© 1998 Michael G. Parham

Twenty centuries ago, a wise minister of the Gospel wrote the letter we now know as 1 Timothy to one of his favorite disciples. Timothy had traveled with Paul as the great apostle preached the Gospel to many who had never heard, established churches where there had been no witness to Christ, and discounted deprivation and hardship borne of his zeal and commitment to proclaim Jesus Christ. Timothy had heard first hand the accounts of Paul’s conversion, the story of Paul’s training during three years in Arabia, and the report of Paul’s stoning in Lystra during the first missionary journey. Timothy had been present when Paul was beaten and jailed in Philippi, and later when Paul was imprisoned in Jerusalem. Timothy was witness to Paul’s manner in preparing and ordaining elders in newly established churches, Paul’s bold assertion of apostolic authority in matters of doctrine and practice, Paul’s sharp rebukes to false teachers, and Paul’s prayers delivering rebellious or false ministers of the faith into the hands of Satan. Timothy had been trained on the job by an expert.

The church at Ephesus—the church Timothy was pastoring when he received 1 Timothy—was founded by Paul. After ministering to a few Believers in Ephesus briefly during his second missionary journey, Paul had returned for an extended stay during his third missionary journey. Later, at the end of that journey and after ministry in many other places, Paul made a special effort to visit with and encourage the elders of Ephesus, by arranging for them to meet him in Miletus as he returned to Jerusalem. Paul’s message to the Ephesian elders during this last visit with them, and the elders’ deep love and appreciation for the Apostle Paul, is recorded for us in Acts 20. This church was situated in one of the most important cities in the world, at the crossroads between Asia and Europe and a key point of the Roman Empire. From this well chosen location and the strength of the church there, the Gospel was spread throughout the world. This church had been solidly constructed by a master craftsman.

The book of 1 Timothy is addressed to Timothy as Paul’s hand chosen leader for the church at Ephesus. After having Timothy as his almost constant companion for two extended missionary tours, Paul had been whisked away to Rome for trial. Before departing Jerusalem, he had instructed Timothy to return to the church at Ephesus and act in his stead as the overseer of the church. Timothy was well known to the Ephesian church, and his authority as Paul’s surrogate was surely not questioned. Nevertheless, during or shortly after his first Roman imprisonment, Paul penned this letter to Timothy and a somewhat similar letter to Titus, whom Paul had placed in a like position in the church in Crete.

Why did Paul write these explicit instructions to Timothy, who had surely heard all this and much more beside? Why did Paul send Timothy to this particular church, when only a short while earlier Paul had himself spent over two years there and firmly established the church?

During his last message to the Ephesian elders, Paul had warned that wolves—false teachers and self-seeking leaders— would find their way into the church. Because of this church’s location and the zeal of its members, it could be expected to grow rapidly and to need additional men in leadership regularly. As new Believers were added to the church, and as new leaders were selected from among the new Believers, there would be many who had not known Paul personally and who had no personal knowledge of Timothy’s close association with Paul. These new Believers and leaders might not take Timothy’s word as to the instructions and training he had received from Paul, especially if Timothy opposed their desires or attempted to lead them contrary to their own inclinations.

The letters of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus were written to young ministers for the benefit of the churches they were serving. Certainly, the letters would remind these young men of the instructions they had received. But more importantly, the letters could be produced as authority when their actions were challenged, when their authority was criticized, when their rebukes were questioned, or their teaching doubted. Because these young ministers could produce a document explicitly instructing them to take certain actions, written by someone of unquestioned authority, their message would be heard and their authority accepted.

Today, young ministers do not have the benefit of traveling as Paul’s companion, observing his ministry and teaching. But we all have the benefit of Paul’s writings. Today, these letters addressed to Timothy and Titus are known as the Pastoral Epistles, since they give specific instruction to pastors and leaders of local churches. But the larger benefit is to the local church, as a guide to acceptable ministerial conduct, a pattern of pastoral authority, and a manual for balanced instruction. This message today, taken from a letter addressed to young Timothy and directed toward our young minister, is for the mutual benefit of our new elder and the body of Believers he serves.

Paul’s letter to Timothy is appropriate to any minister and will provide insight to those in leadership of a local church body. It will also bring an increased appreciation and understanding for ministry among the members of the church body. Today, as I give this charge particularly addressed to a new elder, I urge our church body to consider its application to each individual and to the church as an organic whole.

1 Timothy 1:18, 19

Many who purport to be ministers have no clear understanding of their purpose; no single directive by which to gauge their effectiveness. Some think they are called to administrate religious institutions, others see their purpose as meeting the social needs of a community, and still others expend all their time keeping church members happy. And church members often have even less understanding of the minister’s purpose.

