Sermons of Redeeming Life Church

“Stand for Truth” (1 Timothy 1:1-11)

How do we avoid false gospels? How can we guard ourselves against heresies that rise up in opposition to God’s word? What does it take to stand firm on God’s truth? In his sermon, “Stand for Truth,” Pastor Josiah shares how it is important for us to know, live, and proclaim the gospel in order to stand firm against false doctrines and untruthful heresies that contradict God’s word. As Christians, God has called us to do more than just read our Bibles. He has commissioned us as ambassadors of the King to be his faithful witnesses in the times and places where he has called us. Just like Paul, we have been entrusted with the gospel. As a result, it is important that we know, live, and proclaim the gospel everywhere we go. This sermon was preached on June 23rd, 2024. Copyright 2024. For more information, please visit RedeemingLifeUtah.org

Duration:: 26m
Broadcast on:: 25 Jun 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

You're listening to a sermon preached at Redeeming Life Church. You have your Bibles with you, and I hope that you do. I'd like to invite you to turn with me to 1 Timothy. I'm going to be in the New Testament after 1st and 2nd. That's the Lonians. We're going to be starting a new series today called Be the Church. This is going to be a study through 1 Timothy. You might have heard that 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and the Book of Titus are referred to commonly as the pastoral epistles because these are books of the Bible that were written by Paul to the young man that he was mentoring and discipling. So maybe you've heard that and you've thought to yourself, "Well, there's nothing in this book for me." I couldn't be further from the truth. These are part of God's Word. This is contained in the canon of Scripture. And as we're going to see as we walk through and study the Book of 1 Timothy, there's stuff here for the entire church as well. That's why we called the series Be the Church. Is there something here for all of us? If you're using the U version Bible app, all the verses are on there as well. If you're using one of the Red Church Bibles, we're going to be on page 1051. This morning we're going to be looking at the first 11 verses. And as we examine God's Word and look at His Word for us today, I want you to ponder about and think about this question. What keeps us from accepting a watered-down gospel? What prevents us from accepting false teaching as if it were God's Word? Let's think about that as we turn to His Word this morning. 1 Timothy chapter 1, starting in the 1st, says Paul, "In the apostle of Christ Jesus, by the command of God our Savior, and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy, my true son in the faith, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and Christ Jesus our Lord." As I urged you when I went to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus, so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine, or to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies. These promote empty speculations rather than God's plan, which operates by faith. Now the goal of our instruction is love and comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. Some have departed from these and turned aside to fruitless discussion. They want to be teachers of the law, although they don't understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on. But we know that the law is good, provided one uses it legitimately. We know that the law is not meant for a righteous person, but for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for slave traders, liars, purgers, and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me. This is God's word, will you bow your heads with me as we pray? Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you so much that we have this opportunity to gather together today, or to examine your word and hear from you this morning. Lord, I pray that your Holy Spirit would speak through me today. Lord, that you would open our minds and ears to hear your voice as we seek to honor you with our lives and hold firm to sound teaching. It's in your glorious name we pray. Amen. Well, as I said this morning, this book here, well, written to Timothy as a letter, was really for the whole church. As we go through this, we'll see in chapter three, really the thesis statement or the purpose of Paul's letter. He says, "I've written so that you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth." So while he starts with his focus on Timothy, it's going to go beyond that to the whole church. Here in the opening of Paul's letter, we come across a defining moment in Timothy's life. This was a significant time in Timothy's ministry. It was time for him to decide if he was truly ready to know, live, and proclaim the gospel. Paul has charged Timothy to hold on to sound doctrine and to stand firm against false teaching. If you were with us during our study through the Book of Acts earlier this year, then you'll remember that Ephesus is a tough place. This is a hard place to do ministry. There are a lot of traditions, practices, and beliefs in this town that can easily draw people away from Christ and pull their attention away from him. As a way of reminder, Ephesus was a principal city of Asia Minor. The city was diverse and religiously complex, much like Salt Lake. The Temple of Artemis was located in Ephesus, and the cult practices that surrounded this false God, like the practice of magic, sorcery, and sous-thing, were prevalent throughout the town. Timothy had not been sent to minister to a culture that was founded on a belief in Jesus Christ. Rather, it was quite the opposite. As we walk through this letter from Paul, we're going to quickly discover that Timothy had his work cut out for him. Paul, like any church planter, cared deeply for the people that he ministered to. So, excuse me, there it is. When we saw the situations surrounding false teachers, when he saw this and how it was wreaking havoc on the church in Ephesus, he knew that the church needed most in order to resolve this issue was to stand firm on the