1 Timothy 4:1-16
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
8 For bodily exercise profiteth little:a but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
11 These things command and teach.
12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.b
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Having thus dealt with the Church, the apostle showed Timothy how he was to fulfil his responsibility. He had a duty toward the truth, and therefore toward the Church. In order to correct errors which would arise, Timothy was to give definite instruction. Abstinence from lawful things is a matter for personal decision and action, and must never be made a necessity of religious life or godliness. The apostle then described the secrets of strength for those who were called upon to defend the truth against error. A faithful saying, and worthy of acceptation, is that God is "the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe."
The teacher must be such a man as to carry conviction. The injunction, "Let no man despise thy youth," has the force of, "Do not be despicable." How Timothy may fulfil this injunction is then stated. He is to be an example of the believers in godliness of life The apostle's final instructions concerning Timothy's duty to the truth are strikingly comprehensive in their description of the true method and habit of the Christian minister. They may be divided thus:
(1) his public work (verse 1Ti 4:13),
(2) his private work (verses 1Ti 4:14-15), and
(3) his general attitude, and its consequent issue (verse 1Ti 4:16). The greatest power of the preacher is personality; continuity in his work is the way of his salvation, and so also the way of salvation for others.