Well please turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 1. 1 Timothy 1, I'll read the chapter and then our focus tonight will be verses 3 to 7, the apostles' charge to Timothy. So 1 Timothy 1, beginning in verse 1,
Scripture Reading: 1 Timothy 1
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ our hope, to Timothy, a true son in the faith, grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus, that you may
Three Failures of the False Teachers
charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart. from a good conscience and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully. knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus, our Lord, who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry.
Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. and the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief. However, for this reason, I obtained mercy that in me first, Jesus Christ might show all long suffering as a pattern to those who are going to believe on him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God, who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever.
Amen. This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you. that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, concerning the faith, have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I deliver to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. Amen. Well, let us pray.
Opening Prayer
Our Father, we thank you for this, your Holy Word. We pray, again, as believers and as a church, we would have ears to hear and hearts to receive these things. May our conduct, may our doctrine, may everything align with what you command in Holy Scripture. We know these are not just suggestions.
We know that these are not just encouragements. But you, as the householder, the church being the house of God, we know that you have the the supreme authority to command what happens in churches. So give us grace, give us help, give us wisdom, and give us that courage to lay hold of the truth and never to shrink back from doing those things that you call us unto. We thank you for your word.
We thank you that you give us these instructions. We thank you that you've not left us alone in the world. Lord Jesus Christ, but you've sent another Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. And we pray that we know His ministry, His operations, even now.
And again, forgive us of all of our sins. And we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen. Well,
Introduction
last week we introduced the book of 1 Timothy, and we noted that it was probably written around 63, 64. Paul gets out of prison from his first Roman imprisonment. In A.D. 60 to 62, the book of Acts records that in Acts chapter 28. Subsequent to his release from prison, he then goes and does more in terms of church planting and assisting and doing those things which were commanded to him by the Lord Jesus Christ.
And so he writes 1 Timothy, he writes Titus, and then he writes 2 Timothy is the last book that he wrote. Most likely in that post-1st Roman imprisonment phase, If we take Pauline authorship of the book of Hebrews, that's when he wrote Hebrews as well. And so that's what we're dealing with. And when we move through 1 Timothy, we'll have cause to reflect also on Titus and 2 Timothy.
It's in the same sort of a general location in terms of time. and history, and locale, and a lot of similarities as to what Timothy is dealing with in Ephesus and what Titus has to deal with in Crete. So
Two Considerations in the Passage
I want to look at verses 3 to 7 under two considerations. First, the apostles' charge to Timothy in verses 3 to 5, and then secondly, the false teacher's departure from the law in verses 6 and 7. But
The Apostle's Charge: Nature and Scope
note with me first the nature of the charge in verses 3 and 4, as I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus, that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes, rather than godly edification which is in faith. So we see the situation there very clearly. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus. In other words, Paul got wind that there were problems in the church at Ephesus, and he wants to station Timothy there, his true son in the faith, in order to combat that false teaching and in order to set things aright.
He does something similar with Titus and Crete. I want you to set in order the things that are lacking. And the first priority was to appoint elders in every city. And then notice that Paul doesn't want Timothy to just try and persuade them or just try to encourage them or just to try to come alongside of them.
No, he says, as I urged you when I went into Macedonia, remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine. In other words, Timothy was to take a position of authority given to him by God seen by the Apostle Paul, and now he's stationed there in the city of Ephesus to give a charge to these false teachers. One lexicon says that the language used is a military term, meaning to give strict orders and emphasizes that the commanding was to be done authoritatively. If you look at chapter 4, specifically at verse 11, we see something similar to this. 411, these things command and teach.
And then again in 5-7, and these things command that they may be blameless. And then again in 6-17, command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God. And then turn over to Titus chapter 1. I'm sorry, Titus chapter two, specifically at verse 15.
Speak these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you. So the idea behind this charge given by the Apostle Paul to young Timothy is to shut the mouths of these false teachers. Stop them before they ruin the church.
