EPISODE 191 1 TIMOTHY CHAPTER 1 " Law breakers and Love keepers"

Welcome to Share the Word, bringing you the big ideas of the New Testament chapter by chapter. Today, Margie takes us through 1 Timothy chapter 1, where Paul highlights the importance of faith, a good conscience, and the proper use of the law. Now, I'm just showing you the cover of the book. Get ready for the real story. Margie? Hello, I'm Margie.

Welcome to Share the Word. Today we begin 1 Timothy. The big idea is lawbreakers and love keepers. Let's begin with the story of William Wilberforce. Much like the Apostle Paul and Timothy, William had known his mentor, the Reverend John Newton, most of his life. At a very young age, he was actually convinced by the Reverend that slavery was a great wrong.

In an early letter to his mother, Wilberforce wrote, Dear Mom, I heard John Newton preach in church last Sunday. He has had an interesting life as a slave ship captain, but now he realizes slavery is sinful. He asks for God's forgiveness for the way he has treated the people of Africa and says he wants to treat all people with more love. I'm thinking about committing my life to Jesus, and I'd like you to come with me to hear the Reverend Newton preach sometime. Your loving son, Willie. However, because of his mother and his grandfather's anti-God, anti-religious influence, young William soon forgot about his introduction to faith and the abolitionist movement.

At a young age of 21, he was elected into the British Parliament. He was known for his great talent in public speaking and for being the life of the party, mostly by mocking Christians. In 1784, when William was 25 years old, he found himself on his knees, repenting of his sins, attitude and doubts, and accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Almost immediately, Wilberforce became known as a committed Christian, and his life purpose quickly became clear. Upon entering his first secret meeting to abolish slavery, Wilberforce was reintroduced to John Newton. William confided in Reverend Newton, saying, I've prayed that perhaps I should quit my job as a politician and become an evangelist or a preacher.

To which Newton replied, Mr. Wilberforce, God has already placed you right where He needs you. God needs people in all sorts of occupations to do His work. Just think of all the government officials who will listen to you that would scoff at a preacher like me. God has great work for you. The road may be long and most likely hard, but He will use you.

And use him He did. As a lawmaker taking on lawbreakers, namely slave traders, William worked tirelessly, fighting to educate others on the evils of slavery and to abolish the practice altogether. After 20 years, one of his laws was finally passed, making it illegal to kidnap Africans or to sell them as slaves. However, it would take him another 26 years of fighting to have those who had already been kidnapped and traded to be released from slavery. In 1833, while on his deathbed, William was informed that Parliament had finally passed the Emancipation Bill. Slavery had officially been abolished in the British Empire.

So, why am I bringing up slave trading and slavery? Because it's the first time that the Bible, through the Apostle Paul, calls slavery wrong. It's the first time in Scripture we see it added to the lawbreaker list, those things that Paul describes as ungodly, sinful, immoral, and contrary to sound doctrine. Our Pastor Paul has done several great teachings on the biblical perspective of slavery, so please listen to Philemon and Colossians 3 and 4. Before jumping into the text and the big idea of lawbreakers and love keepers, let's cover the historical background of 1 Timothy. It falls into the series of books referred to as the Pastoral Epistles, so named in the 18th century.

These were letters that the Apostle Paul wrote to specific pastors between 61 and 67 A.D. The actual chronological order was 1 Timothy, the book we're starting today, Titus, and then 2 Timothy, considered to be the Apostle Paul's last epistle penned from prison months before he was executed. The majority of theologians include Philemon in this series of letters, though he was most likely not a pastor but a leader and a host of a church in Colossae. From the very beginning of a church, leadership was necessary. Appropriate leaders and leadership roles had to be established. As we move through these books, you'll become acquainted with the characteristic traits of leaders and the various forms of ministry.

Most scholars agree that the key verse for 1 Timothy is 3:15. I write so that you know how people ought to conduct themselves in the household of God. Arguably, First Timothy is the strongest and most complete of the four pastoral epistles. Much of this material will be familiar to you, but remember the recipients of this letter; it was all new and quite radical. So try to imagine, as you listen, receiving all of these instructions at one time, when none of it had ever been done or seen before. Keep in mind that biblically sound churches still look at these books for direction in leadership.

Besides being practical, this book is also personal, as the aged Apostle Paul is writing to his dear friend and former traveling companion Timothy, who Paul referred to as my true child in the faith. Paul is writing from Philippi in Macedonia to Pastor Timothy in Ephesus, the bustling location where the apostle had, in his words, urged him to stay. To urge means to honestly and persistently persuade someone to do something that they might not be too excited about doing. Just the use of that particular word indicates that there may have been some tension or hesitation there. Once you hear a little bit more about Ephesus, you'll understand why our timid Timothy might have been intimidated. As far as being a leader, Timothy was young.

