Review of 1Timothy 6

by Pastor Ayo Sparks

THE PRACTICALITY OF YOUR EARTHLY STATE AND STATUS EVEN AT NEWBIRTH

As we know, this has been Apostle Paul writing to Pastor Timothy concerning matters of doctrinal sanity, orderliness and administrative judiciousness in the church.

While the message of the church strictly remains the Gospel of salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus alone, there are certain practical relational aptitudes, attitudes and attributes a Leader must possess to serve effectively well. Also, there are certain practical guidelines and guidance each class and group of people in the church need implanted in to them to practically bring forth fruits as of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul has given counsels and instructions on what to look out for in individuals desiring any leadership position in the church, how to relate to the different types, classes and groups of people in the church and how to handle the matters touching the widows. In this chapter, Paul is counselling (so to speak) Timothy on how to indoctrinate those who were serving under masters, what to do with those who refuse to consent to the whole counsels of God, the rich and as many desiring worldly riches culminating in personal counsels to Timothy.

1Timothy 6: Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

It is normal for one to get highly intoxicated with the revelations of who you are in Christ. You can be so high that everything starts looking small to you: you feel like you can do and dare anything. If not well guided, you can suddenly become so drunk and braggadocios that you’re no longer in touch with reality. However, reality has a way of awakening the drunk! Then, you’ll discovered that you’ve not grown taller than you were or bigger than you were before you got drunk with the in-Christ revelations. Again, if not well guided, such a person might start doubting if the revelations of who we are in Christ are really appreciable and practicable or are mere fables. No matter who you are and in what state the gospel meets you, there are certain practical counsels or guidance you need to truly live the gospel life and manifest accordingly.

Before Jesus came, certainly, a lot had been bastardized under the influence of the power of darkness. Even the laws of God that, in its spiritual sense, was to instill discipline and introduce order amongst mankind, if faithfully kept until Christ would come, had been ignored and set aside.

Several works of darkness was rampant and prevailing. God’s plan and wishes for the creations and particularly the realm of humanity had been turned upside down and virtually everything turned contrary to God’s order and God’s will. Jesus Christ came to restore all things to realign with God’s original plan but, till He returns to reign, the preaching of the gospel will remain the only tool for the restoration of man back in line with God’s original plan and purpose.

Slavery, inspired by racism, hatred, quest for power and dominion over fellow human being, was in vogue before Jesus came and Christianity began. Many were slaves under one master or the other.

Yes, the gospel is all about freedom, and all that believe are equal partakers of the grace of God. That is an eternal spiritual truth and an impeachable eternal reality in which we revel daily, till the end of Time. However, for as long as we are still in the flesh and until life in the world to come, there are certain earthly realities we will have to either deal with or learn to cope with engaging the wisdom of God available to us. They are the reason why we need constantly fight the good fight of faith; why we often need the comfort of the Holy Spirit; need to be continually edified with the truth and continually bask in the reality of our eternal salvation in Christ, and continually be reassured of our eternal place in/with Christ.

For instance, that a slave under a master gets born again and becomes free does not automatically set him free from his duties and responsibilities to his earthly master. Rather, he is expected to exhibit godly characters which perhaps could minister repentance to the unbelieving master. Seeing that the believer’s lifestyle is the “Bible” the unbelievers read,  and the “gospel” they listen to, for a Christian slave to be exhibiting rebellious and dishonoring traits under the lordship of his unbelieving master (all because the master is yet an unbeliever) will tantamount to a misrepresentation of the Kingdom and the truth of the Gospel. If that should be the case, the unbelieving masters would not just blaspheme or speak again our faith but it could as well make the unbelieving masters serve as hindrance to their servants’ walk of faith. On the other hand, those who are privileged to have their masters also in the faith should not give less than their best. Paul warned against them having the mindset of “since we are all Brothers and Sisters in Christ and equal partakers of the grace of God” which could make them want to rebel in some way against or question the authority of their masters or see their masters as being cruel or unfair for using them for the same tasks as before they both embraced the faith.

You may not fully understand what this really entails until you as a believer employs other believers to work under you. They will naturally expect you to “be gracious” at their deliberate acts of irresponsibility and show inefficiency. “At least, a true Christian leader should be gracious” – that’s the mindset!

Paul warned against such mindset which could lead to abuse of privilege and despisal for authority. Timothy is being counselled to teach and exhort all servants should rather serve their master who are also believers the more because, it’s better to serve a believing master (one who’s a fellow partaker of Christ) than serving an unbelieving master (an infidel).

Paul addressed similar matter in his letter to the Corinthians, but that has to do with unbelieving husband versus a believing wife, and vice versa.

1Corinthians 7: And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.

For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

What Paul is saying, in the context of our chapter of review is that: If you receive salvation as a servant under an unbelieving master, stay there and serve faithfully. It doesn’t change who you are in Christ! If you are saved but your marriage partner is yet to be saved, don’t get out stay in that marriage exhibiting godly characters which are potent enough to lead your partner to repentance.

Question: Saved servants honoring their unbelieving masters …is this counsel in line with the gospel reality, or the Divine plan?

What we need to understand as believers in Christ is that, from the moment we receive Christ, we ourselves become servants (or slaves) of Christ. It is better to be slaves unto Christ than to remain slaves to sin and Satan! Hence, everything we do ought to be “as unto the Lord”, “for Christ’s sake” and “to the glory of God”!

Most of the times, servants are not to honour their unbelieving masters or wives submitting to their unchristianly husbands (considering how irrational, wicked and heartless the unregenerated mind could be) but they are to do that as unto the Lord, or for Christ’s sake and to the glory of God.

Why?

God is the One Who established all authority and He Himself has great respect for authority so much that He will not act on Earth without man’s permission (faith partnership) since He’s given the Earth to Adam.

