Here we have Paul's second letter to Timothy. While the teaching of the letter is the same as other Pauline letters, there is a subtle difference to this letter. The tone of Paul is that of a man who realizes the end is near for him. It is as if he offers Timothy some final words of encouragement. The most prevalent, keep at it and keep strong.
In a few verses that I need to read more regularly, Paul reminds Timothy to fan into flame the gift which is within him. Also that we are not given a spirit of timidity, rather one of power, of life and of self-discipline. Meaning we do not need to be arrogant, but we do not need to shrink back either. Following after Christ who calls us will require us to be in hard situations. There will be times when we are not the popular voice. In those times we must persist, we must not be quiet. When we are quite when it is time to speak we are showing we are ashamed of Christ in our lives. We need to have the confidence in God more than humanity.
Paul knew Timothy would struggle with this. God knew we would struggle with this and therefore preserved the words of Paul to Timothy for our encouragement as well. When we are pursuing the life we are called to, many will try to step in and stop us or at least slow us down. We must not let that happen, we must keep strong in the Spirit of God which is given to us.
Monday, August 31, 2009
1 Timothy 6 -- Money and Faith
In a consumer driven society such as the American one, money is what talks and money seems to be the single greatest issue in the lives of many. I can remember growing up with the dreams of having great financial wealth, and those dreams creep in to this very day. The sickness of my humanity says if I can have enough money, then I can be satisfied with life. Sitting here writing I know this is not true, still the aspiration comes.
It is not wrong for a follower of Jesus to be wealthy financially, however there is a greater challenge for the person who is financially wealthy. Throughout scriptures and 1 Timothy is no exception, those who are wealthy are warned. It seems there is a great tendency by those of greater financial means, or those who crave it, to drift away from their relationship with God. I firmly believe God raises up persons of great financial wealth, but those people are raised up to help fund the works of God in this world.
Money and faith have always been held in tension. When we have little or no money we must have faith in God's provision. When we do not have the financial concern, the need to trust God does not go down, but the amount we trust God can suffer. In our culture when we are financially secure we can begin to thing we can care for everything we need to. It is easy to think we are self-sufficient, and do not need God as much. This is faulting thinking.
For those who do not have, keep trusting God. For those who have, offer what you have for the glory of God, not for yourself.
It is not wrong for a follower of Jesus to be wealthy financially, however there is a greater challenge for the person who is financially wealthy. Throughout scriptures and 1 Timothy is no exception, those who are wealthy are warned. It seems there is a great tendency by those of greater financial means, or those who crave it, to drift away from their relationship with God. I firmly believe God raises up persons of great financial wealth, but those people are raised up to help fund the works of God in this world.
Money and faith have always been held in tension. When we have little or no money we must have faith in God's provision. When we do not have the financial concern, the need to trust God does not go down, but the amount we trust God can suffer. In our culture when we are financially secure we can begin to thing we can care for everything we need to. It is easy to think we are self-sufficient, and do not need God as much. This is faulting thinking.
For those who do not have, keep trusting God. For those who have, offer what you have for the glory of God, not for yourself.
Friday, August 21, 2009
1 Timothy 5 -- Care of Others
As Paul continues his refresher course for Timothy he comes to talking about caring for widows in the church. It is safe to extend this to all people not just the widows, but that is the focus of Paul. The first responsibility of care is not on the church, rather on the family. A second point Paul makes is about who qualifies as a widow. This is not a wide open group. essentially those who can care for themselves should. The caution is when we help those who do not really need it we are actually doing harm.
Notice it is the whole church who is to be in the role of care for those in need, not just one or two people or the pastor. The elder referred to in the chapter is in the role of preaching and teaching. The people of the church are in the business of the care and support. It does not mean the elder never cares and supports, but that all the people of the church provide the care.
Contrary to what we might think the care of others is a little more complicated than once thought. It is not simply a matter of helping everyone the way they think they need to be helped. There are times when the best thing we can do is say no, and remind people of their responsibility to do their part.
Notice it is the whole church who is to be in the role of care for those in need, not just one or two people or the pastor. The elder referred to in the chapter is in the role of preaching and teaching. The people of the church are in the business of the care and support. It does not mean the elder never cares and supports, but that all the people of the church provide the care.
Contrary to what we might think the care of others is a little more complicated than once thought. It is not simply a matter of helping everyone the way they think they need to be helped. There are times when the best thing we can do is say no, and remind people of their responsibility to do their part.
1 Timothy 4 -- Be Diligent
Diligence is hard. Paying attention to something over a long period of time is not often the strong suit of humanity. As time passes we get captured by the next, the latest, the easier. When someone comes along and tells us there are easier ways to be on our journey with God, we tend to be all ears. Truth over time can be distorted to fit our fancy rather than shaping our lives into what the truth demands. Paul warns Timothy about this, and encourages him to persevere in teaching pure doctrine not matter what people say about him.
The final admonishment of the chapter is to be diligent in these matters. Stick with it. I am amazed at how our commitment to the things of God ebbs and flows like the tides. Diligence is not something many of us are afflicted with and has a huge impact on our journey with God. Diligence keeps us moving in the right direction. It helps us to remain in love with God. What was true for Timothy is true for us today. We need to remain diligent in our relationship with God. The latest and greatest will come along. Someone will always have a solution which requires less. However, remain diligent to the things of God, and conform your whole life to them.
The final admonishment of the chapter is to be diligent in these matters. Stick with it. I am amazed at how our commitment to the things of God ebbs and flows like the tides. Diligence is not something many of us are afflicted with and has a huge impact on our journey with God. Diligence keeps us moving in the right direction. It helps us to remain in love with God. What was true for Timothy is true for us today. We need to remain diligent in our relationship with God. The latest and greatest will come along. Someone will always have a solution which requires less. However, remain diligent to the things of God, and conform your whole life to them.
1 Timothy 3 -- Leadership Standards
The American dream tells us that anyone can do anything. We love the stories of people with apparently nothing, in a material sense, who develop into some one who seems to be on top of the world. Part of the American spirit is to celebrate with whoever the winner is, but always pull for the underdog. This makes us thing leadership is open to all people. This is true while at the same time it is not.
Leadership in the church is open to all people, as long as they are will to shape their lives after the calling of God. Timothy is just starting out his journey as a pastor and Paul offers the standards by which leaders in the church are to live. Many would call these standards judgmental. Our American dream would call them archaic and too limiting. Paul would tell us they are crucial to conducting the business of God in the Body of Christ.
Essentially it matters how you live and what you do with the gift of life God has given. If one is to lead in the church, they must be able to lead their own life and family. They must be able to live a life which honors God above all other things. All people can work to this end, in fact should, yet it seems only a few live it.
Just because a person shows progress on their journey does not mean they are called to church leadership. They must be called by God. If you are called, you should go. You should also conform you life to the call of God in all aspects, especially how you live.
Leadership in the church is open to all people, as long as they are will to shape their lives after the calling of God. Timothy is just starting out his journey as a pastor and Paul offers the standards by which leaders in the church are to live. Many would call these standards judgmental. Our American dream would call them archaic and too limiting. Paul would tell us they are crucial to conducting the business of God in the Body of Christ.
Essentially it matters how you live and what you do with the gift of life God has given. If one is to lead in the church, they must be able to lead their own life and family. They must be able to live a life which honors God above all other things. All people can work to this end, in fact should, yet it seems only a few live it.
Just because a person shows progress on their journey does not mean they are called to church leadership. They must be called by God. If you are called, you should go. You should also conform you life to the call of God in all aspects, especially how you live.
1 Timothy 2 -- Is Paul Sexist?
The great debate of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century around Paul has been his treatment of women. In chapter 2 we have one of those sections where Paul sets people ablaze. Used for by many are evidence for their cause, the words of Paul to Timothy create quite a problem. For some the teaching about women has been used literally and the basis for women not being pastors is born. Others have discounted God because of Paul's words. So where is the truth?
I am not sure I can know the truth. I can however look at the evidence. While there are times when Paul speaks against women, there are also times when Paul speaks about women in leadership of the church. Paul seems to be wishy washy on the issue. That is not how we often think about Paul, yet that is exactly what his writings promote on this issue. If the passages are going to be taken literally, then all the passages about women from Paul must be taken into account. The result will be a lose of clarity and the increase of questions, something some are not interested nor comfortable with.
The other issue of people being turned away from God. This is real and I have met many who fall into this category. I have no answers for Paul, I do know however his heart was to have all people have an intimate relationship with God. Further that all people live our the calling on their lives. I cannot imagine the grief Paul is experiencing as his words are hindering people from connecting with God. Everything about Paul's ministry was driven at connection. Is it possible we simply do not understand Paul.
As Paul being a sexist, one could find that in the text. Is that truth, I am not sure. What I do know is it matters not your gender when it comes to God. I have met male pastors and teachers who should remain silent as well as women. I have met pastors and teachers of both genders who speak, preach and teach with the very authority of God. I will be faithful to what God has put in front of me and leave the rest up to God.
I am not sure I can know the truth. I can however look at the evidence. While there are times when Paul speaks against women, there are also times when Paul speaks about women in leadership of the church. Paul seems to be wishy washy on the issue. That is not how we often think about Paul, yet that is exactly what his writings promote on this issue. If the passages are going to be taken literally, then all the passages about women from Paul must be taken into account. The result will be a lose of clarity and the increase of questions, something some are not interested nor comfortable with.
The other issue of people being turned away from God. This is real and I have met many who fall into this category. I have no answers for Paul, I do know however his heart was to have all people have an intimate relationship with God. Further that all people live our the calling on their lives. I cannot imagine the grief Paul is experiencing as his words are hindering people from connecting with God. Everything about Paul's ministry was driven at connection. Is it possible we simply do not understand Paul.
As Paul being a sexist, one could find that in the text. Is that truth, I am not sure. What I do know is it matters not your gender when it comes to God. I have met male pastors and teachers who should remain silent as well as women. I have met pastors and teachers of both genders who speak, preach and teach with the very authority of God. I will be faithful to what God has put in front of me and leave the rest up to God.
1 Timothy 1 -- Grace
Is the grace of God on display on your life? In the church we talk about the grace of God quite a bit, but can that grace be seen in us? Here in the opening chapter of the letter to Timothy Paul contrasts the law and grace. This is a favorite pass time of Paul, but he shares it with Timothy. Paul has quite a past as he points out, but says now the grace of God can be seen because of the ways God has transformed Paul.
It was not the law which changed Paul, in fact it was the law which had him working against God. The law is what drove him to persecute the followers of Jesus. When the grace of God broke the chains of the law, the world was never the same. Are you living by the list of does and don'ts, or are you living a grace filled life.
It must be remembered that just before this teaching Paul reminds us and Timothy to watch out for false teaching. Meaning, while it is through grace we are saved, we cannot simply live however pleases us because there is grace, which was being taught. There are things the Lord still requires of us, and they are possible only by grace. Only when we are living by grace can we follow the call God has placed on our lives.
It was not the law which changed Paul, in fact it was the law which had him working against God. The law is what drove him to persecute the followers of Jesus. When the grace of God broke the chains of the law, the world was never the same. Are you living by the list of does and don'ts, or are you living a grace filled life.
It must be remembered that just before this teaching Paul reminds us and Timothy to watch out for false teaching. Meaning, while it is through grace we are saved, we cannot simply live however pleases us because there is grace, which was being taught. There are things the Lord still requires of us, and they are possible only by grace. Only when we are living by grace can we follow the call God has placed on our lives.
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