Truth Tuesday- 1 Timothy 1:18-20
1 Timothy 1:18
This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
1 Timothy 1:19
having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,
1 Timothy 1:20
of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
18) Paul tells Timothy to keep in line with the doctrine discussed in the previous verses (3-11). Paul had previously told the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 4:17) that Timothy was going to remind them of what Paul taught, so here he is telling Timothy to act accordingly. Reputations are important. Many people claim to be athiest because of some "hypocrite" in the church that claims to be Christian and doesn't act like it. The witness those people could have gave by keeping a pure reputation is lost. (Yes we need to get in the world to witness and lead others to Christ, but that does not mean we should act like those we are trying to witness to [getting drunk for instance is an example of a quick way to ruin your testimony for Christ, especially if you try to witness in that state].) There was great misleading of the people in Ephesus from the correct teaching. When confronting someone they are wrong it seems like going into a battlefield with the bullets already having been fired at you. Timothy had to know and understand the Scriptures to the point where he could answer all of their heckling. This ranged from the sayings that are thought to be in the Scriptures but aren't (like "God helps those who helps themselves" is actually Ben Franklin not Biblical) to the genealogies. He needed to stick with the truth not what gets into drawn out debates.
19) Through all the fights Timothy had to keep his faith and live in a way that would free him from guilt. Sometimes the person who is incorrect poses "good" logic toward their thoughts and causes the person who is correct to rethink the truth. This is where being encouraged to keep the faith taught is good. Yes we may not fully understand why something is doesn't mean it isn't that way (for example when people thought the Earth was flat and had "good" logic for it the Bible says it is round (Isaiah 40:22) so keeping the faith proved true in the end). Many times after being confronted with wrong teaching it is difficult not to act inappropriately and ruin the testimony to get a point across (causing a worse outcome than saying nothing at all). Paul also tells Timothy that some people have turned from the truth and "suffered shipwreck". Paul knew what ship wrecks felt like (for he was in many). When life gets rough and we're hit from all sides, the steering becomes uncontrolled (if we are managing it by ourselves, but if we keep the faith God is at the helm and knows which direction will end with the correct path). Those who have given up on faith crash and burn and become bitter toward God and life.
20) Paul then gives two examples of people who have been shipwrecked. Although it is unclear as to what Alexander did to be named as a false teacher (2 Timothy 4:14-15), Hymenaeus was declared a false teacher about the resurrection (2 Timothy 2:16-18). When Paul says that he gave them to Satan, he is saying that he doesn't fellowship with them anymore (basically he kicked them out of the church) (1 Corinthians 5:11-13). When someone is told they aren't allowed into church until they get their head on straight, it should make them think of why they were kicked out in the first place. What about their teachings were false? Many of the false religions seen today came from those teaching false doctrine that was kicked out of their church. If they repented and came back to the right doctrine, they would be welcomed back into full fellowship (2 Corinthians 2:6-8).
This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
1 Timothy 1:19
having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck,
1 Timothy 1:20
of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
18) Paul tells Timothy to keep in line with the doctrine discussed in the previous verses (3-11). Paul had previously told the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 4:17) that Timothy was going to remind them of what Paul taught, so here he is telling Timothy to act accordingly. Reputations are important. Many people claim to be athiest because of some "hypocrite" in the church that claims to be Christian and doesn't act like it. The witness those people could have gave by keeping a pure reputation is lost. (Yes we need to get in the world to witness and lead others to Christ, but that does not mean we should act like those we are trying to witness to [getting drunk for instance is an example of a quick way to ruin your testimony for Christ, especially if you try to witness in that state].) There was great misleading of the people in Ephesus from the correct teaching. When confronting someone they are wrong it seems like going into a battlefield with the bullets already having been fired at you. Timothy had to know and understand the Scriptures to the point where he could answer all of their heckling. This ranged from the sayings that are thought to be in the Scriptures but aren't (like "God helps those who helps themselves" is actually Ben Franklin not Biblical) to the genealogies. He needed to stick with the truth not what gets into drawn out debates.
19) Through all the fights Timothy had to keep his faith and live in a way that would free him from guilt. Sometimes the person who is incorrect poses "good" logic toward their thoughts and causes the person who is correct to rethink the truth. This is where being encouraged to keep the faith taught is good. Yes we may not fully understand why something is doesn't mean it isn't that way (for example when people thought the Earth was flat and had "good" logic for it the Bible says it is round (Isaiah 40:22) so keeping the faith proved true in the end). Many times after being confronted with wrong teaching it is difficult not to act inappropriately and ruin the testimony to get a point across (causing a worse outcome than saying nothing at all). Paul also tells Timothy that some people have turned from the truth and "suffered shipwreck". Paul knew what ship wrecks felt like (for he was in many). When life gets rough and we're hit from all sides, the steering becomes uncontrolled (if we are managing it by ourselves, but if we keep the faith God is at the helm and knows which direction will end with the correct path). Those who have given up on faith crash and burn and become bitter toward God and life.
20) Paul then gives two examples of people who have been shipwrecked. Although it is unclear as to what Alexander did to be named as a false teacher (2 Timothy 4:14-15), Hymenaeus was declared a false teacher about the resurrection (2 Timothy 2:16-18). When Paul says that he gave them to Satan, he is saying that he doesn't fellowship with them anymore (basically he kicked them out of the church) (1 Corinthians 5:11-13). When someone is told they aren't allowed into church until they get their head on straight, it should make them think of why they were kicked out in the first place. What about their teachings were false? Many of the false religions seen today came from those teaching false doctrine that was kicked out of their church. If they repented and came back to the right doctrine, they would be welcomed back into full fellowship (2 Corinthians 2:6-8).
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