Our place, status and authority in Christ is a spiritual reality which does not automatically negate, oppose or invalidate the authority that God has given to man on earth, till the end of this age. So, submission to authority at whatever level is (as must always be) as into the Lord, and to the glory of God particularly when those in authority are undeserving of honour due to their ungodly acts. God has a way of rewarding us for whatever we do as into Him, for His name’s sake and to His glory – including giving honour to whom it’s due!

Romans 13: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation

HOW TO PERSONALLY MAINTAIN DOCTRINAL SANITY

1Timothy 6: If any man TEACH OTHERWISE, and CONSENT NOT to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;

He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF.

Doctrinally speaking, the challenge the body of Christ has been faced with is not just those who teach contrary to the truth but as well those who select what truth to agree with. We can’t know God as supreme and confess Jesus as our Lord while we still wrestle with the truth presented to us in line with His words.

When the flesh is permitted to rule, there’ll naturally be a reaction against any scriptural truth that doesn’t massage our human ego, romance our emotions or feeling and pamper our personal experiences or ambitions.

If everything was right with the creations, Jesus would not need to have come, and if all were to be well with us we would not need Jesus for anything. Since we need and we will always need Jesus, it is important that we train our minds to humbly receive and consent to the truth rooted in His words at all times, if we must ever experience His salvation in any area of our lives.

Pride is the reason why a mortal will refute the truth because it does not rhyme with his sentiments or it does not conform to his life experiences. That on its own is questioning the supremacy of God and the Lordship of Christ concerning the subject matter, posing to know better while he actually knows nothing.

Anywhere the truth is being refuted due to pride, untoward questionings, ‘strifes of words, envy, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings’ and such as enumerated in the verses above are to be watched out for.

In order to maintain sanity of his mind and the sanctity of his faith, and in order not to be distracted or discouraged, Timothy was advised to have no relationship with those who teach contrary to the gospel of Christ and those who do not (for whatever reasons) consent or agree to the wholesome words (which are) the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are likewise advised too to do so even as we deliberate learn to yield to the truth at all times.

The truth will not always support our human notion or assumptions neither will it ever serve as a tool of defense for any form of ungodliness. For instance, those who see the gospel of Christ as a lucrative commodity to market for material gains will always fight the truth whenever they’re faced with it.

Godliness, or, the truth about God, Christ, His purpose and the faith we confess will not always support or conform to our own individual ideology. We are the ones to bend to accept the truth at all times. By so doing, we acknowledge the supremacy of God and the Lordship of Christ over all things, in words and in deeds!

AN ADMONITION TO PRIORITIZE THE ETERNAL OVER THE MATERIAL

1Timothy 6:9-10 But if it’s only money these leaders are after, they’ll self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.

11-12 But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses. (THE MESSAGE BIBLE)

The worth of our salvation in Christ Jesus cannot be materially quantified or estimated. That is the more reason we are been admonished to prioritize the pursuit of eternity over that of material gains. Knowing that money is a god itself and it seeks to be served, the love of it will cause our love for God to dwindle if not ultimately to die!

The demands of/for material acquisitions and accumulation are not without facing many temptations.

Just as Satan tempted Jesus to bow to him in other for the kingdom and the glory of this world to be handed over, we are daily been faced with the same version of temptation in different dimensions. In our quest and pursuit of material achievements, we often come to that point where we either compromise our stand for the truth or lose out on some juicy opportunities!

1Timothy 6: but they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and

pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

When material gain is the sole motivation for a man’s daily pursuits in this world under Satan, it become very easy to fall into temptations. Everything of the devil is deceitful and so also is money. It draws your attention to itself, seeking to be worshiped. You will always be presented with several opportunities to make it big. But, when it doesn’t work out as you thought, a wound is created in your heart that it will take only God to heal! There will be heartbreaks, dejection, and depression. There’ll be no rest – such as only Christ brings to our souls!

Until you turn to what really matters, you may end up serving money while losing guard on your faith without suspecting. For instance, the moment you start consenting to “See, this is business. Leave God or the Bible out of this”, you’re obviously gradually slipping off!

However, poverty is not spirituality neither is prosperity the signature on genuine salvation. In our daily quests for results, we are to embrace godliness with contentment over and above all. In other words, we should not be desperate to get anything so much that we can do anything, give anything and go to any length. Every effort we make with faith in God is bound to generate some level of good results which we are to be contented with while we keep launching out for the next, without compromising our faith for material rewards.

One who embraces godliness with contentment has more than one whose life is buried in the desperate pursuit of mundane materiality. Why? He enjoys rest which is not available to the desperados!

We are to always remember that no matter the volume of one’s material achievements, it will not last beyond one’s span of existence here on earth. That is why the rich amongst us are admonished to wisely invest their earthly treasure to secure a good reward for themselves in the world to come. Wealth entrusted to a believer is an error, except it is channeled towards doing good.

1Timothy 6: Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;

Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Timothy is again being encouraged to be faithful to the Gospel which is God’s greatest treasure in out trust till date.

1Timothy 6: O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen

Why is all of Paul’s counsels worth embracing? Despite him having an apostolic authority and oversight over the church on the behalf of Christ, he affirms he charges, commands, counsels or instructs conscious of and as though one standing before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, in strict consonance with the revelation of Jesus Christ (as the only Potentate, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the invisible and immortal Being) and the testimony of Himself before Pilates.

1Timothy 6: I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Without controversy, all of Paul’s counsels are worth consenting and adhering to, for they are the proclamations of the whole counsel of God. Therefore, as he charged Timothy to abide by his instructions and commands till Jesus returns, so are we likewise enjoined!

Acts 20: 26 wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.28 Take heed therefore…