The range of responsibility of any worthy minister certainly includes administration, concern for community needs, and the personal care of church members. But none of these are the purpose of ministry, and undue attention to any or all of these worthy concerns will make of a minister a socially acceptable reproach to God.

An effective machine operator in a large factory learns to orchestrate the movement of those necessary to his job, making sure the supplies arrive as needed and the product is moved away, allowing room for more. The operator learns that the machine itself and the immediate area must be kept clean and neat in order to more efficiently operate the equipment. He is also concerned with the well-being of any who assist him in the machine’s operation, the flow of traffic near his area, and, to some extent, the entire management of the plant—especially as it relates to the hiring of competent help and the training of the repairmen for his machine. But none of these duties and concerns are his primary responsibility. His goal—his motivation for doing all the other things—is to produce quality product.

In the same way, the Apostle Paul described ministry to his student. In the book of 1 Timothy, Paul instructed Timothy in public prayer, the proper roles for women in the church, the qualifications for those who desire to be elders or deacons, in right relations with older men and women in the church body, and a host of other important topics. But Paul preceded these individual instructions with a clear statement of Timothy’s purpose.

Paul wrote, "This charge I commit to you." What, precisely, was the charge? Paul’s first statement to Timothy in this letter is found in verse 3, where Paul wrote, "I urged you ... that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine." Following that statement, Paul gives several reasons for the importance of sound doctrine. He states that those who profess religion but depart from sound teaching often begin disputing meaningless questions, thinking themselves wise in Bible trivia and priding themselves with winning meaningless debates while neglecting practical and applicable truth. Paul then gives evidences of sound doctrine—but surprisingly, he doesn’t give a lecture on fine points of Biblical Truth; rather, he points to the fruit, or result, of sound doctrine. In verse 5, Paul says that sound doctrine—right teaching—is evidenced by a God-like love (Greek agape) that in turn is the result of a pure heart, a good conscience, and a genuine faith.

Through the next several verses, Paul documents the sad results of wrong instruction, and laments those who desire to be teachers while having no real understanding of Biblical Truth. This commentary on the inevitable consequences of wrong teaching then gives place to Paul’s personal testimony, as a demonstration of the results again of correct teaching. This, in turn, leads to a key point in Paul’s charge to Timothy.

In verse 11, Paul states that the essence of sound doctrine is the Gospel:

1 Timothy 1:11

It was the Gospel, Paul says in the verses that follow, that changed his life. It was the Gospel that turned him from his wicked, though ignorant, ways. It was the Gospel that turned a blasphemer, a persecutor, an insolent man, into a man of faith and love. It was the Gospel that took the worst of sinners and made of him a demonstration of the saving power of Jesus Christ. But this verse tells us something more, as well.

Notice the words, "... which was committed to my trust." Paul was not only converted by the Gospel, he was then entrusted with the Gospel. This simple Truth, the most sacred of all possessions, was given to Paul, to be used, proclaimed, and demonstrated. But it was also to be guarded. This Truth was not his to be altered at whim or casually ignored. He was only the trustee, the guardian, the protector. He was answerable for any encroachment upon it, any alteration of it, any abuse or misuse or misrepresentation.

And now, in verse 18, Paul says to Timothy: "This charge I commit to you." The word used here, the Greek "paratitheemi," means "to entrust to one’s sacred care." Paul is passing the torch; he is appointing a successor. In a short while, Paul will die for his faithfulness in protecting this great Truth. Several months after writing this first letter to Timothy, he will write:

2 Timothy 4:7

But before he is done, he must prepare another to continue the work, to protect the treasure, to assure the purity and essence of sound doctrine. So to Timothy he writes: "I commit this charge, this sound doctrine, this glorious gospel of God, to you." The urgency of Paul’s desire, and the focus of his concern, is evident as he uses this same language at the close of the letter, imploring Timothy to guard this sacred deposit of Truth:

1 Timothy 6:20,21

What is this Truth, this Gospel, that was committed to Timothy; the protection of which is called "the good warfare?" What was so valuable to Paul that he would give his life to protect it, and plead with Timothy to guard it? What central Truth can be described as "sound doctrine," and produce genuine faith, good consciences, pure hearts, and God-like love? Paul states it succinctly in verse 15 of 1 Timothy 1:

I Timothy 1:15

The Gospel is the purpose of ministry. Every ministry, to be ministry, must have as its purpose the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, housing the homeless, counseling the despairing, visiting the lonely, teaching the young, helping the elderly, and every other conceivable means of assisting those in need must have as its ultimate goal the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Since most of you present are familiar with the Gospel, I will not belabor the point. However, for the benefit of those who may not yet understand the Gospel, indulge me briefly while I state the central Truth of the Scriptures—that Truth which Paul pled with Timothy to protect; that Truth for which Paul gave his life.

