First Timothy is a spirited exhortation from the Apostle Paul to Timothy his “son in the faith,” calling on him to exercise strong, godly leadership in the church at Ephesus. Two inclusios form the nuclei around which Paul’s central thesis revolves: (1) the charge to guard the trust of the gospel (1:11,18; 6:20); and (2) the need to fight the good fight of faith for the sake of the gospel (1:18-19; 6:12). Further, in the midst of a variety of practical instructions, Paul explicitly states that his primary purpose in writing the letter was so Timothy would “know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God” (3:15). It seems to follow that in Paul’s mind the proper administration of the local church is no mere periphery when it comes to the successful advancement of the gospel. Hence, Paul’s charge to “guard the trust” and “fight the good fight” are inseparable from his charge to exercise responsible oversight of the church. Such leadership was, in fact, the very means by which Timothy could fulfill God’s calling. An overall summary of Paul’s appeal to Timothy would be as follows: Despite any and all opposition, fight the good fight of faith through uncompromising, doctrinally-pure instruction of the brethren concerning the operation of the local church, in order that the administration of the gospel might be advanced to the glory of God, who has graciously provided for and desires the salvation of all men.
Paul intimately and personally testifies to the transforming power of the gospel 1:12-17. But not content to leave the issue of the gospel a matter of one’s personal experience, he is careful to include some fundamental teachings about the nature of the salvation of God. Specifically, Paul mentions the objects of the gospel (sinners; 1:15), the one true Mediator of the gospel (Christ; 2:5), the payment required for the gospel (a ransom; 2:6), and the potential reach of the gospel (all men; 2:4; 4:10). Paul’s presentation of the gospel, though not elaborate, has all the same basic elements found in the testimony of Christ Himself in John 3:16. Likewise, just as Christ testified about the hatred of the world toward Him (John 15:18), a faithful preacher of the gospel will face demonically-inspired opposition on many fronts.
That Timothy experienced such opposition is unmistakable. The very first instruction Paul gives is for his young disciple to confront those who were introducing “strange doctrines” into the church (1:3). To help Timothy clearly distinguish between false and true doctrine, Paul reminds him that while false doctrines “give rise to mere speculation” and do nothing to “further the administration of God,” true, godly instruction promotes “love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1:4-5). Tragically, those who have compromised their doctrine and opposed the true faith have “suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith” (1:19).
Timothy also faced opposition in the form of judgmental attitudes concerning his youthfulness. Having responsibility for a congregation that included the elderly (5:1-20), it is no surprise that Timothy’s age would be an issue to some. Timothy’s youthfulness, however, was no reflection on his spiritual depth and stability. Indeed, it is hardly reasonable to surmise that Paul would instruct Timothy that an elder must not be too new in the faith (3:6), and that a deacon must be tested (3:10), if Timothy himself did not meet or surpass those basic qualifications. Quite contrarily, Paul expresses confidence in his disciple and exhorts him to prove, despite his lack of years, the maturity of his faith through his speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity (4:12).
Another force opposing the truth was materialism. While Paul wished for servants to be respectful of their masters, certain “men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth” opposed this view by advocating “controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men” (6:1-5). Such opponents were led astray by greed, supposing that godliness was little more than a means of financial gain (6:5). Paul showed this to be a perversion and instructed Timothy in how to refute it: godliness is a means of gain, if accompanied by contentment (6:6). Therefore, Timothy had to stand against materialism and instruct “those who want to get rich” to instead be “rich in good works” (6:9,18).
Central to Paul’s theme is his inclusio-forming exhortation to “fight the good fight.” First, he commands Timothy to fight the good fight to the end that he would stay true to the faith and preserve a good conscience (1:18-19). Near the close, he tells him to fight the good fight and take hold of the eternal life to which he was called (6:12). Thus, Paul’s essential pleas were for Timothy to (1) keep true to the doctrines of the faith, (2) maintain his moral purity, and (3) fix his hope entirely on God’s salvific calling on his life.
In order to “fight the good fight,” Timothy had to first be diligently concerned for his own doctrinal integrity, unlike Hymenaeus and Alexander who rejected sound teaching and, as a result, suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith (1:19-20). It was, in fact, the ceaseless encroachment of false teaching that motivated Paul to beseech Timothy to pay such close attention to his doctrine (4:15-16). As a good servant of Christ, Timothy must expose the demonic doctrines of those who had forsaken the common confession of the church (3:16 – 4:6). As a faithful guardian of the truth, Timothy was also compelled to unmask the perversion of materialism that had threatened true godliness (6:1-11; 17-19).
Furthermore, Timothy had to maintain the utmost moral standards in his pastoral stewardship, being careful to keep a good conscience in all things, unlike those who had given heed to false doctrine and thereby seared their own conscience (4:1-2). One way for Timothy to prove that his youthfulness was no hindrance to his ministry was to exercise exemplary moral conduct (4:12). Moreover, in fulfilling his responsibility to correct those who opposed his leadership, Paul exhorted him to make a humble appeal instead of an arrogant demand, with special care taken to deal with younger women “in all purity” (5:1-2). As a man of God, Timothy also needed to flee from covetousness and instead “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness” (6:11).
