers and police officers. We should be praying for firemen, EMT personnel, nurses, therapists, farmers, mechanics, and the many other people who labor in our midst as moving parts of what we might call the great human-machine of society.
On a certain level, we indeed understand the importance of doing so, but do we pray for such people who are working for our overall good, but whose work makes our daily life more inconvenient? For instance, how often have we been running late to our own jobs only to find roadwork being done on the primary route we drive? Do we pray for such folks or do we hurl expletives into the air because crews have torn up the road for what seems to be the third time in as many months? When the person in front of us is driving too slowly, or who is moving too slowly down the middle of an aisle in the grocery store, do we pray for such people or just grumble at them? When a police officer gives you a ticket for going too fast on the road, do you grumble that the officer just happened to be present, like a shark seeking prey, or do you pray for said officer and give thanks to God for people who labor to keep our community safe (even if it means keeping the community safe from people who drive too fast)?
The point is, for a community to function, there are all sorts of people who must be engaged in labor. We are called to pray for these as well as our governors. Secondly, we are to offer all sorts of prayers. We are to intercede on behalf of others. We are to pray with those who are suffering and facing great challenges in life. We are to pray with those who cannot even lift prayers of their own. We are to pray for the needs that others happen to have and make requests on their behalf. And further, we are to make thanksgiving. We are to thank God for their presence in our community and we are to celebrate when they achief goals (even if we are struggling to meet our own goals!).
In the end, do we pray all kinds of prayers for all sorts of people? Sometimes the prayer life of Christians can be rather selfish and limited. Try spending a day praying for everyone you encounter. You might just find that you have far more for which you can pray than you initially thought.
I Don’t Care
(What you want, what you really, really want…)
In the mid-nineties, the Spice Girls had a hit song called “Wannabe,” which contained the refrain, “I’ll tell you what I want, what I really, really want. So tell me what you want, what you really, really want…” The tune was catchy and spoke of the nature of friendship and relationships, but it also provided an apt commentary on our Western culture. Burger King’s tagline is “The way you want it.” Chik-fil-A stresses, “It’s our pleasure to serve you.” Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, used to say, “There is only one boss, the customer.” Slogans that tout the importance of customer satisfaction abound in our culture today. It’s how businesses succeed in building a loyal customer base. Further, as someone who has been in small business himself, a satisfied customer is what you ultimately want, and the businessman should strive to give his or her customer what they “really, really want.”
Yet, churches are not businesses. Nevertheless, church leaders fall into the trap of thinking of themselves as businesses. Surely, when attendance goes up, revenue tends to go up. When attendance drops, revenue drops. Yet, while the purpose of a business is to generate revenue, the purpose of the church is to build Christ’s kingdom. And these, my friends, are two very different goals. Nevertheless, churches often circulate surveys and other questionnaires asking the people in the pews what they want in a pastor, what they want from the pastor, what they want as part of the worship service, and what kind of programs the people want…what they really, really want.
The problem is that the church is a Kingdom, or at least, the local church is meant to be a microcosm of the Kingdom of Heaven. And, Kingdoms have Kings. In the case of the church, these Kings are not mere figureheads like the King of England, but it has a real King with real rules and commands, and the King expects His citizens to obey said rules. In fact, the King has established offices in His Church to ensure that His laws are taught to His citizens, that they are trained and equipped to carry them out, and to discipline said citizens when the citizens refuse to submit to His authority.
Who is this King over the church? It is Jesus Christ the Lord. Who are His ministers? They are Elders, Deacons, and Pastor-Teachers. Deacons are charged with ensuring that the poor, the widows, and orphans are cared for and treated with equity. Elders are charged as overseers over the body, and Pastor-Teachers are given the awesome responsibility to teach and equip the citizens of Christ’s Kingdom for ministry, so that the people are also able to live their lives as disciples, obeying all that the King has commanded.
And so, within the Kingdom of Christ, what is important is not what the people want, what is important is what the people need to train them to be good and productive citizens of the church. Of what value, then, are polls and questionnaires? What is important is not citizen satisfaction, but the satisfaction of the King. In fact, the citizens will discover, if they submit to the will of the King, that they will find far more satisfaction in the things that satisfy the King than in the things that they think will satisfy themselves.
And so, what you (or I) might want (or think we might want) is irrelevant in the life of the church. The only thing that is relevant is what Christ wants. And so, as a Pastor-Teacher in the church, I really don’t care what you want, what you really, really want; I care what Jesus wants, what He really, really wants.
Faith and a Good Moral Conscience
“having faith and a good moral conscience. Those who cast this aside have shipwrecked their faith.”
(1 Timothy 1:19)
What are the qualities of a good soldier of Jesus Christ? While we might list many attributes that Christians are to strive to have, Paul focuses on two here in this verse and combines them with a warning. What are those two attributes? The first is faith and the second is to have a “good conscience.”
Faith ought to be obvious. One cannot please God apart from faith (Hebrews 11:6) and likewise, all that is done without faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Further, this faith is not something we generate within ourselves, but we must be born again from above (John 3:3), it is the means that guides the way the believer lives and walks (Hebrews 11:1; 2 Corinthians 5:7) and it is not only how we are saved on this side of the Cross of Jesus, but it is the way the saints of old also walked (Romans 4:12; Hebrews 11:2). If you would be a good soldier of Christ, saving faith is the starting point and it is God’s doing.
Yet, there is an aspect of this “good soldiering” that also speaks to our participation. We are called to have a “good conscience.” Paul uses the word συνείδησις (suneidesis) in this context, which primarily speaks of the question of morality, or that of a moral conscience (hence the translation above). In other words, Paul is speaking about a person who chooses right over wrong, life over death, and God’s way over the ways of man (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Romans 12:1-2). The one who knows what is right and yet refuses to do it is not a good soldier; indeed, he is one from whom we must separate ourselves (2 Thessalonians 3:6). And those ignorant of the ways of God must be taught (Matthew 28:20).
The challenge (to preserve the analogy) is that many in the church are not good soldiers and many churches are not interested in training good soldiers. People are often lax when it comes to growing in their faith and obedience to Christ’s commands and are often content with the idea that they are destined for heaven while they go about living worldly lives. If you have ever served in the military, you understand that obedience to the commands of your leaders is not an option and contentment in mediocrity is never an acceptable option. It isn’t in the church either. At least, it isn’t in Christ’s true church.
While it is certainly true that a true conversion (which is God’s work in us) does often supernaturally produce a change in the moral conscience. Indeed, it must! One is being transformed from death to life! Nevertheless, the true believer also seeks to mature his or her moral conscience every day of their life. We seek to discern what is the good and acceptable will of God and as we mature in the faith God has given to us, we grow more like Christ and less like the world. We grow to hate the things that God hates and to love the things that God loves in every aspect of our lives. In other words, we participate in maturing our “good moral conscience” so we may become a better soldier.
