“When it’s Polite to Point” 1 TIMOTHY 4

By Mark Kolbe

“Pointing” is done to bring attention to something that we deem as worthy of attention. In the animal world, pointing is quite rare - and, even when it is done, it is done subtly and only for practical reasons. For example, some hunting dogs are trained to stand still and point their noses in the direction of their prey.

On the other hand, humans seem to be born with the universal tendency to point and we do it for many reasons. We do it for safety sake, as in the case of pointing at an on-coming car. We point out of amazement, like we do during Fourth of July fireworks. We also point when it’s not polite, like children who point out another person whose looks or behavior struck them as being different from what they were accustomed to.

When it comes to how we point, most of us tend to use our index finger to physically point at that which we want noticed. It might seem strange, but some people on the island of Papua New Guinea will even use a scrunching action with their nose to gesture towards things they want noticed.

Pointing is so important to humans that we will even use manmade objects to bring attention to something we deem worthy of honor. One such example is the Washington Monument in Washington D.C. For starters, since this monument is a tall, slender object that narrows to a “pointy” tip at the top, it seems to be designed for pointing to God or heaven. However, there are more specific ways that this monument points to God. Two stones used in the construction include direct biblical quotations (Luke 18:16, Proverbs 10:7, and 22:6.). In addition, the cornerstone of the monument contains a Bible, and the aluminum cap at the very top bears the Latin inscription, Laus Deo, which means, "Praise God." (https://www.museumofthebible.org/magazine/impact/beyond-the-walls-the-washington-monument-and-the-lincoln).

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The passages of scripture we are going to study today involve pointing much like the Washington Monument does. We are going to learn that for believers, spiritual finger pointing is good when it is directed towards Jesus and the life changing truth of His word. Paul begins this portion of his letter to Timothy by pointing to Jesus.

1 Timothy 3:16 - Beyond question, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was revealed in the flesh, Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.

In this one verse, Paul includes a headline, “great is the mystery of godliness”, then provides an overview of how this godliness was revealed.

When it comes to his headline, Paul’s use of the phrase “great is the mystery” wasn’t meant to indicate that the life of Jesus is so confusing and beyond comprehension that we cannot figure it out. The word “great” is not an adjective indicating a certain amount of complexity, but instead it refers to something wonderful and beneficial. In addition, the word “mystery” mean Jesus’ life was like an Agatha Christie “who done it” story. In the New Testament a mystery is something that previously was not known, but which has now been made known. In this case, what was made known was who Jesus was and what He did. In short, this mystery of godliness was made known by Jesus living in a way that pointed to God and proved He was God.

Paul uses six short phrases to describe how that occurred. He says that Jesus testified of who He was with His words, His actions proved who He was, others recognized and believed who He was, they testified of who He was; and His work was completed, in victory, bringing Him the reward He was due.

Not only did Jesus declare that He was a person of the Trinity of God, but He lived in such a way as to point to another person of the Trinity, God the Father. In the book of John we learn that Jesus said He could only do what He saw the Father do, and that He came to do the will of the Father (John 5:17, 19, 30).

Likewise, God the Father, pointed to Jesus when He said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17).

The third person of the Trinity of God, the Holy Spirit, “points” as well. His role is to point to, or as this passage say, to “vindicate” Jesus. The word “vindicated” is a term that might make you think of a courtroom setting, where an individual was determined to be “not guilty”. In that sense being vindicated is to have one’s reputation saved from false accusation. However, in the Greek, the word means to “show, testify, or declare” in a positive sense. It would be more like a character witness who describes a person’s good and true reputation for everyone in the courtroom can hear. What the Holy Spirit does is exactly what Jesus said the Holy Spirit would do in John 15:26 – teach and remind followers of Jesus of all that Jesus said.

Since the role of the Holy Spirit is to point out truth and lead people into it, Paul writes about a specific thing that He revealed at the beginning of chapter 4.

4:1 - The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.

Immediately after the summary of the great and complete work of Jesus, we learn that false teachers are going to stray from that and teach something different and deceptive.

The Holy Spirit has revealed this false teaching will happen in “later times”. We may read this phrase and assume that Paul was referring to sometime down the road in his and Timothy’s future, or maybe way down the road when Jesus’ returns to earth during His second coming. However, when New Testament writers used the phrase “later times” or “later days”, they were referring to the entire time in history after Jesus’ work on earth was complete. The time in history prior to Jesus’ birth was the earlier or former times, and the time in history after Jesus had come to earth and ascended to heaven is the later times. New Testament authors of Hebrews 1:2 and 1 Peter 1:20 prove this because they referred to the days they were living in as the last or later days. In fact, even in 1 Timothy 1:19-20, Paul provided specific examples of people who were false teachers at that time. So, in other words, this false and deceptive teaching started within the initial years after the church began.