Stop them before they do such grave service or disservice against the bride of Christ that the church in Ephesus is no longer. Mount says,
Timothy's Authority to Silence False Teachers
Paul directs Timothy to stand before the Ephesian church and, as if he were a general or judge, strictly, officially, authoritatively, to command the false teachers to stop. So the emphasis by Paul to Timothy is, I think, very well explained or amplified in what we read in verse 18. This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare. So in other words, Paul's not saying, I want you to go and I want you to give them opportunity.
I want you to give them the Bible study room for one night out of the week and just let them engage in these genealogies and in these fables and let them have their satisfaction and exercise their so-called gift. No, Paul says, this is detrimental to the building of the church. This is detrimental to the building and ground of the truth. This is a threat and danger.
So Timothy, I charge you to charge them. shut them up, silence the opponents, get them out so that the people of God are not affected. Note the specifics of the charge. Charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in the faith. Now in terms of this particular emphasis, look again at 4.7. 4, 7, reject profane and old wives' fables and exercise yourself toward godliness.
And then in Titus 1 at verse 14, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. And so whatever the specific identification of the heresy was, it was such that it was diverting people from the truth. These men were obsessed with it, these men were devoted to it, and these men as a result passed this on, and it was that which brought shipwreck to the faith of some. And the presence of some ought not to surprise us.
If you turn back to Acts chapter 20 for just a moment. Acts chapter 20, what I've often called the first pastor's conference. Paul addresses the Ephesian elders and after giving himself by way of example, he highlights his life, his doctrine, his trials, his conscience, his exhortation. Specifically in 2028, therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.
Now, the reason for that, again, it's because of what he says in verse 29. For I know this, that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And then note verse 30, also from among yourselves men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
So the presence of some, it wasn't all, It wasn't the case that the church was now a bust and we have to fold it because the false teachers won, but the false teachers are making inroads. The false teachers are having persuasion or persuasive effect upon the congregation and so Paul charges Timothy to charge them to knock it off. And then in terms of the problem with this psalm, it's very clear that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine. They had departed from the truth of the gospel.
They had departed from the truth as it is in Jesus. Remember that the Apostle Paul, if you go back to Philippians chapter one, is probably not okay with, but accepts the bad motivation behind certain preachers. as long as they preach the truth. Notice in Philippians 1.15, some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill. The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains, but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. So those whom Paul is speaking of in the book of Philippians, they were terrible people, at least inwardly. Envy, strife, they were perhaps jealous of the Apostle Paul.
They perhaps castigated the Apostle Paul, if he's so godly, if he's so righteous, if he's so holy, why is he in a Roman prison? But they preached the gospel nonetheless. They preached Christ nonetheless. And in that, the Apostle Paul rejoiced.
Go back to the book of Galatians, in Galatians chapter one. When the truth of the gospel is compromised, the apostle Paul comes out both barrels loaded for bear. Notice in Galatians 1.6, I marvel that you are turning away so soon from him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel, which is not another, but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
Let him be damned to hell, let him be condemned, let him be cut off, let him be thrown into the fiery pit, world without end, amen. That's what he's saying. This anathema, this devotion to destruction is what he invokes with reference to false teachers, with those who twist the gospel of justification. As we have said in verse 9 before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
So going back to 1 Timothy chapter 1, they had departed from the truth. They taught other doctrine. If he's charging Timothy to charge some that they teach no other doctrine, the obvious fault is, is that they had taught other doctrine. Charles Hodge at the founding of Princeton University said, a new idea never originated at Princeton Seminary.
I think that's great. Too bad they couldn't sustain it. Too bad it's an apostate, wicked, you know, den of thieves and vile things at Princeton University presently. But you get Hodge's meaning.
A new idea never originated at Princeton Seminary. Our task isn't to alter the message. Our task isn't to put some pizzazz on the message. Our task isn't to shape it to the prevailing whims of culture today.
Our task is to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. We're not to try to improve upon it. We're not to try to make it more palatable. We're not to try to make it more easy.
