“Take Heed Unto Yourself” (1 Tim 4:8-16)

If you want to help others, help yourself first: 

“Take heed unto yourself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this, you will both save yourself and them that hear you” (1 Tim 4:16).

The Lord gives us godliness, and thereby, we receive the life that now is - love, joy, and peace - and we receive heaven sure to come.  Continue in these things, abide in this truth, and fight every foe by the gospel. God is your Savior, and He’s worth believing in a world filled with sin - “For bodily exercise profits for a little time: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (vs8).

We are commanded, exhorted, and taught to be godly. It isn’t an option, like I can have Christ and not worry about my behavior. Godliness is the believer’s EVIDENCE that his faith is real, that he sacrifices for Christ and endures unto the end.  Godliness will be rewarded, and we’re to command and teach people how to do it by faith in Christ - “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, for therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially [specifically] of those that believe. ” (vs9-10).

It isn’t enough to say “do”, we must point them to Christ and faith.  It isn’t enough to say “believe”, but we unfold the risen Christ as successful in accomplishing everything needful to save the sheep. He laid down His life for us, and He gives us EVERYTHING necessary freely.  Keep on believing this truth unto obedience, and you’re safe and blessed - “These things command and teach” (vs11).

We are not to be babyish in our thinking, as if being babes in Christ is an excuse to indifference or sin: everyone is to be an example of godliness to others.  Paul says, “Let no man despise your youth; but be you an example of the believers in word”, what you say, “in conduct”, how you behave, “in love“, how your respond to people, “in spirit”, in your attitude amidst difficulty and loss, “in faith”, in believing great and precious promises, “in purity”, in holiness before men and in your heart (vs12).

Be these things without fail.  He says, “Till I come, give ATTENDANCE to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine”, so that salvation makes us diligent rather than slothful (vs13). We don’t say, “I’m saved” and shift to neutral, but we keep the peddle to the floor, believing unto a flaming life.

Don’t neglect God’s gifts to you.  You heard the gospel, believed, and by faith in the gospel preached, you received gifts that are noticeable. - “Neglect not the gift that is in you, which was given you by prophecy [preaching], with the laying on of the hands [approval] of the elders.  Meditate upon these things; give yourself completely to them; that your profiting may appear in all things” (vs14-15).  Don’t sit around and waste your gifts, and don’t count on someone else to serve. Use what you have, wholeheartedly, for Christ’s cause, and get the most out of safe and holy living.

We are to be zealous, hot, diligent, and utterly concerned with our conduct.  We can’t teach others what we have not learned, and before I can heal my neighbor, I need my own spirit put in peace.  I can’t preach my way to heaven, but I must LIVE my gospel, too. And, I can’t preach “any old thing” and expect to make it.  The New Living Translation says, “Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you“ (vs16).

Examine yourself diligently, carefully, and consistently, repenting, confessing, and obtaining mercy to do it right.  Take heed to what you say and how you live, and you’ll save yourself and those that hear you.

There is no other way.

“The Mystery of Godliness” (1 Tim 3:14-4:8)

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory”  (vs16).

The Lord Jesus shall return, so we prepare ourselves, even as Paul comes to assist and examine Timothy. At that Day, it will matter if we’ve worshiped God rightly, even as Timothy must prepare himself and his ministry for the eye of Paul, who said, “These things write I unto you, hoping to come unto you shortly: but if I delay, that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of god, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth“ (1 Tim 3:14-15). We must behave ourselves as commanded: we have no choice.  We have help to obey and pardon for sins, but we CAN’T live our way and be Christian, even as Timothy must minister as commanded, if he’ll have Paul’s embrace.

The motive of godliness is God Himself in the flesh saving us (vs16).  He laid down His life, so that we could live eternally (2 Cor 5:15). Now, in praise and thanks, we tell God by our lives that we are His and appreciate His work.  We live godly not to earn favor but to express joy and the only proper thanksgiving.  We live godly because God has revealed beauty to us worthy of our devotion.

We are not slaves of man’s religion, and we mustn’t succumb to their lies. We are not interested in human holiness or the commands of men; we want GOD-taught obedience, and it has nothing to do with abstaining from things that He has created and things of which He approves - “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,  forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth“ (1 Tim 4:1-3).

Some say marriage is wrong, so they can devote themselves to God, but God says marriage is pure and singleness is better.  There is nothing wrong with a wife.  Express love to God by treating her properly (1 Cor 7:25-40).

Others say, “Touch not, taste not, handle not” as if meat and drink were holiness (Col 2:21-22). God says temperance in food and drink… and thankfulness for blessings makes them acceptable - “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;  for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer” (1 Tim 4:4-5). They are pure before God, and by thanksgiving and prayer, we receive them purely and honor God in our freedom.  Human religion is outward show and denial. God’s gospel is love, not whether you eat or drink something legal.

Beware.  False doctrine and demon worship goes hand in hand. If we don’t worship Him correctly, then we don’t worship Him at all - “If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.  But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.  For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come“ (vs6-8). We are not to concern ourselves with what others say but only with God’s word to us.  Exercising the body helps for a short period of time, but exercising the soul in godliness HAS the promise of peace and joy now, and it leads to heaven eternal.

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Utterly Darkened (Zech 11:16-17)

“For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that stands still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. Woe to the idol shepherd that leaves the flock! The sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.”

God delivers us from false shepherds and then punishes liars who deceive the people. This shepherd is called a “foolish shepherd”, and he preaches everything but Christ’s finished work in the gospel (Zech 11:15). John 10:13, says, “The hireling flees, because he is a hireling, and cares not for the sheep.” He preaches a god who cannot save, unless you and I, sinners, do our part.

God’s grace sets the Good Shepherd over us who laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). To save the elect, He did everything required of Him by God, giving His blood to redeem us from sins. God exacted vengeance on Christ for us, and now He gives us what His Son earned, without possibility of failure. The ransom was paid by God’s Son, and He will have all for whom He died. He says, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). He did not fail, and God shall not fail to deliver everyone that He died for, no matter how helpless we are, we are safe and secure. The false shepherd will not help the “cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that stands still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces”, making himself strong on the souls of others while neglecting to help sinners meet God (Zech 11:17). Yet, the Good Shepherd comes to these helpless sinners, and by blood and power, redeems us from every distress unto the end.

The Good Shepherd teaches the sheep to worship properly, delivering us from lawless godliness – “And you shall say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, and brings it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the Lord; even that man shall be cut off from among his people”, so He makes us see that the blood reconciled us to God for Him to save as He sees fit (Lev 17:8-9).

Everyone else values Christ the same way Judas did, for “thirty pieces of silver”, or a price well below His infinite worth (Zech 11:12). Zech 11:17 says, “Woe to the idol shepherd that leaves the flock! The sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye:” - he didn’t value Christ, so Christ refuses him - “his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened”. He led others to hell, and he goes now himself.

Yet, to you that believe He is precious. He is what I need to worship God unto good works. By giving Christ to God, God gives me the salvation I need.

Thank God He spared you and me by setting the Shepherd over us who saves. He calls us to Himself by stripping us of everything else, and then He gives the power and peace His gospel proclaims – “so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord” (Zech 11:11)!