1 Timothy 1:3-11

We are familiar with the terms hetero-sexual (a person who is not the same sexual orientation as another) and homo-sexual (a person who is the same as another).  The prefixes are Greek and one of them appears in today’s reading.  Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to charge (command) some that they teach no “hetero-didaskalos” (other teaching).  God designed marriage to be hetero, two people who are other than each other.  In the Church doctrine is to be homo, the same.  Here is what Paul meant.

v What is true doctrine?  It is …

o   That which edifies, builds up, the body (v4).

o   The glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust (v11).  All Christian truth springs from and is consistent with the gospel.

o   The words of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 6:3).  As we noted yesterday, the Apostolic writings (the New Testament) were the words of Christ.

o   The doctrine which accords with godliness (1 Tim. 6:3; cf. also Titus 1:1).  It is a teaching which, when one believes in Christ, will produce godliness.

v What “hetero” teachings was Paul concerned about?

o   Fables (v4).  This refers to stories, often heroic myths, that have no basis in fact but at best are designed to make a moral point.  But as they are not factual they divert attention from the inspired, inerrant word of God.  The Apostles did not follow fables but were eyewitnesses of the historical, verifiable life, death and resurrection of Christ (2 Pet. 1:16).  Paul knew a time would come when the church would turn to such sources (2 Tim. 4:3f).

o   Endless genealogies (v4).  Likely the concern here is from Gnosticism although it could have come from Judaistic sources as well.

o   Idle talk (v6-11).  Paul actually identifies the issue here.  The empty words came from those who wanted to be teachers of the law (Mosaic Law), the covenant God had made with Israel (Gal. 3:19) but which was fulfilled in Christ.  It was not the means by which godliness would be formed in the lives of the believers (Col. 2:23; Gal. 3:21).  The Law had a role in pointing out sin and leading us to Christ; in that way, as Paul says, the law is not made for a righteous person but for the lawless.  

Why did this hetero-teaching need to stop?  Because it was causing disputes rather than godly edification!  Paul had to give Titus the same charge, to avoid foolish disputes even to the point of rejecting divisive men such as these teachers of the law (Titus 3:9-11).  A church will become a failure in its calling to build up believers because they argue over doctrine that is not edifying.  And a church can fail in its calling if the leadership is not willing to remove the divisive individual(s). May we be faithful to our Lord’s calling, to the glorious gospel of which He is the theme!