We're not to do anything other than herald the truth as it is in Jesus. So these men, these false teachers in Ephesus, they taught other doctrine. Notice then as well, they gave heed to things that diverted attention from the gospel. Notice in verse four, they're not supposed to teach other doctrine, verse three, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies.
They gave heed to things that diverted attention from the gospel. The giving heed means to devote oneself to it. It's not just that they kind of thought about these things once in a while, or perhaps watched the five-minute YouTube video. Rather, they were devoted to it.
You can see that language used elsewhere in the pastoral epistles. Look at 1 Timothy 3. 1 Timothy 3 at verse 8. The prohibition there is not against drinking wine. The prohibition is not being devoted to wine, giving heed to much wine.
Notice in 4.1, now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed or devoting oneself to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. And then again in Titus 1.14. Titus 1.14, nor giving heed or not giving heed rather to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. They gave heed to things that diverted attention from the gospel.
So you're not supposed to teach other doctrine, which they did. You're not supposed to confuse people such that they're diverted from the truth of the gospel, which they did. Then as well, notice they were contrary to edification, which is in faith. It's the remainder of verse 4.
Verse 4 reads, "...nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. The doctrines that the false teachers taught promoted dispute, division, schism, disunity, bad things, all, one and all." What Paul is saying to Timothy is that you need to shut their mouths. If you look at 2 Timothy 2 at verse 23, 2 Timothy 2, 23, But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. What is a characteristic of love according to 1 Corinthians 13?
Love rejoices In truth, love doesn't rejoice in heresy. Love doesn't rejoice in heterodoxy. Love rejoices rather in the truth of God's holy word. Notice in Titus 3 verse 9, avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and useless.
Now, perhaps you use Robert Murray McShane's calendar to read your Bible. And if you are, and you're caught up, you'll notice that you're smack dab in the middle of a whole bunch of genealogy. In other words, numbers starts off with much, much genealogy. I don't think that the Apostle Paul is condemning that.
I don't think that he's saying that Matthew was wrong to put the genealogy of our Lord in Matthew 1. Luke was wrong to put the genealogy of our Lord in Luke 3. That's not the point. These guys were obsessing.
If you want further information, read Gill's commentary, where he gets into what was most likely going on with all of these genealogy disputes and debates and whatnot. They were giving heed to fables and endless genealogies, which causes disputes rather than godly edification, which is in faith. Towner says it consists of a contrast These disputes versus edification, which is in faith, it consists of a contrast between the wheel-spinning futility of the deceptive speculation and the direction of God's mission. That's what the false teachers are doing.
They taught other doctrine. They gave heed to things that diverted attention from the gospel. They were contrary to edification, which is in faith. The purpose of gospel ministry is edification.
The purpose of gospel ministry is unity and peace in the context of the church. In fact, turn back to the book of Ephesians where you see this very clearly. Ephesians chapter 4 at verse 1. I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace, and then highlighting the work of Christ, ascended on high, led captivity captive, and He gave gifts to men.
And then he speaks specifically of the giving of the gifts to men, verse 11. He himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelisms, and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, not engendering disputes. Not manufacturing controversy, not splitting churches, not promoting disunity, not promoting disharmony, but it's very clear, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Notice verse 13, so we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro, carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by whatever joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." That's Paul's purpose for Ephesus.
What's happened in Ephesus is that you have these psalm that teach other doctrine. These psalm that are giving, are diverted from the truth of that doctrine and speculating with reference to fables and endless genealogies, and then they promote, create, and manufacture disputes amongst the people instead of a godly edification which is in faith. And if we ask the simple question, how did it get that way? I think the simple answer is sin.
Right? It's sin. Why do men distort the gospel and teach others a distorted version of the gospel? Because the man teaching's in sin.
It's rebellion. It's transgression. Practically, why might this happen? Perhaps they don't know the truth to begin with, or perhaps they get bored with the truth.
I remember a brother of mine way back when, not a physical, but a spiritual brother of mine had mentioned that, you know, kind of musing on some of the parachurch ministries, kind of musing on some of the movements going on in terms of Christianity, in terms of the church, and it does seem at times that people get bored. They get bored. I mean, endless genealogies and Jewish fables, come on, that ought to fill the tent. Endless genealogies and Jewish fables really ought to garner some attention on the part of the people.
