In order to have a good understanding of the message today, let’s review this letter beginning in chapter 1, verse 3 with the –

B.       Charges to Timothy                 1 Timothy 1:3 – 6:21a

Once Timothy knew the presence of God providing him with grace, mercy, and peace from the Lord Jesus Christ, Timothy had to make a –

    1.   Commitment to right Doctrine                             

          The instructions were given in chapter 1:3-20

Paul then began to instruct Timothy in the –

    2.  Conduct of the church.  1 Timothy 2:1-3:16

We learned along with Timothy about –

      a.  Prayer,  (Supplications, prayers, and intercessions with thanksgiving) and about those to be prayed for: the –

      b.  People   (Leaders and nations)

      c.   The Purpose  for praying and especially for those listed is to help us carry out the commandments of God in –

        1).  Peace

        2).  Pleasing unto God  –  1 Timothy 2:3,4

We learned that when our desire is the same as the Lord’s desire, and seek the salvation of all men, we will find that it is –

        3).  Profitable to reason in atmosphere of peace –  1 Timothy 2:5,6

        4).  Proclaimed unto all the world –  1 Timothy 2:7 

              To carry out these commands, we were instructed in the  –

    d.  Practical actions of the believer as given in 1 Timothy 2:8-15

We must learn –

          a).  The Responsibility of men in submission to the Lord

And we must learn –

          b).  The Role of women in submission to the Lord

We were reminded that we are not saved by our actions, such as public prayer and praise, having children, or any other thing we do?  We are saved by faith, trusting in God through His Son Jesus Christ – the death, burial, and resurrection that all men might be saved.

That which Paul stated here is how believers, praying that we might lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty, live in submission and obedience, willingly and happily unto the Lord and is both an encouragement to the saved and a warning to the unsaved!

A man or woman who say that they will trust God for salvation, but will trust in themselves how they will live their lives, is not a saved person.

A man that says that he does not have to live a holy life, or have a public testimony for the Lord, does not need to pray, does not need to be kind to others, had better examine his salvation!

A woman that says she will be married, but will not submit to her husband’s leadership, does not have to help him accomplish God’s will for his life, will go to church when she chooses and does not have to listen to the men because she knows more than they do, had better examine her salvation.

Anyone that states “I will accept your salvation, but I will do what I want when I want”, is not saved!

This is not be judgmental, this is being honest –

Matthew 7:20-21  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Paul continued to teach us about the conduct of the church by making sure that we understand the –

      e.   Positions of those that serve                1 Timothy 3:1-13

The qualifications of those who would be pastors or deacons.

Today we will complete this chapter by learning of the believer’s expected –

      f. Performance                        1 Timothy 3:14-16

Paul took a brief intermission in the letter to exhort and encourage Timothy to consider the things he had read and to exalt the Lord, reminding us that He is Worthy of all of our love, all of our attention, and all of our obedience.  We begin with Paul’s –

        1).  Personal note

1 Timothy 3:14  These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:

Paul reminded Timothy of the responsibility given to him that the work was to be carried out as if Paul were standing at his side.

          a).  The written word represents authority.

Paul often wrote to those to whom he could not speak with face to face.  He expected the same respect for his authority whether the words were spoken or written.         

2 Corinthians 13:2  I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

          b).  The written word sets forth instructions to be obeyed.

2 Thessalonians 3:13-15  But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

These authoritative instructions have been given with a –

        2).  Promise

1 Timothy 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

If Timothy would practice what was written to him, he could teach the saints and they would please God by being as Paul wrote in –

Philippians 2:15-16  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life….

Every one of us represent the Lord to the world –

2 Corinthians 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

We are among this world representing –

          a).  His Children   “…the house of God…”

          b).  His Church   “…the church of the Living God…”

          c).  His Character   “…the pillar and ground of the truth.”

Colossians 1:10-19  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

As we think on these things we are lifted up to –

        3).  Praise

1 Timothy 3:16  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Without question, Jesus Christ is the source and strength of Godliness in His saints

Colossians 2:2-3  That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:9-10  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

          a).  “…God was manifest in the flesh…” 

John 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

          b).  “… justified in the Spirit…”

1 Peter 1:10-12  Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

          c).  “… seen of angels…”

They attended His birth, His temptation in the wilderness, His Prayer in the garden, His resurrection, His ascension!

          d).  “…preached unto the Gentiles…” In Samaria, in Tyre and Sidon, in the Decapolis during His ministry in Israel.

          e).  “…believed on in the world…”  Peter testified

Matthew 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

          f).  “… received up into glory…”  His ascension to His throne at the right hand of the Father.

We see in this letter the performance of the will of God is through His power and to His glory!  Are you carrying out His will in your life today? 

Can you praise Him and cry out from a pure heart –

“Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”

If you cannot praise Him this morning, will you pray to Him and ask Him to restore to you the joy of your salvation?

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Will you call upon Him now in praise or in prayer now?