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The two Epistles to Timothy were written when the church had become degraded. In such a time of confusion, Timothy needed these two letters on how to conduct ourselves in the house of God. I would like us to focus our attention on four terms that recur throughout these two books.
The first is God’s economy, mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:4: “Nor to give heed to myths and unending genealogies, which produce questionings rather than God’s economy, which is in faith.”
Chapter 1 of 1 Timothy makes it clear that even while the apostle Paul was still here on earth, different teachings had come into the church. The main teaching that Paul confronted came from ones “desiring to be teachers of the law” (v. 7). The law, as we all realize, was scriptural; it had been given by God to Moses and had been taught for centuries during the Old Testament times. Nonetheless, it differs from the teaching of the gospel, God’s economy. Thus, Paul wrote to Timothy in verse 3, “I exhorted you, when I was going into Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus in order that you might charge certain ones not to teach different things.”
The four Gospels present Christ from four different angles; the words and style of writing are different, but the ministry is the same. The Gospels are like four photographs of one person, all taken from a different side. Suppose, on the other hand, Peter had written a record of Moses. We would have to protest that he was speaking differently. He would have been speaking of Moses and the law, whereas Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were speaking of Jesus Christ.
There are those who say that we in the Lord’s recovery do not accept the ministry of others. It is clear from Ephesians 4:11 and 12 that the gifted persons mentioned all had only one ministry, that of building up the Body of Christ. That there is only one ministry is confirmed in 2 Corinthians 4:1 and 1 Timothy 1:12. The one ministry does not imply that the apostles and prophets repeated each other’s words. The four Gospels are indeed different from each other, but only in that they present different aspects of the same thing. In this New Testament period God has raised up many gifted persons with varied functions, but all belong to the same ministry, that of ministering Christ for the church.
Hebrews 1:1 and 2 tell us that God spoke to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways. But now “at the last of these days” He has “spoken to us in the Son.” God in the New Testament age speaks only in one person. What, then, of Paul, Peter, and the other apostles? All the apostles, and we as well, are parts of the Son, members of His Body. When God spoke in the Old Testament, it was through the prophets in many separate speakings, because Moses, David, Isaiah, and Jeremiah were not in the Son. In this New Testament time the twelve apostles, Paul and Barnabas, Martin Luther, Watchman Nee, and all of us have been constituted into the Son. Thus, when God speaks in this age through His servants, He is speaking in the Son.
First Timothy 1 tells us that besides the teachers of the law, some were speaking “myths and unending genealogies, which produce questionings” (v. 4). Besides the law, there were these two other categories of speaking differently. Let us say that for several years you have been listening to the word that the Triune God wants to dispense Himself into us, that all His riches are embodied in Christ, and that Christ today is the life-giving Spirit indwelling us. You have become bored with all this teaching. Now along comes a talented young speaker, whose messages are full of fascinating stories, or fables. He seems also to have a deep understanding of the Old Testament genealogies. Would you be attracted? This was the kind of speaking that was being heard in Ephesus.
Actually, there are only two categories of teachings. The fables and genealogies are part of the Old Testament things concerning the law; they are either tradition or opinion. The other category is the New Testament economy, Jesus Christ as life for the church.
Suppose a brother comes among us and begins to rebuke the churches in the recovery for their failure to practice foot-washing. The Lord Jesus Himself set us an example of this in John 13 and specifically told us that we ought to wash one another’s feet (v. 14). This is a New Testament teaching. Would you say that this is part of God’s economy or that it is teaching differently? We can be sure that foot-washing, even though it is found in the New Testament, is not part of God’s economy, because it ministers questions. Once we begin to consider foot-washing, we open the door to endless questions. Should brothers and sisters wash each other’s feet? Should the sisters’ foot-washing be done openly in the hall or in private rooms? How frequently should it be done? The result of these questions that arise is that we are distracted from prayer and from contacting the Lord and begin to discuss all the varied opinions on the merits of foot-washing and how it should be practiced. I trust that you can see that even some New Testament matters are not part of God’s economy and may in fact damage it.
Another brother, in his studies of the New Testament, may come to the conclusion that grape juice, not wine, should be used at the Lord’s table. Suppose, after the breaking of bread, he should give a message exhorting us to use grape juice instead of wine. Wine may encourage a weaker one to drink. Should we heed his exhortation? He may scarcely finish speaking when another brother may stand up and say that grape juice was unknown in ancient times, that according to the word of the whole Bible, there was only wine. We could further add that the Lord, in Matthew 26:29, did not use the term wine but rather the product of the vine. Do you see the questions that are engendered by such talk? It does not minister life but rather causes disputations. Let us learn to avoid opinions and matters that would stir up others’ opinions. Learn not to speak differently.
Avoid anything that might distract God’s people from His economy. The one ministry dispenses God into the believers so that He may be their life, nature, and being. This chosen people form the Body of Christ, the church. Do not add to this central thought of God your concept or opinion. Do not refer to different flows among us; a flow is a concept. Do not think in terms of an old way and a new way. Concentrate on God’s economy.
In a time of degradation in the church, it is important that all the saints know the truth. Thus, this term is used more than ten times in these two Epistles. The church is the pillar and base of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15); as such, all of us must be clear about the truth of the headship of Christ. Is not that headship disregarded by organized Christianity? Several years ago I read a booklet by Dr. A. W. Tozer of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Entitled The Waning Authority of Christ in the Churches, it discusses how little Christ and His authority are esteemed by the denominations and other Christian groups, though they pay lip service to the doctrine of His lordship.
Among us these past few years there have been indications that we too do not see the significance of Christ’s headship. An effort was made to organize all the churches in the recovery under an international coordination. It may seem wonderful to have such “oneness,” but actually this was a subtlety to gain control of all the churches, thus taking the headship away from Christ and putting it in the hands of the “coordinator,” who in essence would be a pope. Such a hierarchical setup robs the saints of their personal contact with God.