I mean, everybody's interested in that. There's a boredom at times with truth. And I'd like to subscribe to what old Hodge said. A new idea never originated at, not Princeton Seminary, because it did, but at whatever church we happen to be members of.
Boredom with the truth. I mean, it kind of fits. Again, that's probably not the only reason. You might just have dummies and pulpits that don't know any better.
You might be bored. And I don't think this is just a false teacher problem. I think it can be a believer and church problem. Bored with the truth.
In fact, look at 2 Timothy 4, Paul's final formal corporate command. Paul's final formal corporate command. The latter part of the chapter, he gives specific instructions to Timothy that are more personal in nature. Bring the books, especially the parchments.
I left my cloak in Troas. Timothy, fetch those things and bring them to me. But the final, formal, corporate command is in chapter four, verses one to five. I charge you, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word.
There's that final, formal, corporate command. Timothy, what are you supposed to be about? Preaching the word. Timothy, what is supposed to be the orientation of your ministry?
The ministry of the word. Timothy, what is it that you do for a job? Well, I preach the Word. Be ready in season and out of season.
Here's the manner by which he should preach that Word. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. And then he gives two reasons why Timothy should do this. The second reason is in verse 7, or 6 rather, and basically Paul's going to die.
Paul knows that he's going to die. Paul does die. And so Paul wants in place successors who take seriously the charge to preach the word, to be ready in season and out of season, to convince, rebuke, and exhort. So the second reason is Paul knows that the time of his departure is at hand.
Paul knows that he's going to go to heaven. Paul knows that he's going to receive the crown of righteousness that the Lord has promised. The first reason is interesting, verse three. Four, the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.
Probably bored with the truth. We don't like this garden variety, 16 ounces to the pound, constant emphasis on Christ and Him crucified and resurrected. Give us some genealogies. Give us some Jewish fables.
Give us some old wives' tales. We'd much prefer that. And so what do they do? They will heap up for themselves teachers, the kinds of men that will deliver what they want.
They will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. Notice he doesn't say have an encounter group with those people, those dissatisfied people, and find out what it is that they want and try to shape your message in such a way as to please them. And you know, these guys that they have brought in to teach them this way, you know, meet with them for coffee and have a group hug and see what you can learn from them in terms of their approach to gospel.
No, no, Paul is not about that. But you, be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." Back to 1 Timothy 1, so the nature of the charge, verses 3 and 4, but then
The Purpose of the Commandment: Love
the purpose of the commandment in verse 5. Different understandings on what the commandment is here. I will simply tell you what I think, and if you think I'm wrong, that's okay. That's fine.
You can still tell me, but you don't have to, because I know there are differences. Verse five, now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith. Now, the commandment, what is that commandment? Some suggest it's the entirety of the Christian life.
Some suggest it's the scriptural doctrines of law and gospel. Some suggest that's the overarching thrust in terms of the commandment of God. I suggest that it's the charge given by Paul in verse 3 and reiterated by Paul in verse 18. It is Paul's commandment to Timothy with reference to silencing the opposition with rebukes and in promoting and emphasizing the truth of the gospel.
In other words, what drives, what moves, what motivates the Christian ministry, verse 5. Now the purpose of the commandment is love. Not hate, not animosity, not enmity, not struggle sessions, but love. Not with a desire to keep good men down like these false teachers.
No, those are heretics. They're not good men. They should be kept down because they're heretics. It is in love toward God, toward the church, and even toward the false teachers.
Best thing you can tell a false teacher is where he's wrong and how he should be right and call him to repentance. And if he will not hear you, then he has no place in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. So the purpose of the commandment is love. And what kind of a love?
Well, the fountain of love rather comes from a pure heart from a good conscience and from sincere faith." How do we get a pure heart? Washed in the blood of the Lamb. In other words, a regenerate Christian ministry. Persons that love God and love man, imperfectly albeit, with ebbs and flows for sure, but the genuine sort of report of their heart is that they love God and they love men.
