GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE
by Lahry Sibley
1Ti 1:2 Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
Timonty was a "son in the faith", ie, a true disciple of Paul. When we disciple someone, they become as dear to us as our own sons. We spend time with them, and lead them by word and example, in the faith of YESHUA HA'MACHIACH, and HIM crucified. This concept goes way back to......
Num 3:1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
Aaron was their natural father, but Moses their spiritual father. Aaron begat them, but Moses instructed them. And so it was with our LORD. HIS disciples were like sons to HIM. And so it was with Paul. We are commanded to make disciples. But disciples of what?
Disciple - a person who believes in the ideas and principles of someone famous and tries to live the way that person does or did.
a person who believes in the ideas of a leader, esp. a religious or political one, and tries to live according to those ideas
We are commanded by our LORD to go into all the world and make disciples. YESHUA called men to be HIS disciples, HIS students. HE was their classroom, as they went about ordinary living. They left all to follow HIM. Paul said "follow me, as I follow CHRIST". Question is, who do I follow? What about you? Do you follow CHRIST? If you were put on trial for being HIS disciple, would there be enough evidence to convict you? And what would this evidence look like?
1Ti 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,
Teach no other doctrine. What is doctrine?
DOCTRINE - A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief. A statement of official government policy.
1Ti 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.
I can only point a finger at myself. But so often here on Facebook, we get caught up in these things described in vs 4 here, that cause more strife and question, than helping discover answers. We labor to try to plant seed in fallow ground. And then we wonder why the seed is blown away with the first breeze of this world wind that comes along.
1Ti 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
Ah, yes. The end. But end of what? What is the ultimate destination. How is it identified? Paul tells us here that the end of sound doctrine is CHARITY. All charity is LOVE. But not all love is CHARITY.
Charity. The word Paul uses here is AGAPE. The same kind of love as that which comes from the FATHER. It is a benevolent love. A love that is expressed by some dynamic energy, motion, labor. The HOLY SPIRIT is a dynamic force, a moving power. Energy to empower WORK. Paul said in 1 Cor 13, that if we have not charity, we are like a gong, a bell. We make a lot of noise, but are as empty as can be.
So when Paul says teach sound doctrine. This CHARITY is the ultimate result of teaching. We don't teach to teach. We teach in hope that some dynamic will take place, and that the follower will be urged within to motion rather than stagnation. Love sacrifices for the benefit of others.
Paul said to "teach CHARITY out of a pure heart. This means that we teach folks how to love others; in what we do, and not so much as by what we say. And our motive must be that we expect nothing in return to benefit our self interest. Oh this is a far cry from the way "church" works today. A business thrives on self interest and promotion. A religious business is no exception. This is not the kingdom of YEHOVAH, my friend.
Teach "faith unfeigned". Without hypocrisy. Teach them how you follow CHRIST by how you live. The example of teaching is more that of how the instructor lives, than by what HE says.
If I attempt to teach you how to fly a plane, your confidence soars when you see me successfully fly one. And so it is with teachers of CHRIST. Folks want to see love in action. Their confidence must be more in your success to live this way yourself, rather than just teaching a concept.
Hypocrisy is a pretense. We pretend to live holy, pure, and obedient. Worse we attempt to teach that to others, when they can plainly see we are not living by what we teach. Who wants to learn how to fly from someone who can't walk and chew gum at the same time? And yet so called Bible teachers do this on a regular basis. And the fruit? Empty buildings. Vacant shrines. People left to wander, as the blind attempt to lead the blind.
"Any objection to the carryings on of our present gold-calf Christianity is met with the triumphant reply, "But we are winning them!” And winning them to what? To true discipleship? To cross-carrying? To self-denial? To separation from the world? To crucifixion of the flesh? To holy living? To nobility of character? To a despising of the world’s treasures? To hard self-discipline? To love for God? To total committal to Christ? Of course the answer to all these questions is no."
”“ AW Tozer ”“