Using Paul’s brief statement as set forth above in verse 15, we notice these simple points:

1. The record of Jesus Christ is a "faithful saying;" that is, it is a true and accurate account of historical events readily verifiable in Paul’s day and without doubt in our own time. Because the events of His life were well documented, what Paul is about to say is "worthy of all acceptance."

2. "Christ Jesus" is not simply a name; rather, it is a title followed by a name. "Christ" means "the anointed one," and accurately denotes Jesus as being One specially sent from God to perform a specific task. "Jesus" is a name meaning "Savior," and is the human name of this unique person who is at once both God and man, both Christ and Jesus, both sent from God and born of woman.

3. "Came into the world" is a statement of design and direction. Jesus Christ did not happen, He purposed and accomplished. He came. Nor was Jesus Christ of the world; He came "into" the world. Apart from the world—therefore able to see the need of the world and meet that need—He chose to come bodily into this world.

4. "To save sinners" is a clear statement of God’s purpose, as stated by Christ Himself (Matthew 9:13). In numerous places, the Scriptures clearly teach that all men are sinners—not in actions only, but by nature. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. Adam, our father, sinned and we, his offspring, have his nature. Try as we might, we cannot please God. In fact, Isaiah wrote that all our best efforts at righteousness are but filthy rags in the sight of God.

Because we are sinners by nature, we can never have a right relationship with God, Who "is of purer eyes than to behold evil," (Habakkuk 1:13). This separation from God is first spiritual, but also brings about the death and destruction of our bodies and results in our being destined to that place of final and eternal separation from God, Hell. All this is in view in Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death." But when we acknowledge that our own efforts cannot please God, that we are sinners by our very nature, and that God is righteous in casting us from His presence, He provides a remedy—Jesus Christ.

Not a son of Adam, therefore not a sinner by nature, but the Son of God, therefore able to rescue us, Jesus Christ came into the world. He took our physical form and nature that He might justly pay our penalty; He lived a perfect life that He not be required to die for His own sins; He died to pay the penalty for sin—though not His sin but ours; He was separated from God in death and the tomb for 3 days, bearing the full brunt of our penalty; He rose from the dead on the third day and took His place at the right hand of God the Father, where He currently sits and bestows His rightfully earned life to all those who acknowledge that He earned righteousness for us.

But He only saves sinners. All those who continue to vainly attempt to please God by their own merit reject His righteousness and must therefore perfect their own—or die, awfully and eternally.

It was this Truth that Paul committed to Timothy; that he described as sound doctrine; that when taught and embraced produces love, and faith, and purity of heart and mind. To deny the impact of Jesus Christ as an actual person is to deny history; to ignore His claims of Deity is to make of Him a liar and fraud. To profess Him to be a prophet or a good or wise man while rebutting His own assertions of Deity is foolish. But to acknowledge Him in history and to concede His claim as God while refusing to follow Him and own Him as Lord is perilous.

Every Believer has a responsibility to know and guard the Truth. But to the minister especially, the one charged with instructing others in Biblical Truth and training others for the work of the ministry, is given the duty to thoroughly understand, to teach, and to guard at all costs the precious treasure of the Gospel.

In the case of Timothy, there had been prophecies given that confirmed his call to this special work of ministry, this place of leadership in the local body of Believers. Paul was careful to ascertain the mind of God before entrusting this serious responsibility of guarding the Truth of God and instructing others in that Truth to a particular individual.

According to Ephesians 4:11-13, those called of God to the office of elder, who function in a church as either apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher, are God’s gifts to the church. These individuals are uniquely called of God to serve the local church body, especially by equipping all the others in the church body to minister within and without the church body. It is these officers who exercise authority in the church, who determine the direction of the church, and who are responsible for the doctrinal purity of the church.

Because of the responsibilities of those in church leadership, there are high standards set for qualifying for the office of elder. (See Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3.) Even having qualified, Paul urges that men be tested for a time (1 Timothy 3:10), and cautions that no one be ordained quickly (1 Timothy 5:22). In conjunction with these directives, both the leadership and the church body must discern the mind of God before placing one in the office of elder.

In his charge to Timothy, Paul refers to Timothy’s responsibility as "the good warfare." As in every war, there are dangers and risks. There must be opposition or there is no war. And there may be casualties. Paul immediately follows his challenge to Timothy with reference to two casualties in this spiritual warfare—two men who had evidently been ordained to ministry but had failed in their calling. Rather than guarding the precious Truth of the Gospel, they had begun to blaspheme, and Paul delivered them to Satan.

Finally, Paul returns to the results of sound doctrine. Early in chapter 1 of 1 Timothy, Paul argued that right teaching produces genuine faith, a pure heart, and a good conscience in the lives of its hearers. And here, in his charge to Timothy, Paul states that the result of Timothy’s sound doctrine will produce similar results in Timothy’s life—faith and a good conscience.

Timothy was challenged to "hav[e] faith," (vs. 19). Faith refers to right beliefs. Paul was saying, "Timothy, I’ve committed the Gospel to you. Fight to protect it. And as you protect it, continue to believe the Truth. Don’t depart from your roots, don’t waver in your commitment, don’t alter the essentials."

And, of course, right beliefs bring about right actions. James wrote, "Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works," (James 2:18). Our works not only demonstrate the presence of faith, but also demonstrate the nature of faith. Solomon wrote, "[As a man] thinks in his heart, so is he," (Proverbs 23:7) and "Keep your heart with diligence, for out of it are the issues of life," (Proverbs 4:23).

Right beliefs and right actions will produce a good conscience. Woe to the leader who falsifies God’s message for his own ends, and woe to the leader who does right with wrong motives. Paul often referred to his own clear conscience as evidence of being pleasing to God. (See Acts 23:1; 24:16; Romans 9:1.) And he argued that the conscience of even unbelievers might lead them to God would they but heed it (Romans 2:15). So to one in leadership, Paul would say, "Your right beliefs and right actions will be verified by your pure conscience. Don’t neglect the cautions of an uneasy conscience."

Today, a man stands before this local church as a candidate for ordination to the office of elder. We say to him, as Paul said to Timothy:

We entrust to you the safe-keeping of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that essential Truth from which all other Truth flows, that sound doctrine that will produce in you and in this Body genuine faith, pure hearts, good consciences, and God-like love. We believe that you are called of God to hold this position of leadership and authority in this Body, but we urge you not to accept it lightly. This calling places upon you the solemn duty of warfare, with its attendant risks and dangers. If you fail, the Truth may be corrupted in the lives and understanding of those under your charge and in your own life. If you succeed, God’s Word will go forth in its awesome power in your life, in the lives of the members of this Body, and into our community and world.

If you assume this task, do not attempt to perform it in your own strength. Rather, learn quickly the reality of Paul’s statement, "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,..." (1 Timothy 1:12). Just as the calling is of Him, so the strength is of Him.

To our church Body, I say:

This man is called of God to this task, not due to his wisdom and ability, but due only to the wisdom and purpose of God. He is about to lay down his life for you, to engage in a new dimension of spiritual warfare on your behalf, to subject himself to a higher standard of judgment as your teacher, to be placed in a position of responsibility for the spiritual well-being of each of you individually and collectively. The Scriptures say that he is to be respected, honored, and obeyed. I urge you to your duties on his behalf.

To his wife:

You married a man whom God has called to ministry as an elder. Your first calling is to be a helper suitable to his calling. In very large measure, his ministry is dependent upon you—your support, your encouragement, your prodding, your involvement, your peace in the home, your ministry among our people, your reputation here and in the community. You, too, must rely on the strength and enablement of God. You, too, must be prepared for "the good warfare." God has uniquely prepared you as an essential part of an elder's life and ministry, and now will use you as you wait upon the Lord.

To the church Body, I say:

When Americans elect a president, we accept a First Lady. This woman is not being ordained an elder, but she is about to be an elder’s wife. She is his partner in life and ministry. She is to be respected and honored. No other person on earth understands this man's heart like his wife. She shares his goals, his purpose, his hurts, his frustrations, his successes, his prayers, his burdens, and his ministry. Do not discount her influence upon the spiritual and tangible well-being of this Body of Believers.

Questions for the new elder:

Has God called you to the office of elder of this local church?

Are you satisfied that this is God’s time for you to assume this office?

Are you committed, before God and these people, to fulfill this office in a manner pleasing to God?

As an acknowledgment of God’s call on our new elder's life and a pledge of our support to him as a Body in this calling, I want the members of this church, together with any family and guests who choose to participate in asking God’s special blessing and anointing on this man, to come and join myself and the other elders and our wives in laying hands on this couple, ordaining him to the office of elder.

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September 1, 1991