Regeneration, justification, sanctification, it's that which produces the pure heart. Notice as well a good conscience. This love isn't just, you know, I really like being around you. No, it's
Love from Pure Heart, Conscience, and Sincere Faith
love from a pure heart and from a good conscience, love that comes from those cleared of guilt and faithful to the given task. And the false teachers in the pastoral epistles had problems with their own consciences. Notice in 119. 119, having faith and a good conscience which some having rejected concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck. So the false teachers had rejected a good conscience.
Notice in 4.2. 4.2, speaking lies and hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. And then notice in Titus 1.15, they defiled their consciences. To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but even their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
So back to 1 Timothy 1.5. Now the purpose of what I'm telling you is love, and it's not just some undefined nebulous kind of Hollywood love, but it's rather love from a pure heart, love from a good conscience, and notice, love from a sincere faith. Love from a sincere faith. Again, nobody's as sincere as they ought to be.
There's always a bit of a degree of remaining hypocrisy in every heart. But in terms of gospel ministry, there must be that element. There must be that consistency and that faithfulness and that sincere faithness. The absence of hypocrisy, which only comes by adhering to the truth.
The false teachers were not sincere, but misguided the church through their devotion to fables and endless disputes. They were purposefully deceiving the church and leading the church to endless disputes rather than edification, which is in faith. So again, Paul's not dealing with a few misguided brethren that, you know, just kind of lost their way. No, savage wolves that want to destroy the flock.
Timothy, silence them. And then notice,
The False Teacher's Departure from the Law
verses 6 and 7, the false teacher's departure from the law. Verse 6, from which that context, that commandment of love, of a pure heart, from a good conscience, from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, having turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm. So the false teachers did not abandon the truth because they saw the superiority of the fables and endless genealogies. They didn't come in their study and say, wow, you know what?
I should give all my energy to endless genealogies and Jewish fables because that's where it's at. No. They depart from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk. They strayed from the truth.
Listen to Gill. They went astray from that, and instead of promoting charity or love, created feuds, contentions, and divisions in the churches, and were far from having a pure heart, being filthy dreamers and sensual persons, destitute of the Spirit of God, and were such who put away a good conscience and made shipwreck of faith, Such were Hymenaeus, Philetus, Alexander, and others. Not a harmless batch of ignorant men that just kind of need a bit of help and correction, no. Ravenous wolves seeking to destroy the flock, Timothy charged them to stop, get rid of them.
And they turn to idle talk. Remember that little phrase in Psalm 12, verse 2? They speak idly, everyone with his neighbor. With flattering lips and a double heart, they speak.
Notice these two things go hand in hand, from which some, having strayed from the truth, from the love that comes from a pure heart, from a good conscience, from sincere faith, when they do that, they turn aside to idle talk. That seems to be an inextricable connection. You depart from the truth and you end up in a mess. That shouldn't surprise us.
You drive off the road and you end up in a ditch. You depart from the truth of God's holy word and there's no good thing waiting for you at the end. We just saw that in 2 Timothy chapter 4. You can turn there again.
So they don't want sound doctrine according to verse 3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. Same emphasis with these false teachers. They've strayed, having turned aside to idle talk.
And then note the description of their departure, of the departure in verse seven. We're gonna end here in just a few minutes, but this is a bad combination.
Ignorance and Arrogance Combined
7a highlights their ignorance and 7b highlights their arrogance. It's not a sin to be ignorant. It's not. More people need to hear that and embrace that.
It's not a sin to be a dummy. It's a sin to be a dummy who doesn't think he's a dummy and then teaches other dumb things. That's the Jim Butler paraphrase of verse seven. Desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.
They're ignorant, according to 7b, and they're arrogant. But before we get to their ignorance and arrogance, look at the desire itself in verse seven, desiring to be teachers of the law. Now, I think that suggests a couple of problems, but before we get to the couple of problems, let's just consider the desire itself. Is it necessarily evil to desire to be a teacher of the law?
