1 Timothy Series - The Law

                        

The Laws of God

1 Tim. 1:8-11

Mankind breaks the laws of God everyday, many multiple times a day. Why? Because of our human nature to sin. Yet God gave us His laws to show us the way to Him, to provide us a firm foundation as a community of God’s people, for the understanding of His grace and mercy, and to show us our sinful state. Paul knew the laws backwards and forwards, but he also knew the law was not given to man to earn salvation by obeying the laws. So let’s read the first portion of the lesson. “We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 

Paul was dealing with two different mindsets, the jewish believers among the gentiles and the gentiles who knew nothing of the law. So Paul draws back to the goodness of the Law of God. God knew the hearts and minds of all mankind. He knew that in order for them to know Him as a community, they also needed to know the Laws of God. Jesus taught that without a firm foundation, what was built would crumble under the duress of a storm. Mankind had been removed from the garden because of sin, into a world of toil, hatred, and a heart deprived of God’s daily presence. 

Paul needed to take the believers back to the core of the Laws of God. For mankind in his depraved mind and heart gave himself over to every act of sin in whatever form it would take. And mankind didn’t refrain from sinning, it became the consuming desire of nearly every heart. “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” (Gen. 6:5) God sent judgment upon the people of the world in the worldwide flood, the fire and brimstone of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the slavery into bondage to a cruel and a God forsaken country and master, Egypt. God knew the people he created needed the law in order to know him. For he is the only firm foundation for the soul, the spirit, and the body. So through Moses, God brought deliverance to his chosen people, and the law to all mankind. 

God gave the law to the Jewish people, but not just for them, but for all mankind. He desired the fellowship with man, and it was through the laws of God mankind would again know God. The ten commandments were given to build a community of faithful people. It was developed in three phases: The first three commandments were to teach the people who God was. He is the only God, he is a righteous and jealous God. He is Spirit and not of flesh, or any creation by man or in the minds of men. And he is holy, and his name is holy. It was not to be used flippantly, but reverently for he is the God who created all that there is in all of creation. Creation was given life by Him. “God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good and He validated it completely. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.” (Gen. 1:31 AMP)

It was this foundation that Paul needed to establish among the gentile believers. Jesus is God, and he was with the Father in the beginning. And He came to fulfill the law and the prophets, not to eliminate or do away with the law (Matt. 5:17). The Laws of God are good if they are used properly.

Application - Mankind has had the laws of God for over four thousand years, and yet they have rebelled against the laws and against the God of the laws. But the laws did achieve its purpose, it revealed to man who God is and his desire and purpose for mankind. When the laws are obeyed and are used properly it accomplishes God’s will and purpose. 

Man in his sinful estate has taken the laws and misaligned them to try and earn salvation through the laws. It was not God’s attempt to bring salvation through the laws but through faith in Him. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb. 11:6) Noah, Abraham, and Lot as well as others didn’t have the laws of God and yet believed in God and it was considered righteousness for them. By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith. By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” “Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—…” (Heb. 11: 7-8; 2 Pet. 2:7-8 NIV) 

We as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have to live by faith as well. Believing in the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross and knowing our heavenly Father who sent him. “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3 NIV) We are saved by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus and we get to know our heavenly Father through the One who fulfilled the laws of God, and who is God the Son.

Next, Paul knew the law also was like a sign posted along a road to warn and to show the right and proper directions to go. So let's look at the next portion of the text.

“We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.” 

Paul knew the law was for honoring God intimately, and our fellow man. “For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 5:14,6:2)

 For mankind didn’t know God outside of the Laws, nor his Son, Jesus Christ. So Paul needed to show the next two laws dealt with this. Honoring God in obedience is being in his rest. Jesus had revealed the truth of the law to Paul as he had to the disciples about the Sabbath. The Sabbath was a day for man to rest from his toils and honor and revere the God who was their creator, to rest in his grace and mercy. God’s favor rested on those who obeyed the Sabbath, but man changed the Sabbath into a law that God hadn’t intended. Instead of grace and mercy, man instilled legalism, a way for man to justify himself as redeemed by works. God’s grace comes to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Lord of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:1-8). Paul knew Jesus had stated to the disciples the importance of rest and that Jesus would take their yoke, the burdens and cares of the world upon him, and provide for them, so they could rest. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)  

God’s unmerited favor, grace, was given to all through believing in His Son Jesus Christ. Paul wanted all the gentiles to know the ultimate rest that Jesus spoke of was salvation for their souls through his Son. 

