I have gotten caught up in 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy today. Both studies were born out of K-Love verses of the day, but as I have said in the past, that is just a starting point for me. I often have difficulty focusing because of the condition my condition is in and these verses help me start.

Both verses were dealing with the need to stand firm in the truth of God’s Word and both warned of false teaching and reminded me of how gracious God is.

The first verse was in 1Timothy 6 and dealt with fighting the good fight the other was in 2 Timothy 3 and dealt with the source of God’s Word.

I did not wander from these two books today. I stayed in them and just read before and after each verse beginning in 1 Timothy.

1 Timothy 6

The verse I read that got the ball rolling in 1 Timothy 6 was verse 12, but I went to the beginning of the paragraph with verse 11.

1 Timothy 6:11-12 (ESV)

¹¹ But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

I read this powerful passage, and I could not stop there. I had to know what I was supposed to flee from, so I started working my way back in chapter 5 and the beginning verses of chapter 6. The beginning two verses confirm right teaching.

1 Timothy 6:1-2 (ESV)

¹ Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. ² Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.

From this passage, he begins explaining false teaching to Timothy. Verses 2b through 5 I find striking.

1 Timothy 6:2b-5

These verses I have always tended to lump into all of Paul’s teachings. But today I just focused their relevance related to 1 Timothy. I considered the teachings of Chapter 5 and the first to verses of Chapter 6 as I read the next few verses

1 Timothy 6:2-5 (ESV)

Teach and urge these things. ³ If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, ⁴ he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

As I read this passage, I saw a punch list of sorts. A list that outlined sound doctrine versus false. Timothy was told by Paul to “teach and urge these things.” He was to teach all that Paul outlined in Chapter 5 and the first two verses of Chapter 6. Paul warned, beginning with this passage in chapter 6, that If anyone teaches differently, it is false doctrine. But he did not limit it to the things he listed in chapter 5. He also includes two other critical things:

Those that do “not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus “
And those that do not agree with “the teaching that accords with godliness.”

Paul did not stop there. He gave other things to watch for in those that bring false teaching and lack contentment.

Verse 4-5 caused me to pause. Looking at these two verses again it is easy to see where pride is such a big part of this false teaching and lack of true contentment. Look again at what Paul says.

1 Timothy 6:4-5 (ESV)

⁴ he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

Certain they are correct in their position they do not urge or teach they push their point and cause friction. I read this again and again and saw the sadness of it. These false teachers are everywhere, and their conceit and craving for controversy does not only affect them. It spreads like cancer, “among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth.”

These false teachers do not only twist scriptures but deny them entirely. As I consider these words shared by Paul, it is so sad to consider, but we have such great hope in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 6:6-8

In the next verse, Paul reminds us what true contentment is. The joy of it all cannot be described in words alone. It is what the Holy Spirit in the believer does with them when they are read that makes all the difference.

1 Timothy 6:6-8 (ESV)

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

I read this, and all I can say is Praise God. In Jesus, I have all that I need. He is my hope and my provision. He bought me at a price and words fail me when I consider the glory and majesty of Him who saved me. I am nothing without God. I need nothing but Him. I love how God uses Paul to define this very simple reality and then reminds us of the hopelessness of verse 5 in the following passage.

1 Timothy 6:9-10

After verse 6-8 Paul reminds us of the futility of verse 5 and that godliness is not a means of gain. He reminds us in a verse almost everyone knows, but it often gets used out of context.

1 Timothy 6:9-10 (ESV)

⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Most of us quote “Money is the root of all evil.” but money itself is no different than any other tool except in its power to lead a person into ungodly temptation. Money is not the problem. It is an issue of self-control.

It is like a car. If you are prone to speeding the more horsepower you have in your car, the more likely you are to get a ticket and eventually lose your licenses. If you lack control over your human desires a lot of money makes those things more accessible.

I think it is interesting how Paul is sharing this warning and God shared the same warning about Kings in Deuteronomy 17.

Deuteronomy 17:15-17 (ESV)

¹⁵ you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. ¹⁶ Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, You shall never return that way again.’ ¹⁷ And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.

I think it is interesting that God did not limit it to money. He was far more encompassing when he spoke of wealth. He knows our hearts far better than we do.

1 Timothy 6 Reflections

It amazes me when I look at all of this that Paul shared with Timothy. The same things are there for us to cherish and learn. The lesson is very serious. It is not a simple thing to live in a world filled with false teachers. Paul is clear. This is a fight.

1 Timothy 6:11-12 (ESV)

Jesus warned us in John 15 that life in this world would be filled with persecution, but that is not something to fret about but find comfort in. I like how he spells it out in this passage.

John 15:20-27 (ESV)

²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father also. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: They hated me without a cause.’

²⁶ “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. ²⁷ And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

I love what Jesus says here. Things in this world can be difficult, but we are never alone. We have a “Helper,” “the Spirit of truth,” that is in us. Jesus knows this life will have its challenges, but He is with us always.

Proverbs 3:5-7 (ESV)

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

⁷ Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

I am so thankful for these promises.

Closing Thoughts

I was going to work my way from here into 2 Timothy, but I think instead I will save that for another day, possibly tomorrow.

You know every day the Lord shares with me something special out of His Word. Sometimes I am compelled to share it right away others maybe are better for another day. The thing is the Glory of God is there for all of us to savor every day in His Word.

He is there in our prayer time and our worship. We have this wonderful gift of salvation through Christ Jesus. We have the one source of absolute truth in God’s Holy Word. There is no good reason to neglect either.

Prayer

Father, thank you for all your provision. Thank you for the clear path of the truth. Father help me always have my eye set on the things of heaven that I might share the True Gospel with all that I might come in contact with, in Jesus name I pray, Amen!