Scripture referenced 22 passages
The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
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1 Timothy 4:6 being trained in the words of the faith and good doctrine as foundation for being a good servant of Christ Jesus
6 If you instruct the brothers of these things, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished in the words of the faith, and of the good doctrine which you have followed.
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Keep this verse
1 Timothy 1:15
this saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
15 The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
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1 Timothy 4:7
have nothing to do with irreverent silly myths but train yourself for godliness
7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables. Exercise yourself toward godliness.
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1 Timothy 4:8
bodily training is of some value but godliness holds promise for the present life and the life to come
8 For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value in all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.
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1 Timothy 4:9
this saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, applied to the value of godliness
9 This saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance.
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1 Timothy 4:10
we toil and strive because our hope is set on the living God who is the savior of all people especially those who believe
10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we have set our trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
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1 Timothy 4:11-13
command and teach these things, let no one despise your youth, devote yourself to public reading of scripture exhortation and teaching
11 Command and teach these things.
12 Let no man despise your youth; but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.
13 Until I come, pay attention to reading, to exhortation, and to teaching.
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1 Timothy 4:14-16
do not neglect your gift, practice these things, keep a close watch on yourself and the teaching to save yourself and your hearers
14 Don’t neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the elders.
15 Be diligent in these things. Give yourself wholly to them, that your progress may be revealed to all.
16 Pay attention to yourself, and to your teaching. Continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
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Acts 4:12
there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved
12 There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
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1 Timothy 2:5
one God and one mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus who gave himself as a ransom
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
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Ephesians 4:4-6
one body one spirit one Lord one faith one baptism one God and father of all
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all.
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John 14:6
I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the father except through me
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
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John 10:9
I am the door if anyone enters by me he will be saved
9 I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.
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John 10:10
I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly
10 The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.
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John 11:25
I am the resurrection and the life he who believes in me though he may die he shall live
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.
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John 8:12
I am the light of the world he who follows me will not walk in darkness
12 Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
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John 6:35
I am the bread of life who comes to me shall never hunger he who believes in me shall never thirst
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
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John 6:51
the living bread which came down from heaven if anyone eats of this he will live forever
51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
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John 3:36
he who believes in the son has everlasting life and he who does not believe shall not see life but the wrath of God rests upon him
36 One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
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John 16:33
in this world you will have trouble take heart I have overcome the world
33 I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”
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Hebrews 9:27
it is appointed once for man to die and then the judgment
27 Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,
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Recap
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
The pastor worked through 1 Timothy 4:6-16, Paul's personal charge to Timothy to hold fast to the content of the gospel and to let his conduct match it. He used the passage to address what he called the two most tempting heresies circulating today, the prosperity gospel and universalism, and he closed with a direct invitation for anyone who had never trusted Jesus to come forward.
What was said
Paul writes to Timothy as someone who already knows the scriptures, has followed good doctrine, and is living it out. The pastor pointed to the Greek word behind "trained" and pressed on it, saying the word implies discipline and purposeful exercise, not just passive reading. He compared it to physical training: you do not get stronger by sitting still, and you do not grow in godliness by simply knowing the right words.
The comparison to bodily training runs through the middle of the passage, and the pastor followed it carefully. Physical training is of some value, he said, and he meant it, pointing to stamina, life lessons from team sport, and the possibility that it extends your temporal life. But training in godliness holds promise for this life and for the life to come, and that is simply a different category. No amount of physical discipline gets you there.
The verse that says God "is the savior of all people, especially of those who believe" drew the most attention. The pastor said a reader looking for a way out of the missionary mandate can hang a universalist reading on those words, and he wanted to close that door. He used an illustration of a shipwreck: if one man on the island is a doctor, you can truthfully say he is the doctor of all, and especially of those who trust him. That does not mean everyone automatically receives treatment. The same logic applies to Jesus as the one and only savior. He then read a string of passages from the Gospels and Acts to show that the rest of scripture does not leave the question open.
From there he named what he sees as the two most popular heresies in circulation right now. The prosperity gospel, which he called hogwash, teaches that the Christian life will be easy and rich and healthy. Universalism, which he considers the more tempting one today, teaches that sin has no final consequence and that everyone will be saved regardless of whether they believe. He noted several versions of it, including inclusivism, annihilationism, and postmortem conversion, and said each one has the same practical effect: it removes the urgency to share the gospel and dulls the weight of sin.
He closed the body of the sermon with a quote from Al Mohler, working through a list of religious figures and what they might offer, and landing on the conclusion that if what we need is a savior, only Jesus will do. He then stepped off the platform, turned off his microphone, and offered to speak privately with anyone who had never trusted Jesus or who wanted to talk through any of it.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
- Paul tells Timothy that being trained in the words of the faith means more than just reading scripture. It implies a disciplined, purposeful approach. What does that kind of disciplined engagement with scripture actually look like in your daily life, and where do you find it hardest to maintain?