In the universe God is the one reality. Whatever is related to God is reality or truth. Doctrines, in contrast, are teachings. Consider the Lord’s table, for example. Who is qualified to participate? Should there be grape juice or wine? one cup or many small cups? leavened or unleavened bread? one loaf or small cut pieces? How often should the Lord’s table be held? Who should distribute the bread and the cup? All such questions are doctrinal and do not touch the reality. The truth of the Lord’s table is that it represents the Head and the Body. His blood separated from His body displays His death. The loaf of many grains of fine flour speaks of a body in resurrection. The truth of the Lord’s table, then, is the reality of the Head, in death and resurrection, and the Body.
Baptism provides another illustration of doctrines versus truth. Who should be baptized? Who should baptize? In whose name are we baptized? By immersion or sprinkling? Once or three times? In salt water or fresh? Outdoors or in a baptistery? These questions concern the doctrine. The truth of baptism concerns the death and resurrection of Christ. “All of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death” (Rom. 6:3). Shallow, shortsighted people do not look beyond the doctrines to see the truths within those doctrines.
If we think that a church needs elders because that is the way it is set up in the Scriptures, we are in the realm of doctrine. The truth behind this doctrine is that the plurality of elders indicates that God’s people have no official, organized, permanent leadership, because Christ is the only Head recognized by God.
A strong and healthy church depends upon all the saints’ knowing the truth. Doctrines confuse and bring in opinions, but truth consolidates and builds people together. Whether we use wine or grape juice is not crucial, but caring for the truth of the death and resurrection of Christ and seeing that the one loaf signifies one Body are a safeguard against any divisive thought. Arguing about sprinkling or immersion divides us, but being in the reality of the death of Christ unites us. If our concern when we baptize new believers is that we are putting them into the death of Christ, we will all be in a prayerful spirit that this may be their reality.
“Great is the mystery of godliness” (1 Tim. 3:16). This is the third term that we will consider. It is clear from this verse that godliness is God manifested in the flesh. When the church is in a time of degradation, we need to pay special heed to godliness.
Notice the sequence of the phrases in this verse: “Confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh, / Justified in the Spirit, / Seen by angels, / Preached among the nations, / Believed on in the world, / Taken up in glory.” Many Christian teachers have thought that this verse refers to Christ, but the sequence of these phrases does not bear this out. Christ was “taken up in glory” before He was “preached among the nations.” This verse refers more to the church than it does to Christ. Taken up in glory refers to the rapture of the church rather than to Christ’s ascension. Yes, Christ is the manifestation of God in the flesh, but so is the church. We are the church, but we are still in the flesh. When we meet together in the Spirit, God is manifested among us; this is the manifestation of God in the flesh. Just as Christ the Head is the manifestation of God in the flesh, so also is His Body. If the whole church is gathered together in a proper way and an unbeliever comes in, “falling on his face, he will worship God, declaring that indeed God is among you” (1 Cor. 14:23-25). God’s presence is known whenever the church meets together properly.
Paul exhorted Timothy to pray for those “who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity” (1 Tim. 2:2). What evidence is there in our lives of godliness? This verse says “all godliness.” If we are godly, it will affect the choice of pictures we hang in our bedroom, the kind of clothes we wear, our hair style, and our conversation. It will make us clear about whether to go to the movies. The inward life of godliness has an outward expression; such a manifestation of godliness is a testimony and has an impact on those who meet us. Whatever we say, whatever we do, whatever we wear, there should be an impression of God manifested in us.
Another reference to godliness is found in 1 Timothy 4:7-8: “Exercise yourself unto godliness. For bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life and of that which is to come.” There is some profit in physical exercise; this verse does not say that it profits nothing. Exercise benefits our health. However, when we consider sports, it is apparent that we are outside the field of health and into the realm of showing off how capable and skillful we are.
How can we exercise ourselves unto godliness? One way is to show the proper reverence when we are reading the Bible. Even if no one else is present, it is good to be properly dressed and to sit or kneel in a respectful way when we come to the Word of our heavenly Father.
Another way to exercise ourselves unto godliness is to be restricted in our talk. Nothing has more of an impact upon others than our way of talking. Even in the home our talk should be accurate, restrained, and free of gossip. Sometimes shouting in the meeting may be overstepping the line between godliness and looseness. What we say should give an impression of restraint.
Shopping is another area in which we can practice godliness. Even window-shopping can lead to indulgence in lust; many times we must turn our eyes away. What we buy shows others the kind of person we are.
Letter writing is also a way to exercise ourselves unto godliness. On many occasions I have rewritten a letter three, even four, times because when I read it over, I would find something not accurate or not helpful. By our restraint in passing on church news, for example, we can show our care for the edification of others.
The last term for us to consider is healthy words, found in 1 Timothy 6:3. The term healthy is another word that recurs throughout the two Epistles to Timothy and in Titus as well (cf. 1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 1:13; 4:3; Titus 1:9, 13; 2:1-2, 8). In the church life we must discern the speaking to see whether it is healthy or damaging. We must not be misled by enticing words, however eloquent. Healthy means that the words minister life. We may not know very much, but our taste can distinguish what is sweet, what is bitter, what is poisonous, and what is healthy. We need to examine our own words too to see if they are healthy, ministering life to those who hear us, whether we are speaking on the phone or face-to-face.
In a time of degradation, then, we must be centered on God’s economy and not be distracted by those who teach differently. As the pillar and base of the truth, we must know the truth and not be distracted by doctrines. We must exercise ourselves unto godliness. Finally, our conduct in the house of God includes discerning and receiving, as well as ministering “healthy words.”
