Lesson for September 19, 2021
The Book of I Timothy
Chapter 1:8-14
Verses 8-11
“But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.”
But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully. The word “Law” is often used for the Mosaic Law. The Mosaic Law was not to provide salvation. The Law was perfect, given to Israel by a perfect God. So, the Law is good, if properly understood and applied. The covenant (agreement) God made with Moses was designed for the entire nation of Israel consisting of: 1) a spiritual code 2) the Laws of Divine Establishment 3) a moral code. The spiritual code was designed to portray Christ, the coming Messiah and His sacrifice for sin on the Cross through the rituals, feasts, and the Temple furniture. The Laws of Divine Establishment set up the principles of social life and government. The moral code was the standards of morality for the entire nation, believers, and unbelievers.
Paul tells us in Galatians 3:24 that the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. The false teachers (Judaizers) that Paul was warning Timothy about did not understand, were not aware of, or chose to ignore the fact that a new dispensation had begun on the day of Pentecost. The Law of Moses did not transfer to the Church. Things like tithing, which was a system of taxation, the specialized priesthood of the tribe of Levi, the observation of a Sabbath day, and the rituals were not transferred to the Church Age and were no longer valid for believers once the Church Age began. (Galatians 3:19-25)
In the Church Age, we can look back on the Law of Moses regarding the principles of the Laws of Divine Establishment, which are still valid today. For example, the Mosaic Law says that if a nation wants to stimulate its economy, it must have free enterprise and it must have a system of taxation that does not in any way hinder business. The Mosaic Law says that a nation must observe divine establishment principles to be successful. In other words, the Law of Moses established freedom and privacy for the entire nation (believers and unbelievers), and these laws of divine establishment are still valid principles for a nation. The Law of Moses revealed Christ as the only way of salvation, which is the same in every dispensation.
Realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous person. Just as in the Age of Israel, where the Mosaic Law was used to show mankind that they were sinners in need of a Savior, we can use aspects of it in the same way today (like violating the Ten Commandments). The spiritual purpose of the Mosaic Law was to point people to Christ. In order to do this, the Law had to first make people realize their need for a Savior. The Law did this by demonstrating that everyone is spiritually dead and under the condemnation of God. Under the Laws of Divine Establishment, it would have become obvious that a person was a sinner because violation of the Mosaic Law was disobedience to God’s laws (sin). Therefore, the Laws of Divine Establishment were made for the lawbreakers, not for righteous persons who knew that they were sinners if they violated God’s laws.
But (the Law was made) for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers.and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. Paul listed various sinful activities which violate the Mosaic Law and prove mankind is sinful and in need of a Savior. Lawless means flagrant violation of any of the laws of God. Rebellious means insubordinate to the authority of God. Ungodlymeans without reverence for God or acting in opposition to God. Sinners means one who misses the mark of God’s perfect righteousness. Unholy means irreverent or disrespectful toward God. Profane means moral or spiritual antagonism toward God and His principles. Those who kill their fathers and mothers, and murderers (in general), means those who commit homicide. Immoral men means fornicators/adulterers. Homosexuals means those who defile themselves with the same gender. Kidnappersmeans slave-dealer or stealer of other human beings. Liars means those who tell falsehoods or deceive. Perjurers means to swear falsely under oath. Contrary to sound teaching means to be hostile or opposed to accurate or correct instruction. Paul used these categories of sin to point out the fact that the Law of Moses was given to reveal a person’s sinfulness, but it was not the solution to the sin problem. Christ was the solution then, now, and always. Paul also added the phrase “whatever else is contrary to sound teaching” which covers all categories of sin.
The glorious Gospel means good news about Jesus Christ. Gospel pertains to the message and communication of doctrines pertaining to the work of Christ before, during and after the Cross (the entire doctrine of Christology). Christ was born as a perfect human being (because of the Virgin birth), lived a sinless life and went to the Cross in sinless perfection. While on the Cross, Christ became our substitute by paying the penalty for sin. After His physical death, He was buried and three days later He arose from the dead. After 40 days, Christ returned to Heaven and was seated at the right hand of the Father (ten days later the Church Age began on the day of Pentecost). Those who believe in Him are given the gift of eternal life. This was God’s salvation solution to mankind’s sinful condition that was demonstrated by the Mosaic Law.