Word of God and place their hope in Christ Jesus. So, even though Paul is moving on to preach the gospel in Macedonia, he intentionally leaves Timothy behind in Ephesus to take care of the church and boldly proclaim God's truth. As a result, this is a crucial time in Timothy's life and for his ministry as well. Timothy has to decide, do I have what it takes? Does he have what it takes to know, live, and proclaim the gospel? For context, Timothy has been working alongside Paul in ministry for some time now. Timothy's life has been directly impacted as a result of Paul's faithful ministry. Bible scholars tell us that Timothy most likely came alongside Paul during his second missionary journey, and the two of them spent time together as they traveled throughout Asia as ambassadors of the gospel. They have spent a lot of time with one another, working together, doing ministry together, and now the time has come for these two mighty men of the faith to part company and go their separate ways in order to strengthen Christ's church and advance the kingdom of God. I have to imagine that Timothy, this task he's been entrusted with, felt so incredibly daunting, and maybe even a little frightening without having his mentor right by his side. I'm sure that partly why Paul wrote this letter to Timothy was to be an encouragement to Timothy. He was a little nervous, but God knew what he was doing, and so did Paul. Paul knew Timothy was up to the task. He had to be, if he wasn't, God wouldn't have called Paul. He would have called Paul to stay in Ephesus instead. Paul's decision to leave Ephesus behind and travel to Macedonia was not based on his disregard for the church, but rather he was solely centered on God's call in his direction for his life. Paul cared deeply for the church in Ephesus. It's why he gathered the Ephesian elders together in Malatus and encouraged them after the riot that occurs in chapter 19 of Acts that forces Paul to leave town. Paul wrote this letter to Timothy to encourage Timothy and to strengthen the church. Paul cares for the church in Ephesus. It's important that this issue of false teaching is dealt with appropriately. While Paul could very easily have struck down this issue himself and put these false teachers in their place, he knows that he needs to remain committed to the task that the Lord has given him, continue moving on and take care of the things in Macedonia. He also knows that Timothy is up to the task and fully capable of fixing this problem in Ephesus. As a result, the time has come now for Timothy to live out and stand firm on everything that he's learned thus far and hold firm to the doctrines that he's been taught over the years. Church, this is where the rubber meets the road for Timothy. There's a difference between simply knowing God's Word and doing the hard task of proclaiming it to others. It's one thing for us to know God's Word. It's one thing to have Reddit cover to cover, study it, and understand what it says. It's another to take a public stand for what you believe and live out your faith surrounded by those who disagree, disapprove, or even despise you based on your convictions and the biblical principles that you live believing. There's a difference between knowing and doing. Timothy knows God's laws. He knows the truth of the gospel. But the time has come now for him to defend his faith and take a stand against these false teachers. With that being said, who are these false teachers? Who are the false teachers that are wreaking havoc on God's church? The answer is we don't really know for sure. Paul doesn't mention them by name, probably because this letter was a semi-public letter. It was most likely going to be read by Timothy before the entire church. This wasn't a private email correspondence between Paul and his ministry companion. You can tell by the way that Paul writes this letter that he is also looking beyond Timothy to the church as a whole. It's possible that Paul does not call out these brothers by name because he's hopeful. He's hopeful that they will turn from their false teaching and be repented for their actions, grab a hold of sound doctrine, and pursue God rightly. The reason I say this is because Paul does not hold back when he calls out Hymenaeus and Alexander later on in this letter. The biggest issue with false teachers that Paul speaks about here in chapter 1 is that they are missing the whole point of the gospel. They've learned just enough about the law that they've gotten worked up. They've become excited at the opportunity to work in ministry. But they don't know enough about the law to effectively preach the gospel to the church. Look again at verses 7 and 8. Paul says they want to be teachers of the law, although they don't understand what they're saying or what they're insisting on. But we know that the law is good, provided that one uses it legitimately. I believe deep down these guys didn't set out to preach heresy. Paul tells Timothy that these guys want to be teachers of the law, but they don't know what they're saying. They've gotten things mixed up. They've convoluted the law. They're twisting it around in a way that's harmful to God's people. That's why Paul goes on to state that God's law is good, provided, and understands it rightly, and uses it legitimately. Part of the problem appears to be that these guys are adding other things on top of God's laws. In verse 4, Paul mentions that myths and genealogies are being taught by these false teachers. According to Bible scholars, there are several issues surrounding what these men were teaching. One commentator I read stated that these men were taking extra biblical writings that included stories that meant about different Old Testament figures, and they were adding these various writings to God's Word. We'll see an example of this later on in Paul's letter. Many Bible scholars contend that these men were advocates of Gnosticism. Not only that, but these false teachers are also working to convince God's people that they need to follow additional rules and regulations that were not contained in God's Word. These guys were adding things to God's laws that had no business