KEEPING HOLD OF THE DEEP TRUTHS OF THE FAITH
(I Tim. 3:9)
OVERVIEW OF I TIMOTHY 1:1-20 to 3:13
1:1-2 – Overview of Christian Faith based on names for God and the blessings He bestows on His people.
1:3-4a False teaching in Ephesus and how humanistic philosophy effects us today.
1:4b-6 – The goal of the command is love. (Loving God, fellow Christians, the non-Christian world)
1:7-8 – The law is good if used properly. (The law’s deterrent, punitive and educative purposes)
1:8-11 – “Whatever else …” The Gospel Ethic. (Law-Philia University)
1:11 – Our Relationship with “The Blessed God.” (Causing God pain or joy)
1:12-16 Why Paul considered himself the worst of sinners.
1:12-16 Conversion of the apostle Paul.
1:12-16 Paul’s call to ministry.
1:17 Paul’s doxology of praise for his conversion.
1:18-20 How to avoid shipwrecking our faith.
2:1-3 The Christian is to pray for all men.
2:4,6 Comparison of Calvinism & Armenianism.
2:5-6 The man, Christ Jesus, the only mediator.
2:1-7 The vision, the message, the means.
2:8-15 Treatment of women in the ancient world, the early church and the Bible.
2:8-15 Three key hermeneutic principles to follow when studying the Bible.
2:8 Praying Men with Peaceful Hearts
2:9-10 A First-Century Christian Woman’s Dress and Deeds
2:11-12 Does Submission Demand Silence?
2:13-15 Paul’s Logic for Requiring Women to Be Silent in The Ephesian House Churches.
3:1 Why Aspiring to Church Leadership Can Be a Good Thing.
3:2 Spiritual Gifting Required of an Ephesian Elder – Teaching
3:2 Spiritual Gifting Required of an Ephesian Elder – Hospitality
3:4-5 Spiritual Gifting Required of an Ephesian Elder –Leadership
3:2-7 Ethical Demands of the NT and the Ethics Tests for Elders
3:2-7 Ethical Qualities Required of an Ephesian Elder
3:9 Keeping Hold of the Deep Truths of the Faith
8Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.
9They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.
10They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
11In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.
12A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well.
13Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.
I. DEFINING “DEACON”
QUESTION: What is the difference between “elder” and “deacon?”
1. Two offices are spelled out in the New Testament, that of elders (episkopi) and deacons (diakonos).
1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant (deacon) of the church in Cenchrea (Romans 16:1).
1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons (Phil. 1:1).
8Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. … 10They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. … 12A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well (I Tim. 3:8,10,12).
2. Many hold that the seven in Acts 6 were deacons but no where in the text are they called “deacons.” In fact the 7 apostolic helpers in Acts 6 are never called deacons in Scripture.
3. Distinguishing between elders and deacons:
“How these two groups (elders and deacons) are otherwise to be distinguished (apart from teaching) is simply not known to us. An appeal to Acts 6:1-6 is of no value, since those men are not called deacons. In fact they are clearly ministers of the Word among Greek-speaking Jews, who eventually accrue the title “the Seven” (Acts 21:8), which distinguishes them in a way similar to “the Twelve.” Thus we are left with the almost certain reality that episkopoi and diakonoi are distinguishable functions the church, but without knowing what they were.” (Gordon Fee, 86)
“Since the diakonos was a waiter at table, and diakonein means to engage in service of a social kind, as we have already noted, it is understandable that the ‘deacons’ are thought to have specialized in practical administration and ministry, even if Acts 6 was not the historical origin of the diaconate. But the requirement of verses 9, that the deacons have a strong and steadfast grasp of the reveal faith, suggests that they were expected to teach it, which was the chief responsibility of the overseers. So then, rather than distinguishing deacons from overseers as social workers from teachers, it is perhaps better to think of the deacons as assisting the overseers in their ministry” (John Stott, 100).
II. DEFINING “THE DEEP TRUTHS” OF THE FAITH
They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience (I Tim. 3:9).
QUESTION: What do you think of as the “deep truths” of the faith?
The Greek word used for “deep truths” is musterion from which we get our word “mystery.”
“This translation somewhat veils the significant use of the word musterion, which is a common Pauline expression denoting, not what is beyond knowledge, but what, having been once hidden, is no revealed to those with spiritual discernment” (Guthrie, 96).
We think of a “mystery” as something hidden. Paul used the word “mystery” for something that had been kept hidden for ages and generations but now has been revealed …. We could say an “open mystery” or “revealed mystery.”
Colossians 1
26 The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.
Romans 16
25Now to him who is able to establish you … according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him.
“The word translated deep truths is one of Paul’s favorite words to describe the gospel, literally meaning “mystery” (I Cor. 2:7; 4:1; Eph. 3:3-9), but scarcely connoting “deep truths.” For Paul, the ‘mystery of the faith’ was neither something ‘secret’ nor some kind of ‘deep truth.’ Rather, as I Cor. 2:6-16 makes plain, it refers to the essential truth of the gospel, especially the saving character of Christ’s death, which was once hidden (in God) but now revealed by the Spirit (hence the GNB’s ‘revealed truth’)”. (Gordon Fee, 86)
III. LISTING SOME OF THE “REVEALED DEEP TRUTHS”
QUESTION: What were some of the “deep truths” Paul referred to as “mysteries”?