- The pastor drew a parallel between physical training and training in godliness. Bodily training is of some value, but godliness holds promise for this life and the life to come. Where have you seen godliness pay off in a practical, everyday way, not just in eternity?
and 3 more questions in the guide
Read the full transcript 7,834 words
0:00
Good morning, everybody. How are you? That's not much of a response. Good morning, everybody. How are you?
0:07
On this Memorial Day weekend, tomorrow being Memorial Day. Would you stand up? We're going to start off not what's on the screen right here but we're going to start off with a hymn. Is that alright with you? Y'all all have your handbooks, right?
0:34
Hold on. There we go. She's going. There we go. Far from the peaceful shore.
0:40
Go ahead. Go ahead.
0:42
She's really deep in sin far from the peaceful shore deeply stained within love lifted me love lifted me love lifted me when nothing else could help ever his praises sing love so mighty and so true merits my soul's best songs faithful loving service due to you belong
3:29
Victory in Jesus. Hymn number three fifty three.
3:33
You sound so enthusiastic. Victory.
3:37
Victory. It's been a good week, No.
3:39
It's good that the summer's around and I tell you the good lord has been wonderful getting us ready. So, here we go. Alright.
3:47
I heard an old, old story how savior came from glory, how he gave his life on Calvary to save a wrecks like me I heard about his groaning of his precious blood atoning Then I repented of my sins and won the victory. Amen. Oh, victory in Jesus, my savior forever. He sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood. He loved me ever.
4:35
I knew him and all my love is due him. He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood. I heard about his healing, all his cleansing power revealing, how he made the lame to walk again and caused the blind to see. And then I cried, dear Jesus, come and heal my broken spirit. And somehow Jesus came and brought to me the victory.
5:19
Oh, victory in Jesus, my savior forever. He sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood. He loved me ever. I knew him, and all my love is due him. He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing blood.
5:51
I heard about a mansion he has built for me in glory. And I heard about the streets of gold beyond the crystal sea, about the angels singing and the old redemption story and some sweet day I'll sing up there a song of victory amen oh victory in Jesus my savior forever he sought me and bought me with his redeeming blood he loved me and to victory beneath the cleansing flood
6:53
y'all can have a seat. Got a few announcements this morning. We are taking the night off tomorrow night. It's Memorial Day and a lot of us are going to be together. We were gathered for the parade yesterday and a lot of Monday nighters are going to be with family.
7:07
So, we are taking tomorrow night off. Monday nights at first be not happening. I am planning on being here. If anybody seems to be coming by, didn't know about it, didn't get the word, then I'll be here and we'll have a miniature Monday night. I might take them to supper.
7:22
We don't know how that's gonna go. Me on music and a message is going to be a little different tomorrow. We will be off of our normal right there. Youth group is normally Tuesday night, 06:30 to eight. This week, the youth group is going to go to the bar Jay Chuckwagon to the fundraiser.
7:38
So yeah, we're taking youth. So if you have a student in your family and they want to go, we'll meet here before going there in the church van. But that's tomorrow night. Gates will open at 05:30, so that's a little early for youth group, but it's just right for the Bar J. Dinner will be at seven adults are $25.
7:55
Age 12 and under is $12 So this is a great event. It's been going on thirty something years. Nobody knows exactly how long. But would you come out? I'm asking you, would you come out?
8:07
It's a great, great time. The show is great and the cause is wonderful, and you all know that. And just so you know, they could use some extra help this year. We would love to be as much of a blessing as we can to Turning Point. So if you would, that's a good time.
8:22
Wanted, I'm gonna mention this again. Amnesty. Complete amnesty. No questions will be asked. If you bring back tables or chairs that belong to the church, bring them on in.
8:31
We won't ask any questions. We'll just be glad to have them back. You will get a side hug from Carl as a reward too. So we would like to have tables and chairs back. They have been trickling back in.
8:42
Some people under the cover of darkness, I think, but they're coming back. So June 3 and the tenth, it says dress up and bring a smile, and immediately dress up for church photo brings a lot of images into my mind. Dress how you dress, be who you are, come ready to have your picture took, though, okay? We're gonna take pictures next week and the next week, and we're gonna try to update the directory and our bulletin board down the hall. So if you would, we'll have three or four photographers next week, and you can have them take your picture.
9:11
If you don't like it, get somebody else to take it, send it to us, and that'll be fine. We'll put that one in there. So David Gilmore married Sarah, his new wife, and they're celebrating their marriage. They did the wedding down in California, but next week, down at Camp Creek from one in the afternoon to about five, it's just gonna be a gathering. If you'd like to go down and celebrate with them, the whole church is invited, a whole congregation to come down and celebrate their wedding.