These false teachers are either affiliated with the church or are at least “spiritual” or “religious” people. What they say sounds spiritual enough such that believers are tempted to listen, believe, and intentionally fall away from or abandon some truths of the Christian faith. It is also reasonable to assume that these false teachers have other characteristics that helps attract people to their message, like charisma, education, and dedication. However, hiding behind their shiny exteriors and eloquent words are seared, broken consciences. They lack real sensitivity to what is right and wrong, so much so that they don’t feel guilty about what they teach, or about their own actions that don’t align with their teaching.

We also see that these false teachers are being used as tools by Satan and his demons to wage war against Christianity. The source of this deception is supernatural, but the means is natural.

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Paul continues by giving specific examples of the false teaching.

3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is (sanctified) consecrated by the word of God and prayer. 6 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.

False teachers decide morality and godliness based upon ideas that originate in their own minds, not in the heart and mind of God. They attempt to subject others to their beliefs by promoting religious requirements based upon man mad rules, controlling behavior by denying oneself of certain things.

As you might expect, during the initial years of the new church, false teachers promoted concepts that had similarities with other religions, including Judaism (following parts of the Old Testament law). We can see that in these verses where believers were being taught that they should deny themselves certain foods and marriage. Granted, the people aren’t being taught to sin directly, but Paul lets Timothy know that even abstinence doesn’t necessarily reflect the true character or desire of the God of creation, nor is it consistent with scripture.

If you are like me, the first question that comes to mind when I read what these false teachers were promoting is this…given all the human needs, desires, and choices that people have throughout life, what makes them think God is pleased by making sacrifices in such a small subset of them? However, since Paul doesn’t really address that here, we’ll talk about that a bit in the “So What” (application) section later.

What Paul does remind Timothy of is that the things the false teachers were saying to not take part in were activities that God Himself ordained as part of creation. According to Genesis 1:31, when God completed creation on the sixth day, He considered it good – all of it. At the point in time when God called creation good, He had already created food and marriage.

Perhaps these false teachers thought their rules made sense because after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, sin contaminated everything - humans, all living things (Genesis 3:14) and even nature itself (Genesis 3:17-18, Isaiah 24:4-6, Romans 8:19-22). However, even though sin caused this world to be cursed, it did not suddenly make all human activities and relationships improper to take part in. Even these false teachers realized this because they had chosen just a couple activities which they deemed as ungodly.

After the initial sin, God didn’t scrap His work and start over. Instead, He used and continues to use things from this fallen world for His purposes. For example, after Adam and Eve sinned, He used dead animals to make clothing to benefit Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21). God must not have been against marriage because He used a married couple to populate the earth after the fall (Genesis 4:1).

When it comes to activities that believers should or should not take part in, the first thing to remember is that only God is perfectly holy and without sin. Therefore, nothing in this world can measure up to that. On the other hand, the first sin and subsequent curse didn’t render everything in this world as entirely evil - this world still contains good things.

Believers of Christ need to recognize that many things in this world can still be beneficial and even necessary for life. We are free to use the natural things of this world (that which God created) within the context of how He said to use them in scripture. For example, when it comes to food, we can eat it, but must do so without being gluttons. When it comes to sex – it’s okay to have and enjoy it, but within the confines of marriage between a man and woman. Paul says to be thankful for everything God has provided.

Verse 6 provides us with another example of when it is polite and proper to point. Paul tells Timothy that he should point out false teaching. Anyone who wants to be nourished spiritually should have a diet that consists solely of what is taught in scripture. Rather than making arbitrary uniformed decisions about good and bad, we should see what the Word of God says and pray about it.

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The best athletes in this world are born with abilities that the average person does not have. However, the best athletes also know that to maximize their potential for greatness they need to take care of every part of their person. If an athlete desires excellence, they need to be careful what they eat, so many have personal nutritionists. They need to have a good mindset, so many visit phycologists on a regular basis. And athletes need to work hard physically, so they hire personal trainers and coaches. Those of us who are fans of professional football have probably heard how the NFL quarterback Tom Brady does all these things and has made great sacrifices to be such a good player for so long.

Paul applies this imagery of physical fitness in the context of a person being “godly” beginning in verse 7.

7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

Godliness means to live from God’s perspective or mindset, striving towards perfection, and bringing His power to bear in your life. After addressing the what the false teachers said about eating and how to be truly nourished in the faith, Paul reminds his younger disciple to stick to the truth of the word of God that has been passed down. Believers shouldn’t have anything to do with ideas and instructions that are not rooted in that. Every word God has revealed to humanity is purposeful and was given for a reason (2 Timothy 3:16). Like the rain and snow, God’s words bring forth life and produces good fruit in our lives (John 6:63).

Remember how Paul acknowledged that there are “good things” in this world? We all take part in many of them for enjoyment: watching TV, playing video games, fishing, walks on the beach, etc. However, Paul reminds Timothy to be careful of how much time and effort he puts into the good things of this world. In these verses, Paul gives an example of that by pointing out the limitations of physical fitness. Perhaps, he used this illustration because Timothy was one of those people who obsessed about whether he was eating healthy foods, or maybe he spent a lot of time doing sit-ups so that he’d have an impressive six-pack on his abdomen.

So, while Christians are free to enjoy the “good” things of this world, he reminds us that they are only so good. People are limited in how strong they can become, and sickness and age will soon render us weak. Knowing this fact of life, believers should seek godliness and bring that into everything they do and experience in this life. Not only do we reap benefit from a godly lifestyle now, but it will also lead to future reward in heaven.

How hard is being godly? The terminology Paul uses gives us the answer. His use of the word “train” implies that becoming godly doesn’t happen immediately, it is a life-long process. Paul also uses the phrase “we labor and strive”. This implies it takes intentional effort and isn’t easy. Finally, being godly is so difficult a person may also be tempted to strive half-heartedly. That’s why Paul tells Timothy to accept these concepts “fully”. When it comes to God’s word, Timothy needs to hear it, believe it, and apply it with all his spiritual might.

But Paul also encourages Timothy by reminding him that during this struggle God is alive and aware of what he is going through. Jesus is our savior and will bring us through the struggles. Even though being godly is difficult, believers should put hope in the living God, not in rules or promises made by sinful men.

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11 Command and teach these things. 12 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. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

The specific things pointed out in verses 2, 3, and 7 are not just good ideas for believers to follow but are required for godliness. The authority and validity of spiritual leadership, as well as the gauge for appropriate personal behaviors don’t have anything to do with how old one is, but rather upon what scripture teaches. Even though Timothy is young, Paul encourages him to not back down to intimidation, but instead, he should continue to preach boldly.

One way that Timothy was feeling intimidated was because of how others, especially older people, reacted to his leadership and teaching. There must have been some who despised or disrespected Timothy because Paul said they “looked down” on him. It is interesting that Paul told Timothy to not these people look down on him. That’s kind of a strange way to say it since no one can really force others to treat them kindly. However, based upon the context I think Paul worded his encouragement this way for two reasons. First, Paul was probably trying to encourage Timothy to literally confront these people with the truths that he has learned. Second, Paul was encouraging Timothy to conduct himself in a consistent, godly way. This would help make him a credible witness, causing some of his critics to come to believe in the truth, and then respect and listen to Timothy.

Another way Timothy might have felt intimidated was due to how he felt about himself. We all have unique, personal responses to circumstances involving other people. It is common for us to mentally ‘slot’ ourselves into a pecking order based upon not only age, but knowledge, skill, and character. Sometimes this is a valid exercise and we do it pretty accurately, enabling us to know where to improve or not overstep our bounds. But in other cases (like Timothy) we do it out of timidity or being afraid of offending someone.

Paul tells Timothy that the best way to overcome fear within his ministry was to use the spiritual gift he had been given. Timothy’s spiritual gift is not specifically mentioned in this passage. However, given the emphasis Paul has made about the qualifications for church leadership, the fact Timothy was approved and sent by a group of church leaders, the fact he is being made a leader of the church in Ephesus, and due to Paul instructing Timothy to teach, it is reasonable to assume Timothy’s gift had to do with wisdom, knowledge, teaching, leadership, or some combination of those.

Although Paul mentions prophecy and the involvement of elders when he received his spiritual gift, the gift didn’t come from the elders. Spiritual gifts are allotted by God and His grace (Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:28-31). Therefore, when believers recognize and use their spiritual gifts, this puts them in the best position to be effective in ministry and increases confidence in themselves and in God.

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There is a good chance you have been on a diet at least once in your life. One thing people almost always do when they start a diet is to record their weight. This helps them keep track of their progress over time. Some people even go so far as to take pictures of what they looked like at the beginning of their diet, and then again after they’ve lost weight. Photos like this are often used by companies or organizations to promote certain dietary programs. We all know the benefits of people being able to see results with their own eyes. It is one thing to hear someone just say, “Trust me”. But when we have actual evidence that something works, we gain confidence and can then step out and commit to it ourselves.

