“Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
1 Timothy 4:11-16 ESV
If the theme of 1 Timothy is the struggle of the church against false doctrine, then this exhortation is a linchpin to the whole thing. If a leader is going to be effective, he must be immersed in Scripture. Outside of the discipline of studying the Word and humbly, prayerfully trying to apply it in one’s entire life there is no growth. The path to success is, therefore, the gospel saturated life and nothing else.
We notice that Paul’s lesson includes the truth that Timothy is to “command” these things. Obeying God isn’t a suggestion, but the duty of every man, woman and child. We’re saved by grace, yes. But we’re saved by the thrice holy God through the death of His Son. This is no prescription for sloppiness or presumption, therefore. The faithful leader of the church teaches that God must be obeyed in love and fear and wonder. Phillip Ryken says:
The Greek word for “command” (parangelle) means “to direct” or “to give orders.” It is a reminder that a teaching elder has true spiritual authority. It is his responsibility to teach—even to command, in God’s name—his congregation to trust and obey the doctrine he has received from the apostles. Why did Paul need to remind Timothy of his God-given authority? Maybe because Timothy was timid. In his next missive, Paul will write, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim. 1:7; cf. 1 Cor. 16:10). Whether Timothy was timid or not, he was still a youngster, relatively speaking. Paul feared that his authority as a minister might be undermined by his tender years. So he said, “Let no one despise you for your youth” (1 Tim. 4:12).
As we saw in chapter 3, the qualifications for elder and deacon within God’s house are that men are mature and tested. They’re known quantities. In our culture we have a great love of youth and novelty, so it’s easy to read into this text something the apostle isn’t saying. The men of God, whom He entrusts with leading His people, the church, must forever be grounded in sound doctrine, live holy lives free from presumptuous sins, and have a verifiable track record of maturity. Age and maturity aren’t the same thing, of course, but if an elder and deacon are supposed to be husbands and fathers it’s clear that the Holy Spirit does not call inexperienced young men to office. Why? Because they may become puffed up in conceit. A father and a husband has earned a maturity, so long as he’s lived in sound doctrine, that shows he can then be trusted with God’s family – the church. This is the pattern.
Thus, we must avoid thinking in modern worldly terms about Timothy’s age and Paul’s teaching here. Ryken again:
“There were two classes of grown men in those days: young men (neoi) and elders (gerontes). In Ephesus, each group had its own social association, with its own funds, officers, events, and athletic facilities. Timothy belonged in the younger category, which included men up to the age of forty. Given the date when he first joined Paul (AD 49–50; cf. Acts 16:1–3) and the date of this letter (c. AD 62–64), he may have been in his thirties at the time. It was a relatively young age to bear full pastoral responsibility for an important church. Certainly it was no time to be immature or irresponsible. Timothy needed to be wise beyond his years.”
You see, the Timothy’s amongst us might be tempted to assume too much in youth’s zeal. Or they might bristle at the limitations of their age – that older men don’t take them seriously. The older men amongst us might be tempted to think, “what does this whipper-snapper have to teach us?” All of us are commanded in the Lord to live obediently in faith so as to avoid the very easy temptations of worldly/fleshly thinking. Ambition and impatience often vex the young, and stubborn pride the old.
The lesson is that by keeping close watch on ourselves and devoting ourselves to the Word, we’ll keep growing and this growth will be evident to others. Notice the stunning reversal of priorities. It’s easy to miss. Instead of reading from the text what God is saying we often read into the text what we’d like to hear (exegesis is always correct, eisegesis is exceedingly dangerous). We aren’t to be motivated by a bigger congregation, acclaim, or anything else like that. The motivation is God’s glory and the service of His people. The motivation is to live a practical and holy life wherein one serves the Lord through the work he/she has been given.
The world’s priorities are always upon glorification of self. Timothy is told to keep a close “watch” upon himself because sin is the great problem and God’s glory the chief thing. I dare you to find a single worldly leader – a business or life coach, much less a counselor or therapist – who says that success and happiness proceed from immersing oneself in a gospel rich life. The salvation of the lost and the growth of the church members in faithful living, fueled by sound doctrine, is the goal of Timothy’s life as a pastor. Nowhere does the Bible ever mention how big the church should be, how many people attend the services or any other thing but faithfulness to His holy and life-giving Word.