9:38
Lunch will be provided, one to five next Sunday afternoon. Yes? David Gilmore is Diane and Steve Gilmore's son. A lot of you all know it's that guy right there in that picture. Sorry.
9:54
Sorry, I didn't mean to be a smarty pants with that, but there he's standing back there. Come on in, Dave. There he is. That's David Gilmore. Congratulations.
10:05
There you go. Here we go. Amanda McMullen. I'm going to invite her up forward. Amanda McMullen is interning with us this summer, and she has a communications project that she's working on.
10:18
Hi, everyone. I'm doing a history of First Baptist Church and all our history is in a box in the office and so, I'm putting it together in one area so everyone can look at it. If you have any information about the history of the church just contact me. I'll be in the office on Wednesday. You can get my number for me or something or email.
10:44
But if you have any stories about this church I'm going to put it all together so that this like you can just see God's glory through this church.
10:53
Amen. Thank you. That's wonderful. Oh, fantastic. Now, VBS, Vacation Bible School.
11:01
There was a meeting today between services. If you missed the meeting today because we said there was going to be one on the twenty ninth, which is Tuesday, come let me know, please. We just had the date wrong on that. So, Rolling River Rampage Vacation Bible School is happening June twenty fifth, twenty sixth, and twenty seventh. It's nine to twelve in the daytime.
11:19
If you can volunteer and you'd like to, please let me know afterwards or let Diane know. We'll get you in touch with Liz. Liz Owens, come show yourself too. Here here she is. That's Liz Owens.
11:28
If you'd like to volunteer for it, you can talk to Liz, and she'll tell you more about it. But that's going be fun. Rolling River Rampage is the theme this year. And it is Memorial Day tomorrow. Tomorrow is Memorial Day, but this is the weekend.
11:41
And we did not plan a particularly patriotic service today. I'm going forward in scripture right where we were, and the song service is not exactly I wanna stop for a minute and just say, my dad was a a vet, Vietnam vet. And he did not go in, sign up. He even tells a story of having when he was standing in line at the draft, they were signing people up, hey, come on in. You can sign up, and you won't go in the Marines.
12:04
Come on. We'll promise you that. And they said, but it was twice as long. He said, I'm going do my service to my country for sure. And he didn't talk about it much when I was a child.
12:14
A little bit here and there, a story here and there. But he would usually remember people. He'd say there was a guy that carried a guitar, or there was a guy who had a 10 speed bicycle. Nobody knows where he got this 10 speed bicycle in the jungle of Vietnam, and he carried it with him. He jumped out of bomb craters.
12:31
And those were the kind of stories that I heard. You know, he would use those as ramps. Those were the kind of stories I heard when I was little. And then the older I got and it got to be more appropriate, he had some other stories. And then he still has stories that he doesn't talk about with me, but he gets together one time a year with his buddies.
12:45
And when they're together, they talk about the people that they lost. And so if you served if you've ever served in the military, would you stand? Would you mind standing up, please? Thank you. Thank you.
13:04
And I I know Memorial Day is not the same as Veterans Day. Veterans Day, y'all are veterans, and I know that. Memorial Day is about the people who have fallen, that we've lost. But y'all are the ones who know those people and knew them and were right next to. So, just wanted to say, would y'all pray with me?
13:21
God, I thank you for the country that we live in. I thank you for the great experiment, the great idea that got this started that we should be free and so for those lord who've given their lives at the cost of the rest of us being free, I I just pray that you would bless their families with peace and comfort, a sense of the best kind of patriotism. Lord, I I do pray that everyone of those who has served that has lost a buddy, a friend, that you would comfort them today and that you would increase within all of us our appreciation for the sacrifice that have been made. In Jesus name, lord, I ask that you bless this country where we can speak from any side of the political spectrum because we have freedom that was secured by those. In Jesus name, lord, we ask for you to bless and continue shedding your grace upon this great land.
14:23
Jesus name, amen. Alright. Now, now that I'm crying, I'll try to recover while y'all stand up and greet one another. If you didn't get a bulletin on the way in, grab one on the way out because there are prayer quests in there.
14:58
Thank you very much. How are you? And thank you for serving too.
16:33
Why should the shadows come? Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home? When Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is he his eyes on the sparrow and I know he watches me his eyes on the sparrow and I know he watches me I sing because I'm happy I sing because I'm free
17:20
for his eyes on the sparrow
17:25
and I know he watches me
18:24
for his eyes on the
18:27
sparrow and I know he watches me on the land wherever I am tempted whenever clouds arise when song gives place to sighing when hope within me dies I draw the closer to him from care he sets me free his eyes on the sparrow and I know he watches me his eyes on the sparrow and I know he watches me I sing because I'm happy. I sing because I'm free. His eyes on the spatrow, and I know he watches Amen.
19:42
That's got good words to it. Did you notice that?
19:44
The the top of the page says, comfort and encouragement. That's a great thing. Uh-huh. To be known for comfort and encouragement. The greatest thing, prayer and devotion, this one says.
19:56
Knowing, loving, and serving.
21:19
Greatest thing in all my life is serving you greatest thing in all my life I
21:58
get the front line team. Y'all can have a seat. Can I get the front line team to come forward your special next time? Would you all pray with me? God, I do thank you for this Memorial Day weekend and it's so good to gather and to be together and to feel the warmth of the sun and the parade that was going by and the celebration that was going on and I I truly do want to celebrate lord this good life that you have given here and God I pray that we recognize our resources as being from you, for you, lord, and that right now, we would take the time to give back to you and advance of your good gospel that you would that you would advance your church, that you would build your church, Jesus like you said that you would, that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church.
22:54
So, God, I pray that through this little local church right now, you would receive and bless and multiply the gifts to do your will and your way to the ends of the earth. In Jesus name, lord, would you bless this offering that we're about to give. Amen.
24:09
And I found his promises are true he said everything he said that he would be the finest words I know could not begin to tell just how much Jesus really means to me wonderful that my mind can conceive is more wonderful than my heart can believe he's everything that my soul ever longed for everything is promised and so much more more than amazing and more than marvelous is to me I stand amazed to think the king of glory would come to live within the heart of man I marvel just to for he is more wonderful than my mind can conceive he's more wonderful than my heart can believe. He goes beyond my highest hopes and fondest dreams. He's everything that my soul have longed for. Everything is promised and so much more more than amazing more than marvelous
28:33
we're going forward and last week, I was in four one through five. We're just going to keep on going forward in scripture. This time, this is a very personal note from Paul to Timothy. It's for all of us. I think it's for all of our benefit and all of our good.
28:48
It was a letter that was written to him at the church at Ephesus. You know, Paul's true son in the faith. He had a great affinity for Timothy and he knew that Timothy had been raised up by his grandmother and his mother to believe the scriptures. He knew the scriptures. He put him into practice in his everyday life.
29:07
He was well spoken and he was able to do the job and this is an encouragement to Timothy to do the job, to do the job. He outlines it right here. He says, if you put these things before the brothers and sisters, I might add, Adelphoi in Greek means brothers but it also means brothers and sisters much the same way as in Spanish. If you use a male term for a mixed group unless it is limited by context and it is several times in Timothy but right here, it's not. So, if you put before the brothers and sisters, Timothy, if you put these things before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus.
29:47
How's he going to be a good servant of Christ Jesus just by putting these things forward and he's talking about the scriptures, paying attention to him. In fact, the message of the cross is really what he's talking about. That to those who are perishing, it is foolishness and I know that but those are the ones who are perishing. They have lenses that are corrupted and they do not understand what's going on and it seems like foolishness. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us, who are being saved, it sound, it's a progressive verb there.
30:19
To those of us who are being saved, it is the very power of God. Romans also says that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe. Amen. So, if you put these things before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus and then, he wants to encourage him by saying, being trained in the words of the faith. That is the content of the gospel.
30:47
The words that are the foundation point of the Christian faith. The Messiah, Messiah, Messiah all the way through the Old Testament and Christ, the anointed one, New Testament. Being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine and he doesn't stop there, that you have actually followed. It's good. You read the words and you understand them.
31:09
You're able to process them well and you live it out. So, this is four six. He says, being trained in and trained is more than just being nourished by. Actually, some of your Bibles may have it translated as nourished by but being trained in the words of the faith implies discipline. It implies going forward and purposefully exercising this.
31:34
The words of the faith, knowing the content of the gospel. Gospel. It's very interesting when I first got here. Bob Wells found out that Tanya what read through the Bible. Is Tanya here?
31:44
I want to embarrass her. Tanya in the fifth grade read through the whole Bible. She thought that everybody else had read it by that time already. So, she read the whole Bible through and God saved her sitting on a porch by reading the Bible. You know what I mean?
31:58
Just that's great but she didn't have somebody share it with her that she really can point to but she read it and Bob Wells when he heard that he goes, what exactly? What was the part? Where was it? I want to hear it. I want to reduce the momentum.