God also commanded them to honor those who have raised and cared for them. As the creator, he was the Father who loved his creation and provided and cared for their needs. In this law came a promise. If they obeyed the law to honor those who intimately loved and cared for them, they would live long in God’s provision.

Application - We have really changed the face of the Sabbath rest in America. It is not so much about legalism, as it is about the extreme of neglecting rest. In a book written by Dr. Matthew Sleeth, 24-6, He talks about his life and the phenomena of neglect of the Sabbath in our modern world. We are a people who never stop. 

When I worked in the nineteen sixties, there was a transition in economics. Stores and gas stations that were normally closed on Sundays, began to open a full day on Sundays. Then the stores began running later, adding a second and third shift to the days. The Sabbath was seemingly gone for most of America. The desire and love of money had replaced our honoring God and resting from our labor. The eyes of greed saw an untapped day to make more money, and as one forsook the Sabbath rest, then many followed suit in forsaking God. 

God gave us a time to rest from our toils of laboring in the world. His law properly used would give us the mental as well as the physical rest we needed, and not forsaking the house of God. We took something God meant for good, and turned it into a means of greed and turning away from the one who loves us intimately. God’s grace and mercy were the core of the Sabbath. He wanted mankind to know and enjoy His presence in the way it was in the beginning.

Lastly, Paul had seen and had been a part of the breaking and sinful disobedience to the law of God in his life as a Pharisee. He knew the Laws of God were to reveal sin. The disobedience to the law or the neglect of the law would lead to total degradation and depravity of heart, mind, and body. But as an apostle, he viewed life through the Spirit and the Scripture. He listed the sinful acts and habits he saw all over the world by mankind where he had traveled. So let’s continue in the text. “lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers.” 

 Paul’s list is not exhaustive of all sins but covers a broad range of the depravity he experienced outside of the church as well as inside the church. He knew the last five laws in the commandments were dealing with sin: murder, adultery, stealing, lying, and coveting. Paul was chosen by Jesus to bring the Gospel, the Good News of redemption through Jesus Christ from sin to all these Gentiles as well as Jews who would believe and be sanctified by the Holy Spirit. The Law was good to reveal the sinfulness of man if used properly.

Again, Paul exhorts and expounds to Timothy the importance again to sound doctrine. Paul desired Timothy to rely on the Scripture and the teachings he had taught him and the churches on the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. The wolves, as Jesus said, were out to attack and spread the lies and what was contrary to sound doctrine, “and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.” 

False doctrines too were in contrast to the Laws of God. For Jesus had said, “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.” (Matt. 5:17-18)

Paul understood the admonition from Jesus to preach the Gospel from which Jesus is the fulfillment of the Laws of God and we are no longer under its condemnation and are released by believing in Christ Jesus and the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. Paul engrained the teachings of the law and the Scripture into the training of Timothy and the other churches as well, for the law was totally fulfilled by Jesus. (Rom. 6-8)

Paul knew the seriousness of false doctrine. For it is the enemy of God who desires to twist, misalign, and manipulate the scripture in order to insert false doctrine and heresy. For Paul had been guilty of it himself before his conversion, and he wouldn’t let that happen again. 

Application - How do we see false doctrine entering and being entwined with the truth in Scripture? My thoughts are that we mishandle the scriptures, by taking verses out of context, allegorizing, and picking only the scripture verses that are appealing to us and leaving the convicting ones, the words of admonition on sin like the law, out of our teaching. For as Paul said, the law is good if it is used properly. 

I believe false doctrines come from Satan and man in the use of scripture assimilated with cultural deviance (demonic) or to be relevant, tolerant of sin, and the inclusion of the teaching of men to the Word of God. Instead of exposing the darkness in false doctrines (Eph. 5:11-14a), we ignore them for the sake of unity or the increase of egos and hubris. Many have succumbed to “the nickel and noses” of corporate managed churches, and this has dictated the doctrines being taught from the pulpit or in the classes.

Whatever is the case, we are going to be held accountable to what we believe and what we teach and preach. We should take the admonition and teaching to Timothy from Paul as if Paul was teaching us. For the Word of God is a sharp double-edged sword (2 Tim. 3:16). For scripture is God-breathed and a light to reveal God’s will and purpose for his Church, the body of Christ today. Paul can teach us if we will be teachable, “Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” (2 Tim. 2:14-16)

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis