Readings
Psalm 113
1 Timothy 2.1-7
In our New Testament reading, Paul writes to Timothy, his “true son in the faith”. They previously travelled together proclaiming the gospel. He now urges Timothy to stay in Ephesus and deal with some church problems. Acts 19 and 20 tell of the remarkable time they previously had in Ephesus. Paul spent three months debating in the synagogue trying to convince people about the Kingdom of God. He took those who believed and held daily discussions for two whole years in a lecture hall. A great number of people heard the word of the Lord here. God performed miracles through Paul. Such was the spirit of repentance that many who practised magic gathered to burn their magic books in public. The word of God spread.
Then Paul sent Timothy to Macedonia and Timothy missed the riot. Ephesus hosted the temple of the goddess Artemis. Paul preached that handmade gods are not gods. Those who sold silver models of the temple lost trade. Artemis lost followers. A crowd was stirred up and spread uproar through the city. For two solid hours they repeatedly shouted “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Paul left to rejoin Timothy and spent time ministering in other places until returning to Ephesus for a final meeting with the church leaders. Paul’s farewell speech was emotional. He believed he’d never see them again. Amongst other things he said: “I know that after I leave, fierce wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock. The time will come when some men from your own group will tell lies to lead the believers away after them.” (Acts 20:29-30)
Fast Forward ten years. Paul writes this letter to Timothy, now in Ephesus looking after the church. Paul’s warning about “fierce wolves” has already come true. Timothy, Paul’s true son in the faith, must now confront the false sons who departed from the faith. Paul tells Timothy: “Some people there are teaching false doctrines, and you must order them to stop.” (1 Timothy 1:3b) They’ve abandoned the gospel in favour of what Paul calls legends, list of ancestors, foolish discussions. He mentions by name Hymenaeus and Alexander, who haven’t listened to their conscience and ruined their faith, becoming blasphemers. He writes: “The Spirit says clearly that some people will abandon the faith in later times; they will obey lying spirits and follow the teachings of demons. Such teachings are spread by deceitful liars, whose consciences are dead, as if burnt with a hot iron.” (1 Timothy 4:1-2) Having given instructions to Timothy for the church, he writes: “Whoever teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching of our religion is swollen with pride and knows nothing. He has an unhealthy desire to argue and quarrel about words, and this brings on jealousy, disputes, insults, evil suspicions, and constant arguments from people whose minds do not function and who no longer have the truth. They think that religion is a way to become rich” (1 Timothy 6:3-5) Paul is never one to mince his words. He also writes, “For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10)
False teachers haven’t gone away. They are still with us today. Unlike Paul, I’m not going to name names, but here are some ways to spot them. They seek to please people instead of God. They make themselves out to be the good guys, attacking and condemning Christians who uphold the Bible. They put their own ideas above God’s teachings, contradicting or misquoting the Bible to promote their own agenda. They take side issues and make them more important than the good news about Jesus. They often seek to enrich themselves at the expense of their followers. They love to control and abuse people. The foundation of all false teaching can be summarised: “Did God really say?”
Timothy has the daunting task of sorting out the mess created by such people and keeping the church together and functioning well. The sinfulness of false teaching tore apart a seemingly vibrant group of believers within ten short years. It cannot be underestimated how toxic it is. We must not entertain those who proclaim a different gospel. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. “For there is one God, and there is one who brings God and human beings together, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) “No one can deny how great is the secret of our religion: He appeared in human form, was shown to be right by the Spirit, and was seen by angels. He was preached among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, and was taken up to heaven.” (1 Timothy 3:16) Faith in this Jesus saves. Paul wants everyone to hear this truth and says that God wants that too.
What has driven Paul to want this? In the past Paul hated Jesus, Paul spoke evil of Jesus, Paul persecuted Jesus by persecuting the church and spoke insulting things about Him. Then Jesus met him, and graciously gave him faith and love. Paul truly believed he was the worst sinner ever. If God could save him, He could save anybody!
Timothy’s task was to rebuild a church broken by false teachers. How? Our reading begins “first of all, then”. It refers to what Paul has already written, which can be summarised as “order false teachers to stop, I used to be a false teacher, God saved me by His grace”. The first thing to do is pray. See the need, understand God’s desire, approach God. I fully expected Paul to say “pray for the false teachers”. But he goes further. Pray for all people. Pray for kings and all in authority.
What does he want to achieve? “That we may live a quiet and peaceful life with all reverence toward God and with proper conduct.” (1 Timothy 2:2) Why would this be a good thing? “This is good and it pleases God our Saviour, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to know the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4) How can this happen? By proclaiming the message of faith and truth.
Praying for kings and those in authority makes sense. If they favour the church, we can live peaceful and quiet lives, reverencing God without fear of persecution, freely and openly proclaiming the gospel. Praying for false teachers makes sense. If they accept the truth, we won’t need to spend time confronting their errors and warning each other about them. We can focus on uplifting things, like truth, unity and living in harmony in Christ. Praying for all people makes sense. If everyone followed Christ, crime, hate, immorality, persecution would end, or at least be much reduced. Well, that’s the theory.
The Church of England responds to this in the following prayers:
O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed: Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
O LORD, our heavenly Father, high and mighty, King of kings, Lord of lords, the only Ruler of princes, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth: Most heartily we beseech thee with thy favour to behold our most gracious Sovereign Lord, King Charles; and so replenish him with the grace of thy Holy Spirit, that he may alway incline to thy will, and walk in thy way. Endue him plenteously with heavenly gifts; grant him in health and wealth long to live; strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies; and finally after this life he may attain everlasting joy and felicity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We could pray these in our own personal prayer times, or simpler, less wordy, prayers, like “Lord, defend us from our enemies. Lord, enable us to live in peace. Lord, may the rulers of our nation turn to You, and find favour and blessing in Your sight.”
The rulers, politicians and government officials of Paul’s day were not the kindest, most humble people. The Roman Emperor was Nero. Yet Paul says pray for their salvation. Whatever we think of our leaders at national or local level, we should do the same. They’re people who need Jesus.
As the UK has turned its back on God, the response to every problem is “the Government must do something!” People treat the Government as a god. We know better. We appeal to the one, true God, who is “high and mighty, King of kings, Lord of lords, the only Ruler of princes, who dost from his throne behold all the dwellers upon earth”.
Psalm 146 (3-5) instructs: “Don't put your trust in human leaders; no human being can save you. When they die, they return to the dust; on that day all their plans come to an end. Happy are those who have the God of Jacob to help them and who depend on the Lord their God.”
While we are meant to honour earthly rulers, we are meant to trust in one who is greater, the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 113 (4-8), which we read earlier, informs us: “The Lord rules over all nations; his glory is above the heavens. There is no one like the Lord our God. He lives in the heights above, but he bends down to see the heavens and the earth. He raises the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from their misery and makes them companions of princes, the princes of his people.”
First of all, then, pray. We cannot stop false teachers; we cannot stop rulers; we cannot stop anyone doing what they want. God gave people free will and that free will became corrupted. Given the choice between doing what God wants and doing what we want, humanity inclines to do what it wants, whether God is happy with it or not. But God cannot be mocked. We reap what we sow, and either way God will be glorified. Christians can and should speak gospel truth, but God must arrange things so people will listen, change and follow Him. He will show mercy to whom He will show mercy and have compassion on whom He will have compassion. We appeal to Him with prayers because Jesus came to set the captives truly free to love God through faith in Him.
(Preached in August 2022)