32:12
I want to know exactly what the content of the gospel, where it was, and it was in the New Testament when she was introduced to this Messiah that she'd been reading about about for the whole Old Testament. Being trained in the words of the faith implies more of a systematic or a disciplined approach but also of good doctrine because we don't always understand what it is that we really do it and when scripture sometimes it gets confusing, that's true but good doctrine is sound. It takes into account things that are in the pre this passage, the context of this passage, where it was, who was it, that was receiving it, and also the rest of the Bible. So, not just good doctrine but he says, Timothy, you in particular, you have followed this good doctrine. You know it, you got good theology, and you've got good practice.
32:58
You're saved and you are being sanctified process. He taught, he mentions his progress a little later on. He says, have nothing to do with silly myths. So, this is a don't for Timmy, for Timothy, right? Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths.
33:12
He's already said in chapter one that there were certain persons who were teaching and arguing on and on about endless genealogy and they were teaching myths or fables. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths, and then the counter side of that is but rather train yourself for godliness. Train yourself for godliness and the training there is a disciplined approach. It is exercising this godliness. Train yourself for godliness.
33:42
For while bodily training is of some value, Thank you, Conway. I appreciate it. For while bodily training is of some value and it is of some value. He says, godliness is of value in every way. As it holds promise for the present life but also for the life to come.
34:02
Now, in the first service when I said something about bodily training, I got a little bit of a chuckle there because I have not really done a whole lot of bodily training lately, Maybe. I don't know. They might have been laughing at themselves. I'm not sure. Bodily training, would we all agree, is of some value.
34:21
It is. If you eat right and you discipline yourself to exercise daily, even if they say for only twenty minutes a day. If you get in the habit of walking snow king, your favorite activity, right? If you get in the habit of doing Jesse's Ridge or push ups or sit ups, then, it's bodily training. It's good for you.
34:40
It will help you in some ways. In fact, physical training will help you. It's temporally. It's good. It's of some value.
34:47
It teaches life lessons. Were you ever part of a team where you had to run? Well, I was part of a team where we had to run till we threw up. I hated it at the time but I was in the best shape of my life. True.
34:59
Basketball coach did that. It also taught me life lessons for how to deal with other people. When they fell down on their job or when they excelled, how to celebrate, how to lose, all of that. It teaches life lessons, bodily exercises of some value. Paul uses athletic exercises, athletic illustrations often.
35:18
You know, as a runner, running for the crown. It also increases your strength, your ability to do. If you just sit and do nothing for a while, you will lose your muscle tone, right? It increases your strength. It increases your stamina.
35:34
Whereas the first time up Snow King each summer, you might make it up and you think, I don't think I'm going go make it to the first switchback. But if you could persist and you keep doing it, you'll be getting to the top in less and less time all summer long. Thank you. Stamina and it also may extend this temporal life. I say may because we're not promised tomorrow and just like driving a car, if you're driving a car down the highway, you can be the best driver in the world, following the speed limit, all the posted signs, and then, somebody can ski where they're not supposed to ski on the pass and an avalanche can seriously take you out, really?
36:11
And you didn't do anything wrong yet. So, your healthy lifestyle, it may extend your temporal life but training in godliness is of it's valuable in every way. It holds promise for now because godliness now gives you a platform to speak into other lives, the truth of God. Godliness now also lets you realize the limits of your humanity now and you will go forward if you're going forward and training in godliness, you will recognize your lack and your need of a savior and a sanctifier, someone to help. It holds promise for the temporal.
36:51
It's good in this life and for the eternal, the incorruptible hope that Peter points us to in heaven. The mansion that we sang about. Although the Bible says room by the way. Yeah. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance.
37:07
Now, that we have seen that sentence once already and it was in the first chapter. First chapter 15, he says, this saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. He follows it up with of whom I am the foremost. That's a statement of humility right after a statement of utter confidence in the savior that God has provided. So, this saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance.
37:33
It says that right here in nine right after this, godliness is of value in every way as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. It says it right there. It's grammatically possible that it points backwards. It's also grammatically possible that it points forward. So I believe that it's saying this because this saying is like a quip or an idiom.
37:54
This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. The first time he says it is Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Now, the second time that he says this is is in chapter two. He says it again in this fourth chapter here and I think what he's saying is godliness is of value in every way. If as you're going through your normal walk a day life, you're going and you hit a place of temptation, let's say, and you say, jelly donut.
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Alright? Bodily training again for me. Okay? Gluten filled jelly donut. Alright?
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Is this the right path or is this the right path? Well, obviously, I know this is not the right path, but I still won't. Do I go for it? You're going to hit the same thing. The bodily training is one thing but the training and godliness, we're going to hit other things that are sin, not just choice, right?
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But sin. I'm going to see that it would be easier for me to take this path and I would make more money, fame, power, prestige, whatever. If I took that path, I see it as being this way but it's wrong or I can see that this is right. Nobody's ever going to know but it's the right thing to do. Godliness is a value in every way.
