(I TIMOTHY 4:1-16)
The chosen texts, I Tim 4 can be divided into 2 parts;
1. The first part (i.e. v 1-5): This part mainly deals with the foretold of an apostasy
2. The second part (i.e. 6-16): This part mainly deals about the instructions to be a good minister of Christ.
The first part of the chapter which deals about the foretold of an apostasy is likely used by Paul to introduce his instructions to Timothy. This introductory part is well organized and deliberately given by Paul in order that the young pastor Timothy could stand affirm in the midst of difficulties when and where religious confusion come into reality and persist within the community of believers.
Therefore, he told Timothy saying that – “in the latter days the church would struggle with false teaching.”
So he warns Timothy by telling about - the false teaching that would come and the affect that it could have: (i.e. the bad affect, the harmful affect it could have on the life of his congregation).
So, the reasons behind why this information are given probably are;
1. Paul has much concern about the condition of the church (the manner in which the church suppose to be) and he also concern about proper conduct of the house of God, the church of the living God.
2. He also expresses his concern of the future condition of the church in which he postulate the sequence or development that could come in the life of the near future church.
3. He also expressed his concern on the necessity to defend the Christian faith in the midst of confusion.
Therefore, the implication or significant point we have here is - as Paul gave his concern to the near or little further future of the church, our concern, as a Christian minister, ought to be ‘the future condition of the church’ as we all aware of the present context/condition of the church.
This foretelling or paying attention to the near future or to a little farther future of the church is important because – as we live in a context where diverse form of forces and pressures, challenges have been surrounded or threatening our faith, our spiritual life, as well as the church in a wider sense; it is our responsible to take heed the situation, and our surrounding where we live and attached ourselves in.
Moreover, as we all have been looking and giving our concern on – the survival, achievement, improvement, growth for God’s mission where we engaged and attached ourselves in, we all must pay our attention to the forces that challenge our Christian faith, our stand and belief.
SECONDLY;
As we already mentioned at the beginning; the second section is all about the instructions given by Paul – to be a worthy servant of Christ.
Here (in this section), Paul turns his attention on Timothy as minister – his ministry, his character, and on the things that he is to be on the lookout for.
In his discourses he has given 3 important instructions which are very noteworthy for every minister of the Lord;
Therefore, to put in this way – we will look; some qualities or instructions given by Paul to Timothy, in order that Timothy may become a worthy servant of Christ/the Lord (to be a good minister of Jesus Christ);
1. V 6 says – If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ.
The phrase - ‘these instructions’ – indicates ‘the previously instructions given, and the later instructions he has to give in the following verses.’
However, most important thing is that – a person who anticipates improvement to be a good servant of the Lord must give proper instructions, a healthy teaching and doctrine to the congregation that can nourish, nurture and promote the moral and spiritual life of the community.
‘Giving these instructions’ at the same time, May also indicates – the instruction we suppose to give must enlighten, give direction to our people and help to choose a right decision. And moreover, the instruction we suppose to give must also strengthen and protect our people from various treats and forces that often challenged our people, and our surroundings.
2. In v 7, another instruction (to be a good servant of the Lord) we found is – Train yourself in Godliness
In order to emphasize his point Paul made a comparison by saying – “physical training is good, but training for Godliness is much better (NLT)”
The implication behind this sentence according to me is – The quality that makes us as a good servant of the Lord is to be received not only from external force, or something from somewhere above but also from ‘internal pressure or internal effort’.
‘Train yourself’ – indicates; to be a good servant of the Lord, a person has ‘responsibility to built up his/her quality’. It is also indicates – one must not expect everything only from external force, or something from above putting him/her-self behind the bar or keeping him/her-self to do for nothing, but he/she must also generate his/her internal ability and effort to built him/her-self up.
This ‘personal duty’ or ‘individual responsibility’, what Paul emphasized here and in other writings ( eg: II Tim 2:6; I Cor 9:26) is something we often neglect for our spiritual formation.
Therefore our point here is – Even though we all have accepted that, - God is our quality, our source where we get everything in order to be a good servant, the same thing we should not forget to keep in mind is - we also have responsibilities for our spiritual nourishment, and for our spiritual formation.
3. The last instruction i want to single out from the last part is – Paul encourage Timothy, to set an example and to put things into practice (v 11, 15)
He encouraged by telling – “Set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.”
Even though this is not an easy task for a minister, it is our responsible in order to maintain our integrity, credibility, accountability as we all are involve in the ministry of the Lord.
This quality – ‘to set an example and to put things into practice’ is something many people often fail to carry on.
We all can say so many good things, so many suggestions, so many instructions as well as so many massage of God to our hearers.
But, it is likely or probably that - more than 90% (or may be more than that), of our words have no effectiveness, and sometimes it has no life at all to make something change, to convince our people.
The reason behind is – only because many of us often fail to put things into practice, often fail to set an example, as we involved in the ministry of the Lord.
Therefore by keeping all of these things (instructions) in mind, let us try to do and offer the best thing for GOD and for the goodness of the kingdom of God.