If he came to the Lord at age 15, then shortly thereafter started following the apostle, he was probably only in his early 30s at the time of this writing. And though he had experienced and witnessed Paul's leadership for about a decade before assuming this post. He could still benefit from his mentors' advice, experience, knowledge, and boldness. Ephesus would have been a pretty tough gig. It was a busy port city with many visitors passing through. Its strategic location on the Aegean Sea contributed to its wealth and prominence.

It was huge. The estimated population was about a quarter of a million people, making it one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire. This population included a diverse mix of citizens and non-citizens, also a significant number of enslaved people, which is most likely why the apostle mentions slave traders specifically in his lawbreaker list. Ephesus acted as an epicenter for trade and also the worship of pagan gods, specifically the most sacred goddess, Artemis to the Greek and Diana to the Roman. Archaeological and artistic representations of this revered goddess indicate her prominence there. Diana's temple was about one mile from the city.

It was four times larger than the famous Parthenon in Athens and eventually became one of the seven wonders of the world. Diana was considered the mother of all living things and belonged to a group of nature deities whose purpose was to produce and preserve life. Because of that cycle of procreation, the ceremonial temple prostitution was crucial in their belief system. This worship, though extremely prominent in Ephesus, was not just a local phenomenon. It was the heartbeat of Greek and Roman culture. Our young Timothy was leading people who had been steeped in this kind of worship and had only recently been removed from it by their conversion, by putting their faith in Jesus.

And now Timothy was put in charge of implementing these wildly different Christian principles. It must have been quite overwhelming. Timothy, as you might remember, grew up in Lystra. He had a solid Jewish upbringing in the Scriptures from his godly mom Eunice and his grandmother Lois. Culturally speaking, if you had a Jewish mother, then you were considered to be Jewish, which was the case for Timothy, even though his father was a Roman citizen. So, though Greek by birth, Timothy's religious identity stayed with his mother's family.

Some historians speculate that is because of the high male mortality rate, not to mention the frequency of war. If the father perished, at least the child's religious heritage remained intact. Now, let's get to the big idea: lawbreakers and love keepers. Because this chapter talks about the law, I'm going to poke fun at lawyers today. What's the difference between a lawyer and God? God doesn't think he's a lawyer.

I'm only focusing on a few verses in chapter one, ones that describe lawbreakers and ones that describe love keepers. Let's see how the Apostle Paul defines lawbreaker in verses eight through ten. He wrote, We know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that the law is not made for the righteous person, but for those who are Okay, so here comes the list. Lawbreakers and rebels, for the ungodly and the sinners, for the unholy and the profane, for those who kill their fathers and mothers, murderers, for adulterers, for perverts, for kidnappers and slave traders, for liars and for perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching. I know, that is a big lawbreaker list, and believe it or not, there's more.

As Paul referred to himself as a lawbreaker in verses 12 through 17, he said, I once was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, and then adding not once but twice, Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. The apostle was reminding Timothy that the law was given to define right from wrong and to show how far we are from right. Paul is not saying that the law is bad, but good when used correctly. The law served a specific purpose: to guide behavior and to expose sin. So the law reminds us that we're unable to keep it or to follow the prescribed behaviors. The law is like a thermometer.

A thermometer does not cure us; it shows us that we are sick. The law cannot cure us; it shows us that we are sick and in need of a physician, the great physician to heal us. Only Jesus satisfied and fulfilled the law. So the intention of the law was to show us our need for Jesus and to lead us to Jesus, including the apostle Paul. Even though on paper, as Saul of Tarsus, he looked so holy, shiny, raised right, had all the credentials and good standing with the Jewish faith, a lawkeeper extraordinaire, he too was a lawbreaker. However, lawbreaking is not the end of his story.

Not for Saul of Tarsus and not for John Newton, the mentor of William Wilberforce. John Newton was, in his own words, a lawbreaker, a slave trader. In 1745, he began working on slave ships at a very young age. Though his mother, Elizabeth Newton, often shared scripture with her son, his youth was filled with rebellion. He described himself as arrogant and immoral. In 1748, he left his employer off the coast of Africa and boarded another ship called the Greyhound.

That ship was hit by a horrific storm and led to Newton's conversion. In 1764, he became ordained clergy, and in 1772, he wrote the famous hymn Amazing Grace, describing the humble joy he felt going from the despair of a lawbreaker to salvation through grace, love, and the mercy of God. Before his death at age 82, Newton reflected, My mind is nearly gone, but two things I can remember: that I am a great sinner, but Jesus is a great Savior. Now back to the Apostle Paul and the lovekeeper list. In verse 5, the apostle commanded Timothy to lead and confront the lawbreakers with love, from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. The word command is seen seven times in this book.

