ALL WHO ARE SLAVES. Christianity is to _leaven,_ not _displace,_ the existing social order. Compare 1 Corinthians 7:20-24 and notes. Many of the Christians were slaves. Because the Law (Exodus 21:2) would not allow anyone to be made a slave for life without his own consent, the Circumcision Party ta... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO ARE BELIEVERS. Christianity does not destroy social and political differences. Instead of leading slaves to rebel, it makes them better and more faithful workers. Christianity changes the attitude of masters (when they believe) and this takes the harshness out of slavery. For as masters drink in... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOEVER TEACHES A DIFFERENT DOCTRINE. Compare. 1 Timothy 1:3-7 and notes. The "slave problem" was an outgrowth of this (see note on 1 Timothy 6:1). AND DOES NOT AGREE. What Paul taught was "the true words of our Lord Jesus Christ." Compare Luke 10:16; Galatians 1:6-9.... [ Continue Reading ]
IS SWOLLEN WITH PRIDE. "He really knows nothing of either the Jewish or Christian revelation of God, even though he claims to completely understand both!" UNHEALTHY DESIRE TO ARGUE. These men have a _passion_ for arguments and "splitting hairs." See notes on 1 Corinthians 2:1-2. They have a morbid i... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CONSTANT ARGUMENTS, A diatribe. Bitter and constant wrangling which turns people down "blind alleys," and makes it impossible to "get on with the job." WHO NO LONGER HAVE THE TRUTH. The Greek implies that the truth was _stolen_ from them while they were busy with other things. Compare Titus 1:13... [ Continue Reading ]
WELL, RELIGION DOES. Paul takes their _motivation_ and turns it around. Religion does make a man rich, but not in the things they wanted. The treasures of heaven belong to you as a Christian!!! God gave you his Son; he gave you his Spirit; he gave you his Word. He emptied heaven and gave it all to y... [ Continue Reading ]
NOTHING! "He said, I was born with nothing and I will die with nothing. The Lord gave, and now he has taken away. May his name be praised!' " (Job 1:21).... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEN. Because we must leave all material things behind when we leave this world. If we have food and clothes, we should be satisfied. However, Paul is not saying that we must take a vow of poverty, only that we must not make material wealth our goal and motivation.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO WANT TO GET RICH. It is not the fact of _being rich,_ but COVETING these things. "An honest man will lead a full, happy life. But if you are in a hurry to get rich, you are going to be punished" (Proverbs 28:20).... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY. Not money itself, but the LOVE of it! Many misquote this. Money itself is harmless, and can be used to feed the poor, preach the gospel, etc. But the LOVE of money makes men cheat, lie, steal, etc., and even murder! Note the character of Judas (John 12:6), which eventually led... [ Continue Reading ]
AVOID ALL THESE THINGS. Every Christian is a man (or woman) of God. Therefore, they each must avoid the _love of money_ (which the false teachers had). STRIVE FOR. Do your best to seize these things and make them part of your life.... [ Continue Reading ]
RUN YOUR BEST. AGONIZOU can be translated both "fight" and "run" (in the sense of competing in a race). [A different word is used in 1 Timothy 1:18]_ "Run your best in the race"_ had become a slogan of the Games. The Greek shows a continuous _running._ AND WIN ETERNAL LIFE. Eternal life is not achie... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE GOD. This is a solemn obligation which Paul places on Timothy (and every Christian), but it is also a word of encouragement!!! BEFORE PONTIUS PILATE. See John 18:33-37.... [ Continue Reading ]
OBEY THE COMMANDMENT. To _obey_ and to _keep_ (preserve intact) are opposite sides of the same coin. I understand the commandment to be what Paul has said in 1 Timothy 6:11-12. It begins with the _good profession,_ in which we reach out through faith to seize Christ (See notes on Acts 2:37-38)_. Mac... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS APPEARING. In 1 Timothy 6:14, Paul tells Timothy to remember that Christ is coming again. We all look forward to this! But no one knows the time when this will happen - no one but God himself (Matthew 24:36)! Jesus discouraged his apostles when they wanted to pry into this matter (Acts 1:7). AT... [ Continue Reading ]
HE ALONE IS IMMORTAL. This simply means that God is entirely separate from every created thing, which includes angels and the Devil. God alone is UNCREATE (independently existent, without either beginning or end). [On the _Trinity,_ see note on Romans 16:27] NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN HIM. Moses is not a... [ Continue Reading ]
COMMAND THOSE. Being rich is not a sin, but being in love with this world is! _The things of this life_ puts worldly wealth in the right perspective. Not TO be PROUD. Here is the real danger. Pride could lead to despising others. BUT IN GOD. He is the real source of everything we have!!! He is the o... [ Continue Reading ]
TO DO GOOD. This is the right way to use worldly wealth. Honest wealth, rightly used, blesses both those who give and those who receive. Christianity teaches a new principle of life (Ephesians 4:28).... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THIS WAY. "The only way you can _take it with you_ is to use it in the right way NOW!" This does not imply _degrees of reward,_ since God awards eternal life through the merit of _Christ on the cross!!!_ See notes on Matthew 20:13-14. Note that a wrong use of this world will disqualify us for ete... [ Continue Reading ]
TIMOTHY, KEEP SAFE. These last two verses are a summary of the entire Letter. The gospel turned over to Timothy to keep and to pass on (2 Timothy 2:2), is the true account of Jesus as the Son of God, the fact that he is a descendant of David and Abraham, his birth by a virgin, his teaching, his mira... [ Continue Reading ]