1 Timothy 4:6-16
If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Continuing in chapter 4, Paul works off of his previous topic about the danger of false teachings. This is a common theme throughout all of 1 Timothy; we have seen this come up many times as we have worked our way through the letter. And here once again, Paul refers back to this previous topic. This time, he urges Timothy to resist these fables and myths and to focus on the true, good doctrine. Since Timothy is leading a congregation, helping guide them along in their walk with Christ, he cannot be caught up in false teachings. For if he does, his congregation will be led in the wrong direction. So Timothy, and all ministers for that matter, must learn to stay in the Word so that they can guard against false teachings.
How can we know what a "false" teaching is if we do not stay in God's Word, where we will find the truth. It is hard to know what is wrong if you do not already know what is good. So Paul tells Timothy to train in his spiritual life as he would in his physical life. Through remaining in God's Word we can know of the hope that we have, salvation. Now verse 10 can sound a little confusing. When it says that Christ is the Savior of all people, many read this verse universalistic, saying that all men will be saved. But Scripture is clear that not all shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven. So what does this verse mean? One commentator suggests that it refers to the fact that Christ died for all men, all those who will be saved. Obviously, some will choose not to accept His gift. But the fact still remains that Christ died for all men, however, only a few will be saved, that narrow road.
Paul then exhorts Timothy to command and teach this truth. By preaching the truth, he can warn his congregation of the false teachings, and they can be on guard against such false doctrines. But being a minister is not easy, for the minister is the leader of the people. So Paul gives Timothy a few practical suggestions on how to live out his Christian life. He should be an example in his speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Furthermore, he must be sure to remain in the Word, reading, preaching, and teaching the Scriptures for himself and for all who will listen. Paul then alludes to the fact that such a life is hard. A minister is constantly watched, as he is the example to many. It would be easy to want to give up at times, but Paul encourages Timothy to persevere, not to neglect the gift that God has given Him. God appoints such people for a reason, and He also provides for them as they are obedient to His calling.
Paul closes this chapter by encouraging Timothy to continue to watch out. It will be easy to mess up, want to quit, slack off, or just take a break. But he must continue to persevere in the faith. I think that one idea Paul might have had here would be accountability. One way to keep a close watch is to have someone else watching you, someone you can trust, who will confront you when needed. Ministers are not above everyone else. They still sin and mess up. But they must be careful to not let sin control their lives, turning back to God in repentance. They must live a life that can be a model for other believers to follow. Surely, he who aspires to the office of overseer, desire a noble task (3:1).
Matt
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