The blessed God, with which I have been entrusted. Blessed means that God is worthy of all blessing and praise. The Gospel message of grace is God’s solution to mankind’s sin and was entrusted to Paul to share among the Gentiles.
Verses 12-14
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.”
Strengthened means to invigorate or to empower. From the time that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to the time that you depart from this earth and live forever with God in eternity, there never will be a time when God will deprive you of His grace. He provides power and guidance in the Person of the Holy Spirit to any believer who chooses to utilize it. Jesus Christ “poured” His power into the Apostle Paul who in turn taught the mystery doctrine. Paul had the same power options that we have today – the filling of the Holy Spirit and Bible doctrine. Therefore, we must be occupied with the written Word, the Bible in order to be occupied with the living Word, Jesus Christ.
Because He considered me faithful, putting me into service. Faithful mean dependable or trustworthy. It was the one thing that always characterized Paul. God could always depend on Paul to follow a certain pattern of faithfulness. Putting me refers to God’s decision to use Paul as the evangelist to the Gentiles. Service means the ministry of evangelism and doctrinal teaching. This verse is not referring to the bestowal of the spiritual gift of apostleship which Paul received at salvation. It is referring to something that happened after salvation, the establishing of Paul as a minister, the establishment of his ministry. So, it is not his spiritual gifts in view here but the ministry that resulted from those gifts. It is the ministry which was established on the basis of Paul’s faithfulness to God. The spiritual gift of apostleship was the sovereign decision of God the Holy Spirit. The establishment of his ministry came through Paul’s consistent study of the Scriptures and faithfulness to teach them. Bible doctrine in the soul is always the basis for legitimate Christian service and establishing a ministry.
Even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Verse 13 demonstrates the power of grace in Paul’s life. Blasphemer is the Greek word “blasphemos,” which means abusive or speaking evil. Paul (Saul) was once a slanderous critic of Christianity. Persecutor is the Greek word “dioktes,” which means to put to flight or pursue. Paul (Saul) was once a vigorous persecutor of believers in Christ, pursuing them and making them flee from him. Violent aggressor is the Greek word “hubristes,” which means injurious. Paul (Saul) was once violent in his legalistic Judaism toward any Christian he could find to harm. (Acts 22:3,4; 26:9-11)
Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. Yet sets up a contrast between Paul’s unsaved state and persecutor of the Church as Saul of Tarsus and his saved state as Paul the Apostle. The Greek word for mercy is “eleeo,” which means grace in action. Paul was shown grace first at salvation and then in his life as he advanced in the Christian Way of Life through the consistent study and application of Bible doctrine.
Ignorantly is the Greek word “agnoeo,” which means lack of knowledge or lack of understanding. Saul (Paul) the unbeliever, a zealous, legalistic Pharisee, acted in ignorance. Unbelief is not only the status of being unsaved, but it is the condition of being totally ignorant of God. The transformation of Saul of Tarsus into the Apostle Paul was one of the greatest demonstrations of the power of God’s grace in human history. God’s grace took the worst sinner (according to Paul) and transformed him into one of the greatest members of the Royal Family of God.
Only grace could take such a person as Saul and not only save him but continue to mold him into spiritual greatness. Saul of Tarsus’s purpose in taking the road to Damascus was to blaspheme, inflict violence and persecution on all the Christians he could find. But the grace of God changed all that. Grace found Saul at his lowest and raised him to be the great Apostle Paul. Therefore, Paul is the perfect demonstration of the power of God’s grace. God’s grace abounded to Paul because he was positive at Gospel-hearing and positive toward Bible doctrine. Paul, more than any other believer we see in the New Testament, was totally occupied with Jesus Christ.