Pastoral Epistles #1

1-Timothy 1 thru 1-Timothy 2:8

Fred R. Coulter—February 20, 1998

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[Transcript begins at 2:17 of the audio]

Every time I translate I learn so much. In the Seven General Epistles book I mention why I translate: so that it can help me in my understanding for teaching the brethren, so that I can know the Word of God. If I don't know the Word of God, how can I teach you the Word of God? I think that we will see that that is a very important thing that the Apostle Paul mentions to Timothy.

We're also in a situation that these four books—1st and 2nd Timothy, Titus and Philemon—are what are called Pastoral Epistles, meaning instructions on how to run a church. I think it's very important for us to understand, as God is sending more brethren to us, to fellowship with us, then we will be coming to the point where we will have more and more fellowship groups. They generally start out small, 2-5, and build to 7-12. In some cases they're up to 20-25. We need to know:

• how God wants us to have a church run
• what are the instructions that are given
• how can we do so to avoid the pitfalls of a hierarchical structure
• how we can have order and organization without having to have an iron fisted ministry there ready to just put their fist down your throat for every little thing that isn't correct
• how we can properly serve and love God

I think the answers are right here in these epistles that Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus, and then Philemon is a very interesting epistle, which is very, very short, but what it really does is reveal Paul's humility. That's something that's so important and needs to be wherever there are ministers, teachers and elders: the true humility that comes with God's Spirit!

You can put on a false humility and you can feign some of these things, but with the Spirit of God it just needs to be there in reality.

As one woman told me, 'I know why there were so many problems in the churches in the past.' I think we can apply this to churches in the world, too. Are not all churches in the world hierarchical? Yes!  She said, 'The ministers did not love the brethren!'

Paul loved the brethren! That's why he wrote so many epistles. Would it be entirely correct for us to pattern what we do after what we find in the Epistles of Paul? Yes!
We're going to see that there is authority. There is very strong authority, but it's to be exercised in a proper way, for the proper thing. When everyone is loving each other and cooperating with each other, how much authority do you need? Very little! But when you have problems and difficulties you need lots of authority to handle and take care of the problem. That's the authority that God has given.

Instead of making a detailed study of this, I'm going to do more of an overview and point out things as we go along. We'll save more of the detailed studies for another time.

1-Timothy 1:1: "Paul an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the commandment of God our Savior… [God] …and of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is our hope." That's the most important thing that we need to realize, always. We'll see, as we go through here, there is faith, hope, and love; those are the three greatest! God gives us great hope, tremendous hope!

Let's look at the example of Abraham. I think there's an awful lot you will find in The Christian Passover book that we never really understood about Abraham and the Passover—the timing of it and so forth. I think you will understand that the night of 14th Passover we keep was the words of the Covenant of Life. That's very important!

Here's the example of Abraham. He had every odd against him. If you were a betting man in Las Vegas you wouldn't make any bets on a 100-year-old man and a 90-year-old woman. Why did God wait for them to be so old? He deliberately did it! Why? So they would know that Isaac came from God! That's why! So that they would know that it was completely God's doing! Not anything that they had done. They well knew their own bodies.

Romans 4:17: "(Exactly as it is written: 'I have made you a father of many nations.') before God in Whom he believed, Who gives life to the dead, and calls the things that are not as though they are." God can say that simply because God is God! Whatever God says is true! If He says it today, but doesn't do until 2,000 years down the road, it's as good as done today!

This is where Abraham received his hope and faith so he could believe God when God took him out on the night of the 14th and said, 'Look at the stars and if you're able to count them, so shall your seed be.' That was the promise of spiritual seed. And the spiritual seeds are us! 'If you are Christ's then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise' of glorified eternal life!

That's why I said that the night of the 14th are the words of the covenant with Christ, or the words of life. The words that God gave to Abraham about that covenant to come was on the night of the 14th. Maybe this will help us understand why the 15th cannot be the covenant day. It's the 14th that is the covenant day.

What happened on the 15th? Christ died on the 14th and was in the grave! So, if you try and renew the covenant on the 15th, not only are you a day off, but you are on the day of death. Only God can deliver you from that death!

There are just so many things that are in the Bible for us to learn it's something! It is really fantastic! 'God counts the things that are not as though they are.' That's why we can have faith and hope in God.

Verse 18: "And who against hope believed in hope…" Sometimes that's the only thing you can have. Sometimes your back is so far up against the wall and you're so down and out, hurt, sore, sick, penniless, broke, homeless—whatever—and there's nothing to do but hope in hope.

Sometimes when we get in those positions, that is the best position to be in. Why? Because you trust in God! You hope in God! You're tired of your own way, you're all worn out and exhausted from doing what you can do, and now your only hope is in God! That's good! Wouldn't you say that's good? Yes, indeed!

"…in order that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, 'So shall your seed be.' And he, not being weak in the faith, considered not his own body… [that was dead, and all the implications that that means] …already having become dead, being about one hundred years old, nor did he consider the deadness of Sarah's womb; and he did not doubt the promise of God through unbelief; rather, he was strengthened in the faith, giving glory to God" (vs 18-20)—knowing that God would be able to do it. If God is God, can He not do anything?

