The Teaching Ministry of the Church

GOLDEN TEXT: “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” —I Timothy 4:16

I TIMOTHY 4:6-16; II TIMOTHY 2:1,2

THE tendency of the human mind is to think below its privileges and to spend time considering trivial matters which are of little or no profit. Christians seldom entirely escape this fallen human weakness, and Paul’s admonition to Timothy was, in part, to urge him to assist the brethren along this line. “If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ,” Paul wrote.

Turning back in the chapter, we find a number of items included in “these things” of which Timothy was to keep the brethren in remembrance. For example, “In the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” Some would be “forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats.” And then, later in the lesson, “refuse profane and old wives’ fables” and, “bodily exercise profiteth little.”—ch. 4:1,3,7,8

But Paul did not want Timothy’s ministry to be entirely a negative one, important though it is to warm the brethren against false doctrine and admonish them to avoid trivial side issues which are of no spiritual profit. The basic message which all Christians are to teach is summarized in verses 9 and 10. We quote, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.” “These things command and teach,” Paul adds in verse 11.

Yes, our God is a living God, not a god of stone; not a plaster image on the wall; not the myth of evolution; not the principle of “good”; not the “man upstairs”; but the great Creator of the universe who is the “Savior of all men, specially of those that believe.” This means, also, that our God is not a vindictive, hateful God; not a god of torment; not a god who can be appeased by money and thereby be induced to release suffering souls from a mythical purgatory.

No, instead, our God is the “Savior of all men.” Man sinned, and was sentenced to death, but our God provided salvation at great cost to himself in that he sent his Son to redeem man from death. Through Christ he provided salvation for all. Through Jesus life is available to all who will receive it. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Soli, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”—John 3:16

Besides, the opportunity to believe will be provided for all in God’s due time. Paul also wrote to Timothy that Jesus gave himself “a ransom for all, to be testified [or made known] in due time. (I Tim. 2:3-6) This great truth of God’s provision of salvation is made known to some during the present Gospel age; and to those who now believe a “great salvation” is offered. Concerning this Paul wrote, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.”—Heb. 2:3

This “great salvation” includes exaltation to the divine nature, and the privilege of living and reigning with Christ a thousand years. No wonder Paul wrote, “specially of them that believe,” that is, those who now believe and run for the prize of the “high calling.”

But those who believe in the age to come will also receive a wonderful salvation, in that they will be restored to human perfection and given everlasting life on earth. So it is that the salvation of the church in this age, and the restitution of the world in the next age, as provided through the ransom, are the great essentials of the divine plan.

“Let no man despise thy youth,” Paul wrote to Timothy. (vs. 12) The thought here is that by conducting himself as a mature Christian, not displaying the tendencies of immature youth, the brethren would respect him, even though he was young. The admonition was to Timothy, not to the brethren with whom he associated. He was to see: to it that in spite of his youth he was worthy of the respect and confidence of the brethren.

Timothy was admonished to take heed to himself and to the doctrine; and to continue in them. No one can properly take heed to the doctrines of the truth unless he first does take heed to himself. By doing this, Paul wrote, Timothy would save both himself and those whom he served. This makes “taking heed” very important. It implies, of course, adherence to the conditions of salvation laid down in the Word of God. No one can save himself apart from the provision of salvation God has made.

By admonishing Timothy to de the things he had observed in Paul, the great apostle was simply saying, “Follow me, as I have followed Christ.” As Timothy was to carry on with the ministry after Paul’s death, he was to do what he could to prepare others to succeed him.

QUESTIONS

How is God the “Savior of all men, specially of those that believe”?

What is the “great salvation” and how does it differ from the salvation of the world in general?

How was Timothy to prevent the brethren from despising his youth?

| Home Page | Table of Contents |