No. In fact, look at 1 Timothy 3, verse 1. This is a faithful saying. If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
So the desire for eldership is not wrong, but the desire for eldership without the ability to teach is wrong. Because notice after saying in 3.1, if a man desires a position of a bishop, he desires a good work, he then says in verse 2, a bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach. Let's just grant the assumption that all the virtues have to be in place. But it's that gift I want to capitalize on, apt to teach.
So the problem necessarily wasn't, it wasn't necessarily with the one seven false teachers that they desire to be teachers of the law. The problem was, is that they were morons. They were heretical morons. They spent more time on endless genealogies and Jewish fables than they did on Genesis, or Malachi, or Matthew, or Luke, or Romans.
They should have been reading Luther and Calvin and Van Maastricht. I'm speaking anachronistically, but you get my drift. Instead of watching YouTube videos on endless genealogies and Jewish fables. Dare I say this might be a temptation in the church today?
Dudes need to read more. Dudes need to study more. Less Facebook, less Twitter, and more Van Maastricht. More Turretin, absolutely dive into some Turretin.
So back to 1 Timothy 1, verse 7, desiring to be teachers of the law. Again, the desire in and of itself isn't bad, but in this context, because they're heretical, it is bad. So what might drive such a desire? Well, I think Jesus speaks to this in the Gospel of Matthew.
He says, of the Pharisees, of the religious class of his day, but all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, Rabbi, Rabbi. Pride, arrogance, presumption, self-will, self-determination, yes, yes, yes, and yes.
See, the 1 Timothy 3, 1 desire is checked by the 1 Timothy 3, 2 to 7 qualifications. Just because you desire to be a cowboy doesn't necessarily mean you're qualified to be a cowboy. I was gonna say astronaut, but that's probably a bit too debatable at this point. And as well, they don't take heed to the warning involved relative to gospel ministry.
Remember James, that half-brother of our Lord? He says, My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. Again, it is not a sin to be ignorant. It is a sin to be ignorant, to not recognize your ignorance, and then to posture yourself as a teacher of others.
That's what Paul says must stop. These aren't just low IQ guys, you know, the ones that sit in the corner with their fingers in their mouths or their fingers in their ears and they just don't have a clue. That's not it. They're arrogant.
They're wretched. They wanna be called rabbi, rabbi. So again, back to verse seven, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say, ignorance, nor the things which they affirm, arrogance. ESV renders it this way, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.
Do you get that? They're not just morons, but they're there to tell you how much smarter they are than you and that you should pay attention to them because of that reality. I honestly think the NIV renders it the best. Steve's not here, so he can't get too puffed up.
But they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. That first bit grasps at or puts into modern parlance stuff that we're fully aware of. How many times have you dealt with somebody and you realize they don't know what they're talking about? They have no clue.
Which again, not necessarily a transgression against God, but to make confident assertions that what they are saying is true, That's the problem. That is a problem. Poole says the vain desire for reputation as persons of excellent skill in the land was the cause of their erroneous idle sermons and their ignorance is aggravated and inexcusable in that they with presumptuous boldness assert the things of which they are ignorant. Gil, in much shorter compass, which is not normal, says, those who can prove least assert most, and that with the greatest assurance.
That's the problem with these guys. That's the issue. That's why Paul says, I charge you to charge them. that they cannot teach other doctrine. They cannot obsess over genealogies and fables.
They cannot engender disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith. And whatever desires they have with reference to being teachers of the law, they need to go through the proper channels. They need to be checked. They need to be balanced.
They need to make sure that they understand the truth as it is in Jesus. Because if they do not, don't ever let them behind a pulpit. Don't ever let them lead a Bible study. Don't ever let them do anything wherein they might offend, or rather affect, the people of God, and thus offend the God of the people with their heterodoxy or their heresy.
So,
Application
in conclusion, I want to suggest first, in terms of the rejection of heresy, this is part and parcel of church life. This must be done. We must hold the line. We must secure the perimeter.