God said, when He came to the final meeting that God had with Abraham and Sarah, 'Next year at this time you're going to have a son.' Sarah snickered! The Lord said, 'Why did you laugh?' I didn't laugh, my Lord. 'Yes, you did laugh; nevertheless…' If you're 90-years-old and the woman, you're going to laugh! '…nevertheless, you are going to have a son.' Then He said, 'Is anything impossible for the Lord?' That's what's important.
Let's couple that with what we're coming into here, with what we're studying in 1-Tim.: Is it possible to have the brethren in the fellowship groups and congregations organized in such a way—based on the love, faith and hope of God—that we don't have to have a hierarchy? Yet, we can have overseers, elders and deacons—all to serve? Yes, it is possible! The reason why there has to be a hierarchy in these other churches is because without the love of God you've got to have a hierarchy to control it. You think on that!

I talked to a man who left one of the notorious heavy-handed churches, he said, 'I never heard a word of love or grace.' Not a word! He said, 'When I listened to those grace sermons it just laid me low.' I said, 'Wait until you get the love sermons.'

"…he was strengthened in the faith, giving glory to God; for he was fully persuaded…" (vs 20-21). This is where we would all agree that we need to come to; being "…fully persuaded…"—without a doubt. That means you have faith, hope and love!

"…fully persuaded that what He has promised, He is also able to do. As a result, it was also imputed to him for righteousness" (vs 21-22). That's how you're righteous before God. You believe God to such an extent that you're going to love Him and obey Him! And you do it from the heart! Therefore, that is righteousness imputed to you.

Verse 23: "But it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; rather, it was also written for our sakes, to whom it shall be imputed—to those who believe in Him Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses… [crucified] …and was raised for our justification" (vs 23-25).

Notice how he builds these things. This is important for us to understand so that we can have this kind of hope and we can have this kind of love.

Romans 5:1: "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Whom we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand…" (vs 1-2).

Just picture this: You're standing before God and you are totally covered with grace, from head to toe. You're standing with Him as under an umbrella of grace:

• God's blessing
• God's goodness
• God's faith
• God's love

as well as

• trials
• difficulties
• testing

All of this is all by grace. To have the Holy Spirit from God the Father impregnated in the spirit of your mind is one of the most gracious, wonderful and fantastic things that could ever happen in this life!

When we understand that in dealing with the Church and the brethren, then we can love the brethren and we can love each other. You will see how it operates now:

"…and we ourselves boast in the hope of the glory of God" (v 2). As Paul says, 'Jesus Christ Who is our hope'; we rejoice in that hope.

Verse 3: "And not only this, but we also boast in tribulations…" Why should we glory in tribulation, trouble and upset and difficulty? Is that kind of an insane statement? No! We know that we are being tested of God! We know what Christ went through, the tribulation of the crucifixion, that we be made conformable to His death.

"…realizing that tribulation brings forth endurance…" (v 3). We can look back and see how many have endured. What did Jesus say in Matt. 24: 'He that shall endure unto the end—not close to it, not halfway to it, but to the end!—the same shall be saved.'

It's kind of like if you have a chasm that goes down very steeply and you have to jump from the top of the ridge of one to the top of the ridge of the other—you have a very good analogy here—if you only go halfway you didn't make it; you're down at the bottom. If you only go three-quarters of the way, you didn't make it; you're down there at the bottom. If you go nine-tenths of the way, you almost made it, but you didn't, and you slid all the way to the bottom.

You've got to endure to the very end. Endurance is important; that's why we go through these things. That's why we have pain, agony and suffering. We are to suffer to enter into the Kingdom of God, no question about it.

That brings experience, and we can look back and the experience that we have learned… Have you learned things by experience, that now when you see things come up that a little flag goes up in your mind, DING? A little light goes on and you say, 'Oh, oh!'? Yes, you have learned by experience. Experience is a good teacher, a very good teacher. But if we can learn from the experience of others…

That's why Paul said later on, 'We need to learn from what they did in days gone by'—back in the Old Testament. We can learn from that experience.

Verse 4: "And endurance brings forth character, and character brings forth hope." Then you know that there's a way out. You always know that Christ is the hope

Verse 5: "And the hope of God never makes us ashamed because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, which has been given to us." That hope is given to us! God is called the God of Hope.

This is very important for us to understand, and as we started off with 1-Tim., based on the hope of God! We're going to see why. He's pointing Timothy in the right direction.

Romans 15:3: "For even Christ did not please Himself…" There's a very good example. What did Jesus tell Peter? 'Peter, do you love Me?' Yes, Lord! 'Feed My sheep!' He asked Peter again, 'Do you love Me?' Yes, Lord, you know I love You! 'Feed My lambs.' He asked Peter the third time, 'Peter, do you love Me?' Yes! 'Feed My sheep.'

So, "…Christ did not please Himself, rather, as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who are reproaching You have fallen upon Me.'" (v 3). You can kind of think of it like this: Why did Christ have to go through what He went through? He took upon Himself all the violence of the world in this crucifixion—in type—all the reproaches.

