What’s the purpose of the church? What should God’s people today truly emphasize? What are we to be all about? The book of 2 Timothy is a letter that specifically deals with our conduct and behavior as Christians (1 Timothy 3:15). Perhaps too often the church gets involved in “busyness” and becomes a “corporation” with something of a spiritual facade, but in such misdirection, we fail to properly emphasize Christ and what He desires for His people.
Because of Who Jesus is and What He has done for us (I Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; 4:10), we are to follow Him out of love and humility. The letter of 1 Timothy accentuates some “building blocks” (principles) that we must emphasize as the people of God. Earlier articles noted how Christians must properly emphasize doctrine (1 Timothy 1), worship (1 Timothy 2), leadership (1 Timothy 3), and ministry or service (1 Timothy 4). This final article in the series addresses two more matters of emphasis from the final two chapters of 1 Timothy.
Emphasizing Relationships – Chapter 5. The church of Christ really is not behaving as the body of Christ unless it seeks proper relationships. After all, Jesus came to earth in the first place and suffered on the Cross in order that we might be reconciled to God (John 15:13; Romans 5:1-10; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
1 Timothy 5:1-2 concerns how to treat all people in an encouraging way. Verses 3.-16 deal with how widows are to be treated. These verses also include information as to which widows are and are not to be financially assisted by the church. 1 Timothy 5:17-20 is about how to treat elders. This passage clearly establishes that shepherds who oversee well are “worthy” of “double honor.” And such leaders may even receive financial support from the congregation they serve. Verses 19 and 20 have to do with how to handle accusations against elders and how to deal with those in sin.
So many people in society today are relationally starved. Maybe that’s one reason all the “one another” passages are in the Bible. It is simply a must that Christians seek to relate to one another and to the lost in a way that points the way to Christ and honors Him.
Emphasizing Priorities – Chapter 6. When possessions possess us, we’re in trouble spiritually. When covetousness consumes us, we’re not behaving as God desires, and we’re emphasizing the wrong things. In every relationship and circumstance it should be our desire “that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed” (1 Timothy 6:1). Failure to emphasize this priority reveals some tragic character flaws (6:3-5). Whether we are rich or poor is not the primary matter (1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19); but “godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Timothy 6:6).
After describing those who have the misplaced priority of desiring riches (6:9-10), the chapter goes into greater detail as to what the priority of godliness necessarily entails (6:11 -16). A godly person is known by what they flee from (vs. 11), by what they pursue (vs 11), by the way they fight the fight of faith (vs. 12), by how firmly they grip eternal life (vs. 12), and by how much they desire to keep God’s will in purity (vs. 14).
The last verse of 1 Timothy speaks of some who “have strayed concerning the faith.” Only by emphasizing what matters can such be avoided.
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