Finally, Paul implored Timothy to be resolutely focused on the Ultimate by “[taking] hold of the eternal life to which you were called” (6:12). Motivation in the Christian life is necessarily fueled by hope. But many in Timothy’s congregation had abandoned Biblical hope and had, instead, “fix[ed] their hope on the uncertainty of riches” (6:17). On the contrary, Timothy’s fight of faith (or anyone’s for that matter) could never be won apart from an uncompromising inclination of the whole person toward the hope of eternal life. Such hope was the reason why Paul labored so tenaciously for the proclamation and defense of the gospel (4:10). And, by disciplining himself for the purpose of godliness (4:7), Timothy would also have the focus that would be required for him to fulfill his high calling.
The bulk of the material in First Timothy is practical instruction from Paul for the efficient and proper administration of the local church. Interestingly, out of Paul’s fourteen letters (including Hebrews), only in 1 Timothy and Titus does he introduce himself as one called according to the commandment of God (1 Tim. 1:1; Titus 1:3). Paul had received his ministry by the command of God, and now in turn he outlines for Timothy God’s commands for the practical management of the congregation.
Paul provides a succinct ecclesiology in 3:15-16 by which he gives the spiritual context which anchors the practical instructions that form the bulk of the letter. Paul frankly admits that his reason for writing was so Timothy “will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God” (3:15). Paul explains that “the household of God” is the “pillar and support of the truth,” the assembly of those who hold to a common confession concerning the Lord Jesus Christ (3:15-16). The church is not a social club, nor is it a meeting place of those who are initiated through some secret knowledge. Rather it is the divinely-sponsored assembly of those who have confessed the Incarnation, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ, and have embraced the salvation found only in Him, the One who was “proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world” (3:16). Further, the church is the guardian and herald of the truth that there is “one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all” (2:5-6; 3:15).
In light of this abbreviated ecclesiology, Paul offers practical instructions for the operation of the church concerning issues like the importance of prayer (2:1-8), the role of women (2:9-15), the qualifications and responsibilities of church officers (3:1-13), the urgency of Bible reading and exposition (4:13-16), the benevolent care of widows (5:1-16), financial support of leaders (5:17-18), congregational discipline (5:19-25), and godly contentment (6:1-10). By carefully following these instructions, Timothy’s congregation will know what God expects of them within the context of the assembly, and the administration of the gospel will be advanced (1:4).
A primary concern of Paul’s is the “furthering of the administration of God which is by faith” (1:4). The second inclusio found in this letter, in fact, deals with the entrusting of the stewardship of the gospel (1:11, 18; 6:20). Paul himself was entrusted as a servant of “the glorious gospel of the blessed God” (1:11). Paul’s stewardship was especially remarkable owing to his former life as a “blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor” (1:13). But it was the very depth of his depravity and murderous opposition to the gospel that served as a backdrop for the abundant grace of God found in Christ (1:13-16). The gratitude Paul expresses as a result of God’s grace in His life culminates rather spontaneously in the first of two doxologies found in the letter (1:17; 6:15-16).
Not only has the stewardship of the gospel been entrusted to Paul, but now it has been entrusted to Timothy as well. Timothy, along with all other Christian leaders, must jealously guard the trust, carefully “avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called ‘knowledge’ – which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith” (6:20-21). As Paul sees it, the ultimate goal in all church administration and operation should be the proclamation and defense of the eternal gospel of “God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2:3-4).
In the contemporary world, the importance of the local church is often overlooked, or even depreciated. Paul’s emphasis on the importance of the local church as it relates to the advancement of the gospel is, therefore, quite foreign to many of today’s readers. A primary application of this letter, therefore, would be to recover the universal principles contained therein by which the local church can regain its indispensable role in the proclamation and defense of the eternal gospel.
First, the contemporary church must rediscover the true testimony of the redeemed. The gospel is not a drug to make us happy or a plan to make us rich. Rather, the gospel is the good news that Christ Jesus came into the world to save even the worst of sinners (1:15).
Second, the church must awaken to the reality that she is at war. Accordingly, relentless opposition to the Christian agenda is to be expected and dealt with appropriately.
Third, the church must elevate the importance of sound doctrinal instruction. For too long the church has sought therapy instead of teaching, entertainment instead of edification, trends instead of truth. But for the gospel to be truly advanced, its purity must be guarded through means of careful and faithful doctrine.
Fourth, the church must strike a balance between rigid organization and “pious anarchy.” The church is neither a hierarchical corporation nor a majority-led democracy. Authority, structure, and leadership in the church are indispensable, but should also be exercised in all humility, purity, and gentle respectability.
Finally, the church must fix her hope firmly on the grace still to be revealed, reorienting all of her resources and efforts to the end that she would unreservedly give to “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” the glory, honor, and eternal dominion that belongs to Him alone forever and ever. Amen. (1:17; 6:15-16).