It's a military term, intended to direct, order, or bid another. In this case, Paul commanded Timothy to confront the lawbreakers in love. We've mentioned agape love before. It's a Greek word for God's love, a selfless, sacrificial love, the love that God poured out for all humanity upon the cross. It is the highest form of love, which is extended free of conditions. Paul reminded Timothy that that same agape love that God has shown us should be extended to others, even lawbreakers.

Secondly, the apostle said that love keepers must have a pure heart. That is a posture of a single-minded devotion to God, prioritizing His will, being free from deceit and hypocrisy. A pure heart expresses devotion and compassion towards others. It's not about perfection. It's about intention. Thirdly, that love keepers must have a good conscience.

Now, the word conscience is mentioned three times in 1 Timothy. Paul spoke of three different states of conscience: good, clear, and seared. A clear conscience is possessing godly thoughts and actions, allowing one to be in a state of peace, integrity, and honesty. A seared conscience is when a person's moral compass is damaged or extinguished. The description comes from the loss of sensitivity after being seared with a hot iron. Therefore, unable to discern right from wrong and rarely feeling remorse for sinful actions.

The conscience Paul insisted Timothy employ is a good conscience, having a moral compass that aligns with God's will, Word, and Spirit. The blessing is living without the burden of guilt or shame associated with being a lawbreaker. The fourth on the list of the love keepers is to have a sincere faith. Faith is mentioned 15 times in 1 Timothy. Sincere faith is a genuine, heartfelt belief in God and His Son Jesus. It's not static, but dynamic, growing and deepening through prayer, study, and fellowship with other believers.

It is the cornerstone of the Christian life, influencing every aspect of a believer's relationship with God and others. Paul gave such a beautiful command to love keepers to extend the grace, the mercy, the love, and the generosity that God gave us to others, much like the Watkins did for George Washington Carver. Carver was born in the early 1860s in Missouri. The actual date of his birth is uncertain because he was born into slavery. His mother was kidnapped by slave raiders and never seen or heard from again. His father, also a slave, died before his birth.

Years later, George was taken in by Andrew and Maria Watkins, love keepers, who acted as adoptive parents, impacting his faith and his studies tremendously. His high intelligence was noticed by his educators, who helped him secure a spot at Ohio State Agriculture College. He was the first Black student there and graduated in 1896 with a Master's of Science in Botany and Agriculture. At the time, Carver received a letter from his mentor, Booker T. Washington, asking him to come to Tuskegee, Alabama. His request was twofold.

First of all, to lead the agriculture department at Tuskegee University, which he did for 47 years. As a mentor, Carver influenced generations of young Black scientists, both in the areas of faith and agriculture. And the second request was to help the people there, since the economy was suffering, so were the people. The primary crops grown in the South then were cotton and tobacco. Every year there were less and less crops produced because cotton and tobacco depleted the soil. So Carver came up with a new plan and a new crop: peanuts.

Because peanuts put nitrogen back into the soil, the land remained fertile and productive year after year. His creativity and genius did not stop there. He also invented over 300 uses for peanuts, which revolutionized the entire economy in the South. Dr. Carver was invited to speak before Congress to share his ideas and inventions. Once there, the chairman arrogantly cautioned, You have 15 minutes.

With that, Carver began to pull everything he had invented from peanuts out of his bag. The chairman asked, How did you learn to do all this? George responded, From an old book. The congressman challenged, What old book? Dr. Carver humbly replied, The Bible.

To which the chairman scoffed, The Bible taught you to do all that with peanuts? No, George patiently explained. It taught me about God, who made the peanuts, and I asked Him to tell me what to do with those peanuts, and He did. The pasts of our lawbreakers, the Apostle Paul, Reverend John Newton, politician William Wilberforce, did not disqualify them from salvation, serving the Lord, or from having a powerful impact and influence as love keepers. And neither will yours. The Lord can use your lawbreaker story, all of it, if you let Him.

He can heal you and enable you to help others as a love keeper. Who knows? Maybe even impact the next George Washington Carver of the world. This is Share the Word. I'm Margie. Thanks for joining us.

Thanks, Margie. Throughout the entire podcast, did you notice that it all points to one place, Christ? The Apostle Paul and Timothy had ongoing challenges dealing with the false teachers who were leading people astray, and it's still going on today. But God had them right where He wanted them, and they were doing His work sharing the good news. Where has God placed you, and have you recognized it yet? Moreover, are you doing His work or just collecting a paycheck?

I think it's clear that we're all part of the lawbreaker list, maybe not as drastic as murder, but when I see Paul, who uses his own testimony as a former blasphemer, it made me think if someone like the Apostle Paul didn't feel worthy, then how could I ever be good enough to go to heaven? And the truth is, we can't. We can't without Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross for all who believe in Him. He paid for all of our sins, past, present, and future. Don't let the false teachers distract you from what God has called you to do and the lives that He will change through you.

It all starts when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. What are you waiting for?