10-1Tim1:18

1Tim1v18

1 Timothy 1:18-29

18 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

1 Timothy 2:1-7

2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

To Prevent a Decline of Commitment

The military term “fight the good fight” suggests that Timothy faced a grueling spiritual battle and not a pleasant rural retreat. By remembering and responding to these earlier prophecies about him, Timothy could recapture the spiritual excitement of using his spiritual gifts so that he could wage a successful battle on difficult turf.

v.19 – Paul united “faith” and a “good conscience” (cf. 1:5; 3:9). The term “faith” refers to a personal commitment to Jesus Christ, a personal faith in him.

“Some have rejected these…” – describes the rejection of the authority of Moses – Acts 3:45 shows the rejection of the Gospel by the Jews of Pisidan Anticoch… – The two here Hymenaeus and Alexander had rejected commitment to Christ and the obedient life-style … .resulting of such rejection is the spiritual shipwreck of the individual.

Paul’s appeal in v. 19 reminds us that correct belief alone does not guarantee a useful Christian life. Each Christian must combine a right understanding of Christ with a proper response to that understanding. Our faith must produce good works, not pious platitudes (Jas 2:14–26).

“hand over to Satan” – the sphere of the Spirit and life outside the church as the sphere of Satan. – Paul hoped that Satan’s afliction of the troublemakers would teach them not to insult the Lord by their words and deeds. It is instructive to study the context of 1 Cor 5:5 in which Paul also spoke of handing a sinner over to Satan. There the transgressor had committed incest, and Paul wanted to “hand him over to Satan” so that he could learn to grow weary of following the sinful urgings of the flesh.

•  Paul warned against the false doctrine permeating Ephesus… – blunt and incisive – accused the heretics of not properly understanding and using the law. We MUST communicate the divine message with sound theology and not merely with a sublime but glib tongue.

•  He continued to wonder and have gratitude to God’s act of saving him “warts and all”

•  Paul reminds Timothy of truths THUS much communication consists not of bringing new ideas forward but of recounting tested, tried principles which we often forget or neglect. – Paul devotes the remainder of ! Timothy to listing those teaching that would complete the job he outlined for Timothy.

1. Prayer for All People (2:1–7)

1 Timothy 2:1–7 (ESV)Pray for All People

2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

(1) The Objects and Content of Prayer (2:1–2)

1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

In chap. 1 Paul explained that Timothy’s task involved preventing the spread of false teaching (1:3–11), sharing a gospel that could save sinners (1:12–17), and preventing a decline of commitment among church leaders (1:18–20). How would Timothy accomplish this task?

Paul’s first emphasis was that Timothy lead his hearers to pray for the salvation of all people. Apparently the false teachers in Ephesus promoted an attitude that presented Christianity as a religion for an elite group . Paul demolished this exclusivist idea and suggested that the object of Christian prayer must be as wide as the object of Christ’s death—for all people.

Prayer supports the church’s universal mission to the world – Preach to all nations AND the goal of respect.

Objective: Paul is NOT outlining church organization but confronting errors and heresies already underway. Prayer is:

•  Requests – petitions to God based on a sense of deep spiritual need..

•  Need:

•  Insufficiency by the requester

•  Devotion by the seeker

•  Childlike confidence of the petitioner

•  “thanksgiving” – Gratitude as a motivation for asking.

designates the content of the praye r.

•  Paul’s words imply that Christians must pray that their leaders will have the knowledge needed to guide them in their duties. Pray for their salvation!

•  Wise rulers can provide sound, solid leadership to accomplish these goals. Paul was not merely requesting that Christians pray for the conversion of their leaders, although this was at least a part of the prayer. ..in line with God’s plan of Salvation for all. – Intercession – For everyone with link to the Gentiles.

•  The prayers include thanksgivings for those decisions that facilitate the spread of Christianity and requests for wisdom in making important decisions.

•  To live in “all godliness and holiness” – Integration of knowledge and behavior

•  Second, Paul desired that believers live “peaceful and quiet lives .” He may not have intended that this “quiet” life be free of all conflict and persecution .

Jerm. 29:7 -…welfare of city where I sent you…

In 1 Thess 4:11–12 Paul urged the Thessalonian believers to live a quiet life in such a way as to win the respect of unbelievers. Strife and discord in the church caused outsiders to scoff at the religion of the Ephesian Christians.

They had spread the ‘separationist” tendency

V3-4- The Goal of Prayer

3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

God is pleased to see ALL saved as He is concerned for the salvation of all humankind. Our savior is the “Author of salvation”. HOW – God urges repentance with His Goodness rather than coercing us toward the truth (Rom. 2:24)

TRUTH is in reference to the gospel (Gal. 2:5,14) – suggesting the cognitive side . To come to the knowledge of the TRUTH is a synonym for CONVERSION.

(3) The Goodness of the Goal of Prayer (2:5–7)

5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.

How could Paul affirm that God wants all to be saved?

1 st – Paul declared that there is one God. That One God is to receive ‘worship’ from all people. God’s Unity means that He would want only Himself to be followed.

2 nd – A single mediator – Christ Jesus – As God-Man, Christ is uniquely qualified to serve as a go-between – MEANS that no ‘angel’ is a meditor

Jesus is linked with the covenant (Heb. 8:5;9:15;12:24) and only through Him can humans reach the goal intended by God.

V.6 – Paul describs Chrit’s death as a ‘ransom’ – as Jesus Christ paid the release of humankind from captivity to sin. “Gave Himself” – the voluntary nature – that for ALL mankind. Thus an ‘act of proclamation!

V.7 – Paul was showing the validity of praying for all people as he was “a herald” and ‘an Apostle” – Telling the truth.

Although Christ’s death has potential effect for all people, it is effective only with those who come to Christ in faith and repentance.

Mark 10:45 as a base, Paul’s adaptations are easily seen:

Mark 10:45—For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Gal 1:4—who gave himself for our sins

Gal 2:20—who loved me and gave himself for me

Eph 5:2—and gave himself up for us

1 Tim 2:6—who gave himself as a ransom for all people

Titus 2:14—who gave himself for us.

Paul’s words challenge our prayer life in at least three ways.

•  We are to pray for all people.

•  It is easy to limit the sphere of our concern merely to family, friends, and even a few foes. Our prayers ought to include requests, thanksgivings, and entreaties for friend and foe, committed and uncommitted, prominent and insignificant.

•  The goal of all our prayers is that people come to a personal knowledge of God’s saving power.

•  As we intercede for the sick, needy, confused, and suffering, we must not forget that our ultimate aim is that they experience divine saving power.

•  As we pray, we have the confidence that Christ’s death has provided the ransom for sin.

•  Christ’s death has a potential effect that is worldwide. Our prayers for others can break out of their narrow limits because Christ’s death represented God’s effort to reach all sinners.   

I. The Place of Prayer in the Local Church (2:1–8)

A. Its importance.

Paul lists prayer “first of all.” The local church does not pray because it is the expected thing to do; it prays because prayer is vital to the life of the local church. The Holy Spirit works in the church through prayer and the Word of God (1 Thes. 2:13; Eph. 3:20–21). The church that prays will have power and will make a lasting impact for Christ. Note how the believers in Acts turned to prayer and overcame their enemies. Paul exhorts us to pray—it is important!

B. Its nature.

The church’s praying ought to include: (1) supplications, which means telling God our needs; (2) prayers, meaning worship and adoration; (3) intercessions, which involves requests on the behalf of others; and (4) thanksgiving, or appreciation for what God has done. See Phil. 4:6 and Dan. 6:10–11. We should pray for the church family, of course, but we should not stop there. “All men” (v. 1) need our prayers.

C. Its aims.

Verse 2 suggests that prayer helps to maintain the peace of society. As Christians pray for leaders in government, God overrules and protects His church from wicked men. Verse 3 indicates that, above all else, prayer pleases God and glorifies Christ. If we pray only to have our needs met, we have a low view of prayer. Of course, we ought to pray for the salvation of the lost (vv. 4–7). Christ died for all men, and God would have all men to be saved (see 2 Peter 3:9); therefore, the Spirit directs the believer to pray for lost people.

D. Its conditions.

Verse 8 lays down three conditions for the public praying in the local church: (l) “without wrath”—loving one another; (2) “holy hands,” that is, clean, obedient lives; and (3) faith. See Mark 11:20–26. The men are to take the lead in the prayer ministry of the church.

Wiersbe, W. W. (1997). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (623–624). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.