Truth Matters 1 Tim 1:1-20

Introduction  “...union with Christ consists in the most intimate communication with him, in having him before our eyes and in our hearts, and being so filled with the highest love for him, at the same time we turn our hearts to our brothers whom he has closely bound to us, and for whom also he sacrificed himself...”

Introduction  “...union with Christ consists in the most intimate communication with him, in having him before our eyes and in our hearts, and being so filled with the highest love for him, at the same time we turn our hearts to our brothers whom he has closely bound to us, and for whom also he sacrificed himself…”  Karl Marx (1835)

Introduction  The story of Robert Robinson (18 th C).  Hymn “Come Thou Fount of every blessing” – Robinson was well aware of the danger that we are all “prone to wander…prone to leave the God I [we] love”  The world we live in – No absolute truth because everything and anything can be affirmed as true (if it can be argued well) – or if the media propagates it.

Customized Truth

Review (last sermon)  Paul to Timothy: Stay, Fight Guard  Church of the Living God  God’s Household  Pillar and Foundation of Truth  CHURCH MATTERS!

Does Truth Matter?  Why is the Apostle Paul so strongly opposed to those who are teaching error ?

Parts of the Letter  Author 1:1 Paul  Recipient 1:2 Timothy (intended for the church)  Opening greeting 1:2 Grace, mercy peace  Prayer of thanksgiving - missing  Body – 1:3 onwards  Closing greetings – Last phrase of the letter

1. False Teachers  1:3 The Antagonists  Who are the False Teachers?  V7 Want to be teachers of the law  1:3-7 and 1:18-20

1. False Teachers  1:3-7 and 1:18-20  Teaching false doctrines (another teaching)  Devoting themselves to myths and endless genealogies  Promoting controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work (against true faith)  Departed from “love, pure heart, good conscience” and turned to meaningless talk  Rejected “faith and a good conscience” – suffered shipwreck E.g, Hymnenaeus and Alexander

1. False Teachers  1:3-7 and 1:18-20  Syncretism (mixing) of Judaism, Mystery religions with Christianity.  “The gospel endorses an immensely wide diversity among human cultures, but it does not endorse a total relativism. There is good and bad in every culture and there are developments continually going on in every culture which may be either creative or destructive, either in line with the purpose of God as revealed in Christ for all human beings, or else out of that line.”  (John Stott, The Gospel in a Pluralistic Society, 197)

1. False Teachers  1:3-7 and 1:18-20  Two examples: Hymenaeus and Alexander  Shipwrecked (Apostasy)  Started well – ended in torment  Handing over to satan – excommunication  Vulnerable to the lies of satan

1. False Teachers  1:3-7 and 1:18-20  Truth Matters  Church is the pillar of truth  GPS example

2. Correcting the error regarding the Law  1:8-11 Purpose of the law  False teachers making improper use and leading people astray.  1:8-11 List of things that are contrary to the gospel – to sound doctrine

2. The Law  Purpose of the law  Gal 3:23-25  23 Before the coming of this faith,we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

2. The Law  The Law is for the ungodly who are living contrary to the gospel  False teachers are teaching contrary to the Gospel  False Teachers are like the ungodly therefore under the Law  In trying to impose the law on Christ followers, the false teachers have placed themselves in the same place as the law breakers.

3. The Gospel Truth  1:12-17 Paul is not the protagonist – God is! God is the Hero for Paul.  Paul – before and after.  1:15 Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst

3. The Gospel Truth  Sound doctrine for Paul is what glorifies God!  Truth Matters for Paul because it is God’s truth  Even Paul cannot stand in the way of God’s truth - Gal 1:8, 9 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

Conclusion  We live in a world full of ideas  What we believe affects who we become  Jesus offers Truth  John 14:6 I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  No other map can lead us home to God

Conclusion  From doctrine to doxology (Praise)  We do not boast in ourselves but we boast in who God is and what He has done through Jesus Christ  1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.