being there in the first place. Not only were they adding extra rules and regulations on top of God's laws, but it's most likely that the same men were teaching that the law is what saves us. And that obedience or strict adherence to God's laws would grant people favor with God. The same false teaching that we see here in verse Timothy is also creeping up in our churches today. There's a dangerous belief plaguing people today that God will save you only after you do all that you can do. The reality, however, is that that's simply not true. There's nothing that we can do to earn a right standing before God. It's impossible for us to be made righteous before God apart from the salvific work that Christ accomplishes. The false teachers who perpetuate this false belief rarely come out and state it as clear or as blatant as they should. Instead, they disguise it under the false belief that by doing these things, you're achieving a higher standard for yourself. You're achieving a higher standard than others or participating in a more righteous work than your fellow brothers and sisters. This is why Paul goes on to explain who God's laws are truly intended for. In typical Pauline fashion, Paul goes on to write out a complete laundry list of all the various people that the law is meant for. Look again at verses 9 through 11. Paul goes on to say that we know that the law is not meant for a righteous person. It's for the lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinful, for the unholy and irreverent, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral and males who have sex with males, for slave traders, liars, purgers, for whatever else is contrary to sound teaching that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which was entrusted to me. Basically, what Paul's saying here is that if you are perfect and righteous and you never do anything wrong, then you don't need to worry one Iota about the law because you are completely sinless and able to be found as righteous and justified before Holy God. What Paul doesn't say is that if you are this type of person, then you're also most likely very close friends with Daniel Tiger and Lady Elaine Fairchild. Because you are living in the land of make-belief. If you know someone other than Jesus who is completely perfect, then they must be living an imaginary life out of Mr. Rogers' neighborhood, because in this world, those people don't exist. That's why Paul opens his letter to Timothy by reminding his raiders that our hope is found in Jesus Christ. First one introduces this letter as Paul says, "Paul, in a puzzle of Christ Jesus, by command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope." We have too often when we read the epistles, we glaze over the greetings at the beginning in an effort to find the meat and potatoes later on in the letter. Brothers and sisters, we need to not do that because these New Testament writers, inspired by the Holy Spirit, have placed some serious gold in the openings of their letters that are both powerful and amazing. Christ Jesus is our hope. The law wasn't meant for the righteous, it's meant for sinners, it's meant for you and for me. The law is what requires, is required by God in order to be made right and able to stand in his presence. The parents who came to feel that families discussed this on Friday night. It takes full 100% complete adherence to the law in order to transform us from being unclean to clean. And this found worthy this hand in the presence of the holiness of God. Nothing filthy or unclean has allowed to exist before God. If you've been attending our Revelation class on Sunday morning, you probably know this too. Next week we're going to see in Revelation 21 that nothing unclean will ever enter heaven, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those written in the Lamb's book of life. So once again, this is why Paul writes the testimony that our hope is found in Jesus Christ. What would be impossible for us to achieve in countless lifetimes, Christ accomplished flawlessly for us. Christ lived that perfect sinless life that the law requires, not in the land of imagination, but in reality. Then He paid the price that we all deserve to pay, death. Christ defeated sin, held death in the grave so that we could be made righteous and found justified before God. Romans 8 reminds us that Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more has been raised to rescue us from the burden of the law and redeem us from the sins we've committed as we've broken God's laws. If you have yet surrendered your life over to Christ, now is the time to submit to Him and free yourself from the choke of the law. This issue that Timothy has been tasked to address is a serious one. These false teachers have left unchecked to go on preaching a false gospel have the potential of destroying the church and shipwrecking the faith of the new believers. Last week, Pastor Brian shared with us the very thing that could kill our church. He said that's a watered down gospel. How do you water down something? You had something else to it. You had more to it. These false teachers have added things on top of and in addition to God's laws. And as a result, the people are suffering and the church is hurting. Let's remember the church was God's idea. The church belongs to Jesus Christ. He founded it by his life, death and resurrection. And since Pentecost, he's been building it through the power of the Holy Spirit. The church's God's means and method to advance the gospel and he will not let it fail. God's word tells us that Christ built his church and that the church is to be the pillar and the buttress of truth. The only way that Christ's church can prevail. The only way that the church can overcome heresies like we see in 1 Timothy. The only way the church can exist is the pillar and the foundation of truth is if God's people know, live and proclaim the gospel. Church we can't just say that we exist to know, live and proclaim the gospel. There's a difference between knowing and doing. Here in the opening verses of 1 Timothy, we see where the rubber meets the road for Timothy's ministry. And now today we