We do well to remember that the largest worship services are always pagan. Exodus 32 comes to mind. Timothy must be alert to Aaron’s excuse making, “you know how these people are.” We recall how vexing a fall this was for the people God had just miraculously delivered from the world’s greatest power. And we recall that Moses and Aaron were both heavily tested. Aaron apparently had a tendency toward appeasement, which was on full display here and may be why his sons later offered the strange fire. Timothy, thoroughly acquainted with the Scriptures, knew all of this well. And he also knew that Moses had spent 40 years being prepared by God for this very moment.
To “save” his church in the temporal sense meant that Timothy regarded these lessons well.
The gospel rich life is the Christian life, after all. It’s outward focus is on teaching about the Lord and it’s inward focus is upon humility and gratitude to the Lord. Think about it: to love the Lord with all one’s heart, and to love our neighbor as ourselves is a lifelong goal of faith-filled effort.
The world demands guarantees of success. Listen to political promises and you hear the voice of Satan beckoning you to trust men, not God. Your healthcare, your education, your job security and income…all should be guaranteed by men. If we mindlessly follow this false doctrine we reject a life of faith and embrace the 666 of the Enemy’s false promises. The Jezebel riding the Beast beckons us with promises of pleasure and worldly success; the idolatrous state erects a new Tower of Babel and tells you it has your back, that you’re safe in it.
When Israel left Egypt they quickly gave into sinful grumbling and complaining. They yearned for the security of slavery over against the magical and beautiful freedom that is faith in God. Just as the men after the Flood rejected God’s command to fill the earth in a life of faithful obedience, instead refusing to go, rejecting the beautiful risk of freedom in the Lord and attempting to make a city of man, Israel demanded that God do things on their terms. Are we any different today? We should and must be! We must go to Scripture and learn the lessons from the past – from Israel’s failure – and immerse ourselves in the new life of the Spirit. Neither Timothy, nor you and I, stand a chance against the “doctrine of demons” unless we keep a close watch on ourselves and immerse ourselves in study and application of His Word. Literally no chance. The Enemy will sift us like wheat. Sin is crouching at the door and we must be aware of its utter power over us should we dare to leave the presence of God’s sustaining grace. We repeat: any attempt to live outside the immersion of God’s grace will lead to chaos and ruin. No church and no home can be established on the lie that man’s central problem isn’t sin. But the good news, indeed the great news, is that He is our Rock and Redeemer and no one will snatch us out of His hand. Neither life nor death, nor angels nor rulers…nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.
The mark of this life of immersion is right here: it’s keeping a close watch on oneself. True humility is knowing all the way through one’s bones that he’s a sinner. And true confidence is in the Lord alone, even and especially during trials (Hebrews 5:8). True wisdom recognizes that God is in charge of all things. Like a boxer who keeps practicing the basics is the Christian who knows he can take a wallop on the chin because sin is so much craftier than any earthly opponent, so he stays immersed in the gospel truths.
The world teaches us about consumption and pride, not humility. Timothy is exhorted, and so are we, to be like our Savior.
“who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,” Philippians 2:6-9 ESV
Again, we can’t say enough how contrary to the world’s values the gospel is. It’s radical in so many ways that one can never get tired mining its depths. Timothy isn’t told the keys to growing the membership rolls and increasing the church’s cash flow. He isn’t instructed in how to make Bible study more exciting. Interesting, isn’t it? Worldly eyes miss this. What God calls success is in every way against the world. The world demands self; the gospel commends Christ.
““When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”” Luke 14:8-11 ESV
So, let us be humble before Him and servants of one another, each in his/her own sphere. Let us be immersed then. Let us keep ever close watch on ourselves and let us pray:
“Who can understand his errors or omissions? Acquit me of hidden (unconscious, unintended) faults. Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins; Let them not rule and have control over me. Then I will be blameless (complete), And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.” Psalms 19:12-14 AMP
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