I Tim 1:3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
Doctrine that deviates from the truth because its essence, quality, and measure and comes from another source, which is not founded on the words that make up the gospel.
We have believers who have no difficulty in accepting doctrines which have a different essence or quality. Look at Rob Bell, for one.
2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
(Greek: Hold fast to the model of healthy or wholesome words, which thou hast heard from me.
Many of us older folk remember building a model car or airplane. Once we had the model built, we mounted it up high on a shelf for all to see.
We must have the Word of God as one of the primary models in our lives mounted high before our eyes.
This model of the gospel is built out of something that is called sound words.
“Sound words” is a medical term which means healthy or wholesome. Sound words are healthy because they are true or are in accordance with what is factual about the Word of God.
In our “health craze” society we must never forget the true health comes to us from knowing and living in accordance to sound doctrine.
It is impossible for us to build a model of healthy words that we can frame before our eyes to unless we know the Word of God in truth or in accordance to fact.
To know the Word of God in fact implies that we must do some serious study of it before we can truly know it in truth.
Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Incorruptness: Our knowledge of the Word must thorough that our teaching cannot be subject to the decay of time, error, or the opposition of those that challenge.
When we live in accordance to a model of God’s incorrupt doctrine, our doctrine will vindicate us. That is, even if the world says that we are wrong. The Lord will lift us up and put those that oppose us to shame.
Incorruptness must stand the test of eternity. An incorrupt nature cannot be subjected to decay. Our knowledge and obedience to the Word of God will have an everlasting impact on lives.
1 Peter 1:25 But the rhema word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the rhema word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
Greek: The rhema word of God remains into the ages of the ages.
Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Gravity: Godly character built in into us through the knowledge of the Word, which stimulates reverence and respect from others. Our life and our preaching must be so grounded on the sound words of the gospel, that others will reverence the Christ being displayed through us, and respect and listen to what we have to say as men and women of God.
2Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Workmen before God who have been approved by Him. The kind of approval which the Lord demands is the same as that of a fine metal which has been purified by the fire taking out all of its impurities.
It has now become approved and is worthy to be used for the highest of purposes. The way that we become approved is our ability to rightly divide the Word of God.
Most of us have been to an orthodontist. Ortho is defined as straight. Dontist means teeth; hence this doctor is the “tooth straightner.”
To rightly divide is the word orthotomeo. Tomeo is to make a cut. To rightly divide the Word of God is to make a straight cut into the Word of God. We must know and live the Word of God so thoroughly as to make a straight cut into the Word, knowing, living and presenting it to others in a straight, truthful and correct way.
One expositor said that our ability to present the word in such a straightforward way will lay a path hat is as straight as our knowledge of the Word. This path becomes the road in which we and our hearers travel on.
If we do not know the Word of God in this way can we ever become workmen that have passed the test and stand approved before God?
2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Inspiration: All scripture is God breathed and so profitable for teaching
Reproof: Intimate knowledge of the scriptures brings correction to us by exposing sin and blind spots . If we heed to the exposure brought to us through the Word it will brings us freedom.
Correction: To be restored to an upright state resulting in salvation. Do you notice the order? Reproof, brings exposure of sin. If we heed, we start to become free. As we become free, the Word of God restores us to an upright state.
Instruction: Mentoring and discipling and the final release into our ministry.
Exposure, restoration, mentoring, and call to ministry.
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Greek: The man or woman of God becomes thoroughly equipped and furnished by the Word of God for every Spirit led work.
The man or woman of God is equipped and fitted with every necessary piece of equipment by the Word of God for anything that the Lord might have to do.
When we went to battle Sadam Hussein in the Persian Gulf, in great part we won because we were thoroughly equipped with the best of arms, technique, and staff. It is our deep knowledge of God’s Word that furnishes us with the spiritual equipment necessary to carry out God’s holy missions.
We Are The Managers of God’s Affairs.
1Tim 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
The King James does a poor job of translating of the Greek.
Where the KJV has “godly edifying,” the Greek says” administration or management” of God’s affairs.
Ephesians 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
We are entrusted with the management, oversight, and the administration of all that pertains to the affairs of God or the economies of the kingdom of our God.
When Paul talks about the dispensation of the grace of God. he refers to his management and administration of the giftings and callings of God giving to him by the Lord for the benefit of others.
Our management and administration of God affairs can only happen in the realm of faith. God’s faith always originates with the voice of the Lord because His Word the faith needed to make the Word come to pass. Therefore if we are to correctly manage the affairs that pertain it is done in a strict reliance to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
When we function like this we activate the affairs of God upon the earth, bringing them to order and causing them to come to pass.
Unbelief, which is resistance to the voice of the Holy Spirit, is the worst of the managers of God goods.
Charity:
5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
The end of the commandment: The end product of our setting forth a model of healthy doctrine of God and our management of the affairs of the Kingdom is charity or the love of God. This is because God is love.
Charity is God’s divinely birthed love within us. It is sacrificial in nature and puts the concern of others always before our eyes. The kingdom of God is a “people oriented business.”
The greatest anointing and power of God will always flow out of us when we are concerned about others rather than ourselves.
2 Corinthians 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. (We shall live with Him by the power of God into you.)(Or as we minister into your need; then we truly live out of the power of God).
Galatians 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)(The same (God) was mighty in me into the Gentiles) (or as we minister into the needs of the Gentiles; the Lord was mighty in me)
I Tim 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
There are three roots, which cause the growth of this divine tree named charity.
A pure heart: A heart, which is free from the corruption and the spotting of sin.
1 Timothy 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
It takes a life of uncompromising obedience to the Lord and tremendous intimacy with Him to be cleansed without ceasing.
Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge(thorough knowledge) and in all judgment;(discernment)
Greek: that your love may abound yet more (but always held bounded within the river banks of a) a full precise and correct knowledge of the things of God and in all discernment ( Judgment is defined as discernment.)
Likewise charity must be always held in check within the river banks of our discernment of God’s voice and our discernment of what is of God, and what does not come from Him.)
We cannot love the world for Christ through our impulses and emotions, or by becoming its savior, our out of a fear and guilt that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. Such love will never become charity and will eventually burn us out.
We must be led by the Spirit to have the development of God’s character and His love matured in our lives.
Philipp 1:10 that ye may approve things that are excellent;( what differs or excels) that ye may be sincere (judged by the sun) and without offence till the day of Christ;
Greek: That you may recognize as genuine upon examination the things that are differing. Your recognition of what differs will allow you to choose only what is excelling or best towards your fulfillment of the things that pertain to Christ. This will cause you to become so pure that it will allow for the beams of sunlight to shine through you unhindered. Likewise you will become as one that has nothing that will make others stumble when they observe your life before the Lord.
Charity is the product of an exact knowledge of God.
Jose and Mary Alvarez 