Verse 4: "For all the things that were written before were written for our instruction, so that through patient endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

That's why when you get down and out, low and miserable, rotten and painful, and you pick up the Bible and read, or you go to some of the Psalms and you start reading it, you can immediately identify with it. The Bible is a different kind of book. It has the same kind of letters as any novel that you would want to pick up. There are only 26 letters in the English alphabet, but these words are inspired by the Spirit of God. These words are Spirit and Life, these words are Spirit and Truth!

You can read the Scriptures, and you can be uplifted. Have you ever done that? Felt so rotten and miserable and you read the Scriptures, pray and draw close to God, and God lifts that burden from you? That is the hope of the Scriptures! or The Scriptures might have hope!

Verse 5: "Now, may the God of patience and encouragement grant you to be likeminded toward one another according to Christ Jesus." That, brethren, we're going to see is a key with any of the fellowship groups or congregations that we have.

Now, let me just tell you this for sure: We are having to solve all the problems of all of the Churches of God! Ever think of it that way? We have people come from Worldwide (COG), United (COG), Global/Living (COG), Philadelphia (COG), Church of God Seventh-Day, and from right out of the world. We have former offended relatives now becoming interested in being baptized. We're having to undo every one of those problems.

That's why, in some cases, it becomes a little difficult when we get together, because we're all carrying some kind of baggage with us! We need to get rid of it and become like-minded, which is to have the mind of Christ. This is what Paul is talking about here.

Verse 6: "So that with one accord and one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, receive one another, according as Christ has also received us, to the glory of God" (vs 6-7). That's something! You talk about a reception!

Verse 8: "Now I tell you that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the Truth of God, so that He might confirm the promises given to the fathers." Then Paul talks about all the Gentiles being called (vs 9-12).

This is how we want our fellowship groups to be, v 13: "May the God of hope fill you now with all joy and peace in believing… [God the Father and Jesus Christ] …that you may abound in hope and in the power of the Holy Spirit"—because He's the God of all hope!

Let's continue on in 1-Tim. Study hope and I think you will be amazed. Our hope is God! It's all the way through the Bible.

1-Timothy 1:2: "To Timothy, my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." Again, go through and study mercy.

• Has God been merciful to you?
• Have you received the tender mercies of God?

Even through the trials and the sufferings that we go through, we receive the spiritual tender mercies of God that we may love Him even more.

Verse 3: "WhenI was going to Macedonia, I exhorted you to remain in Ephesus, in order that you might solemnly charge some… [here's an exercise of authority] …not to teach other doctrines." What is this authority for? To stop false doctrines! To stop false teachings!

Notice some of the other doctrines. You've probably heard many kinds of strange doctrines. You always hear new ones. Some of these things you wonder if they stay up all night trying to figure them out.

Verse 4: "Nor to pay attention to myths…" What were the myths? The pagan myths! Jewish myths! Disneyland myths! But especially 'religious' myths.

There was one that came out trying to explain how Christ could have been a created being, but existed forever. That was the infamous sermon called the Thinker and the Thought, which basically went like this, which was a myth: God existed forever; God was the Thinker. The Thought was Logos. He had Logos in His mind throughout all eternity. Logos became the Word. That's how Jesus Christ existed for all eternity, but was a created being. That is a myth!

"…and endless genealogies…" (v 4). The Mormons are all wrapped up in that. I remember one time I visited a woman in Salt Lake City and she told me about her experience in the Mormon Church.

What you have to do is get all your family members, and get these endless genealogies. You can, according to one of the myths of Mormon doctrine, be baptized for them, on their behalf, so they can enter into the Kingdom of God, because you're baptized for them.

That's why they do the genealogy work. There was a day when this woman went down to the local Mormon temple to take care of some baptisms for her relatives. It was a snowy day, and she was the only one who showed up. The bishop had 200 names for people to be baptized that day. She was baptized 200 times! She said she felt like she was ready to drown; she was water-logged. Can you imagine being baptized 200 times? That is an endless genealogy and myth!

We've heard silliness come into God's Church, too, "…which lead to empty speculations…" (v 4). Oh have we not had empty speculations concerning prophecy? Endless empty speculations!

"…rather than to edification from God, which is in faith" (v 4). Notice that we have:

• v 1—hope
• v 2—grace, mercy and peace
• v 4—faith

Now, this is the charge Paul is giving Timothy, v 5: "Now, the purpose of the commandment is love out of a pure heart… [that is for everyone, not just Timothy] …and a good conscience, and genuine faith." There we go again, all the faith.

Let's understand something that's important and another principle to learn: You cannot accomplish spiritual things through physical means! You accomplish spiritual things through spiritual means!We have the principle right here:

Galatians 5:6: "Because in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision of any force… [that's physical means] …nor uncircumcision…" Paul is stopping the debate between the Jews and the Gentiles: Who has the greater flesh? Who has the greater ritual? Neither one! You both have to repent and be baptized into Christ!

"…rather, it is the inner working of faith through love" (v 6). That ties right in with the kind of love we're talking about. Everything that Paul talks about here, and the kind of love that needs to be and knowing that these things are right, good and true.

Everything that God does is based on love. Every doctrine that we have is based upon the love and commandments of God; no question about it. So, all of these silly myths and doctrines that come along really just take away faith, hope and love.