The Mystery of the Incarnation
1 Timothy 3
16Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
The Mystery of the Gospel Message
Colossians 4
3And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
The Mystery of the Rapture
1 Corinthians 15
51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
The Mystery of Christ
Colossians 2
2My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
The Mystery of the Gospel to the Gentiles
Colossians 1
26The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Ephesians 1
9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment–to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
Ephesians 3
4In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
Romans 16
25Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him—
IV THE EARLY CHURCH AND THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES.
1. This was the calling and determining factor in the life of Paul. Just a few phrases from I Tim. 2 … God wants all men to be saved …one mediator between God and man … Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all men … a herald, apostle, teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles (I Tim. 2:4-7).
2. One of the major purposes of the book of Acts was to reveal that the Gospel was for the World.
Acts 10
34Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.
Acts 2
11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs–we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
Acts 10
2He (Cornelius) and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.
Acts 13
16Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: “Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!”
Acts 13
26″Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
Acts 13
43When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
Acts 17
12Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
Acts 17
17So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.
Acts 18
4Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
V. HAS THE CHURCH HELD TO THE MYSTERY OF THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES THROUGH THE AGES?
A. Christians in the Roman World.
Eusebius, a church leader and historian at the time of Constantine, saw the achievement of a unified Roman Christian Empire as the goal of history. (Conversion of the Barbarians, Fletcher, page 24)
Augustine and his younger contemporary, Prosper of Aquitaine both hesitated in the matter of emphasizing the sending of missionaries. If grace is omnipotent, irresistible, omnipresent and inscrutable, then might it not be that for humans to choose to undertake missionary preaching was presumptuously to interfere with the workings of grace. They never asserted this in so many words, but one can sense the thoughts lurking there unformulated” (Conversion of the Barbarians, Richard Fletcher, pg. 32).
B. Patrick and the Evangelization of Europe
“Patrick’s originality was that no one within western Christendom had thought such thoughts as these before (that the Gospel was intended for all the peoples of the world, from every tongue, tribe, nation, not just those who were in the Roman Empire) had ever previously, been possessed by such convictions. As far as our evidence goes, he was the first person in Christian history to take the scriptural injunctions literally; to grasp that teaching all nations meant teaching even barbarians who lived beyond the frontiers of the Roman empire. Patrick crossed that threshold upon which Augustine and Prosper hesitated.” (Conversion of the Barbarians, Richard Fletcher, page 86)
C. William Carey, the Father of Modern Missions
By 1786, Carey was serving as the pastor of a Baptist church in Moulton. His passion for world mission was growing steadily. By this time, he had mastered three more languages: Italian, Dutch and French. When a fellow Baptist minister named Andrew Fuller found out his vision for world mission, he told Carey that he should no longer make shoes but devote himself to the worthy cause. But not everyone was supportive of his vision. Carey knew that his own father wouldn’t approve. One day, at a meeting of the Northampton Baptist Association of Pastors, Carey suggested that they discuss the great commission of Jesus. He was immediately shot down by his own spiritual advisor, Rev. John Ryland, Sr., who told him, “Sit down, young man. If God wants to convert the heathen, he will do it without consulting with you, or me!” Carey realized that most pastors did not share his vision. And who was he but a young pastor? He wasn’t even ordained yet.
But Carey did not give up. He continued to study the works of missionaries in history. Whenever he read the Acts of the Apostles he was deeply touched by the missionary life of St. Paul. He was moved by the Moravian missionaries and also by John Eliot (1604-90), a Puritan minister who went to preach the gospel to American Indians during the colonial times. Most of all, as he read Isaiah 54:2, it seemed that the voice of God spoke to him personally: “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” How could he pretend to do the work of God ignoring this voice of God?
D. Social Gospel from 1880-1940
Walter Rauschenbusch (1861-1918) wrote The Social Gospel in 1907 and later Christianizing the Social Order, A Theology of the Social Gospel, and The Social Principles of Jesus. These books ushered in a period in the USA where American Christians were challenged to bring in the “Kingdom of God” by focusing on social change. This movement was aligned with liberalism and eventually caused the division of many denominations and the rise of Fundamentalism. It also eventually brought about the demise of the Student Volunteer Movement, one of the largest missionary movements of history, which was only rekindled in the late 1940s by Christy Wilson and others.
E. The Challenge of the Ideology of Pluralism today
“Pluralism is itself an ideology. It affirms the independent validity of all faiths. It therefore rejects as arrogant and wholly unacceptable every attempt to convert anybody (let along everybody) to our opinions. …. The reason we must reject this increasingly popular position is that we are committed to the uniqueness of Jesus (he has no competitors) and his finality (he has no successors). It is not the uniqueness of ‘Christianity’ as a system that we defend, but the uniqueness of Christ. He is unique in his incarnation (which is quite different from the ahistorical and plural ‘avatars’ of Hinduism); in his atonement (dying once for all our sins); in his resurrection (breaking the power of death); and in his gift of the Spirit (to indwell and transform us). So, because in no other person but Jesus of Nazareth did God first become human (in his birth), then bear our sins (in his death), then conquer death (in his resurrection) and then enter his people (the his Spirit), he is uniquely able to save sinners. Nobody else has his qualifications. (John Stott in Christianity Today, pg 50-51)
SO WHAT?
1. The great gospel truths (Paul’s mysteries) must be held tightly by all who belong to Christ, never taken lightly.
2. We must focus on the unreached peoples of the world and make sure the young generation does not lose that vision due to emphasis on a social gospel, strict Calvinism or the ideology of pluralism.