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If I think godliness is a value in every way, it's not just for the temporal. It's not just for the now. It's for the forevermore. Then, godliness is every way. This thing is trustworthy and it is deserving of full acceptance.
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Are you with me? Okay. This saying is trustworthy, deserving of full acceptance. The next thing says, for to this end, we toil and we strive because we have hope, we have our hope set on the living God. So, grammatically, it's possible.
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It could point forward but there's nothing in there that looks like a quip to me. Nothing in there that looks like an idiom, not in English, not in Greek. Who is the savior of all people? Okay, that's looking like it could be and especially of those who believe and this service probably doesn't have as much trouble with this statement, this statement specifically as the first service might because our society has shifted to be more and more and more tolerant, religious tolerance, right? And so, for those of us who have grown up in the church and grown up in the scriptures and had it taught since the very beginning, you know that universalism.
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That's the next thing. Hold on a second. Right there. Universal salvation. You know in the rest of scripture that that's not a problem, right?
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That's not an issue. It's not a problem because there is one way to God. It is through Christ. There's no doubt about it if you know your Bible but if you see that and you're looking for a way to hang your hat on something that's a very convenient heresy. You might see all people and go, God's going to save everybody.
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That cuts out the missionary mandate. I don't really have to do anything now. God's a savior of all people especially those who believe. So, universal salvation is what people might say. Now, in this service, y'all might not, yes, so whoever came up with something like that?
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That's crazy but in that other service, the society around us is telling us that and there are preachers who have given way and caved in on this and they will say that salvation is either universal. Everybody gets it. Everybody, Hitler, everybody. Nobody gets damned or inclusivistic where if they feel like, well, there are a lot of people feel like, well, Hitler kind of deserves it or Idi Amin kind of deserves it or that great uncle I had that was so mean, kind of deserves it. Those people would go in instead of universalism, they'd say, inclusivism.
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Everybody who deserves heaven will get it and everybody who deserves hell will get it based on how they act to me because I'm the one who says. It's not. Universal salvation. When this verse says that we've set our hope on the living God who is the savior, capital S, unique, one, savior of all people. I want to tell you a story.
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So, there's a shipwreck. Bunch of people shipwrecked on an island. There's one guy on the island who is a doctor. He has a huge medical kit that was on the boat. He has everything that he needs and lots of it.
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Doctor. Bob is the only doctor on that island. Now, Doctor. Bob is the doctor of all. Do you agree?
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He's the doctor of all. He's the only doctor there. Okay? He's the doctor of all. Now, you can trust in his training.
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You can trust that he's got the medicine to help you. You can trust all of that. And you would be especially recognizing that Doctor Bob is the doctor and especially those who believe. Doctor Bob is the only doctor. You could say, I don't trust Doctor Bob and you will die because of whatever ailment, right?
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Doctor Bob is the doctor of all, especially those who believe. Universal salvation, no. Jesus is the savior, the unique only one. The rest of scripture affirms it. The way that this means, he is the savior of all.
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He is the one that will accept a sin. I remember after the election, this is the opposite of this, okay? But I remember after the election in November '16. So Trump wins. Blows everybody's mind because that was kind of forecast not to happen by a lot of people.
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And there became a hashtag. The hashtag on Twitter and everything else was not my president. Well, the truth of the matter is, if you are a US citizen, he's your president. By virtue of the fact that you're a US citizen, he's your president. You don't just get to be a child of God because you are a child.
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Does that make sense? Because you're a human being does not mean that you're a child of God. You must be born again. That's what the scripture bears out. For this end, we toil and we strive because we have set our hope on the living God.
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There are those who haven't. When he says we, he's saying we have. There are those who haven't. God is the savior of all. Everybody who gets saved, it will be through the blood of Jesus.
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There's no doubt about that. Especially those who believe. Here we go back forward. So, command, let me go backwards. Excuse me just a second y'all.
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So, I was saying, this saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. I still think that is that and I believe it's that. No doubt about it. Godliness is a value in every way and is as we go forward thinking about it and thinking, is this the good and godly thing? Is this what the Holy Spirit is prompting me to do?
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Is this what Jesus would have me do? Godliness is of value in every way. Here and in eternity. Okay, forward. So, command and teach these things.
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What things? Teach the content of the gospel and do it with your conduct too. Being trained in the words of faith and of good doctrine that you have followed. It makes a difference. Let no one despise you, Timothy, for your youth.
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Now, Timothy was probably late twenties to late thirties, somewhere in that range. It's hard to tell exactly but when he goes into a church that Paul had planted several years before, there were adults there already. Timothy would have been young amongst the elders And so he's saying, don't let him get on to you and act like you're just a young whippersnapper. You've got this, Timothy. You know this, alright?