What happens if we do not? Therein lies the warning (and even examples in the following verse!). When you do not seek to be that good soldier, you make a shipwreck out of your faith. Does that mean you will lose your faith? No, God loses none of His own. But it does mean that your spiritual life will be tossed and battered by every wave and storm of human invention. And folks, if you have ever been aboard a ship that has been in danger of shipwreck, you understand that it is not a voyage that you would enjoy. A life such as that is filled with misery and guilt rather than with the satisfaction that comes with the fact that God is using you to build Christ’s Kingdom.
So be that good soldier and build on the faith that God has instilled in you (Jude 20).
Wage War as a Good Soldier
“This commandment I put before you, my child, Timothy, in accordance with the prophesies about you that preceded this, in order that you might wage war as a good soldier through them.”
(1 Timothy 1:18)
Paul now focuses on a direct instruction given to Timothy, yet it is one that is instructive for all of us. Timothy is to wage war as a good soldier. Wage war in what way? Wage war against whom? Paul will flesh this out as he continues through this epistle. Yet, what is clear is that the prophesies made about (or over) Timothy when he was a child were given for one purpose: that Timothy might rise up as a soldier in Christ’s church, fighting the Good fight (as Paul would once again instruct Timothy in chapter 6, verse 12, and as Paul would strive himself to do, 2 Timothy 4:7).
How is this instructive for us? As Christians, we live here in this world in a time of war. Indeed, we are not waging war against the flesh (2 Corinthians 10:3); we fight against the rulers, authorities, and powers over this present darkness and the spiritual forces in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). Indeed, there will be times of peace in the new creation, but not here in this world. And, just as Timothy was commissioned for this task by the prophecy and the laying on of hands (2 Timothy 1:6), we too are called to approach the Christian life as ones who are engaged in warfare. And we are to be “good” soldiers. We are an expeditionary force of heaven, yet, a quick survey of the landscape around us will indicate that we (as the True Church) have largely been losing ground.
Losing ground? Society in the West is in decline. The church, which is called to be the “pillar and buttress of the Truth” (1 Timothy 3:15) is commonly filled with corruption, social syncretism, and narcissistic strife. What is worse, like the church in Laodicea, the church in the west has largely become lukewarm and comfortable in its own filth. Loved ones, this is not how soldiers take to the battlefield. This is not how soldiers honor their captain (2 Timothy 2:3-4). This is not how members of a kingdom honor their King. Beloved, sometimes, as a church, we wonder why the culture will not listen to us. Yet, before the culture will listen, we must repent. We must worship and conduct our lives as the great Captain of our Faith calls us to live. Then, and only then, will God hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Wake the Sleeping Giant
“And, coming from the town square, unless they have baptized [themselves], they do not eat and there are many other things that have come down to them that they hold dearly, such as baptizing cups and pitchers and copper kettles and dining couches.” (Mark 7:4)
In our home, there reside four adults. In addition to my wife and me, we have two adult children, and it should be said that all four of us have somewhat different work schedules. My wife’s alarm clock is typically the first to go off on any given day, and then the others follow, sometimes creating a cacophony of various beeps and tunes between our bedrooms. My wife is a light sleeper, and so she chooses a quiet melody as her alarm sound, one that wakes her up without disturbing my slumber. I tend to be a heavy sleeper, so I choose the most obnoxious-sounding alarm tones available to ensure that I will roll out of bed on time to go to work.
It has been said that the church, during times of relative peace, is like a sleeping giant. During persecution, that giant awakens and rises to a level where it changes the world. Yet, during seasons such as what we experience in the Western World, where persecution is fairly negligible, the Giant slumbers. It is as if it is genuine persecution, where people are losing their lives and churches are being shut down, that provides the obnoxious-sounding alarm that causes the Giant to wake.
I’d suggest that three things happen when the Church slumbers. First, every man does what is right in his own eyes, creating traditions that are both unbiblical and idolatrous. Second, we find ourselves fighting and bickering over the validity of our traditions rather than boldly proclaiming that people must repent and believe. And third, the society around us looks to other sources for finding meaning in life. Will any of you argue that society isn’t filled by all three of these sorts of things?
Some of you might be tempted to protest by saying, “Wait, but our local church meets all three of the marks of the True Church. Perhaps you do and praise God for that, but are you really fulfilling what the church is called to be doing? For those unfamiliar with the “Three Marks,” Chapter 29 of the Belgic confession lays these out as 1) the pure doctrine of the Gospel is preached therein, 2) the pure administration of the sacraments as instituted by Christ, and 3) that church discipline is exercised for the chastizing of sin (it should be noted that the Second Helvetic Confession, chapter 17 contains a much fuller description of the true church).
The problem is that many of the churches stop with a bullet-pointed list when the Belgic Confession itself goes on to summarize the nature of the true church in that same chapter, as one in which Christ is the only head of the church. A head is a ruler. A head is a lawgiver. A head is the one that you obey and follow. As Jesus stated: “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). There are also no qualifiers. The sheep are not to follow Christ their head some of the time. They are not to follow Christ their head when it is appealing to their taste or pleasing to their senses. And, they are not to follow Christ their head only when the path is easy. The sheep are to follow Christ their head at all times. The sheep are to follow Christ their head even when the road is hard, uncomfortable, and distasteful.
In turn, the true church is to do likewise. They are not to do what is right in their own eyes. They are not to follow and defend the traditions of men. And, when they discover that they are following human traditions, they are to repent no matter what the ramifications of doing so may be. Many denominations claim that they have Christ as their only head, but if you challenge them in an area — their approach to worship, their approach to leadership, their practice of discipline, their practice of koinonia — where said things reflect the traditions of men, then you will find yourself labeled as a “troubler of Israel” (1 Kings 18:17).
You see, the problem is that the traditions of men lull the church to sleep. To borrow from an old pop-song, they have become “comfortably numb.” The church today seems to be more interested in its own agendas, its own entertainment, and its own preferences…not that of the Head they claim to follow. They remain stuck in the morass of uninspired, man-centered, entertainment-driven, therapy rather than true worship. It needs a wake-up call. It needs to be told that man-made traditions, even while benign, are never okay. It needs an obnoxious-sounding alarm clock to wake it up. It needs to discover worship in Spirit and Truth, genuine koinonia, and a declaration of the Gospel that is proclaimed and then lived out, despite what the consequences may be. It needs a wake-up call. And, when the sleeping Giant truly awakes from his slumber, he will transform the world with that declaration.
The Unexamined Church
In Plato’s apology, he presents Socrates as stating: “The unexamined life is not lived by man.” More commonly, it is phrased as “the unexamined life is not worth living” or “the unexamined life is not worthy of a man.” In the end, he conveys that a life lived without introspection, self-examination, and a critical examination of the heart is a life that will amount to very little once all is said and done. One of the things that separates man from the natural order is that we have the ability to think and reason, but if we are not to apply that reason to ourselves and our lives, what good will that reason be to us?
Certainly, this notion ought to resonate with the Christian as he goes through life. We are called to examine ourselves and the way we conduct our lives to determine whether or not we are walking in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). We are called to examine ourselves before we come to the Lord’s Table for Communion (1 Corinthians 11:28). The very title that is given to Elders in the church is that of “Overseer,” implying that one of the roles that these men play is that they are to examine the church as a whole to determine where it is walking in truth or where it may have lost its first love and is walking in error (1 John 1:6; Revelation 2:5).
And, it is that latter notion that we often miss as Christians. We do understand the importance of self-examination (though often we are not as honest with ourselves as we ought to be because we have grown accustomed to justifying sin), but we also feel uncomfortable when others in the church examine us. To that, we often cry out the world’s mantra, “Don’t judge me!” Yet, we need that judgment. How can church discipline be practiced (Matthew 18:15-20) if judgment is not exercised in the examination of the body? How will the Elders root out the wolves from the midst of the sheep if examination is not practiced (Matthew 7:15) and distinguish the antichrists who are seeking to lead people away from the body (1 John 2:18-19).
In turn, we should note that it is not just the Elders who should be examining the body, but the individual Christians should likewise be examining the body as a whole to discern whether they are in a true church or a false church. Is Christ the King of the church or is man its king? Is there true worship, faithful to the Scriptures, being practiced or do people practice what they most like or according to the traditions of men? Are the Scriptures taught faithfully, rightly dividing the Word of Truth, and is the Gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone proclaimed from the pulpit or are works somehow injected into the message of salvation? Are the sacraments practiced as Jesus presented them and is discipline used for the chastisement of sin?
It is my experience that churches are often happy to examine others but are want to examine themselves. They want to hold that their traditions are fine and that nothing needs to be changed and act like an ostrich, burying its head in the sand, ignoring any critical evaluation of their practices. Sometimes, they have practiced an unbiblical tradition so long that they are blind to it entirely. Yet, spiritual growth does not take place apart from examination. In fact, I would suggest that growth never takes place until a person, or a group of persons in a body, is willing to critically examine all of their practices in the light of the Word of God. And thus, just as the unexamined life is not worth living, the unexamined church is not worth attending.
Disinterest or Just Disinterested?
I have learned over the years that often people in churches are disinterested in learning what the Bible teaches beyond a certain point. Often, that certain point has a great deal to do with a person’s comfort zone (particularly in the realm of Christian living) and often that certain point has to do with what a person finds to be overall “interesting.” Talk to people about David and Goliath, Joel, Jonah, or Lot’s daughters and people’s attention is grabbed, but challenge people on their sexual ethics or approach to worship and they turn you off. In this case, much like some people’s hearing, interest can be selective.
Interestingly, the word “disinterest” has two different uses. Commonly, we use it as a synonym for the word “uninterested.” If we don’t give a flying leap about a matter, we are not interested. We might say we are uninterested, but very often we simply say that we are disinterested in that particular topic.
Yet, in a more technical sense, while being “uninterested” in a topic means that you don’t find it interesting, being “disinterested” in a topic means that you are unbiased toward a given outcome. In other words, being a “disinterested judge” in a matter is actually a good thing and something toward which we should strive. It means that you are willing to listen to the argument at hand and if the facts of the argument demonstrate an error in your view, you will alter your view accordingly.
What might it be like, were we able to conduct theological debates in disinterested ways? Often, when I have had theological debates with a person, I have laid out all of the Biblical reasoning behind a view and the response of the person would be to say, “Yes, but I prefer to do such and such (whatever that might be).” That response is an “interested” response because a person has gone into the matter with their own preconceptions that they are not willing to change. A disinterested response would be: “Wow, you are right about what the Bible teaches; I guess that my views on the matter do need to change.”
It does not matter as to the topic that is at hand. We may be talking about Creation, the use of Psalmody in worship, the doctrine of Election, Abortion, or the nature of the human will, whether we are comfortable with a notion is irrelevant. The question that must be asked is, “Is this True and Right?” If it is true or right, it does not matter what our preferences may be nor does it matter what we might find comfortable. What matters is if we are aligning our understanding with God’s understanding as He reveals it in the Scriptures. Then, what matters is if we are aligning our practice with God’s revealed Truth. In the words of one contemporary philosopher, “nothing else matters.”
Historically, being disinterest was a mark of good philosophical thought, but it was also a hallmark of the pre-Reformation and the Reformation itself. Here were men like Waldo, Wycliffe, Huss, Zwingli, and Calvin who were disinterested in what Rome was teaching that God used their disinterest to drive them back to the Bible and the early church. Yet, somewhere in the western world we have become comfortable in our preconceptions and are often unwilling to have them challenged.
In the Reformed world, this is essentially the notion of Ecclesia Reformata, Semper Reformanda (sometimes abbreviated simply as Semper Reformanda). If the church is reformed yet always reforming (what the phrase means), then on what basis is the church always reforming? Certainly it must not always be reforming to match the culture or the preferences of those in the church. No, the church is always reforming on the basis of a disinterested approach to theology as found in the Bible and as has always been understood by the True Christian church. Yet, the only way to get to that point of disinterest is to become interested in honoring God, loving what He loves, and obeying what He commands. That will have great consequences in the church. You may even discover that some groups that claim to be churches aren’t really churches at all — at least as defined by the Bible and the “faith that was once and for all time handed down to the saints.” No, there will be upheaval in the church if people truly approached theology and practice with a disinterested demeanor. But, it would also mean reformation in the church and perhaps our God will honor that disinterested reformation with revival.
Eternal King
“So, to the Eternal King, imperishable, invisible, God alone, honor and glory forever unto the ages, Amen!”
(1 Timothy 1:17)
Doxologies like this are not only common in Paul’s writings, but in the Bible as a whole. How can we even begin to put into words the glorious character of our God? Statements like this make a great start. And we must be very clear that we understand that declarations like this are not a matter of mere fancy or flights of spirituality, but they are clear statements as to the character of the God we serve, and as such, they should instill within us a holy fear for who He is.
One of the trends of the last generation has been to try and emphasize the personal and the relational nature of our God. Indeed, He is personal and he does condescend to us. Yet, the Bible also presents Him as being gloriously transcendent and our theology needs to capture both. Today, talk about the “Fear of the Lord” is frowned on in many circles, yet if we are going to take this passage seriously, these words should engender just that fear in our lives, for they speak of God’s profound transcendence over all He has made.
He is Eternal King. In other words, he is the ultimate ruler over all that exists. He has always been its ruler and always will be its ruler. He is God. Kings also protect what is theirs and they enforce the Law. Since God is also Lawgiver, now we see the language of Him being Law Enforcer, which reminds us that he is the final judge over all things. We may be tempted to think that if we write human laws in such a way that they excuse our sins that we are okay when it comes to judgment. Nevertheless, human laws do not supersede divine ones. He sets the standard. We often abuse it, twist it, warp it, and malign it for our own ends. And we will be judged accordingly for having done so.