The chosen texts, I Tim 4 can be divided into 2 parts;
1. The first part (i.e. v 1-5): This part mainly deals with the foretold of an apostasy
2. The second part (i.e. 6-16): This part mainly deals about the instructions to be a good minister of Christ.
The first part of the chapter which deals about the foretold of an apostasy is likely used by Paul to introduce his instructions to Timothy. This introductory part is well organized and deliberately given by Paul in order that the young pastor Timothy could stand affirm in the midst of difficulties when and where religious confusion come into reality and persist within the community of believers.
Therefore, he told Timothy saying that – “in the latter days the church would struggle with false teaching.”
So he warns Timothy by telling about - the false teaching that would come and the affect that it could have: (i.e. the bad affect, the harmful affect it could have on the life of his congregation).
So, the reasons behind why this information are given probably are;
1. Paul has much concern about the condition of the church (the manner in which the church suppose to be) and he also concern about proper conduct of the house of God, the church of the living God.
2. He also expresses his concern of the future condition of the church in which he postulate the sequence or development that could come in the life of the near future church.
3. He also expressed his concern on the necessity to defend the Christian faith in the midst of confusion.
Therefore, the implication or significant point we have here is - as Paul gave his concern to the near or little further future of the church, our concern, as a Christian minister, ought to be ‘the future condition of the church’ as we all aware of the present context/condition of the church.
This foretelling or paying attention to the near future or to a little farther future of the church is important because – as we live in a context where diverse form of forces and pressures, challenges have been surrounded or threatening our faith, our spiritual life, as well as the church in a wider sense; it is our responsible to take heed the situation, and our surrounding where we live and attached ourselves in.
Moreover, as we all have been looking and giving our concern on – the survival, achievement, improvement, growth for God’s mission where we engaged and attached ourselves in, we all must pay our attention to the forces that challenge our Christian faith, our stand and belief.
SECONDLY;
As we already mentioned at the beginning; the second section is all about the instructions given by Paul – to be a worthy servant of Christ.
Here (in this section), Paul turns his attention on Timothy as minister – his ministry, his character, and on the things that he is to be on the lookout for.
In his discourses he has given 3 important instructions which are very noteworthy for every minister of the Lord;
Therefore, to put in this way – we will look; some qualities or instructions given by Paul to Timothy, in order that Timothy may become a worthy servant of Christ/the Lord (to be a good minister of Jesus Christ);
1. V 6 says – If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ.
The phrase - ‘these instructions’ – indicates ‘the previously instructions given, and the later instructions he has to give in the following verses.’
However, most important thing is that – a person who anticipates improvement to be a good servant of the Lord must give proper instructions, a healthy teaching and doctrine to the congregation that can nourish, nurture and promote the moral and spiritual life of the community.
‘Giving these instructions’ at the same time, May also indicates – the instruction we suppose to give must enlighten, give direction to our people and help to choose a right decision. And moreover, the instruction we suppose to give must also strengthen and protect our people from various treats and forces that often challenged our people, and our surroundings.
2. In v 7, another instruction (to be a good servant of the Lord) we found is – Train yourself in Godliness
In order to emphasize his point Paul made a comparison by saying – “physical training is good, but training for Godliness is much better (NLT)”
The implication behind this sentence according to me is – The quality that makes us as a good servant of the Lord is to be received not only from external force, or something from somewhere above but also from ‘internal pressure or internal effort’.
‘Train yourself’ – indicates; to be a good servant of the Lord, a person has ‘responsibility to built up his/her quality’. It is also indicates – one must not expect everything only from external force, or something from above putting him/her-self behind the bar or keeping him/her-self to do for nothing, but he/she must also generate his/her internal ability and effort to built him/her-self up.
This ‘personal duty’ or ‘individual responsibility’, what Paul emphasized here and in other writings ( eg: II Tim 2:6; I Cor 9:26) is something we often neglect for our spiritual formation.
Therefore our point here is – Even though we all have accepted that, - God is our quality, our source where we get everything in order to be a good servant, the same thing we should not forget to keep in mind is - we also have responsibilities for our spiritual nourishment, and for our spiritual formation.
3. The last instruction i want to single out from the last part is – Paul encourage Timothy, to set an example and to put things into practice (v 11, 15)
He encouraged by telling – “Set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.”
Even though this is not an easy task for a minister, it is our responsible in order to maintain our integrity, credibility, accountability as we all are involve in the ministry of the Lord.
This quality – ‘to set an example and to put things into practice’ is something many people often fail to carry on.
We all can say so many good things, so many suggestions, so many instructions as well as so many massage of God to our hearers.
But, it is likely or probably that - more than 90% (or may be more than that), of our words have no effectiveness, and sometimes it has no life at all to make something change, to convince our people.
The reason behind is – only because many of us often fail to put things into practice, often fail to set an example, as we involved in the ministry of the Lord.
Therefore by keeping all of these things (instructions) in mind, let us try to do and offer the best thing for GOD and for the goodness of the kingdom of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment