1st Timothy 6:1-2 Slavery. It has a sour taste to the mouth when you think about it. But what was the real deal with slavery in Paul’s day? Why did Jesus become a slave? Why did Paul and others refer to themselves as slaves? What does the Old Testament really teach about slavery? And what slavery is going on today? All this points us to Jesus. Wonderful, glorious and gracious Jesus who is the only person who can free us from our slavery to sin.

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1st Timothy 5:17-25 Church discipline and money. This time to elders. Are your elders preaching right and true about Jesus? Are they men with a backbone strengthened by Jesus? Then pay them if you can and honour them in your daily life. If they are not then here is how to bust them biblically. Possibly with open public shame. Is all this to increase morality? No but to lead to a truly repentant heart and life of faith because of the grace of Jesus. Our decisions and actions should always be in line with scripture and one bad action can have a consequence for eternity. Just look at Adam’s one sin in the garden…

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1st Timothy 5:1-16 Paul here teaches Timothy how we, as part of the family of Jesus, should act to other people. Men, younger and older, and women, younger and older, our families and especially widows. This text covers most areas of life and most people. Paul deals with family life, gossips, idlers, work and play, from the daily grind to the grave – those who are nearly in it really. God has a lot to say about this topic (a lot on widows) and most of it is ‘common sense’. Which isn’t that common and is decidedly rare if not nearly extinct! Not mere moralism but as always from Genesis to Revelation is just God’s simple revealed words and commands to us to obey for our protection, well being and safety. Jesus isn’t a killjoy and wants the best for his people so that we will live to his praise and glory through the amazing gift of grace through the cross.

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1st Timothy 4:12-16 Paul here encourages the young lad Timothy to keep it true and strong. Out little Tim wasn’t some immature teenager with saggy trousers but a man of 30-35! So the often miss application of verse 12 to teenagers can be a little annoying. But these truths from Jesus can apply to teenagers, which is the amazing thing about grace. Again this isn’t about moralism and ticking behaviour boxes but showing others that you have a regenerated heart by the Holy Spirit to obey scripture because of the gospel preaching of Jesus. A life of a Christian is not one of saying a prayer and you are in! But one of practice, devotion, diligence and determination all because of our love for Jesus because of His gospel of grace to us, whether we be young or old.

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1st Timothy 4:6-11 How is your training schedule? Not down at the gym, which Paul deals with here too, but your spiritual training schedule? This is to become a good servant of Christ Jesus and not climb a corporate ecclesiatical ladder Are you getting solid, biblical teaching about Jesus, the gospel and the true way to live a regenerated life by the Holy Spirit and just be a moronic moralist? Are you encouraging others to follow good teaching and preaching about Jesus too. We should all be listening to and reading true, biblical, Jesus cetered, gospel based theology and sharing that with others. This is what makes for a good servant of Jesus. One who is a disciple of Jesus and encourages others to be a disciple of Jesus too.

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1st Timothy 4:1-5 We all follow someone’s preaching. Is it the truth from Jesus or are you following the teaching of a Demon? Paul here warns Timothy, and us, that there is a lot of demonically inspired teaching in the world and it isn’t just the usual suspects but is anything that is not of Jesus and contrary to scripture. This can, and does, get up people’s noses but at the end of the day life isn’t ‘post modernism’ (which is a demonic teaching) which says your truth is right for you. One truth will stand and has always stood and his name is Jesus. Try to honestly prove the historical accuracy of eye witnesses and the history of a nation (Israel) wrong if you think that Jesus is not the truth, the way and the life. God is Good (His name is Jesus), we are bad (and need Jesus’ forgiveness) and Demons are sinfully Ugly.

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1st Timothy 3:14-16 Paul breaks into praise for Jesus, to Jesus, because of Jesus. Paul often does this and we should too. Stop to think and thank Jesus for his amazing gift of Grace to us because it is a true mind blowing historical fact! The death, burial, resurrection and ascension of God – Jesus Christ. In our place, for our sins to take away the wrath of God. Amazing. Thank you Jesus.

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1st Timothy 3:1-13 Qualifications to be a preacher, elder, deacon, minister, vicar for Jesus. And yes this is for Men only. Guaranteed to be a bone of contention in many ways with many people this passage of scripture. But plain and simply this section of 1st Timothy is not Paul setting up an exam list of moral guidance for Timothy to ‘tick off’ in his search for future pastors. Or is it a moralism list for anyone today to try to achieve and say ‘I am fit for pastoral service’. But is instead a list of qualities that Timothy, and us, can look for in a born again man to see the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit showing that they may be fit for service to the body of Jesus as a pastor. It is all about the grace of Jesus in a renewed man’s heart. Loving Jesus, Living for Jesus, preaching Jesus and leading others to Jesus. Only the Holy Spirit will recreate this in a man through repentance and faith in Jesus.

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1st Timothy 2:9-15 One for the ladies. Here we have a few of Paul’s verses that freak out the feminists. Is it really Paul ‘Hating’ women or is there something else? Here are directions for ladies during worship, what a woman should wear, why a woman can’t lead/preach to the assembling of the saints and what they should do. All a Red Rag to the Bulls of Feminsm who hate Jesus. Learn some Hermaneutics (how to read the bible right) and understand which bits of this were cultural to their time and how they were and which bits are for all time. At the end of the day Paul is writing to Timothy to help his Born Again, Bible believing ladies how they should live in this world according to scripture and not his own ideas. This ultimately leads to ladies obeying scripture not to earn their way to Heaven but out of thankfulness to Jesus. Feminism robs females of their God given femininity and only obedience to Jesus because of His Gospel of Grace can restore that. If you have a problem with this or any sections of scripture you have a problem with Jesus and not the preacher.

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1st Timothy 2:1-8 Paul here encourages prayer to young Timothy. Prayer for all, in high office or low estate. Jesus did it so should we. At all times, in all seasons and for all reasons because of?… Jesus and the grace that He gives to us by ransoming us from our sin. It is always the Gospel of Jesus that is first and foremost in not only Paul’s mind but all of scripture. That our sins can be forgiven through repentance and faith in Jesus. The God Man Jesus who is the mediator between God and men. Paul then moves on to point out a flaw in men, of which there are many, that can be a hindrance to prayer. We should then pray for our Government, leaders, bosses, teachers, parents, friends and family that they come through repentance to faith in Jesus.

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