God is imperishable. In some senses, this goes along with God being eternal, but it is a reminder that were we to stand up against God, we will never prevail. God is invisible, for He is spirit. And, God is alone. He is not one God amongst many nor is he even the superlative example of a class of beings. No, God exists alone. He is in a class that is entirely His own and there is none to rival Him; all others are pretenders at best.
And thus, all honor, glory, and praise belongs to our God forever. And the only right statement to add to these words is, “Amen!” It is our testimony that these words are both true and that they are engrained in the very innermost part of our being. Indeed, He is the one to be praised! Amen and Amen!
Paul the Prototype
“Rather, because of this I was shown mercy in order that in me, as the most prominent Christ Jesus might demonstrate the perfect patience as an example to those who would subsequently believe upon Him into life eternal.”
(1 Timothy 1:16)
The reading is simple, though its application is profound. Paul has already professed himself to be chief amongst sinners due to his persecution of Christians earlier in his life. Now, Paul is driving the point home by saying that the reason that God chose to save him was to be a model of the extent of God’s grace poured out on those who believe. Basically, it is a picture of God reaching down to the least of the least, the most wretched of the wretched, the most wicked of the wicked and showing that person grace as an example to those who will follow in faith.
What is the application of this teaching? Evangelize! Share the gospel! There is no sinner that is so far gone that it is impossible for God to save them. It is true that we do not know who the Elect are, but that is exactly the point. We don’t know who the elect are, so we should share the Gospel with all we meet. If Paul is a “model” or an example, then it can be confidently said that God delights to redeem those who we might view as incorrigible or irredeemable. Think of the many wicked men in church history that God has turned into believers and his servants: Augustine, John Newton, the many former cannibals of the New Hebrides Islands who became Christians through the work of John Paton. The list goes on and it is a list in which I would include my own name. Perhaps that list includes yours as well.
God will save His elect. Further, God did not choose His elect on the basis of anything in us. It is all about God’s will and God’s good pleasure. Our job is to be faithful and well-sharpened tools in the Master’s hand and to give Him praise and honor for the work He is doing in building Christ’s Kingdom.
Law and Gospel
“Faithful is the word and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am preeminent.”
(1 Timothy 1:15)
While Christ has preeminence in creation over all that was made and over all that is good, Paul describes himself as having preeminence amongst sinners. As he confessed above, he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. Yet, that is Paul’s point. Jesus did not come into the world to save people who had their act together (good thing, too, because he would have found no one in that category!). He came into the world to save sinners (like you and me).
I think that our attitude toward sin is rather distorted in this world. On one hand, sin tends to be downplayed in the context of the church. Preachers tend to focus on the love and mercy of God and not upon the reason that love and mercy is needed. As a result, many people live lives that disregard the weightiness of sin and live much like the world does. On the other hand, many Christians, once convicted of sin in their lives, fall into a trap of thinking that their sin is so serious that God could not (or would not) forgive them. Paul brings this distortion into perspective with this verse as well. He is looking back upon his life, recognizing the greatness of his sin and offering the reminder to us and praise to God that God would forgive one such as him. It is a reminder that if God forgave Paul, he can forgive us as well.
Law and grace must be balanced in the Gospel. We will never understand grace until we understand the greatness of our offense against God. Yet, we will never run to God in repentance if we do not understand the grace that can be found in His Son, Jesus Christ. All must be proclaimed in balance and in conjunction with one another. This verse demonstrates the balance in a profound manner. Gospel and law, law and gospel: inseparable aspects of God’s redemptive plan.
An Outpouring of Grace
“Yet the grace of our Lord poured over with faith and love in Christ Jesus.”
(1 Timothy 1:14)
The language of the twenty-third psalm echoes behind these words of Paul. What pours over from the cup on the table that pours over (Psalm 23:5)? It is God’s grace (symbolized by the wine). What is the result of our cup pouring over? It is faith and love in Christ Jesus. Recognize this: Paul did not believe in Jesus because he consciously decided to do so. In fact, Paul left behind a comfortable life on the Sanhedrin for a life of persecution when he became a Christian. He became a Christian entirely because of the work of God in him. And the same goes for you and for me. We did not become Christians because we made a decision, prayed a particular prayer, answered an altar call, or did any good work. We became Christians because God poured out His grace into our lives and made us ones, giving us faith and love in Jesus Christ.
What ought the work of God in our lives look like? We live lives of faith in Jesus and love for Jesus. Faith is more than just an intellectual assent. It is assent to the Word of God that flows into applying the teachings therein to every aspect of your life. Love applies likewise. Love is worked out in a life of obedience to Christ (John 14:15). It is behaving in a manner that is consistent with the teaching of scripture and living for God’s glory and not for your personal goals or pleasures. We spend ourselves and are spent for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is indeed what we see modeled by the Apostle Paul. This is rarely what we see in western Christianity. Something to consider…
The Change wrought by Mercy
“Formerly, I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man. Yet, I was shown mercy, for I labored in ignorance and in unbelief.”
(1 Timothy 1:12)
Paul’s testimony is powerful because his life illustrates what God can do. Further, verses like this also illustrate the humility of this convert. Think about it, Paul had been a Pharisee of Pharisees, studying under the great rabbinic teacher, Gamaliel. He had even been given authority to arrest the followers of Jesus under the charge of blasphemy. Yet here he is claiming that he had been the one blaspheming and without faith. For most of us who have grown up in Christian circles, it is hard to relate to how profound a statement this happens to be, but it would be the equivalent to a Muslim Imam converting to the Christian faith or perhaps even that of a Roman Catholic Bishop or Archbishop converting to the Protestant faith.
Yet, notwithstanding Paul’s personal testimony, I think that we need to look more closely at that which Paul accuses himself. Ultimately, it is three things: blasphemy, persecution, and violence. While it manifests itself differently in different contexts, I think it is fair to say that all these things still take place even within Christian circles. Blasphemy is any form of dishonoring God’s name. This certainly covers the Third Commandment, but we ought to remember that dishonoring God’s name can be just as much a a physical as it is a verbal action. For instance, one need not use God’s holy name as a curse word or vulgar oath, one can go about willfully breaking the commandments and still be guilty of blasphemy against God. When worship services follow the directives of men rather than the directives of God, that is blasphemous. When false teachers present a gospel that is not the Gospel as delivered in the Scripture, again, blasphemy is taking place. Any time the things of men are substituted for the things of God (especially in worship and in the life of the church), blasphemy is taking place.
Yet, we are not through. Is not gossip a violence against the name or character of another person? Do you realize that by not following the principles that Jesus lays down in Matthew 18, when you are aware of a brother or sister in sin, that you are committing violence against them. People so often run directly to the pastor or Elders when there is an offense, bypassing their Biblical obligation to speak to the offending brother one to one in the hopes of restoring relationship. How often I have told parishioners that the Elders and I will do nothing until Matthew 18 has been followed. How often people are frustrated by that stance. Yet, to do otherwise is a violence against an unsuspecting brother or sister. In some cases, where there is a breakdown of discipline in the church, it may even a form of persecution.
While Paul addresses sins in various places in this text, to see the change in Paul is a testimony to the mercy God showed him. When a person genuinely experiences the mercy of God, their life is changed. The sad thing is, what does that statement say about so many of the churches in our midst?
God Has Done It
“Grace to Him who has given me strength, to Jesus Christ our Lord, for He counted me faithful and put me to use.”
(1 Timothy 1:12)
This is a passage of scripture that can easily be misconstrued to suggest that it was Paul’s inward faithfulness that caused God to choose him for service. In reality, just the opposite is true. God chose Paul because of God’s own purposes. God made Paul faithful. Further, God is the one who strengthened and equipped Paul to be useful in His service. It begins with God and it ends with God. Plus, God is in all the in-betweens. Like a petulant child, our nature is to strive to take credit for things we did not do. Yet, despite what our sin might justify, all is a work of God and if we look closely enough, we will see it even here in this verse.
Paul begins by offering grace to God. Paul commonly uses the term χάρις (charis) not only in its technical manner, speaking of the grace of God, but also as a kind of greeting. It is a way of his giving thanks for the goodness he has experienced in and from God. And so, in this context, Paul is lifting up his thanksgiving to God. Why is he doing so? It is because God has given him strength in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And thus, God strengthened Paul and put him to good use. The word ἠγέομαι (egeomai), translated here as “counted,” speaks in terms of accounting. This is put in such and such a column to balance the numbers, for instance. It is essentially the result of reasoning through a question and then registering the result in a more public manner. It is a term that we sometimes translate as “imputed.” God has credited Paul with the right to be called a servant of God. Again, this is God’s doing, for God has ordered Paul’s life to make him faithful. This is not a matter of Paul earning a wage or a title (as God has done the labor), but Paul is speaking of the privilege he has been given in the service of the King.
The Fruit of Heterodox Doctrine
“We know that the Law is good, if one should use it lawfully, understanding this: the law is not put into place for the just, but for the lawless and unruly, and ungodly and sinners, for unholy and profane and patricidal and matricidal and homicidal, for sexually immoral, homosexual, kidnappers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is opposed to healthy doctrine, according to the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.”
(1 Timothy 1:8-11)
What is the opposite of heterodoxy? The opposite of heterodoxy is “healthy doctrine.” Heterodoxy leads one into endless speculations and myths; healthy, or orthodox, doctrine leads one into ideas and thoughts that rightly reflect the gospel of our glorious and blessed God. How do we know the difference? Heterodoxy leads one into lawless behavior. Healthy doctrine does not.
What we have in these verses is just one of many lists of behavior that is contrary to Christian living. Behavior like this, the law condemns. It is lawlessness and thus, sin (1 John 3:4). This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but it broadly covers the sins that the heterodox teachers seem to be either promoting or are (at least) permitting. As such, it is meant as a clear directive that if you find a pastor or church leadership giving permission to these behaviors, you should flee, for these are heterodox teachers who will lead you away from healthy doctrine.
What “makes the list” as it were? It is for those who are lawless. In other words, it is for those who reject the law of God or think that it does not apply to them. Similarly, it is for the unruly. In Greek, the notion of being unruly refers to someone who considers themselves to be independent or a law unto themselves. These unruly are those who are not ruled by the law of God and who are not ruled by a standard greater than themselves. When Jesus met the Centurian, a “man under authority,” he marveled and proclaimed that he had not found a faith like the Centurians in all of Israel (Matthew 8:5-13).
Why did Jesus marvel? He marveled because this gentile demonstrated a faith that was in submission to the law of God and he found that faith in a gentile. True faith does not run rampant and it is not an individual thing. True faith is in submission to the Word of God and it is in submission to the Confessions and Creeds that have been developed by the church councils across the ages so long as those confessions and creeds are faithful to the Biblical text. In a world where independent churches have become commonplace, Paul’s words stand as a clarion call for repentance and a return to the ancient creeds and confessions of the church as well as for submission to the Word of God.
The next body of people that Paul lists are those who are ungodly. Only the fool, we are told, proclaim that there is no God (Psalm 14:1). Recognizing that idols have no real existence (Psalm 96:5; 1 Corinthians 8:4), this applies to idolaters as well as to those who are atheists. What follows next in Paul’s list are sinners — those who would pursue sin rather than righteousness. Those who would do so, John tells us, are children of the Devil (1 John 3:8) and those who believe that they can pursue sin and that God will not judge, these God says he will never forgive (Deuteronomy 29:19-20).
Next, Paul speaks of those who are unholy. Holiness means being set apart for God’s purposes; thus, unholy refers to setting oneself aside for the pursuit of things that dishonor God. What follows, in turn, are the profane. In Greek, the notion of being profane means that one is so amenable to anything that one stands for nothing of substance. How often that describes Christians in this world who do not wish to chance offending someone. How many sermons never address sin and the need for repentance, but are instead, simply encouraging little motivational bits? This is profane in the Biblical sense of the term.
Next, Paul speaks of murderers…those who seek to kill their fathers, their mothers, and their fellow man. Remembering that when we are angry with someone in our heart, we are guilty of murder (Matthew 5:21-22), these words ought to convict us all. Next come those who are sexually immoral. This refers to any form of sin, heterosexual, homosexual, or auto-erotica. One who sits in front of pornographic magazines or internet sites is just as guilty by Paul’s standard as the one who actually commits fornication. Paul drives his point home by speaking not just of sexual immorality, but doubles down by speaking of homosexuality. There are some who would argue that since the term used here — ἀρσενοκοίτης (arsenokoites) — specifically refers to male homosexual activities, that lesbian activity is not included. Yet, since the masculine is commonly used to speak of all people without exception and since the Bible also addresses female homosexuality (see Romans 1:26), it can be easily concluded that this activity, too, is condemned by God and it is permitted only by those who teach heterodox doctrine.
The final grouping are that of kidnappers, liars, and perjurers. The first, most commonly, was the way the slave trade was operated. Thus, one should not be surprised that Christians largely worked to abolish the slave trade in more recent eras and the ancient world as well. Liars bear false witness and perjurers bear false withness to a court, usually for the purpose of financial gain. Both are sins before God.
And “things like these” is the reason that God gave the law. While Christians are judged by grace and no longer the law, it is true, that does not mean that Christians are to jettison he law. Without the law, how would we know how to live? Without the law, how would we know what doctrine is healthy and what is heterodox? Without the law, to what would we submit? Without the law, on what basis can the church councils meet to make judgements that will be brought to bear on the whole church? Christians are not antinomians, we are not against the law. Praise be to God that we are not condemned by the law because we are in Christ (Romans 8:1), but the law teaches how to live as ones who are grateful to God for His saving work. Thanks be to God for that law.
Missing the Mark
“Certain people have missed the mark and have turned to fruitless talk, desiring to become teachers of the Law, neither understanding what they say nor the things that they confidently assert.”
