Bible Challenge Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity 1 Timothy 4: In this chapter of The New Testament Timothy is encouraged to ‘watch his life and doctrine closely’ Read 1 Timothy 4 online or look it up in your Bible. Going Deeper Before you start your daily reading, say a prayer asking God to guide your thinking as you read, and then read the Bible with the aim of learning something new. After the reading, consider how it may affect your life and relationship with your heavenly Father and allow your increased knowledge of the Scriptures to shape your character and strengthen your trust in God. Discussion notes on 1 Timothy 4 • v7-8, Paul tells Timothy to train himself spiritually, just as you would physically. • How is your spiritual fitness? Has your stamina and strength improved within the last 12 months? • v12, do we ever (even subconsciously) dismiss the advice and teaching of those younger than us? what does this verse tell us about such things? • v16, is it fair to say that life and doctrine could be rephrased as holiness and belief? • v16, Why does Paul think doctrine is so important? Is it important to you? Why? More on 1 Timothy 4 Unfortunately, religious people are usually less critical of commands to deny themselves than of encouragements to enjoy themselves. All of which is a sad reflection upon their view of the Deity. This passage, however, makes it quite clear that there is a false asceticism. The prohibitions which the apostle condemned against marriage and the eating of certain foods--probably arose from Greek views of the material universe as essentially evil. This emphasis was to trouble the Church persistently in the early centuries and, in fact, Christian teaching did become tainted With a quite unbiblical suspicion of the body. As E. F. Scott has commented, The question at stake is that of our whole conception of God. Are we to think of Him as grudging us our earthly life or are we to find in it a proof of His presence and goodness? Morbid self-denial can easily be detected: it fails to see the positive worth in the thing surrendered, at least for other people; it is obsessively concerned that others should make the same sacrifice; it is motivated by fear. Healthy self-denial is a free expression of love and does not underrate what is sacrificed, nor impose the same renunciation on others. It is wholly positive. The practical counsel contained in these verses has particular application for Christian leaders, but it is clearly not without value for believers generally. First of all, it tells us how to teach others. We must constantly remind them of what they already know, in a spirit free of dogmatism and belligerence; people cannot be bulldozed into faith or bullied into unthinking acceptance of Christian dogma. They need the ministry of gentleness and patience, for only by such means can they be enabled to see for themselves. Second, these verses tell us how to train for Christian warfare. Being athletes for God, we must keep ourselves in first-class condition, disciplined in body, mind, and spirit. Anything which blunts our senses and encourages spiritual stupor is to be avoided like the plague. A flabby mind is as disgraceful as a flabby body, and both drain the soul of its vitality. Avoiding, therefore, the danger of indulgent asceticism, an evil mentioned above, we should train ourselves in godliness, in goodness, with at least the same dedication as a sportsman preparing to win. Finally, these verses tell us how to triumph in our Christian warfare. We must keep our eyes on the goal to which we are journeying, for its greatness will transform or make bearable the inescapable triviality of much of lifes routine. Indeed, such a vision will give significance to what is apparently meaningless, and sharpen our insight to perceive eternal values in the most surprising places. Timothy was not necessarily a youth when he received this letter: the original Greek could indicate any age up to forty years old. However, he would be young compared to some of those he was called to instruct, and we must remember that ancient custom demanded that the less mature should defer to the wisdom of their elders. Perhaps some may think that they need parallel encouragement today not to be overawed by the young! Pauls injunction, Make these matters your business and your absorbing interest (v. i5, N.E.B.), includes a word which could mean meditate. Concentrated thought and vigorous action are seen as partners. Today, Christians are so concerned not to be guilty of religious practice divorced from life that they are in danger of surrendering their means of spiritual renewal. Yet as long as prayer, worship and meditation centre on God in Christ they must lead to action. Roger Schutz, founder of the Taiz6 Community in France, writes words which breathe the spirit of this passage. Since it engages the whole man, contemplation of the God of Jesus Christ cannot lead to quietism. On the contrary, it moves us to bold action and rules out the possibility of lukewarmness. It commits us irrevocably to the race ... The man whose course is directed by the vision of Christ knows where he is going. Two rules for running are interdependent and must always be observed: Forget that which lies behind, forget progression or regression, and fix your gaze attentively on Him who guides our faith. *THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 04:26:56 +0000
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