While at breakfast I notice two men get up and one put on his yamaka and one put on his prayer shawl. What does that tell us? That we are arrogant about what we believe, and we want the whole world to know by this physical means that we are practicing Jews! Well, the world could care less. God could care less. It's what is in your heart, not how many phylacteries are on your prayer cloth. That's why Jesus emphasized when one of the Jewish lawyers came to Him, tempting Him:

Matthew 22:36: "'Master, which commandment is the great commandment in the Law?' And Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind'" (vs 36-37). A complete full-time operation!

Verse 38: "This is the first and greatest commandment; and the second one is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (vs 38-40).

What Jesus covers later on has to do with law, understanding God's way. We know that Jesus also said that 'not one jot or tittle is going to perish.' He didn't come to do away with the Law. If you don't have that love:
1-Timothy 1:5: "Now, the purpose of the commandment is love out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and genuine faith; from which some, having missed the mark… [of a pure conscience, genuine faith and love] …have turned aside unto vain jangling" (vs 5-6). There you have it! That's how it comes about!

Notice what happens then; they get all important, all big heads, v 7: "Desiring to be teachers of the law…" We've seen that, too; hundreds of teachers and ministers, papers, sermons, magazines, booklets, doctrinal theses. When you read some of them, you can tell there's no love, no hope, no faith, no law, it's just an idea!

It's kind of like someone gets an idea in their brain and DING! 'that sounds like a good one; I have a new doctrine.' I asked someone one time, 'What are you going to do when they clone a pig to chew cud?' Think on that! Some of these doctrines are about as useless as saying that pigs chew their cud. They are nonsense!

Verse 7: "Desiring to be teachers of the law, neither understanding what they are saying, nor what they are strongly affirming."

Have you ever been talking to someone and you tell them, 'You really don't know what you're talking about; you really don't understand. Do you understand what you've just said?' No, but it's my idea! Since it's my idea you have to accept my faith. Unless you have a conscience toward God—not conscience toward the idol of your own mind… That's what it is here: "…neither understanding what they are saying, nor what they are strongly affirming."

Nothing could be anymore true than with the calendar proposition and all of the nonsense with that. {note Calculated Hebrew Calendar material at cbcg.org}

The Calculated Hebrew Calendar is so accurate that it has to be a gift from God so that we know when to keep the Feast days properly. I'll tell you one little thing: All of those who just go out and look at the new moon fail to realize that in the Holy Day months—first and seventh months—you not only have the new moon, but you have to have the fullest illumination of the full moon for the 15th. All of the adjustments are based on coming to those two things.

Now then, do you realize that there are 1,000 variations of the moon in its orbit? From it's apogee to its perigee—distances from the Earth. Did you know there are times when the full moon comes on the 13th day? You have to postpone two days so it will be on the 15th? There are so many things that are so precise, and the patterns are so marvelous that I can tell you with full assurance that every one of those teachers who have a variation of the calendar, from the Calculated Hebrew Calendar, are having their own private calendar!

When they're doing that—because you see how absolutely perfect that the Calculated Hebrew Calendar is in determining the Feast days—you will know that they are creating their own feasts.

In 1-Kings 12 we find one of these "desiring to be teachers of the law… [there he is] …neither understanding what they are saying… [which they don't] …nor what they are strongly affirming."

1-Kings 12:25: "And Jeroboam built Shechem on Mount Ephraim and lived on it, and went from there and built Penuel. And Jeroboam said in his heart… [I've got to keep this thing together] …'Now, the kingdom may well return to the house of David! If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me and return again to Rehoboam king of Judah.' Then the king took counsel…" (vs 25-28). He had a political expedience.

Let me tell you something, brethren: councils or boards do not equal righteousness. What if you have a council filled with fools? Is there wisdom in that council? I've sat on boards like that! Think of it, most of these councils are political things. Either it agrees with the Word of God, or not. That's what it gets down to!

Verse 28: "Then the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold and said to them [the people], 'It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem….'" Haven't you heard that before?

• Well, this is too hard to do! You don't have to do that any longer! You don't have to wash feet anymore! They just did that back then because they had dirty, dusty streets and they went in sandals, but we are civilized; we go in cars and we have shoes and socks, so we don't have to do that. Besides, you take a bath before you come, don't you?
• It's too hard to keep the Feast at the regular time; wouldn't it be nicer to have it in August when all of the kids are out of school. How would you like to have it the second week in August, wouldn't that be all right?
• It's too hard for you to put leaven out of your home; you really don't need to put leaven out of your homes. Just be unleavened in your heart and God will understand.

I've found this with leaven, a simple little test as to why we put leaven out of our homes: Because God said so, that's why! I've also seen that those who don't put leaven out of their homes, within a year or two they don't have a clue as to what sin is—period!

"…'It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O, Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!' And he set the one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan" (vs 28-29)—in the north and in the south.

Verse 30: "And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one, even to Dan." I imagine that they had music, pageantry, and the king was the one doing it; he was the high priest. I imagine that they had 'tear jerking' kinds of songs and rousing songs. Just like when you watch the Olympics—totally pagan by the way—with all the ceremonies that they have. But they can be rousing.