(1 Timothy 1:6-7)
If sincere faith in God is the goal, those who strive toward fruitless talk are those who have missed the goal — they have missed the mark or the standard for which they are to aim. The word that Paul uses here, ἀστοχέω (astocheo), means to go astray from a moral or spiritual standard and is a synonym with the word ἁμαρτία (hamartia), which is commonly translated as “sin.” Whether the straying is intentional or unintentional, it is still straying and is thus a sinful action.
One of the questions that floats around Christian circles is the question of whether it is sinful to have, hold, or teach a false doctrine. The answer to the question is, “Yes, it is.” Why is it sinful to be in error on a doctrine? Simple, it is missing the mark, even if it is unintentional. Unintentional sins still are sins, as testified to by passages such as Leviticus 5:17. Does that mean that someone is going to hell for a false doctrine? If they are born again, no, of course not. Salvation is by God’s grace through the faith that he places in His elect. Then again, there are doctrines that lead to death for they lead to people trusting in their own works or in the work of the church for their salvation. Trusting in anything or anyone apart from Jesus is a false doctrine that will lead you to be amongst those to whom Jesus will say, “Depart from me you workers of lawlessness, I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23; also 1 John 3:4).
Clearly, those in Paul’s view are not committing unintentional sins for they wish to be known as teachers of the Law even though they do not understand what the Law says nor what they fervently assert to their hearers. Teachers must be trained so that they teach well and do not condemn themselves as well as their hearers (James 3:1). The sad thing is that such still takes place today. There are many who build doctrines simply on their own speculations rather than on the Scriptures. There are those who wish the reputation of being a teacher but do not have the skills to teach. And, worse yet, there are those who have received some training in orthodox theology, but desiring to make a name for themselves, they invent novel applications of theology that lead them into heterodoxy and endless, useless speculation. This, Paul condemns in his letter. I wonder, how stern would his letter to the churches in America be, were he to address us.
Love and Truth
“Now, the end goal of our exhortation is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”
(1 Timothy 1:5)
What is the opposite of useless speculation, mythologies, and heterodox teachings? It is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. Heterodox theology produces a heterodox life; a true faith produces a life marked by Christian love and a peaceful conscience.
The problem that many people face, though, is what constitutes true faith? Truly, every person who calls themselves a Christian preacher would describe their own beliefs as true, yet so many of these views are not consistent with the Bible. Furthermore, when compared to views held by other “Christian” teachers and denominations, they often have views that are irreconcilable with one another. So, how do we resolve these differences in the hopes of practicing a true faith that produces a true Christian life?
The first part of that answer rests in the Scriptures. The Bible is the ultimate authority by which all faith and practice is to be judged. And, it should be said here that we are not talking about isolated proof-texts, but the consistent teaching of the Bible from Genesis through Revelation. If you cannot support a view from clear Biblical exegesis, you cannot hold that view to be Christian. Furthermore, if there are passages that seem to be inconsistent with each other, one must always interpret the unclear references by the clear passages in the text. This is how we let the Bible speak for itself.
Yet, what if it is a matter that the Bible does not address directly? For example, should we baptize infants? Should believers worship on Saturday or is Sunday the Christian Sabbath? What is the right way to articulate the Trinity or the dual-nature of Christ? There are answers to all of these questions and more, but to find these answers, we must consult the documents produced by the historic Christian Councils. To borrow the words of Vincent of Lerens, the Canons produced by these Councils help us to understand what has been consistently held by Christians at all times and in all places. These Canons are not inspired, and thus they can never supersede Scripture and are always to be under the judgment of Scripture, but they provide us with a body of case-law by which we can understand how the Christian is to live with a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.
The Romanists and the Eastern Orthodox place too much weight in these documents, in some cases, elevating these Councils to the level of Scripture. Yet, the protestants often ignore these documents for fear of being confused with the Catholic and Orthodox. So long as you recognize that these documents are human documents given as helps and guides to the church, you need not fall into either error. So long as you recognize that these documents are always to be judged by Scripture, which is our absolute standard, you won’t be misled by the errors of application that show up in a number of these councils. Yet, if you ignore them, you rob yourself of the wisdom that God has given to the church and you will find yourself in danger of useless speculation.
Loving one another in the church is a product of being unified in the Truth of the Word. It does not work the other way around.
Heterodoxy
“Inasmuch as I exhorted you to remain in Ephesus, when [I was] traveling into Macedonia so that you should command certain persons not to teach heterodox doctrines and not be concerned about myths and endless genealogies which encourage useless speculations rather than instruction of God in faith.”
(1 Timothy 1:3-4)
Gee, things haven’t changed much. Here is the church in Ephesus was established in large part by Priscilla, Aquila, Apollos, and the Apostle Paul (see Acts 18:24-19:41). You don’t find much better of a pedigree than that when it comes to churches. The letter that Paul had addressed to the church, likely about 4-5 years before he wrote this letter to Timothy, was filled with imagery of the Gospel and closes with a reminder to put on the full armor of God to defend against the powers of darkness. Yet, as Paul is addressing Timothy, what is his first task? To deal with false teachings. How quickly such things find their way into the church in every age.
The theme of protecting against and destroying heterodox doctrines is one of the major motifs found in Paul’s writings. He chastises the Corinthian church because they have put up with eloquent speakers preaching a different Jesus, a different Spirit, and a different gospel than the one he taught (2 Corinthians 11:1-6). He tells the Galatian church that he is horrified that they have so quickly deserted the true gospel and that any teaching (even if it came from an Angel) that is contrary to his teaching, is to be accursed (Galatians 1:6-9). Twice, in this letter, Paul speaks to Timothy about the same. Never once in the scriptures do we find an instruction to tolerate false teachers or false teachings. Not once are we commanded to be polite to those who proclaim a false gospel. At no point in the Bible are God’s people taught that they are to consider those who hold to a heterodox teaching to be fellow believers. No, we are to strive to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5; Matthew 28:20).
And, how is Timothy to do this? Is he encouraged to persuade people not to teach false doctrines? Does Paul exhort him to preach truth so that the people of Ephesus can hear both sides of the debate and decide for themselves? No! Paul tells Timothy to “command” these people not to teach heterodoxy! The Greek word translated as “command” in this text is παραγγέλλω (parangello). It means “to give orders, to command, to insist that it be done.” It is military language that leaves no room for negotiation. God commands our obedience through His Word and we are expected to obey and not look for wiggle room because people are nice, traditions are fulfilling, or they sing the songs we happen to like. No, we are to obey, but how few professing Christians understand that principle and how many make excuses for their own disobedience?