We must make sure that guys like these don't make it into our pulpit. We need to make sure that endless genealogies and Jewish fables and myths and old wives' fables and all these other things that divert attention from the truth and engender disputes rather than godly edification, we're not supposed to let that happen. So in 1 Timothy 1, verse 3, and then in 1 Timothy 1, in verse 18, but then notice as well in Titus 1. Titus 1. final qualification with reference to the elders in verses 5 to 9.
Verse 9, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. Again, it's part of the job. We don't let heretics preach in the church. You'd like to think that was a given assumption, but for whatever reason, it's not.
So when Paul says, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict, I think Paul assumes that teachers have been taught. Notice, holding fast the faithful word as He has been taught. Do you let a man operate on your brain who hasn't been taught how to operate on your brain? Well, of course not!
You'd never do that, and yet in churches, we do it all the time. The assumption that teachers are qualified and recognized by the church, 1 Timothy 3, Titus chapter 1. The necessity that teachers operate within the strict confines of truth, confessions of faith, like 2 London 1677 is a helpful guide with reference to that particular pursuit. The necessity that teachers exhort the church, notice that he, may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort.
And he does this not to cause disputes, but rather to promote godly edification, which is in faith and then to convict those who contradict. He has to refute the heretics. He has to stop the mouths of the false teachers. John Calvin said the pastor ought to have two voices, one for gathering the sheep and another for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves.
He's right. Absolutely, positively right. I would suggest,
The Manifestation of Heresy in Would-Be Teachers
secondly, in terms of our text and what we learn from the pastoral epistles as we approach this, the manifestation of heresy. We know the heresy. We know the content. It was a departure from orthodoxy, endless genealogies, fables, whatever else.
But the men who espouse it desire recognition. They desire to be teachers of the law. And brethren, that's not because they have love from pure hearts. It's not because they have sincere faith.
It's not because they have a commitment to the truth of God and have good consciences. No, they want the pats on the back of men. The men who espouse it do not listen to James. Let not many of you become teachers.
Why? We'll incur a stricter judgment. That ought to really get in the hearts of anybody who has aspirations in terms of 1 Timothy 3, verse 1, a desire for the eldership, to be rightly checked by the qualifications in verses 2 to 7, and then to rightly consider and ponder the implications of a James 3, 1. We shall incur a stricter judgment.
The men who espouse it are ignorant, and the men who espouse it are arrogant. It's just terrible. We've all said that. This guy has no idea what he's talking about.
And yet he's talking about it as if he is the inventor of it. No. And then I would just end with the observation on the necessity of the qualifications for elders in chapter 3, verses 1 to 7. The church needs to take seriously that particular list, compare it with Titus chapter 1, verses 5 to 9, some verses in 1 Peter chapter 5, and several sort of scattered along in the book of Acts. and think through and pray through.
God, raise up laborers to labor in the harvest, and may they be men that look like the man described by the apostle in 1 Timothy 3. We should never settle for anything less than somebody who is devoted to the things of God, that is able to preach well those things of God, for the edification of the people of God, which is in faith. That's the end game, that's the goal, that's the hope, that's the prayer. And so may the Lord bless, may the Lord provide, and may the Lord guide us in this endeavor.
Let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Father in heaven, we thank you for your word and we thank you for the clarity of Paul's charge to Timothy here in 1 Timothy chapter 1. Pray that we'd always take these things to heart, that we would consider them as a church, that we would be able to spot the heterodox or the heretical, and that, God, we would not give any ear, any sympathy to such things. Help us to be on the straight and narrow with reference to good doctrine, with reference to Scripture and our confession. We know the confession is not inspired, but it's certainly a helpful guide with reference to the study of Christian truth.
Pray for your blessing upon our church, upon the church in Surrey and in Armstrong, all the churches in our association, and all throughout this land, wherever the people of God are being fed by faithful shepherds. May you bless those shepherds. May you give them grace. May you give them help.
May you give them wisdom. and great measures of the Holy Spirit to engage in the task. And we ask this in Jesus' name, amen.