We watched the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and here were the Americans, the last ones to come in, with the American flag and playing the national anthem and Ronald Reagan was there and gave the welcome, and the hair stood up on the back of your neck. It was just wonderful and everyone was crying and you felt so good! It was all pagan! That's what Jeroboam did! No question about it!

Verse 31: "And he made houses of worship on the high places…" He setup his own theological seminary. 'Let's have a college.'

"…and made priests of the lowest of the people…" (v 31). You've all experienced that. What happens when the lowest ones are made ministers at age 21!

"…who were not the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordered a feast in the eighth month…" (vs 31-32). That's convenient, all the crops are in. That's nice, just think of that, think how convenient that is!

"…on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast that is in Judah. And he offered upon the altar. So, he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places, which he had made. And he offered upon the altar, which he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month, which he had devised out of his own heart…." (vs 32-33).

All of these calendar propositions are devices of Satan the devil.

(go to the next track)

That's what all these calendar things are. I remember about 10 miles from where we were in Destin, they had a feast where they had three Holy Days—ten days long:

• Welcome, brethren, to the Feast of Tabernacles for those of you who believe that this is the first day.
• Next day: Welcome, brethren, to the Feast of Tabernacles…
• Third day: Welcome to all you other brethren who have come according to the Calculated Hebrew Calendar. For you this is the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles

You could stutter and do better than that! Then you have the Last Great Day, three days! It becomes insane because they devise all these things out of their own heart! This is foolishness and nonsense that the people of God have been put through, in addition to all the hurt and harm!

This is the greatest example of someone who doesn't know what he's talking about, and strongly affirming something of which he knows nothing about. The reason I say that is because we are coming to a very important section concerning law and proper teaching. That's why I showed how all the Law and the Prophets hang on the Law of God.

1-Timothy 1:8: "Now we know that the Law is good…" all Protestants pay attention. Paul also said that it is Holy, it is spiritual, it is righteous (Rom. 7). We also know that:

• all of the commandments of God are righteousness
• all the commandments of God are truth
• all the laws of God are truth
• all the precepts of God, concerning all thing are altogether right in everything

So, when Paul says that "…the Law is good if anyone uses it lawfully" (v 8)—there's a proper application of it. What happens when you have a lot of these Protestant doctrines? They're not using the Law lawfully!

One of our ministers was talking to a Church of Christ minister and our minister said, 'Let's study and find out where it says the first day of the week is the day we ought to worship on. If you can prove it from the Bible, I'll come and worship with you.' Never heard from him again! To say that Sunday is the day of worship is using the Law unlawfully, because God never said so. God didn't say:

• remember the Sabbath Day if it's convenient
• keep it Holy if you think you should

NO! He said: 'Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it Holy, because I want you to learn something. In six days the Lord made the heaven and Earth and all that is in them, all the sea and everything that there is. He rested the seventh day and sanctified the seventh day, therefore, you shall keep the seventh day! That's using the Law lawfully; any other way is not lawfully.

Verse 9: "Understanding this: that law is not enacted for a righteous man…" If you are keeping the laws, do you have anything enacted upon you as a penalty? No!

Example: You cannot be arrested for speeding if you're not speeding. You cannot be thrown in jail for murder if you haven't murdered—except if you live in the United States and they make a wrong raid on a wrong house. That may happen to you. But nevertheless, the law was made to be enacted for the lawless! The lawless is a broad statement. Let's combine the nonsensical teachers and the lawless together:

Paul prefaces all of this, because what he has to say afterward is to bring sound doctrine and stability and truth to the Church.

Matt. 7 is talking about those false prophets who think they are doing good. There are going to be a lot of surprises in that day. I think Benny Henn is going to be one of them, and Billy Graham, Jerry Falwell and maybe Garner Ted Armstrong will be others.

Matthew 7:21—Jesus said: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but the one who is doing the will of My Father, Who is in heaven.'" That's quite a statement! The will of God!

What is the prayer that we are to pray? Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven! We're praying for the will of God.

What these guys are doing is doing their will and attaching the name of God to it. That's why they have to have a hierarchy, because they don't understand the love of God and they have to have command and control.

I've also learned by experience: People come in where there is the love of God and their motives are to try and take over, and there's nothing for them to take over. I know in one case that the whole fellowship group rose up in righteous indignation and said, 'Bye-bye!'

They're even going to talk back to God, v 22: "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy through Your name?….'"—on television and radio stations, in magazines, booklets and everything like that. How about the man who wrote the book 88 Reasons Why Christ will Return in 1988? That was supposed to be on Rosh Hashanah—Feast of Trumpets. He strongly affirmed it. What happened? Didn't happen! That was years ago. So, he immediately got out a book and said there were 89 reasons why Christ would return in 1989. Never happened!

"'…And did we not cast out demons through Your name? And did we not perform many works of power through Your name?' And then I will confess to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work lawlessness'" (vs 22-23).

They are breaking the Law all the while they are taking the name of Christ. The Law of God is going to be enacted upon the lawless. That's a broad spectrum! How broad can that be? Very broad!

1-Timothy 1:9: "…but for the lawless and disobedient…" Disobedient to what? Anything that's contrary to the will of God, the laws of God, the statutes of God, the judgments of God!

"…for the ungodly and sinful…" (v 9). We're covering a lot of ground here. Is the Law enacted? Yes!