What are the marks of those who teach a heterodox doctrine? The first thing that Paul says is that they concern themselves with myths or fables. Remember, this is the Greco-Roman culture of which we are speaking. Stories of gods and goddesses abound and in the early church, gnostic religions sought to combine elements of Christianity with the fables, myths, and philosophies of the Greeks. We may be tempted to wipe a bead of sweat off of our brow upon hearing this, because surely we don’t have those who are devoted to myths in our culture. Think again. Any teaching that is grounded in something other than scripture becomes a form of mythology. There are churches that have idols in them, statues and pictures of Christ that are meant to aide devotion. These are clearly contrary to the Second Commandment and are again a form of mythology. In the Greek language, anything that constitutes a fictional narrative is considered a form of myth. Thus, any doctrine or practiced based on a fictional narrative, falls under the category of those teaching heterodoxy.
Yet, we are not done. Paul also speaks about “endless genealogies.” What are these? In the Jewish church, people often fell into the trap of thinking that because they had a proper birthright or could trace themselves back to Abraham, that they were special and favored by God. Paul utterly demolished this teaching when he wrote that not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring (Romans 9:7) and that those who have faith in Jesus are the true children of Abraham (Galatians 3:29). How many people in our churches view themselves as favored because they have a long history in the church? How many churches give deference to old families over the plain teaching of Scripture? How many people think that because their parents were Christians or that they are going to heaven as well? As some older preachers used to say, “God has no grandchildren, only sons and daughters.” Of course, Satan has no grandchildren either.
What does heterodoxy encourage? Useless speculation. Note, there are times we may draw inferences based on Scripture and speculate based on what we know from the Word and from history or natural theology, but these speculations are not useless so long as they are clearly grounded in the Word. Useless speculations are grounded in the minds of men. So, when inferences or speculations take place in church, where are they grounded? Are they grounded in the clear teaching of the Word or in the fantasies of men? In the end, useless speculation detracts from focusing on the Word. Dare I ask, how much of your church service is clearly the Word of God and how much is based on the words of men. How many sermons have you heard that simply use a scripture verse as a jumping-off point for the preacher to talk about whatever he wanted to talk about?
Instead of these things, what is the purpose of the church? Paul writes that it is the instruction of God in faith. The Greek word he uses here is ὀικονομία (oikonomia). Literally, this means “house-law.” What are the rules of the house? How is the household to be ordered? Paul is simply stating that heterodox teaching skews or provides a lopsided and distorted view of how life is to be ordered in the household of God. And, what is the starting point of the right view? It is faith. It is not faith plus works nor is it works alone. It is faith alone. Paul will go on to develop those things that are marks of a church rightly ordered according to God’s law, but for now, we conclude with a simple question: who rules your church? Is it Christ? If so, all things must be done in a manner that is submissive to the Word of God. Are they?
Legitimate Children
“Timothy, my genuine child in faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.”
(1 Timothy 1:2)
Paul concludes his greeting with these words to Timothy. The language of grace, mercy, and peace is language consistent with much Christian writing. For instance, we see all three of these terms used in both of Paul’s letters to Timothy as well as in John’s letter to the elect lady (2 John 3). It should be noted that in all of Paul’s other letters, his ordinary phrase is “grace and peace,” but I do not think that provides grounds to suggest that Paul is setting this greeting apart in any particular way (other than perhaps his affection for Timothy) as he wishes “peace and mercy” to the whole of the faithful church of Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:16). In addition, mercy is a common theme in Paul’s writing as a whole. These are words of greeting that model for us the love and care which one believer has for another. Yet, in a society that is used to communicating with texts and emails, I wonder what things would look like if we took the time to model Paul’s greeting to Timothy within our own communications.
Paul refers to Timothy as his “genuine child” or his “authentic child. The term he uses here is γνήσιος (gnesios), which refers to something that is genuine or true and was often used in the ancient Greek world to denote when a child was a legitimate child as opposed to those who might have been illegitimate and unworthy of a birthright. The significance of this language should be obvious: Timothy was not Paul’s biological son as Paul was unmarried and remained celibate for his entire ministry (1 Corinthians 7:6-9). Thus, Paul is looking to Timothy as his son in the context of the Christian faith. In some Christian circles, it is not uncommon to speak of those who had been our fathers and mothers in the faith. Sometimes these are our biological parents but often they are men and women who have been instrumental either in leading us to the Christian faith or in discipling us in Christian maturity. In a very real sense, these spiritual children we might have are just as legitimate as our biological children (if not more so). In the past, I have often challenged people to get “Fathers Day” or “Mothers Day” cards for those who were their spiritual parents. It is not that I am advocating man-made holidays, but simply the principle of reminding those who have been instrumental in your faith that you are grateful for them.
Christ our Hope
“Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus according to the command of God our Savior and Christ Jesus our Hope.”
(1 Timothy 1:1)
It is believed that the letters of Paul to Timothy were written toward the end of his life. Much of this is based on the tone we find in these words as Paul is preparing Timothy to take on the mantle of leadership in the church. It is clear from the second of these epistles that Paul is writing from Rome while under house arrest, but the similarity in the themes implies that this first letter comes from much the same context. The letters of Paul to Timothy and Titus are often referred to as “pastoral epistles” (of which I would also include Philemon), where you see Paul giving pastoral advice to those he has put into place in church leadership.
It should be noted that while Paul often includes some deep theological truths within his opening words, these are some of the most profound. He begins by establishing his own Apostolic office, something given to him “according to the command of God.” It was not Paul’s decision to become an Apostle nor did Paul acquire that role on the basis of his own efforts. In addition, the office of Apostle was not given to him by men. Much like our salvation, Paul’s Apostleship was entirely a monergistic work of God — something in which he did not participate.
These words alone carry important ramifications as to the nature of our understanding of the office of Apostle. If this office is bestowed at the command of God, there is no handing down of the office (Apostolic Succession) as would be held by Roman Catholics nor is there any new office of Apostle as would be held by many in the pentecostal movement. Further, it implies that Peter’s action of appointing Matthias to membership of the Twelve (Acts 1:12-26) was not an appointment to the office of Apostle (notice that the Bible never refers to Matthias as an Apostle, only a member of the Twelve), but that it was simply a practice of filling Judas’ shoes in terms of leadership in the church. As to Apostolic leadership, it seems that Paul becomes the twelfth of the Apostles. Why? It is because of God’s call and God’s command (just as the earlier Apostles had been appointed by the command of God (Jesus) Himself.
Yet, Paul does not stop there. He speaks of “God our Savior.” This is not terribly uncommon language to the New Testament, though we are used to hearing the language of “Jesus our Savior.” First, this is just one of many New Testament affirmations that Jesus is God. Second, it is an affirmation of the unity of the work of the Trinity, that those things that are attributed to the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit, can be attributed to the Trinity as a whole. In other words, even though God the Son was the one who primarily did the work that brought about our salvation, God the Father and God the Spirit were present with Him at all times. The Godhead is not divisible as some would suggest it, nor is one ever separate from the works of another. There is a simplicity and unity within the Godhead that Goes beyond our comprehension; nevertheless, it is affirmed by passages such as this in the Scriptures.