are at a crossroads where the rubber meets the road for redeeming life. Are we truly a church that exists to know, live and proclaim the gospel? Are we rightly equipped to know, live and proclaim God's word? Our world is plagued by false teachers today who whisper lies about God and shout heresies contrary to Scripture. How do we guard ourselves against these false teachers? We have to know the truth containing God's word in order to speak against it. We have to know the doctrines of our faith in order to battle the heresies that rise up in opposition to the gospel. Church we have to know that Christ came to fulfill the law so that when shows on television come along and enamored God's people with actors who portray Christ and make statements contrary to God's words such as "I am the law." We immediately hit pause on our remote and adamantly state, wait a minute, that's not right. Christ never said that. We need to know God's word in order to guard ourselves against the false teachers we see on social media or the heresies found written in the next best-selling book. Not only are we called to know God's word, but we need to be ready to live it out as well. As I mentioned before, this was a defining moment in Timothy's life. He knew the gospel, but it was time for him to live it and proclaim it. Too many people want to take God's word and use it to beat others into submission or argue with their opponents until they're blue in the face. But that's not what we as Christians have been commissioned by Christ to do. Paul tells us in verse 5 that the goal of our instruction is love. And that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith. The inappropriate or wrong use of God's law produces an arrogance and ignorance among those who teach it and causes confusion and deception among those who listen to these types of teachers. God's laws are meant to show us God's restraint on our sin. His condemnation of the sinner and his will for those who are being saved. When utilized rightly and responsibly, God's laws produce a right understanding among those who teach them and create love among the brothers and sisters who hear them. The goal of our instruction should always be to point others to Jesus through love. True proclamation of the gospel is done out of a heartfelt love for our unsaved, lost neighbors and friends. This was a defining moment in Timothy's life, and today it's a defining moment in our church as well. Paul's commissioned Timothy to hold on to sound doctrine, to stand firm against sound teaching, false teaching. And Christ has commanded us to do the same. We need to hold fast to sound teaching and stand boldly against the false doctrines and the heresies plaguing our world today. The way that we do this is by knowing, living and proclaiming the true gospel of Christ. In order to know God's word, we have to take the time to actually read it and understand it. In order to live out God's word, we have to make sacrifices and die to our flesh, live for Christ and follow his instructions. In order to proclaim it, we have to be willing to set aside our fear of man and make the conscience decision to stand firm on God's word, regardless of how the world sees us. Let me put it in another way. In order to proclaim the gospel and stand for truth like Paul is charging Timothy to do, we have to be bold enough not to compromise or shy away from the difficult truth of the Bible when it stands in clear and obvious opposition to the principles, belief and behaviors of our coworkers, our friends, and even our own family. Ephesus was not a city founded on God's laws and centered on the gospel. False teachers had infiltrated the church and were causing harm to Christ's sheep. As a result, Timothy had to take a stand, hold firm to the gospel and proclaim God's truth in a place where his opinion would be found unpopular by the majority of those around him. In order for redeeming life to be the pillar and the foundation of truth that God's called us to be, we must hold tightly to the gospel. And boldly proclaim the hope that it's found in Christ Jesus, regardless of popular opinion might be in the world around us and what they think of this book. How do we keep our church falling away from God's word and succumbing to a watered down and distorted gospel? We do it by remaining so rooted in the promises of God that anything and everything contrary to his word is immediately rejected and quickly thrown back into the pit of hell that these dangerous lies come from, regardless of how others around us view us, treat us, or even judge us. May we all be a church that stands for God's truth. Will you pray with me? Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for the example that we see in Timothy's life. Lord, for the courage that he had to remain in the emphasis, to stand firm against false teaching and hold fast to your truth. Lord, the same prayer is that I'm sure Paul was praying for Timothy as the prayers we're praying for our church today. Lord, nothing that we do can be done apart from you. So Lord, I pray that through the power of the Holy Spirit, you would equip us, empower us, embolden us Lord, to know your word and deliver it out. To proclaim it with our lifestyles and with our actions, we can't just say we want to be a light in the darkness, Lord, we need to actually be one. So I pray that you would help us in that mission. Give us the courage to stand firm. Give us the strength to hold fast and face of opposition. Lord, give us the peace to do what's right regardless of what's happening in the world around us. I thank you Lord for all that you've done through the history of this church. I thank you Lord for all that you're doing in your church today. Lord, I praise you and I glorify you for all that you're going to do as we seek to faithfully follow you and submit to your will. As we await with eager anticipation, your glorious return. We give you all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise, because you alone are worthy. So in your Holy and precious name, Lord, we pray. Amen. We'd love to have you as our guest. For more information, visit redeeminglifeutah.org. (upbeat music)