"…for the unholy and profane, for slayers of fathers and slayers of mothers, for murderers, for fornicators, for homosexuals, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and for any other thing that is opposed to sound doctrine" (vs 9-10).

What does this tell us? Sound doctrine is based upon the laws and commandments of God! That's what sound doctrine is based upon. Whenever people get away from sound doctrine, what happens? They start getting away from the laws and commandments of God! It's that simple!

This is really something for us to learn. When Paul is getting in here and prefacing for how to run a church, this becomes very important for us to understand. One of the things we need is sound doctrine! Sound doctrine does divide the false brethren from true brethren; the wheat from the chaff; the wheat from the tares. True doctrine for brethren united with the Spirit of God binds them together, because true doctrine is based upon:

• faith
• hope
• love
• the laws and commandments of God

I think that if we apply all of these things, and we really are living these things, then the time is going to come when God is going to add to us in a way whereby we're going to be able to help people. Listen, most of the people in the world right now are suffering from lawlessness! Should they come to the Church of God and find lawlessness? No!

• they need stability
• they need hope
• they need love

Therefore, all sound doctrine is based upon those things and the commandments of God. That is sound right doctrine. This is what God wants us to know; He doesn't want us to be in doubt:

1-John 2:3: "And by this standard we knowthat we know Him [Christ]: if…" The onus is upon us. God is perfect; you don't give any qualifiers to God. You don't say, 'God, if You are perfect…' We are the ones who have the weakness, so the if, the condition, is to us.

"…if we keep His commandments. The one who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him" (vs 3-4). He is a lawless person because he's not keeping the commandments of God. Therefore, the Law will be enacted upon him for his sins.

What does it say in the book of Numbers? Be sure your sins will find you out! Then He qualifies it even more.

Verse 5: "On the other hand, if anyone is keeping His Word… [the entire message of Christ] …truly in this one the love of God is being perfected…." Brethren, that's what we want to do in the fellowship groups and congregations with those who are with the Christian Biblical Church of God.
That you are being perfected in:

• love
• hope
• faith
• growing spiritually

That we can reach out an help whomever God sends. I think the time is going to come when the Church is going to grow, and it's going to grow because of everyone reaching out to his neighbor—personal evangelism. I think that's going to come, and we're going to try and have the tools, like the book The Seven General Epistles. That will be very helpful. That means:

• you have to know the Word of God
• you have to understand the Truth
• you have to be able to explain it

That's how people are convicted. Actually, the Worldwide Church of God truly grew more because of people reaching out personally to others than it did by the radio. By the time they got to television, the message was already watered down enough that it didn't grow very much after that.

If that is the case, just think of what can be done to help people. We're in such a situation now that who wants to trust someone 3,000 miles away out there in California? But they will trust someone whom they know and they can see. That's why your love of God and conversion will become very, very important.

"…By this means we know that we are in Him. Anyone who claims to dwell in Him is obligating himself also to walk even as He Himself walked" (vs 5-6). Then John talks about the new commandment and he talks about the old commandment. There's really no new commandment, but, yes there is, Christ gave one: Love one another as I have loved you. That's how your love is perfected!Really loving and serving one another. That takes a lot of work.

God will put us in situations where we will be confronted with the situation that we will have to love people that we normally really wouldn't want to even bother with. What about Christ? Christ loved all of us! He died for us! That's His love! He said, 'Love one another as I have loved you.'

1-Timothy 1:11: "According to the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God, with which I was entrusted." It's all contained in the Gospel. Do you want to know what the doctrines are? They're all right here in the Old Testament and the New Testament!

Notice Paul's humility, v 12: "And I thank Jesus Christ our Lord, Who has empowered me, that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry." Not self-appointed! Paul was the last one to self-appoint himself. Remember how he was converted: tooling on his way to Damascus and all of a sudden BAM! he's knocked off his horse right on the way. God put him in the ministry!

In the local congregations, we'll talk about that when we come to 1-Tim. 3, where there are those who truly have the fruits of the Spirit, who truly are serving in the way that God shows that someone who should be an elder should be, then the congregation needs to note that they need to recommend that man for ordination.

Also, I'll talk about some of the mistakes we made in Biblical in ordaining men. It led to great problems! Paul talks about this to Timothy a little later on. Now Paul is talking about himself:

Verse 13: "Who was previously a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent person…" That's a strong translation, but that's what it means. In order to go out and do what he did to men, women and children, you would have to be a wantonly violent person. That's what Paul was.

"…but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief" (v 13). Yet, there are some people who say that Paul was a Pharisee,' so therefore, we ought to follow what the Pharisees do.' Nonsense! He renounced that totally! He totally renounced being a Pharisee!

There again, if you have eyes to see and ears to hear, and discernment to understand that if someone says that Jesus was a Pharisee, you know that's not true. There are some who believe that, but that is ludicrous! Jesus was never a Pharisee! Not by the wildest stretch of the imagination. Read what He said about the Pharisees: Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! (Matt. 23).

How did Paul view his past? Again, we're going to see the principle that you can't accomplish spiritual things by physical means!