Finally, Paul speaks about our hope. Often, pastors do not emphasize hope as significantly as they emphasize the classic “faith and love” aspects of the Christian life. That said, hope plays a significant role in the practical outworking of the Christian life. In Greek, ἐλπίς (elpis) refers to one’s reasonable anticipation of something taking place, in this case, the fulfillment of a promise. It is essentially, the belief that God is capable of fulfilling those things he has offered to you in Christ and that He will do them for you personally and individually. The Biblical notion of hope is not a fanciful thing, but it is something grounded in who Christ is and in what He has done. It is not wishful thinking; it is a reasoned anticipation.
Biblical hope enables the Christian to carry on even when the world seems like it is falling apart around him. It is that which keeps him sure and steady during trials and optimistic that even when facing difficulties, God has a purpose behind all that He is doing. Indeed, it is hope that assures the believer that God is working all things for the believer’s good and well-being (even when we cannot understand why). For Paul, he is in prison and facing a death sentence. For Timothy, he is anticipating the death of a beloved mentor and taking on a role in the church that will likely see him executed as well (church tradition states that Timothy would be stoned to death). Today, as I look around at the compromise that has become so prevalent within the church (even “good” conservative ones), it is hope that reminds me that God has a purpose and a plan even if that means the removal of so many lampstands from their place. Hope is a critical part of the Christian life; how appropriate it is that Paul begins here. Christ is our hope.
God Has Been Faithful; Shall We Not Try?
“And He gave to them the lands of the peoples,
The toil of the peoples they possess.
So that they might keep His statutes and watch over His Laws.
Hallelujah!
(Psalm 105:44-45)
The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with the question as to what our purpose is as human beings. The answer succinctly sets before us two things: “to glorify God” and “to enjoy Him forever.” Yet, how are we to glorify God? Do we glorify God by doing our jobs and making lots of money? Do we glorify God by attending churches that best match our preferences or that suits our sensibilities? Do we glorify God by “living our best life now?” This is an important question to ask, for how can we enjoy Him forever if we do not glorify Him in the here and now?
The Catechism continues by pointing out that it is the Word of God that instructs us how to glorify and enjoy God and that the scriptures teach not only what we are to believe about God, but as to what God commands of us? But, does that mean that the Scriptures give us a kind of smattering of good ideas and good principles? No, the Scriptures are filled with God’s Law for mankind. And, as we close this psalm, we see David, our inspired psalmist, speaking these words…God gave the land to the people (as he had promised Abraham in Genesis 12&15) for a purpose. What is that purpose? To obey God’s Laws.
Probably one of the hardest things for Christians in our age to understand is that God expects our obedience. We do not earn salvation by that obedience, but we do show our gratitude to God by our obedience. We are to live by God’s moral standards. We are to call things evil that God calls evil and we are to love those things that God loves and calls lovely. We are to worship in the manner that God teaches us to worship and we are to sing the songs, hymns, and psalms that He has given us in His Word. Shall we not learn the 150 psalms of the psalter before we learn any other? We shall seek out those sheep and prodigals who have gone astray, we are to tear down every “high place” that the world would set up for its own glory, and we are to take every thought captive to the Word of God…not to the word of men.
Folks, while the Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with the question of our purpose on earth, the older Heidelberg Catechism begins with a question about our only comfort. What is the heart of that comfort? It is that we are “not our own but belong body and soul to our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.” If we are not our own, why do we think we have a choice when it comes to the manner of life we live, the way we worship, or the way we interact with the world around us? No, we are not our own, we have been bought with a price and Jesus has paid that price. When will the church wake up and start living like it? God has been faithful; shall we not also be faithful? Shall we not try?
The Celebration of Judgment
“He led out His people with jubilation;
With a shout of triumph His chosen ones.”
(Psalm 105:43)
Arguably, what comes to mind with these words is the worship of God’s people at the bank of the Red Sea and as they continue through the wilderness toward the promised land. One of the things that is striking is that not only do the people worship as the Egyptians are destroyed by the waters of the Red Sea, the people of Israel worship again with the fall of Jericho. It may seem logical to see the worship of God’s people on the way out of Egypt and again on the way into Canaan, but what is striking is that in both cases, the people celebrate in worship at the destruction of God’s enemies.
Sadly, this is something that tends to be lacking within our churches today. We often fear praying for God’s wrath against the wicked who oppress us. And, then, when he brings His wrath against them, we shudder and we do not celebrate. While it is right to shudder at the hand of God against His enemies, it is also right to sing praise to Him for their downfall. This is a part of the purpose of the imprecatory psalms. Yes, these psalms were prayed by God’s people in private and dark places, but they were also sung by God’s people in public and communal contexts. We should too.
It is bad enough that many churches would never dream of singing God’s words back to him, but the majority of those who do shy away from what one commentator calls “the war psalms of God.” Yet, the scriptural testimony (which must always be the standard toward which we strive) is that these were sung and sung boldly.
There is one additional element that comes out from the text. Historically, we recognize the worship of God’s people did take place as this verse describes, but grammatically, these words also seem to point us back to God, that God brought His people out and shouted in triumph over His enemies. The simple point is that God is not apologetic about destroying the wicked. He is not apologetic in the here and now and He will not be apologetic in final judgment. His wrath will be poured out on His enemies as He casts them into the fiery pit and the elect that He has redeemed will sing praises in joy at this time as well. As a dear friend once said to a family member, “If you don’t repent, there will come a day when you will find yourself being cast into the pits of Hell and in that day I will praise Jesus for doing it.” It is strong language, but it is the Biblical witness. Jesus’ death was meant to save God’s chosen ones without exception, not all people without exception. And God’s will will be done.
Our Source of Hope – God’s Remembrance
“For He remembered His holy word
To Abraham His servant.”
(Psalm 105:42)
We return to the theme of remembrance. In verse 5, God’s people are called upon to remember the faithful things that God has done; now, we are reminded that God remembers his holy Word to Abraham. In a world where people like to present God as changing and unpredictable, the Scriptures remind us over and over again that God is unchanging, and because God is unchanging, we have hope. Furthermore, because God is unchanging, He is worthy of our worship, for He will lose none of His elect ones through the ages. Indeed, God is resolute in His promises and in that we can find great hope for the future.
Many translations will make an inference here and translate אֶת־דּבַר קָדְשׁוֹ (eth-dabar qadesho) as “His holy promise” instead of “His holy word.” The inference is a natural one because all of God’s Word is given as truth and a promise. In particular, they are looking toward the covenant promise that was given to Abraham and fulfilled as the people entered Canaan (of which the psalmist speaks). That said, it is worth reminding ourselves that the promise of God that is connected to the covenant is not the only aspect of His Word that “God remembers.” No, it is the totality of all He has spoken that stands unwaveringly before God as a neon-sign in the heavens declaring what God has done and what God has yet to do. This is part of God’s eternal Counsel (think Ephesians 1:11) and nothing can shake it. What God has said will come to pass for the joy of the believer and to the dread of the reprobate. What God has said, God will do. Not one “jot or tittle” will ever be lost or forgotten. And once again, in that, we can take hope.
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