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Set for the believers an example in speech. Use your words. Use your words. Choose your words and use your words. He's already quoted a song to him.
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He's already lifted Christ up and he says, let everything you do. Glorify God in speech, in conduct, the way you live out your life, in love. Don't separate yourself away from someone in hate. Love, even your enemies, your opponents. He has opponents.
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He has certain persons he calls false teachers and those are opponents not just of Timothy but of the gospel and he's saying, have love for them. Share with your words and your conduct and your faith. You've put your faith in Christ not in man. Will Christians disappoint you? From time to time, they will.
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Will Christ ever disappoint you? No. In faith and in purity, a lot of the problems that Ephesus apparently was having were from a conservative Jewish background group and a not so conservative, licentious group of folks from a pagan background. And as they gather together, there's gonna be some friction. Purity is required.
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Timothy was from a Greek background and a Jewish background. He was already a blend already. So, he's blending these two strains and he can speak to both sides and Paul is saying, you have that right. So, until I come, Timothy, until I get there, devote yourself to this, to the public reading of scripture. Y'all notice that we put up on the screen all of the scripture.
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I try to put it up just about everyone that I read, not all but almost everyone I read. I want you to see that it's coming from somewhere else. It's not just me. It's not something I made up. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of scripture and the exhortation which is some of your versions would say preaching.
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It's proclaiming it with intent. It's proclaiming it with the intent, the agenda of the Bible becomes the agenda to bring people into the family of God and teaching it. So, it's taking it, looking at it, studying it, breaking it down, and then presenting it in a way that people can understand. I hope that I do that. That's my goal.
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That was Tim's Timmy's goal, Timothy's goal when Paul gave it to him. He says, don't neglect the gift you have. Well, which gift is he talking about? I I think he's talking about that. The fact that he is the one who has the platform to publicly read scripture and to preach and to teach.
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That's part of it. The other part of it is this. He is the guy when the council of elders laid their hands on you, Timothy, when they laid their hands on you and said, you're the guy that's going to be doing this? That was the seal of approval. We believe that God has gifted you in such a way as to lead this church at this time.
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So, for me this week as I was studying the past couple of weeks about this, I was thinking, this is one that's really comforting for me in a way but it's also really convicting because I have to keep it in the scripture for it to matter. It can't just be opinion. It can't just be story. I've probably given less stories than Timothy for that very reason because I'm convicted a little bit that everything I I say needs to be scriptural. Practice these things.
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Practice em. Keep it up, Timothy. Immerse yourself in em. Literally, it says, be here. Abide in these things.
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Both the content of the gospel and the conduct of your life. Immerse yourself in them. Immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress. So, Timothy is a man and he has a life. Is he perfect?
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He was not Christ but he was a Christian and if he submits his will and that's what Paul is asking him to do rather than get hung up in the irrelevant, silly myths, rather than get hung up in the endless genealogies, he says, practice this life. Immerse yourself in it so that all may see your progress because arguing just leads to more arguing but living a conscious life, conscious of your savior, and allowing him to sanctify you works. So, he closes with this. This the last verse we're studying today. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching.
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Does that make sense? Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this. He says it again. Persevere.
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Keep going forward. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching, both the conduct and the content. For by so doing, you will save both yourself and your hearers. It is about salvation. As a matter of fact, when I see this verse and I see that it mentions the teaching and on yourself, I think of this, keep a close watch on your conduct and on your content.
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Your conduct and your content. What's interesting, this is the last verse. The first verse we studied says this, if you put these things before, you'll be a good servant of Christ Jesus. Being trained in the words of the faiths and the good doctrine. It's the other.
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It's the opposite direction. Your content is first, your conduct is next. You see that conduct, content, conduct, content, content, conduct. Confusing myself now. Being trained in.
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Anyway, when I see that as a student of the word and I see that there are two things that mirror each other at the beginning of a passage and at the end of a passage, What that usually means is that there is a chastic structure points back to the middle, right? Dead center in the middle and if you look at that, that's what you get. We have our hope set on the living God. He is not like any other small G gods. He is not anything like any other spiritual being.
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We have set our hope on the living God who is the savior of all people just like Doctor Bob was Doctor of all, right? Especially of those who trust in him. Once you've trusted in him, he's yours. You got him. We'll tip the hat right there and say, those who believe, it's those who are believing.
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So, that could be important to you too but he says, command and teach these things. Command and teach these things. What things? The hope of the living God. The hope for salvation.
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Now, I read this and I also read until I come devote yourself to the public reading of scripture, the exhortation, and the teaching. I mentioned the universality or universal salvation because every time I ever mention the prosperity gospel, I always say it's hogwash. Prosperity gospel is hogwash. It's heresy. Don't go there.
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Don't fall for that. Jesus said in this world, you'll have trouble. Take heart. I've overcome the world. So, there is trial, there's trouble, there's tribulation, there's lamentation, there's all of that.
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Christian life's not necessarily going to be easy, not necessarily going be rich, you're not necessarily going to be healthy but you can still go forward. The most popular heresy today, I think is prosperity gospel. The next most popular and the most tempting one is universalism. Universalism removes all necessary missionary mandate because everybody's going to get saved. What's it matter?
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What it's really saying is sin doesn't matter at all. Sin doesn't matter to God. He's going to save everybody no matter what. Even if they reject him outright and that's just not ure. So, here, I have a list.
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I'm going to publicly read scripture, okay? Nor is there salvation in any other. Acts four twelve, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Jesus is it. For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom.
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For there's one body and one spirit, one lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and father of all who's above all is through all and he's in you all. He's speaking to Christians right there, okay? I'm the way, the truth, and the life, Jesus said. No one comes to the father except through me. I am the door.
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If anyone enters by me, he will be saved. When he says he will be saved, does that say that he is in peril? Does it? He's, yeah. He stands in peril under the wrath of God until he comes to the unique and only way of salvation.
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If he comes and enters by me, he will be saved and he will go in and find pasture. I've come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly and Jesus said to her, Mary Martha Martha after Lazarus had died. I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. Jesus spoke to them again.
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I'm the light of the world. He who follows after me will not walk in darkness but have the light of life. I'm the bread of life who comes to me shall never hunger. For he who believes in me shall never thirst. The living bread which came down from heaven, if anyone eats of this, he will live forever.
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It goes on and on. He who believes in the son has everlasting life and he who does not believe in the son shall not see that life but the wrath of God rests upon him. I am a mercy guy. I'll I'll preach a hard message every time it comes up in scripture. It was a little bit oblique in this one.
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I wanted to present it because it said, oh, I didn't want anybody to jump to universalistic tendencies. But there are two eternal destinations. One of them is heaven and the other is hell. Had a guy this morning that said, heaven requires preregistration. Universalism or inclusivism teaches depending on your brand of it that all go in no matter what or that all the good people go in or in some cases, it teaches there's no hell whatsoever.
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There's no torment even though Jesus spoke of it quite a bit. There's no everlasting torment that people are just instantly annihilated. That's annihilationism. Crazy? Not scriptural?
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But it's convenient. It takes the missionary burden off of us. It takes our conduct down a notch because sin doesn't really matter. There's another brand of it called post postmortem conversion after death conversion and there are couple of rather large offshoot cults that believe in postmortem conversion and that's just not scriptural. It's not in there.
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It's appointed once for man to die and then the judgment. That's it. It's unpopular but it is still true. Paul says to Timothy and I I take that. He's saying it to me too to persist in this.
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The truth of the scripture shared lovingly and carefully each week. I have one more quote for you. This is Al Moeller. Al Moeller, I like him. He's he's quotable.
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He's a great thinker and a great speaker too. If all we need is a teacher of enlightenment, the Buddha will do. If all we need is a collection of gods for every occasion and need and hope, then Hinduism will do. If all we need is a tribal deity, then any tribal deity will do. If all we need is a law giver, then Moses will do.
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If all we need is a set of rules and a way of devotion, then Muhammad or Joseph Smith will do. If all we need is inspiration and insight into the sovereign self for crying out loud, Oprah will do. But if we need a savior only Jesus will do. He is the tie that binds. Judy, would you come forward?
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And I don't always give an invitation. In fact, I hardly ever do. I I am from the South. I'm from Georgia, Southern Baptist. We give an invitation.
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It doesn't matter if the hymn, if the sermon is about tithing. We still give an invitation at the end, alright? It's always the way that it is. I'm going to actually step down and off the platform. I'm going to turn my microphone off if you come forward but if you want to come forward and talk about this, say, I've never trusted in Jesus before and I know that I haven't.
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I've been faking my way through it because it's really not that hard to look like a Christian. The way Christians live. But I want Jesus in my heart. If you come down forward, I'll turn the microphone off and we can talk about it or you can meet me in my office later on in the week. Alright?
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Would y'all stand and we're to sing Blessed Be the Tithe that binds. Scott, would you come on up? In Jesus name, I ask the blessing on this church, lord, that we would be a reflection of you, that we would reflect the light of Jesus upon every life that we encounter this week. Not that we would receive any kind of glory, lord, but that you would receive the recognition of knowing that you are the one and only savior and lord, would we be gracious in our conduct towards them and loving and faithful and pure and bringing souls into your kingdom. In Jesus name, would you keep your words on our lips?
1:00:04
Amen.
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