Philippians 3:4: "Though I might also have reason to trust in the flesh. If any other thinks he has cause to trust in the flesh, I have much more." You want to get into bragging rights, all right, 'I'll tell you; top this if you can':

Verse 5: "Circumcised on the eighth day; of the race of Israel, from the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; with respect to law, a Pharisee… [of the strictest sect (Acts 26)] …with respect to zeal, persecuting the Church; with respect to righteousness that is in law, blameless" (vs 5-6). You couldn't find anything wrong with me!

Verse 7: Yet, the things that were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ…. [trash the whole thing] …But then truly, I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as dung… [a big pile of 'skubalon' over here] …that I may gain Christ and may be found in Him, not having my own righteousness…" (vs 7-9). It doesn't matter what you do unless it's Christ in you doing it; that's what's important.

"…which is derived from law, but that righteousness which is by the faith of Christ… [Christ's own faith in him; possessive in the Greek] …the righteousness of God that is based on faith that I may know Him…" (vs 9-10). Notice how focused Paul was in what he was doing.

• this is what needs to be in the Church
• this is what needs to be in the fellowship and congregation

That we are all focused on that one thing!

Verse 10: "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings…" Paul suffered so much that he understood the suffering of Christ perhaps more than any other man, because of what he suffered; more than the apostles who saw Jesus crucified.

"…being conformed to His death; if by any means… [lawful and legal, of course] …I may attain unto the resurrection of the dead; not as though I have already received…" (vs 10-12). You can never say you're perfected in the flesh until you come to the end, as we will see in 2-Tim., where he says, 'I have fought the good fight, waged a good warfare and now there's a crown of life laid up for me and for all of those who love Christ's coming.'

At this point he hadn't, but he says, 'I follow after.' That's where we are in everything we do; we keep following after.

"…or have already been perfected; but I am striving, so that I may also lay hold on that for which I also was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not count myself as having attained; but this one thing I do—forgetting the things that are behind…" (vs 12-13). Listen!

• Can you mentally undo anything that has already occurred in the past? No!
• Can you lie awake at night and think about it, and think you're going to change a single, solitary thing? No!

You may have someone you can go and repent to tomorrow, if you remember what you did yesterday, but Paul is talking about all those things that are behind! Paul had to put out of his mind all the tears, crying and sorrow of all of those he arrested and put in chains and bonds and led down to Jerusalem to be killed—all of those Christians to renounce their faith.

He had to put out of his mind the very thought of Stephen being stoned before his very eyes, when he was holding Stephen's cloak and was consenting to his death, saying, 'Yeah, throw those stones; get him.' He had a lot to put out of his mind. We need to do the same thing. We can't be living in the past. We can't be living back there. Yes, we can look back and say that we learned this lesson and that lesson, and the other lesson. Yes, let's be aware today so we don't do what we did then. But as far as the personal sins and suffering and things that he went through, he says, 'I put all of that behind me day-by-day.'

"…and reaching forth… [pressing forth, with force and pressure spiritually speaking that we enter into the Kingdom of God] …to the things that are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (vs 13-14).
Then Paul gives us some hope. Have you ever wanted to be perfect? Like now? This is the closest you can come to it if you have this attitude:

Verse 15: "So then, let as many as be perfect be of this mind…. [here's a promise]: …And if in anything you are otherwise minded, God will reveal even this to you." Quite a promise—isn't it? Because God wants you in His kingdom!

Verse 16: "Nevertheless, in regard to that which we have attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind. Brethren, be imitators together of me, and bear in mind those who walk in this way, as you have us for an example. (For many walk contrary… [this ties right back to 1-Tim.] …I have often told you of them, and I tell you now with weeping, they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame; for they mind earthly things.)" (vs 16-19). We are to be different. Our conversation, politics, allegiance is in heaven!

Verse 20: "But for us, the commonwealth of God exists in the heavens, from where also we are waiting for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our vile bodies, that they may be conformed to His glorious body…" (vs 20-21). Don't worry about it if your body is getting old, decrepit, wearing out and hurting.

I have a bad hip that I'm limping along with. It's improving; I have to do the exercise and live with the pain and things like that. But I tell you what, to see that we we're going to have this kind of glorious body that Jesus Christ has, the pain is nothing! Those things are nothing! Count them as nothing!

"…according to the inner working of His own power, whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself" (v 21). That is a very inspiring chapter, brethren. It ties right in with 1-Tim. 1 in showing the difference of the ministry. Now let's come back and see the humility of the Apostle Paul:

1-Timothy 1:13: "…I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. But the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with the faith and love that is in Christ Jesus" (vs 13-14). Isn't that something? Would you consider taking your #1 enemy and converting him to become your #1 apostle? Think of that! That's contrary to human reasoning, but God did it, because nothing is impossible for God!

Verse 15: "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of full acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

The Pharisees asked, 'Why do You and Your disciples eat and drink with publicans and harlots?' Jesus said, 'I have come to save sinners, those who are whole need not a position.' He was being very cynical back to them. They considered themselves perfect and whole and needed nothing.

But Paul said, "…of whom I am chief." He really understood the magnitude of what he did. I imagine that he repented many times over and over again. I imagine that in some of his dreams at night he would see the faces of those he was causing to be beaten and taken off to jail and killed and all of that sort of thing. I just imagine so.