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Finally, Paul reminds Timothy that people are going to be watching his spiritual growth.

15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

When I was in junior high, I recall being motivated by watching high school football players. When I was in high school, I watched professional players I wanted to emulate. For Christians, it is okay to emulate godly people. Jesus lived in such a way as to be an example, Paul lived as an example, and now Timothy is being encouraged to do the same. Believers are called to prove what the Bible says is true by their actions. This is good for us personally and good for those watching us.

SO WHAT

As believers our number one goal should be to point to Jesus and what he has done. How do we do that?

1. Start with the understanding that everything God creates is inherently good. So, enjoy life as much as possible and be thankful for the good things God has created. But remember to maintain a healthy balance between enjoying the good things of this world and building up treasure in heaven.

2. Remember that, as compared to God’s creative goodness, the good things man creates always have negative side effects. So be leery when someone teaches spiritual concepts that result in people getting glory rather than God. Both teachers and learners need to set their egos aside and pursue godliness.

False teachers believe God is pleased with people who choose to live with inconveniences involving carefully selected aspects of their lives. But false teachers fail to grasp what really pleases God. Godliness is not achieved by making sacrifices in carefully carved out portions of our lives, it requires sacrifice of one’s complete self. To be godly a person must acknowledge and submit to all aspects of God – His characteristics, what He does, and what He desires. A godly person sacrifices his or her entire life - all thoughts, desires, and behaviors to God.

Paul describes what God really wants from His children in Romans - “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:1-2).” The Old Testament says something similar, “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. 6 In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll I have come to do Your will, O God.’  Psalm 40:6-8 and Hebrews 10:5-7).” And Jesus said it this way … “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37).”

3. The pursuit of godliness should be done within the context of the completed work of Christ, not on our performance. Mankind has always inherently believed that we become acceptable to God based upon what we do or don’t do. I would argue that through most of church history, the false teaching pendulum was on the side of legalism – either requiring performance of religious rituals or abstinence from certain behaviors. However, over the past twenty years or so, the false teaching pendulum has quickly swung to the other side. Now we hear that it is supposedly Christ-like to allow and encourage behaviors that God has specifically commanded against. However, this is still a philosophy rooted in man’s performance, but merely a different kind. In this case man’s “ability” is his open-mindedness to throw off outdated principles from the Bible and instead embrace new ideas promoted by the world. But just like the false teachers of Paul and Timothy’s day understated the completed work of Christ, this new false teaching mocks it as well. If people ignore or encourage sin, then why did Jesus Christ have to die and resurrect on the third day in the first place (Hebrews 10:26-31)? Regardless of what kind of false teaching we encounter, we need to take heed of Paul’s warning in Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8).

4. Be on the lookout for false teachers. False teachers arose immediately after the church began. However, we also learn from scripture that as time goes on, false teaching will become more widespread, more deceptive, and more successful. In Matthew 24:4-5, Jesus warned his disciples saying many will come making the claim – “I am the Christ”. The word “Christ” is a title – meaning someone anointed or chosen. So false teachers won’t necessarily claim to be Jesus Himself. But as time goes on there will be a ramping up of the number of people who claim to be ones who can solve personal and worldly issues, or will point to some other human as having that ability.

5. Be bold and use your God given spiritual gift. Each one of us are born with certain personality traits and things that makes us tick or happy. Some of our personal traits make us more effective in our ministry. God promises that as we make Him our delight, He will give us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4-5 - Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act). This would surely include preparing us to serve Him in a way that will bring us purpose and satisfaction. But on the other hand, some of our personal traits can hinder us in our ministry. We need to recognize those and overcome any hesitancy and fear they bring with them. Instead, we should act in faith, power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

6. Be a good student of the Bible. Find out what scripture clearly teaches and stick to it. Christians can be just as gullible as non-Christians when it comes to hearing things that sound good or enticing. However, the Bible contains the fully revealed will of God, so we should limit what we believe, do, and say to that. Don’t look for another will of God from any other book or from the lips of any man. Don’t waste your time on concepts or stories that cannot be proven in scripture. Knowing and following the things God has revealed in the Bible is healthy for us. Scripture has a victorious answer to every worry, stress, difficulty, sin, challenge, and enemy you face. Everything you are struggling with at this moment, there is scripture that directly or in principle, tells you how to measure it and address it. Being faithful followers of God’s word now will also help us earn rewards in our future life in heaven.