Verse 16: "But for this reason I was shown mercy in order that in me first Jesus Christ might demonstrate all long-suffering, for an example to those who would afterwards believe on Him unto eternal life." If God can forgive him, who did that, what sin do you have that God cannot forgive? That's what he's really saying.

Verse 17: "Now to the King of eternity, the incorruptible, invisible, and only wise God, be honor and glory into the ages of eternity. Amen. This charge I am personally committing to you…" (vs 17-18). He's personally committing to Timothy a lot of things from here on out on how to take care of the Church, how to run it when the Apostle Paul wasn't there.

"…my son Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies that were made long ago concerning you; in order that by them you yourself might wage a good war, holding to the faith and a good conscience. For some, having cast aside a good conscience, have made shipwreck in regard to the faith" (vs 18-19). When a ship is wrecked, it's gone!

Paul names them, v 20: "Of whom are Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I turned over to Satan in order that they may learn not to blaspheme." This shows some of the authority. The authority to disfellowship, and as he points out, that the congregation is involved in disfellowshipment (1-Cor. 5); they all know about it.

Not like we've had it in the past when someone gets crossways with the minister and he disfellowships him and makes an announcement on the Sabbath and everyone gasps and says, 'I can't believe that.'

'Don't ask any questions about it, brethren, it's already over and done with.' So, you never know. Then years later you find out that that person had been home keeping the Sabbath, keeping the Holy Days, loving God. I've seen many cases that way. That's why all disfellowshipment must have the authority of the ministry and the authority of the fellowship together, to do it at the same time; that everybody knows.
Now, when they are disfellowshiped, with the exception of those who have committed the sins like Hymeneus and Alexander, they are to be treated as brethren who have gone astray, hopefully to be restored; not to be shunned like people did with our former fellowship. That if you see them crossing the street you would turn and go the other way. No! Nothing to do with that! Maybe with some kindness and love they can be restored.

But that's part of the authority. We're going to see quite a bit of authority here in 1-Timothy for:

• for Truth
• for love
• for faith
• for hope
• for sound doctrine

All of the authority to bring stability to the local fellowships and the congregations.

1-Timothy 2:1: "I exhort, therefore, first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men." It's not wrong to pray for those who are in the world, in a right way.

• he doesn't say to pray that they may be converted
• he doesn't say to pray that they may come into your fellowship

Paul says, v 2: "For kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all Godliness and respectability." What does this do for the sovereignist's movement? It eliminates it! They are not living peacefully and quietly in Godliness. They are challenging the government; they are striving to get back to the Constitution once delivered.

Please understand this: the Constitution of the United States—though it's better than any other constitution of any other nation on earth—it is still a government of this world. Though it may have many principles that you can find in the Bible, it is still a worldly government. Part of the goal of the sovereignists is to get back to the constitution once delivered. So therefore, you give up your social security number, your driver's license, anything to do with the government, you have nothing whatsoever to do with them. If you can trade in gold and silver, you do that; you even renounce the currency.

Then they became very hypocritical: they did the same thing that the Federal Reserve did, they went out and got debt warrants and used those for collateral to try and create their own currency. That's what happened in Montana. Remember the 'Freemen' up there; they had $200-million in debt warrants. That's why the government was after them.

• Were they living a quiet and peaceful life? No!
• Were they living in accordance with the laws of God? No!
• Did they claim they were? Yes!

This takes care of the sovereignist's movement. We should not be doing that.

Verse 3: "For this is good and acceptable before God our Savior, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth"—according to the plan of God, in His time. He's not calling all men now. We know the whole purpose of the second resurrection. We know the whole purpose of the Millennium, as we keep the Feast of Tabernacles, and so forth.

This is covering a whole lot here. God will effect that to the highest degree possible. You can rest assured of that.

Verse 5: "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men—the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony of which is to be preached in its appointed times" (vs 5-6). I think that is an interesting meaning in the Greek.

What are the appointed times? The Passover and Holy Days, to be preached in its appointed times! We are to preach in season and out of season.

Verse 7: "For this purpose I was ordained a preacher and an apostle (I speak the truth in Christ—I do not lie), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. Therefore, I desire that men everywhere pray, lifting up Holy hands without anger and evil opinions" (vs 7-8).

All Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version by Fred R. Coulter

Scriptural References:

• 1-Timothy 1:1
• Romans 4:17-25
• Romans 5:1-5
• Romans 15:3-13
• 1 Timothy 1:2-5
• Galatians 5:6
• Matthew 22:36-40
• 1 Timothy 1:5-7
• 1 Kings 12:25-33
• 1 Timothy 1:8-9
• Matthew 7:21-23
• 1 Timothy 1:9-10
• 1 John 2:3-6
• 1 Timothy 1:11-13
• Philippians 3:4-21
• 1 Timothy 1:13-20
• 1 Timothy 2:1-8

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Matthew 24
• Romans 15:9-12; 7
• Matthew 23
• Acts 26
• 1 Corinthians 5

Also referenced:

• Book: The Seven General Epistles by Fred R. Coulter
• Study material: Calculated Hebrew Calendar (cbcg.org)

FRC:bo
Transcribed: 2-23-15